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Country Bank Expands Its Presence in More Ways Than One

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Banking and Financial Services Sections

Lending Support

Country Bank President Paul Scully

Country Bank President Paul Scully

Country Bank’s sheer scope in Eastern and Central Mass. — it now boasts 15 branches, almost $1.4 billion in assets, and a loan portfolio approaching $1 billion — positions it among the larger banks in its footprint. But even during a time of financial growth, President Paul Scully is equally committed to growing the bank’s community ties, through an ever-evolving series of initiatives that engage employees, customers, and area residents alike. After all, a bank’s success, he believes, shouldn’t be reflected simply on the bottom line.

Paul Scully is gratified that Country Bank is wrapping up a particularly strong year for both commercial loans and retail business. But the bottom line isn’t all the bank is building.

For instance, employees at the bank’s newest branch, in Worcester, recently teamed with Habitat for Humanity to build a playhouse for children of veterans. “Staff members spent the day building the playhouse in the parking lot,” said Scully, the bank’s president. “They loved it.”

More significantly, Scully recently returned from Haiti, where a team of 14 built two houses over five days before being chased out by the quick-moving Hurricane Matthew. Last year, he accompanied a team of management-level employees on a similar home-building mission in the beleaguered Caribbean nation, and this year, he opened it up to all staff members.

“Thirty-three people said they’d like to go, so we had a lottery,” he explained. “It’s a tremendous feeling giving back in the most impoverished country in the western hemisphere. They realized, if they didn’t before, how amazingly fortunate everyone here is.”

The home-building project was also an exercise in team building, he added. “We got to know people for who they are — not just the role they play Monday through Friday.”

That sense of community — both within the Country Bank family and in service to the cities and towns where its 15 branches operate — has increasingly become a hallmark of the Ware-based institution’s identity, Scully said.

Country Bank employees

Country Bank employees in Worcester celebrate the construction of a playhouse for children of veterans, a project conducted alongside Habitat for Humanity.

“When it comes to giving and community involvement, we believe that’s the role of a community bank, and most community banks feel similarly,” he told BusinessWest, noting that the bank’s support of area food banks, senior centers, and Baystate Mary Lane Hospital, among other entities — in all, totaling some $600,000 annually.

“Donations are geared toward all aspects of the community to improve quality of life for residents,” he said. “We’re a staunch supporter of our local hospital because we believe healthy communities must have access to good healthcare, and people want to stay and live and perhaps move into our communities to access quality healthcare.”

To further focus its community involvement, in 2015, the bank launched its Country Bank Cares community volunteer program, offering volunteer opportunities at various events throughout the year to Country Bank staff. Each volunteer hour is logged, and at the end of the year, staff members who volunteered 10 hours or more are awarded a grant to a charity of their choice for $100; 25 hours earns $250.

 

Thirty-three people said they’d like to go, so we had a lottery. It’s a tremendous feeling giving back in the most impoverished country in the western hemisphere. They realized, if they didn’t before, how amazingly fortunate everyone here is.”

 

“They have a stake in where the money goes,” said Shelly Regin, the bank’s marketing director, noting that employees donate about 700 hours of service per year. “They’re really engaged in it and honored to take part in it.”

The spirit of giving even incorporates a dress-down day on Fridays, when employees pay to wear jeans, and the bank matches all donations. At the end of each month, a committee of staff members decides which local nonprofits get the money — to the tune of about $2,500 a month. “That’s a lot of jeans,” Scully said. Meanwhile, a recent event called Be Bald, Be Bold had employees donning bald caps to draw attention to cancer research and raise money for the Baystate Mary Lane Walk of Champions.

“This is something that existed here long before Shelly or me,” he went on, explaining the motivation behind Country Bank Cares and other initiatives. “It’s the idea that Country Bank is engaged in the community and people’s quality of life, and we want our 220 staff members to experience another dimension of giving back.”

Country and City

With assets of $1.39 billion at the end of 2015 and a loan portfolio of more than $978 million, Country Bank is, of course, deeply ingrained in its communities in the traditional banking sense as well. And 2016 has seen further financial growth.

“We’ve had a very robust year in commercial loan originations, really centered in our existing footprint but also throughout New England,” Scully said. “We’ve had a tremendous year in both loan growth and deposit growth. I think that’s attributable, in part, to improvements we’re seeing in the economy and more robust product offerings.”

He noted that the evolution of e-banking solutions increasingly allows banks to develop relationships with customers outside their branch footprint. “That’s opening up the market dramatically. Folks can open up accounts with us online, can do anything they want online.”

Still, physical branches remain important, and the move to Worcester last year made sense on multiple levels, he explained.

Go HERE for a list of Banks in Western Mass.

“We’ve been lending in Worcester for more than 50 years,” he noted, adding that the city boasts a larger population and more diverse demographic than most Country branches, both of which equate into more business opportunity. And without a branch, it was difficult to move commercial customers into other products, such as retail accounts.

“From a cultural perspective, we have not changed the culture to adapt to the city — we’ve just brought the same level of service and quality to Worcester as our other marketplaces.”

Shelly Regin

Shelly Regin says employees are gratified to have opportunities for volunteerism and a say in where the bank’s charitable dollars go.

However, Country remains focused on growing its e-banking platforms as well, reaching a generation that prefers the convenience of doing business on their devices rather than visit a branch. But the community-bank world has long moved past the days of thinking branches will eventually be obsolete.

“They said years ago that ATMs are going to replace branches,” Scully said. “What happens is, every time there’s an advancement, people believe it’s going to replace something, but it doesn’t replace it — it just complements it. In this case, it allows customers to enjoy many different ways to do their banking. Has the foot traffic slowed down? Yes, a little bit, but people still want to know it’s there if they need it for any reason.”

Mortgage applications are one area where the change in customer behavior has been stark. When Country launched an online application option 10 years ago, customers were slow to embrace it, preferring to meet with a loan officer in person. Online applications were filed mostly by customers with poor credit who were targeting multiple banks at once, hoping someone would accept them. Today, 80% of the bank’s mortgage applications originate online, simply because borrowers realize it’s easier.

Brick-and-mortar branches are important for branding as well, but marketing campaigns — through both traditional and social media — remain critical, Regin said, noting that the challenge is to effectively tell a story that’s reflective of the institution and sets it apart.

To that end, with the help of its marketing agency, the bank conducted scores of interviews, not only with customers and employees, but people with no connection at all to Country Bank, asking why they choose to bank or work there, or why they don’t. The overwhelming takeaway, Regin said, is that relationships, and how the bank treats people, are its most important investment. So its current campaign incorporates slogans driving home the importance of priorities like service and even good manners. (One slogan reads, “we think politeness is a higher form of intelligence.”)

“That’s just who we are,” she said, before Scully added that the bank has always conducted business that way, but the campaign simply crystallizes it. Equally important is providing the kind of customer or borrower experience that leads to referrals. “Someone says, ‘I had a great experience with them.’ Another says, ‘OK, maybe I’ll give them a try too.’”

Community Legacy

The Country Bank name is only 35 years old, but the institution has been around since 1850, when it was known as Ware Savings Bank. It took on its current name after a 1981 merger with Palmer Savings Bank; another merger with Leicester Savings Bank 17 years ago further increased the bank’s holdings.

With that long history behind it, the bank understands the importance of helping future generations establish their own financial health, which is why Country conducts financial-literacy programs in 29 elementary schools, conducts a Credit for Life program in area high schools — teaching seniors the importance of prioritizing spending — and expanding that program with seniors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

“That next step is really geared toward those graduating from college,” Scully said. “They’re the ones who will be experiencing the real workforce soon, so the engagement is greater.”

Also thinking generationally — this time focusing on Millennials — Country has been overhauling its corporate headquarters to reflect modern workforce trends, such as low walls, collaborative spaces, enhanced technology, and even a café.

“We want to be an employer of choice for Millennials and folks who say, ‘this would be a cool place to work,’” he explained. “There’s great stuff happening; we’re creating a different vibe in this building. I say we’re giving it a Google vibe. We want to have the building become a place where people not only want to work, but feel really engaged.”

It’s just one more way Country Bank continues to identify needs and meet them — just as it has for the past 166 years.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

The Zoo in Forest Park Sharpens Its Focus

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Executive Director Sarah Tsitso with a couple of poitou donkeys.
Cover Story

Creature Comforts

Executive Director Sarah Tsitso with a couple of poitou donkeys.

Executive Director Sarah Tsitso with a couple of poitou donkeys.

The Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center has seen its share of changes over the decades, and its current executive director, Sarah Tsitso, admits it’s still an underappreciated asset in Springfield. But an asset it is, she asserts, one that has honed its focus in recent years to emphasize education, conservation, and rehabilitation — and all the intriguing ways those ideas intersect.

Montana is a bobcat who used to be someone’s pet. That is, until, authorities found out and confiscated her; even out west, you can’t just go bring home a bobcat.

But since Montana had been declawed, the aging feline had no chance of survival in the wild, and needed a new home. The Zoo in Forest Park became that home.

“We’ve started working more collaboratively with other zoos, and particularly sanctuaries and rehab facilities, around the country for animal placements,” said Sarah Tsitso, who was named the zoo’s executive director last spring. “We want animals that make sense for our zoo in terms of our size, our geography, and our climate — especially animals that can’t be released into the wild, that are living in a sanctuary right now and are in need of a permanent home.”

With its 125th anniversary around the corner next year, the zoo has seen its share of evolution over the years, and that process is never-ending, Tsitso said. “We’ve been doing a lot of internal strategic thinking about the direction we want to take going forward, and one of the things we’re really focused on is moving away from that traditional zoo model and more toward education, conservation, and rehabilitation.”

The facility has been working recently with sanctuaries in Florida, Texas, Kansas, and Ohio to provide a home for animals in need of one. One example is a 1-year-old orphan coyote who was brought to a sanctuary with a broken leg. “She healed, but has never lived in the wild,” Tsitso said. “So she’s being flown in here.”

She’ll share the zoo’s four and a half acres with some 150 animal species, from timberwolf siblings Orion and Aurora to a pair of red-tailed hawks who rehabbed from injury but are not releasable in the wild, to a three-legged baby opossum who had the fourth limb amputated due to a serious injury, and is being moved from a sanctuary to its new home in Forest Park.

Then there’s a mink named Monte who escaped from a fur farm in Utah and found his way to a sanctuary, Tsitso said. “They were looking for a home for him because he’s never been in the wild; he was bred for his fur. We named him after the Count of Monte Cristo. Because of the jailbreak.”

In fact, the majority of the zoo’s animals are elderly, disabled in some way, or otherwise unable to survive in the wild, which makes the center’s focus on conservation and rehabilitation an important part of its robust educational outreach.

“Certainly, we want people to be aware that human interference has consequences,” Tsitso said. “Some of these animals have been hit by cars or are otherwise examples of nature meeting humans.”

Although a part of Forest Park for well over a century, the zoo is still an underap-preciated city asset, its executive director says.

Although a part of Forest Park for well over a century, the zoo is still an underap-preciated city asset, its executive director says.

The zoo is currently working to bring in two bald eagles, a male and female, from a wildlife sanctuary in Alaska. Neither is releasable into the wild, as one had to have a wing tip amputated, and other one had a broken wing, so neither can fly.

“They’ll provide some interesting education to the public about bald eagles and why they are a symbol of our nation and how they were once endangered and now, through all these conservation efforts, their population has stabilized, which is wonderful,” Tsitso said.

She hopes to one day tell similar stories about other threatened or endangered animals in the Zoo at Forest Park, including its ring-tailed lemurs, arctic wolves, and poitou donkeys. “We’re continuing that movement of bringing in animals that need a home, that fit with our collection, and that are educationally interesting to people.”

In the meantime, this nonprofit veteran has found her own new home in a job she loves.

“I just felt like it was my opportunity to give something back to Springfield,” Tsitso said, “and do what I could do to make sure this asset stays around another 125 years and that people know it’s it’s here, and come and enjoy what we have to offer — and we have so much to offer.”

Hear Her Roar

Tsitso told BusinessWest that Nathan Bazinet, the zoo’s interim director before she arrived, and Nunzio Bruno, then its board president, were looking for someone to come in and bring stability to this venerable nonprofit, despite the many challenges it faces.

“They wanted someone to connect it to the community and run it like a business,” she said, noting that conversations started a year before she came on board, but when she did, she fully embraced the opportunity.

“I really love the zoo,” she said. “It’s so ingrained in the fabric of Springfield and this neighborhood in particular. I really feel like I was meant to be here. I feel very fulfilled here — we have a great board, a great staff, and I love working with the animals.”

Until recently, Tsitso and her family lived in the Forest Park neighborhood — for more than 15 years, in fact.

“Our daughter was born in a house not a half-mile from here. And when she was little, we came here all the time. We’d walk from our house to here, she had birthday parties here, she loved this place. And I just really appreciated that it was here. Yet, so many people are unaware that we have this asset, this treasure, right here in the city.”

True to the zoo’s full name — the Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center — the facility focuses heavily on wildlife education, offering a variety of educational programs and special events for children and adults, from Zoo on the Go — which brings animals into schools, libraries, and senior centers — to guided tours and discovery programs for all ages, as well as Zoo Camp during winter and summer school vacations.

The zoo also offers a vibrant internship program, she said, providing students at area colleges studying animal science or veterinary care an opportunity to learn outside the classroom.

Broadening those programs is a priority, Tsitso said, for reasons that extend beyond the value of education, which is significant.

“Our biggest revenue stream is admission, and we’re only open five months of the year, and for two of those five months, it’s weekends,” she said. “So it’s very challenging to meet our budget. But we’re working on some new avenues of revenue. We’re expanding our education programs. Our Zoo on the Go and education programs run year-round, so we can really bolster those and create some new partnerships in the community whereby we can be offering those programs more consistently.”

The zoo used to receive state funding, but that ended about five years ago, although Tsitso and her team are trying to re-establish that revenue source. Meanwhile, community partnerships remain crucial, like Paul Picknelly’s recent donation of first-week proceeds at the new Starbucks at Monarch Place to fund an exhibit of African cats at the zoo.

“Those kinds of community partnerships are really what’s going to keep us growing,” she added, “and we’re really hoping that the community, as they realize all the wonderful things happening here, keep coming back.”

This wallaby is one of some 150 species of animals living at the Zoo in Forest Park.

This wallaby is one of some 150 species of animals living at the Zoo in Forest Park.

Operating a zoo at affordable admission prices — in addition to day passes, many families take advantage of $85 memberships, which are good all season for up to six family members — is a challenge, Tsitso said, especially since the zoo is not affiliated with the city and gets no revenue from other Forest Park-based events. It does benefit from a series of 25-year leases from the city at $1 per year — the current lease expires in 2035 — as well as the fact that Springfield foots its electric bill.

“We’re very grateful to the city because for a long time they have been great partners for us, but there is a differentiation between us and the city,” she said. “We’re not overseen by the city; we have our own board of directors.”

Poignant Paws

Those directors chose Tsitso — who has claimed leadership roles with nonprofit groups including Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, the East of the River 5 Town Chamber of Commerce, two Springfield-based Boys & Girls Clubs, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts — to guide the zoo through its next era of growth, but it has to be controlled growth, she said, based on its limited footprint.

“We’re four and a half acres, and we’re not getting an inch more of space. So whatever we do has to be self-contained in these four and a half acres. We’re really thoughtful about the improvements we’re making.”

That’s why she and her team are working with the animal-care staff to create a sort of wish list of what animal exhibits the zoo lacks, what it should bring in, and how it might acquire those animals.

“We’ve been pretty fortunate in working with people all around the country who are willing to help us and are looking for great placements for these animals,” she went on. “Most of them are so excited their animals are coming here.”

In many ways, the Zoo in Forest Park is not the same attraction families experienced decades ago, Tsitso noted.

“A lot of people have memories of the zoo when it was a very different place, when the monkey house was here and we had all those large animals, and it didn’t make sense for the animals. We’re very thoughtful about the kinds of animals here now. You’ll never see another polar bear. You’ll never see another black bear. You’ll never see another elephant. Those are animals we’ll never have again.”

The animals that do call Forest Park home have plenty to offer visitors, including the rush of school groups that take field trips there, averaging some two to three groups a day during the spring.

“That’s a big piece — we want to get kids in here, and we want to get them excited about nature and exposed to lots of different types of animals,” Tsitso said. “For a lot of kids, especially inner-city kids, they’ve never seen a lot of these animals. Even a goat is something that’s new and interesting to them. So it’s really fun to watch the kids come in and not just see the animals, but get to interact with some of them and get an education about them. How do they eat? How do they sleep?”

When the zoo shuts its doors to visitors for the cold months, typically around Halloween, the ones who don’t like the cold move into indoor facilities — like Oz, a spotted leopard Tsitso pointed out on a recent stroll with BusinessWest through the grounds. Oz has a large outdoor enclosure, but also a small ‘house’ that’s heated during the cold months.

It’s home to him, just as the Springfield area has long been home to Tsitso, who has found her new calling leading the zoo’s small staff — two full-time animal-care professionals, about four part-timers, and a raft of volunteers and interns — into whatever its next phase may bring.

“Springfield is very important to me. It really is the economic center of our whole area, and when Springfield succeeds, we all succeed,” she said, adding, however, that the zoo is a city asset that feels, well, apart from the city.

“One thing I love about this zoo, being inside Forest Park, is that it feels very natural in here, very close to nature, with lots of green and lots of trees. It doesn’t feel like Springfield. It really is a little sanctuary.”

Not just for her, but for those who visit the zoo — and the growing collection of animals that call it home.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

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ACCGS Annual Meeting

June 11: The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield Inc. (ACCGS) will hold its annual meeting at 11:30 a.m. at the Springfield Marriott, 1500 Main St. Sponsored by the Chamber Insurance Program and NewAlliance Bank, the luncheon will highlight the successes of the chamber over the past year and recognize officers and directors of the board. Additionally, Attorney Bill Rooney and Tony Goncalves will also be honored for receiving the 2009 ACCGS Richard J. Moriarty Citizen of the Year Award. Dress for Success will be honored as the Small Nonprofit Organization of the Year, and Junior Achievement will be honored as the Large Nonprofit Organization of the Year. Jeffrey Taylor, Founder of Monster.com, will give a keynote address, presenting “Motivating the Business Professional in a Declining Economy.” Reservations for the annual meeting cost $40 for members and $60 for non-members, and must be made in writing and in advance. Reservations may be made through Diane Swanson at [email protected], or online at www.myonlinechamber.com

Wine & Microbrew Tasting

June 12: Members of the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce will host a Wine & Microbrew Tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. at One Cottage St., Easthampton. Proceeds raised from the event will benefit the chamber’s community programs. Organizers expect more than 50 wines and microbrews to be available for tasting, as well as fine food and a raffle. Tickets are $25 per person or $30 at the door. To purchase tickets, call the chamber office at (413) 527-9414 or visit www.easthamptonchamber.org.

Trails for Nails

June 13: After a long New England winter, celebrate the official start of the mountain-biking season by participating in the first-ever Trails for Nails, a 20-mile ride at Robinson State Park in Agawam. Whether you choose to register as a single rider or as a member of a team, this event will help raise much-needed funds for Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. The ride features two 10-mile loops, crossing a wide variety of terrain, accommodating all skill levels. To register, riders must visit www.bikereg.com and type in ‘Trails for Nails’ in the search box. The cost to register is $45 per person through June 10. If space is available, riders will also be able to register the day of the event from 6:30 to 8 a.m.; however, there will be an additional $10 fee. Only the first 100 registrations will be accepted, so sign up early to guarantee your spot. Registered riders will receive a 2009 Trails for Nails T-shirt, a ‘swag bag,’ a water bottle, and lunch. In conjunction with the Trails for Nails ride, raffle tickets are available for a 2009 Specialized Rockhopper mountain bike, donated by Family Bike of Feeding Hills. Raffle tickets are $5 each. To purchase a ticket, contact Nicole at Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, (413) 739-5503 or E-mail [email protected]. For more information about the Trails for Nails ride, contact Jason Tsitso at (413) 262-1257, or E-mail [email protected].

Leadership Development & Teambuilding

June 15: SkillPath Seminars will present a daylong conference titled “Leadership Development & Teambuilding” at the Holiday Inn, 711 Dwight St., Springfield. Workshops include: “Developing the Leader within You,” “30 Tips for Becoming an Inspired Leader,” “It All Starts with You … Discover Your Team Player Style,” and “Building a Team That’s a Reflection of You.” Also, “Leadership Mistakes You Don’t Have to Make,” “Light the Fire of Excellence in Your Team,” “Speak So Others Know How to Follow,” “Positive Feedback … the Fuel of High Performance,” “A Team Approach to Dealing with Unacceptable Behavior,” and “What Teams Really Need from Their Leaders.” The conference is targeted for managers, supervisors, team leaders, and team members who would like to learn skills to motivate, inspire, lead, and succeed. Enrollment fee is $199 per person or $189 each with four or more. For more information, call (800) 873-7545 or visit www.skillpath.com.

Berkshire Bank Is Taking the Afternoon Off on June 5 to Give Back

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Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank will once again close all locations at noon on Tuesday, June 5 for its third annual Xtraordinary Day.

Xtraordinary Day provides all Berkshire Bank employees the opportunity to volunteer in communities the bank and its affiliates serve. This year’s Xtraordinary Day is set to focus on more than 70 community projects with approximately 90% employee participation across the country. Last year, employees helped 75 different nonprofit organizations through 65 service projects and directly impacted more than 400,000 individuals.

In Berkshire County, projects include a Habitat for Humanity multi-site build in partnership with Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity; assembling of teacher-appreciation kits at Farmington River Elementary; landscaping and painting with Hillcrest Educational Centers; and cleanups with Housatonic River Walk, Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires’ Camp Russell, and the West Stockbridge Historical Society.

In the Pioneer Valley, projects include tree planting and park improvements with ReGreen Springfield; painting and landscaping of the Amelia Park Children’s Museum, Girls Club of Greenfield, YMCA of Springfield, and Lupa Zoo; painting the West Springfield Boys & Girls Club; gift wrapping at Birthday Wishes; and shelving books and landscaping at the Westfield Anthaneum.

Xtraordinary Day is fueled by the XTEAM, the bank’s employee volunteer program. The XTEAM provides employees paid time off to volunteer during regular business hours. In addition to volunteer service, Berkshire Bank and its foundation provide more than $2 million annually to support nonprofit organizations in the communities the bank serves.

People On the Move

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Departments People on the Move
Ellen Freyman

Ellen Freyman

The Springfield Regional Chamber has named Ellen Freyman, an attorney with Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. in Springfield, its 2018 Richard J. Moriarty Citizen of the Year. Freyman concentrates her practice in all aspects of commercial real estate: acquisitions and sales, development, leasing, and financing. She has an extensive land-use practice that includes zoning, subdivision, project permitting, and environmental matters. A graduate of the Western New England University School of Law and Pennsylvania State University, Freyman has been recognized or awarded by the National Conference for Community and Justice for Excellence in Law, the Professional Women’s Chamber as Woman of the Year, the Ad Club of Western Massachusetts as a recipient of its annual Pynchon Award, the Springfield Leadership Institute with its Community Service Award, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as a recipient of its Top Women in Law Award, and Reminder Publications with its Hometown Hero Award. She was also chosen as one of BusinessWest’s Difference Makers in 2010. Freyman is active on many nonprofit boards and currently serves as a member on the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce board of directors, which she has also chaired; the boards of the Community Music School of Springfield, the Center for Human Development, New England Public Radio, the Springfield Museum Assoc., the World Affairs Council, the YMCA of Greater Springfield, the Springfield Technical Community College Foundation, and the Springfield Technical Community College Acceptance Corp., and on the Elms College board of trustees. She is also an active member of the Longmeadow Zoning Board of Appeals, the Jewish Family Service board of directors, and the National Conference for Community and Justice board of directors. She is the founder and president of On Board Inc., a past president of the Springfield Rotary Club, and has been honored as a Paul Harris Fellow.

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Tracy Adamski

Tracy Adamski

At the firm’s annual stockholder’s meeting, Tighe & Bond announced the promotion of Principal Planner Tracy Adamski to vice president. Adamski, who joined Tighe & Bond in 2001, is an American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) professional with 24 years of experience. She provides the firm’s clients with a broad range of planning expertise in regulatory compliance, environmental permitting, land-use planning, grant writing, and public outreach. Adamski has employed her in-depth knowledge of local, state, and federal environmental and land-use laws and regulations to successfully permit a broad range of complex projects throughout the Northeast. This includes renewable-energy power-generation facilities, electric utility infrastructure, resource-area enhancements, municipal infrastructure improvements, and coastal infrastructure. She is currently coordinating permitting efforts on several coastal projects to address climate change in the city of Quincy, developing petitions related to siting energy-facility infrastructure in Eastern Mass., and assisting communities across Massachusetts with stormwater-management compliance programs. Adamski works out of Tighe & Bond’s Westfield office. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and is a member of the American Planning Assoc. and the New England Water Environment Assoc.

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Leslie Jordon

Leslie Jordon

Peter Shrair, managing partner of Cooley Shrair, P.C., announced the appointment of attorney Leslie Jordon to the firm. Jordon has practiced family law since 1991. Her practice has focused on marital dissolution actions involving high-net-worth estates, complex support proceedings, and high-conflict custody matters. A graduate of Brown University and the Northwestern University School of Law, Jordon has been active in the bar and has held leadership positions in national and local organizations. She served as chair of the Family Law Section of the American Assoc. of Justice (formerly the Assoc. of Trial Lawyers of America), was on the executive committee of the Family Law Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Assoc. as well as the board of governors of the Women Lawyers Assoc. of Los Angeles, and was appointed to the Sole Practitioner and Small Firm Section Council of the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. Jordon has also lectured and moderated panel discussions on the subject of family law for the Family Law Section of the Assoc. of Trial Lawyers of America, the International Bar Assoc., and the Law Education Institute, co-sponsored by the Family Law Section of the American Bar Assoc., and has been a contributing author to multiple continuing legal-education programs. Since the inception of her career, she has engaged in pro bono work, receiving an award from the Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law for distinguished service to the cause of justice of low-income families in Los Angeles County and representing economically disadvantaged litigants in court. She has also volunteered her time as a judge in the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. Mock Trial Program, a competition for high-school students in the Commonwealth.

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Jocelyn Roby

Jocelyn Roby

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Jocelyn Roby has joined the firm’s Hadley office as an associate attorney. Roby is a member of Bacon Wilson’s real estate department, where her practice is focused largely on residential real estate, including closings and title work. She is a graduate of the Western New England University School of Law, and received her bachelor’s degree from Plymouth State College.

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At its annual stockholder’s meeting in April, Tighe & Bond announced that Robert Belitz will succeed David Pinsky as president and CEO when Pinsky retires from that position at the close of 2018. Belitz, the firm’s current chief financial officer, will assume the role of president and CEO effective Jan. 1, 2019. Belitz will be Tighe & Bond’s ninth leader in its 107-year history. Pinsky has served as president and CEO since 2006 and has been with the firm for 30 years. During Pinsky’s tenure as CEO, Tighe & Bond has substantially increased its revenue and more than doubled its staff size, growing from 160 to 340 employees. Tighe & Bond also has expanded its breadth of engineering and environmental services, as well as opened four new office locations throughout the Northeast. Belitz, who has more than 25 years of experience in the industry, joined Tighe & Bond four years ago as the firm’s chief financial officer. In this role, he has directed the firm’s financial operations and priorities, as well as contributed to growth strategies consistent with the Tighe & Bond’s continued expansion in the marketplace.

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Russell Fontaine

Russell Fontaine

Yvonne Santos

Yvonne Santos

Country Bank announced that Russell Fontaine has joined its team as first vice president of Sales and Market Management, while Yvonne Santos has joined the team as vice president of Market Development. These two newly created positions allow the bank to further focus its efforts on market management and development within its various markets throughout Hampshire, Hampden, and Worcester counties. With 27 years in the financial and retail-services industry, Fontaine is an experienced sales manager and has held various positions over the years in sales, management, and customer contact solutions. His earned his bachelor’s degree in business management and finance from Westfield State University. He also graduated from the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking and earned a Wharton Leadership certification. Fontaine served on the board of directors for Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity for the past five years and chaired the Habitat Restore committee. He is also an avid supporter of the United Way and Western Mass. Special Olympics. Santos joins Country Bank from United Bank, where she worked for the past 33 years in various roles, with her most recent position being vice president, area manager in the Ludlow and Indian Orchard markets. Santos is actively involved in the Ludlow Community Center, the United Way, and Relay for Life, and is on committees of the Rotary Club of Ludlow (chair of the scholarship committee), the Gremio Lusitano Club, the East of the River Chamber of Commerce, and the Portuguese American Citizens Club. She has received the Rotary International Paul Harris Award, the Ludlow Education Association Award, the Friend of Education Award, and the United Cooperative Bank President’s Award.

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Beverly Elliott

Beverly Elliott

Comcast announced the appointment of Beverly Elliott as vice president of Engineering for the company’s Western New England Region, which is headquartered in Berlin, Conn. and includes more than 300 communities in Connecticut, Western Mass., Western New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. In this role, Elliott oversees Comcast’s network operations, including construction, product engineering, and overall system integrity, as well as the reliability and resiliency of Comcast’s converged, fiber-optic network. Recently, she was responsible for the rollout of Comcast’s new 1-Gb internet service. Elliott has more than 20 years of industry experience and has held a number of roles in engineering, project management, and marketing at Comcast since she joined the company in 2005. Prior to her new role, she served as vice president of the region’s Project Management Office, where she created and managed the execution of plans and cross-functional teams to ensure new initiatives and product launches were rolled out smoothly. One of her key initiatives was to implement the company’s multi-year strategy to transform the customer experience. Before Comcast, Elliott worked for Cablevision for six years and also spent five years at BET/Action Pay-Per-View service in Santa Monica, Calif.

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Rebecca Greenberg

Rebecca Greenberg

The Solidago Foundation recently introduced Rebecca Greenberg as the newest member of its program team. As program officer, Greenberg will draw on her 15 years of frontline advocacy to support the organization’s democracy and independent power-building work. She will work with the veteran Solidago Program team of strategic funders and national organizers to recommend program strategies. Greenberg is a leader in the New York City housing-justice movement, serving most recently as deputy director of the Tenant Rights Coalition, the largest civil legal-services program in the country. In this role, she has worked with diverse stakeholders including tenants, judges, attorneys, clients, and policymakers, and supervised a legal team, working in partnership with local organizations and elected officials, to support communities facing significant housing needs in light of rapid and disruptive neighborhood changes and gentrification.

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Keshawn Dodds

Keshawn Dodds

Karissa Coleman

Karissa Coleman

The African Hall subcommittee of the Springfield Science Museum announced the winners of the 27th annual Ubora Award and the ninth annual Ahadi Youth Award. The 2018 Ubora Award recipient is Keshawn Dodds, executive director of the Springfield Boys & Girls Club. The 2018 Ahadi Youth Award recipient is Karissa Coleman of Springfield Central High School. A former a fourth- and fifth-grade elementary-school teacher at the Homer and Washington elementary schools in Springfield and a mayoral aide under former Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan, Dodds worked for a decade at American International College as director of Diversity & Community Engagement. He is currently executive director of the Boys & Girls Club Family Center. He is also a published author, playwright, and actor. His first book, Menzuo: The Calling of the Sun Prince, became an Amazon bestseller. Coleman, who attends Springfield Central High School, is a cadet in the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (AFJROTC), where she is a training captain. Her high grade point average qualifies her to serve as director of Academics, and she runs the tutoring program for her fellow cadets. She also helps to mentor younger AFJROTC members in the overall training program. Coleman is a cheerleader, plays softball, is a member of the National Honor Society, and volunteers for Revitalize Springfield, Toys for Tots, and breast-cancer awareness. She also participates with her church community by singing in the choir, helping to usher, working with children, and participating yearly in the Easter play.

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Erin McHugh

Erin McHugh

Florence Bank promoted Erin McHugh to the position of vice president/operations manager. McHugh joined Florence Bank in November 2010. Formerly, she served as the payments operations manager. An accredited Automated Clearing House professional, she studied at the University of Connecticut, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. She volunteers as a basic tax preparer for Community Action Pioneer Valley’s income-tax assistance program. She attends the New England School for Financial Studies. McHugh is a past recipient of the President’s Club Award, given out annually to Florence Bank employees who exemplify the highest standards of performance and customer service within Florence Bank.

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Renaissance Investment Group, LLC, an independent, SEC-registered investment-advisory firm, announced the appointment of Chris Silipigno to the role of chief operating officer. He will be responsible for providing operational leadership within the firm, as well as coordinating strategic business-development efforts across the region. Silipigno comes to Renaissance with nearly 20 years of senior leadership positions in both operational and business-development functions for nonprofit and for-profit enterprises. His experience spans all facets of the mortgage banking industry, nonprofit development, organizational effectiveness and leadership, performance management, and revenue growth areas. Most recently, he brought his business acumen to City Mission of Schenectady, N.Y., an inner-city nonprofit dedicated to helping the homeless, abused, and impoverished to become sustainable. Previous to this role, he held multiple positions at the vice-president level within the banking and finance industry. His accomplishments include building and managing divisions responsible for originating more than $750 million in annual loan volume. Chris earned a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from SUNY at Albany and a master’s degree from George Mason University, and he holds his FINRA Series 65 registration.

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Daishany Torres

Daishany Torres

Daishany Torres was named 2018 Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, and will compete against other Boys & Girls Club members for the Massachusetts Youth of the Year title and a $5,000 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Torres, 18, was recognized for her leadership, service, academic excellence, and dedication to live a healthy lifestyle. She has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee Teen Center since her freshman year at Chicopee Comprehensive High School. She is a junior counselor now, working with other club members each week. She is also part of the club’s SMART Girls program, which allows members to explore their own and societal attitudes and values as they build skills for eating right, staying physically fit, getting good healthcare, and developing positive relationships with peers and adults. She has developed a passion for working with children, and will continue her education after graduation next year and hopes to open her own daycare in the future.

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Stephanie Rodrigues

Stephanie Rodrigues

Anna Dias Vital

Anna Dias Vital

LUSO Federal Credit Union announced the promotion of Stephanie Rodrigues to senior branch supervisor and Anna Dias Vital to lead VIP banker. In her new position, Rodrigues will be responsible for overseeing the teller line, member service representatives, and new account openings in the credit union’s Wilbraham branch, as well as meeting branch goals, holding staff meetings, and mentoring personnel. Rodrigues joined LUSO as a member service representative in 2013 and most recently served as head of consumer lending for both the Ludlow and Wilbraham branches. Vital has nearly two decades of experience in finance. She worked in the controller’s office of Western New England University before joining LUSO in 2016. In her new role as lead VIP banker, she will oversee the teller line at the credit union’s Ludlow branch and will be responsible for cross sales, managing member satisfaction, and day-to-day operations.

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OTELCO Inc. hired David Chaplin as an outside plant field technician to work out of its Granby office. In this position, Chaplin is responsible for all aspects of OTELCO network maintenance and customer service in Granby, including both the central office and the outside plant. He also serves as special projects contributor and emergency coverage backup in the Shoreham, Vt. market. Chaplin comes to OTELCO with 31 years of service as a technician at Verizon Communications. Most recently, he worked as an engineering project manager at UC Synergetic. OTELCO provides wireline telecommunications services in Massachusetts and six other states.

Picture This

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Foundation Awards
Departments Picture This
Foundation Awards

Foundation AwardsPeople’s United Community Foundation recently announced that it awarded $30,000 in grants to nonprofit agencies in Western Mass. Six organizations received funding in support of their programs. Here, Tim Crimmins Jr., (fourth from left), officer of People’s United Community Foundation and Massachusetts President of People’s United Bank, presents award checks to, from left: Donna Barbieri, vice president of Business Banking for People’s United Bank, representing Gray House; Lynn Cantell, growth manager and senior vice president of People’s United Bank, representing Top Floor Learning Inc.; Jane Lennox, chief development officer for the Clarke School for the Deaf; Michael Abbate, director of Finance and Administration for the Western Mass. Enterprise Fund; Monica Borgatti, Resource Development and Communications director for Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity; Sandy Belkin, president of the Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors; Ron Willoughby, Springfield Rescue Mission executive director; and Joe Manna, development director for the Springfield Rescue Mission.

Transactional Law Meet

Transactional Law MeetWestern New England College School of Law students Isaac Mass and Julie McKenna (left), topped a field of 30 teams in the national Transactional Law Meet held in Philadelphia. Mass and McKenna received their first place award from judges (from left), Joan  Schwartz, associate general counsel of Airgas Inc.; Kenneth Young, partner at Dechert LLP; Jason Koenig, principal at Hale Capital Partners; and Charles Middleton, senior vice president and tax counsel at Oxbow Corp.

Send photos with a caption and contact information to: ‘Picture This’ c/o BusinessWest Magazine, 1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103 or to [email protected]

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook Departments

Delcie Bean Turns Over 40% of Paragus Stock to Employees

HADLEY — After more than two years of strategic planning, in a deal valued at approximately $1.6 million, Paragus IT announced that its employee stock-ownership plan (ESOP), which distributes ownership of 40% of the company to its 40-plus employees, is officially a go. “There has been a lot of celebration around here,” said Paragus CEO Delcie Bean. “While this is an announcement we have all been anticipating for over two years, the time seems to have only contributed to the excitement.” While there have been a few recent high-profile ESOPs, including Harpoon Brewery and Chobani Yogurt, they are still fairly uncommon. What makes the Paragus ESOP especially unique are the reasons behind it. ESOPs are traditionally formed after the company has fully matured and when a major shareholder is looking to exit. For Paragus, it’s about fueling future growth by giving everyone a direct stake and a personal investment in the future of the company. “I knew this was the right decision for myself and for Paragus because Paragus is a company that owes 100% of its success to the hard work of its incredible employees, or partners, as I like to call them,” Bean said. “As the only shareholder, I knew that anything I could do to further that spirit and attract new talent would be a sound investment. That’s why it made sense to give everybody some skin in the game. Now they aren’t just growing a company, they’re growing their company. Which means Paragus is here to stay, and we’re only getting bigger.” Added Dennis Schilling, quality assurance officer, “it’s always been about us at Paragus. It’s never been one person pointing and the rest following. With the ESOP, Delcie has made official what has always been true. It’s a beautiful thing that he has taken his company, his dream, and carved off such a sizable piece of it for all of us.” While Bean has no plans to step down, he has shaken up the management structure a bit. Just before the ESOP became a reality, he appointed former Paragus Operations Manager Jim Young to be president of the company. In his new role, Young is responsible for overseeing all day-to-day operations and making sure everyone on the leadership team and across the company is working together to realize Paragus’ vision. This allows Bean to focus exclusively on growth, acquisitions, and moving into new markets. “It’s a brand-new set of responsibilities and challenges for me,” Young said. “But these changes will enable each of us to contribute to the greatest extent possible while ensuring decisions are being made quickly by the people best positioned to do so.” Added Bean, “we don’t believe in growth for growth’s sake. Our growth is fueled by one singular objective that is bordering on an obsession — we are all completely committed to being the absolute best at what we do while simultaneously being the best place to work. Ask anyone here, and they will all tell you that nothing is going to stand in our way when it comes to our relentless pursuit of being the best.”

Elms, WNEU Establish Law School Agreement

CHICOPEE — Elms College and Western New England University School of Law executed a ‘3+3’ agreement this month that allows students to apply for admission to the law school and begin their legal education during their senior year at Elms College. This could shorten the time for students to earn both their bachelor’s and juris doctor degrees from seven years to six years. This agreement is not limited to criminal justice or legal studies majors — any undergraduate student, regardless of major, can earn credits toward law school under this program. “This is a significant opportunity for students in all majors who are interested in attending law school,” said Assistant Professor Kurt Ward, director of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies and director of ABA Paralegal Education at Elms College.

HCC Gateway to College Program Earns Award

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College’s (HCC) Gateway to College program, which in 2014 was ranked number one among all the Gateway programs in the U.S., is the recipient of the first-ever Gateway Program Excellence Award. The inaugural award from the Gateway to College National Network recognizes HCC’s program for exceeding all four of the network’s benchmarks for success in 2014-15: GPA, one-year persistence, two-year persistence, and graduation rate. “Recognitions like this make us feel more important and shiny,” said coordinator Vivian Ostrowski said at Gateway’s June 1 graduation ceremony in the Leslie Phillips Theater, “but we know, we so know, that these numbers really mean that some kids with complicated and messy lives decided time and time again to show up and do their work.” Gateway to College is a dual-enrollment program for students who have either left high school or are at risk for dropping out. Gateway students take classes at HCC, collecting transferable college credits while also earning their high-school diplomas. Since 2008, 204 Gateway students at HCC have graduated from high school, and more than half have continued on to college. Twenty-nine were enrolled at HCC this spring and HCC’s Gateway graduates have so far earned 19 associate degrees and three bachelor’s degrees. Twenty students from six school districts earned their high-school diplomas through HCC’s Gateway program his spring: from Springfield, Korcan Atmaca, Amena Cooke, Melinda Diaz, Deikwon Duke, Ciara Garcia, Jamilee Gomez, Denisse Rivera, Mercedes Robare, Elmer Rodriguez and Jonte Toro; from Belchertown, Casey Beaudry, Christopher Chaffee, Shauna Driscoll, and Summer McLauglin; from Westfield, Emma Cowhey and Jacob Hartley; from Holyoke, Alexander Escalante; from Palmer, Bailey McDowell and Dylan Tallman; and from Agawam, Sarah Wyckoff. Gateway to College was founded in Portland, Ore. in 2000. There are now 41 Gateway programs in 21 states. The spring 2014 report from the national Gateway network listed HCC’s Gateway program number one in both persistence, or fall-to-fall retention (87% compared to a network average of 53%); and graduation rate (80% compared to a 27% network average). “Holyoke’s program is poised to build on its successes and can serve as an example for the rest of our network,” Emily Froimson, president of the Gateway national network, wrote in a congratulatory letter to Ostrowski. “You have not simply made a difference for students in Holyoke, Massachusetts; the work that your school district and college partnership has accomplished is a model for how we solve these persistent problems as a nation.” Ostrowski will collect the award on behalf of HCC at the Gateway to College National Network Peer Learning Conference in Minneapolis on June 28.

Berkshire Bank Employees Volunteer More Than 4,500 Hours on June 7

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank completed its Xtraordinary Day on June 7. This event marked the first year the entire bank participated in community-service events concurrently from 1 to 4 p.m., closing the entire financial institution as a united effort for community involvement. During Xtraordinary Day, 95% of the Berkshire Bank team, 1,161 employees, completed 56 projects. From painting of elementary schools and cleanups of local parks to financial-literacy lessons, they contributed more than 4,500 hours of service, a value of $128,000. The projects helped 54 different nonprofit organizations and directly impacted more than 100,000 individuals across the bank’s footprint. Berkshire Bank’s goal with Xtraordinary Day was to affect the communities that support it every day in a significant way, by being active and immersed in projects that would have a meaningful and lasting impact on these communities. “Berkshire Bank’s Xtraordinary Day was intended to create a sense of unity through all of our employees and within our communities,” said Tami Gunsch, the bank’s executive vice president, noting that the day’s projects benefited nonprofit organizations and communities in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont. In Berkshire County, projects included painting at Stearns Elementary School, Egremont Elementary School, and Boys & Girls Club Camp Russell; downtown guide assembly at Downtown Pittsfield; cleanup of Pittsfield parks, Greenagers Housatonic River Walk, and Berkshire Athenaeum; a home build with Northern Berkshire Habitat For Humanity; tree measuring with Trustees of Reservations at Bartholomew’s Cobble; and fourth- to sixth-grade literacy at Farmington River Regional School. In the Pioneer Valley, projects included cleanup of Stanley Park, YMCA of Westfield, Southwick Rail Trail, West Springfield YMCA, Amelia Park Children’s Museum, Birthday Wishes, and Girls Inc. of Greenfield; a house build and restore for Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity; a bike build at YMCA of Greater Springfield; administrative duties at Children’s Study Home; tree planting at ReGreen Springfield; and truck unloading at Community Survival Center.

GoodWorks Insurance Profiled in National Magazine

GREAT BARRINGTON — GoodWorks Insurance is booming while giving half of its growing profits to charities in Connecticut and Massachusetts, according to a profile in the May issue of Independent Agent, the national magazine for independent insurance agents. When Chad Yonker, a former minority investor, took over GoodWorks as CEO in 2011, it was struggling financially despite growing sales. He recapitalized the firm. “Since then, the agency has more than tripled in size,” the magazine notes. Based in Glastonbury, Conn., GoodWorks Insurance is an independent agency with additional Connecticut offices in Avon, Columbia, and New Milford, and Massachusetts offices in Great Barrington and Worcester. It’s marking its 10th anniversary this year. GoodWorks’ corporate charter requires that a minimum of 50% of operating earnings be distributed to nonprofits. Its community grants support local nonprofits that work in education, healthcare, public safety, and community development. They include medical clinics, fuel-assistance programs, visiting-nurse associations, special education, the YMCA, and more. GoodWorks’ 2015 sales were about $6 million, and the agency expects up to 50% growth for 2016. Yonker and the other agency owners decline compensation in order to boost the profit pool available for giving, according to the magazine. Its commitment to nonprofits has resulted in many growth opportunities. Besides insuring families and small businesses in general, GoodWorks has special expertise in nonprofits, fuel dealers, aerospace, manufacturers, and surety bonds. The full article can be read online at tinyurl.com/j9hua44.

HCC Expands Presence in Hampshire County

WARE — Calling it a great day for Ware and a great day for the region, business leaders, elected officials, and representatives from Holyoke Community College recently celebrated the opening of a new education and workforce-training center in downtown Ware. The center, called E2E, short for Education to Employment: Quaboag Region Workforce Training and Community College Center, is a collaboration between HCC and the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp. “We are so thrilled to welcome Holyoke Community College to our community,” said Sheila Cuddy, executive director of the Quaboag CDC. “As a CDC, we are here with a focus on business development and to better our economic community. What better way to make that happen than to focus on giving the folks who live here the skills they need to become good employees for our local businesses?” More than 60 people attended the grand opening, ribbon-cutting and reception. HCC president Bill Messner told the crowd he was impressed by the persistence with which representatives from Ware courted the college to establish a presence there. “We’re delighted,” Messner said. “We’re Holyoke Community College, and we take the community very seriously, and you are part of our community, so we’re here. We’re here because of the efforts of a lot of people in this room.” Also speaking at the opening were John Carroll, chairman of the Ware Board of Selectmen; state Sen. Anne Gobi; state Rep. Todd Smola of Warren, a 2005 graduate of HCC; Vincent McCaughey, board chairman of the Quaboag Valley CDC; Paul Scully, president of Country Bank, who donated the space for the E2E center; Tracy Opalinksi of the Ware Business and Civic Assoc.; and Steve Lowell, president of Monson Savings Bank. The roughly 3,000-square-foot center located at 79 Main St. includes two classrooms, as well as private study areas and office space. Ten computer workstations will be available for community members interested in enrolling in credit classes at HCC as online students. The center is already offering non-credit classes in hospitality and culinary arts. The expectation is that course offerings will expand to include manufacturing and health careers. For some courses, classroom education will be supplemented by hands-on training at Pathfinder Vocational High School in Palmer. HCC will also offer academic-advising and career-counseling services. “This is a great day for Ware and a great day for our region, which has been lacking in sources of education beyond high school for so long,” Cuddy said, “so we could not be more pleased that HCC has shown the willingness to be our partner in this endeavor and to move the project forward.”

Berkshire Bank Employees Volunteer More Than 4,500 Hours on June 7

By
Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank completed its Xtraordinary Day on June 7. This event marked the first year the entire bank participated in community-service events concurrently from 1 to 4 p.m., closing the entire financial institution as a united effort for community involvement.

During Xtraordinary Day, 95% of the Berkshire Bank team, 1,161 employees, completed 56 projects. From painting of elementary schools and cleanups of local parks to financial-literacy lessons, they contributed more than 4,500 hours of service, a value of $128,000. The projects helped 54 different nonprofit organizations and directly impacted more than 100,000 individuals across the bank’s footprint.

Berkshire Bank’s goal with Xtraordinary Day was to affect the communities that support it every day in a significant way, by being active and immersed in projects that would have a meaningful and lasting impact on these communities.

“Berkshire Bank’s Xtraordinary Day was intended to create a sense of unity through all of our employees and within our communities,” said Tami Gunsch, the bank’s executive vice president, noting that the day’s projects benefited nonprofit organizations and communities in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.

In Berkshire County, projects included painting at Stearns Elementary School, Egremont Elementary School, and Boys & Girls Club Camp Russell; downtown guide assembly at Downtown Pittsfield; cleanup of Pittsfield parks, Greenagers Housatonic River Walk, and Berkshire Athenaeum; a home build with Northern Berkshire Habitat For Humanity; tree measuring with Trustees of Reservations at Bartholomew’s Cobble; and fourth- to sixth-grade literacy at Farmington River Regional School.

In the Pioneer Valley, projects included cleanup of Stanley Park, YMCA of Westfield, Southwick Rail Trail, West Springfield YMCA, Amelia Park Children’s Museum, Birthday Wishes, and Girls Inc. of Greenfield; a house build and restore for Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity; a bike build at YMCA of Greater Springfield; administrative duties at Children’s Study Home; tree planting at ReGreen Springfield; and truck unloading at Community Survival Center.

Chase Bank Continues Ambitious Growth Plan in Springfield

By
Oumkar Tobaran
Banking and Financial Services

Branching Out

Oumkar Tobaran

Oumkar Tobaran says the human element is critical in banking even amid the rise of online and mobile tools.

At a time when a bank’s customers can conduct business from anywhere with a few clicks, dramatic branch expansion may seem outdated.

But it’s not, Ali Zaidi said, explaining why Chase Bank is looking to double its presence in Massachusetts over the next several years, starting with the opening of a downtown Springfield office on March 7.

“When you think about the important life events that customers go through, whether it be retirement planning, buying a house, or the birth of a child, people still have an appreciation for that face-to-face conversation. That makes an impact,” said Zaidi, Chase’s market director for Western and Central Mass. “And about 75% of our customers that have balances with us still come to the branches. So, clearly, the customers are telling us they would love to have that face-to-face interaction, especially with complex life events.”

Oumkar Tobaran, branch manager for the new location in Harrison Place — which has a long history of housing banks, including Third National Bank and, in recent decades, Bank of Western Massachusetts and People’s United Bank — said the human element is critical.

“With all the technology and innovation we have, think of the amount of things that we can go on our phones to do on a daily basis,” he told BusinessWest. “But the minute something doesn’t go right or the minute you need support or additional advice on something, we want to show that customer service matters, with a physical presence.”

The branch is Chase’s 38th in Massachusetts since opening its first Bay State location in Boston in 2018 — an impressive growth trajectory, and a number the institution is looking to double by 2025, including a location to open this spring in the former Silverscape Designs building on King Street in Northampton.

“This is a central point,” Zaidi said of downtown Springfield, noting that Chase has an office a few miles down I-91 in Enfield, but this is technically the first in Western Mass. “There’s definitely a rich history here on Main Street and its local businesses, as well as larger clienteles with MGM and the Hall of Fame. We’re serving clients of different demographics, and I’m very excited that we were able to secure this spot on Main Street.”

Tobaran said he expects plenty of foot traffic downtown, as well as visits from customers who may have been banking in Enfield or branches to the west, while Chase has been conducting outreach to build a larger base of business in the region.

“About 75% of our customers that have balances with us still come to the branches. So, clearly, the customers are telling us they would love to have that face-to-face interaction, especially with complex life events.”

“We wanted to make sure that we have a convenient place for them to visit because it’s important to be able to interact with the community,” he added. “There’s a lot of development happening in Springfield, and we wanted to be part of that momentum as well.”

Zaidi agreed. “Springfield is a key cog that gives us an entry point into expanding into Western Massachusetts and brings convenience to our customers. Springfield is being revitalized, and I feel we can be an integral part of that.”

He also feels there’s an opportunity to add customers who might already be familiar with Chase through its mortgage products and credit cards. “That’s what people know. So one of our consumer-banking priorities is to be a bank for all and make it easy for people to do business with us. And technology-wise, where customers were able to bank with us remotely, this now gives them a physical location to meet their diverse needs.”

Ali Zaidi

Ali Zaidi says downtown Springfield is the first Chase branch in Western Mass. and the springboard to an eventual doubling of the bank’s branches in Massachusetts.

As he showed off the space at 1391 Main St., from the tellers and ITM machines up front to the various offices further back, Zaidi said the new Springfield branch can do all of that.

“We will help our customers with any needs, and we have more licensed specialist bankers to navigate those complex life events — retirement, financial planning, or just navigating your credit-history trajectory if you’re looking to purchase something down the road. We’re so excited to be providing that face-to-face value, and we’re looking forward to continuing the expansion.”

 

Set Up to Help

This first Western Mass. branch is about 3,000 square feet in size and features a modern, bright design with plenty of natural light, quiet meeting areas, and state-of-the-art banking technology, including those ITMs, which allow a higher withdrawal limit than traditional ATMs, as well as access to Chase professionals.

“For customers who have commercial or small-business banking needs, we have our team of experts, partners who will be working out of here and supporting other branches to connect customers. So it’s a one-stop shop.”

A dedicated Chase Private Client team provides premium banking services, personalized attention, and access to the expertise and investment capabilities of J.P. Morgan to help families reach their goals. Customers may also meet with financial and home-lending advisors and business-banking relationship managers.

“Our retail banking operations are here, and we have our licensed bankers to deal with client management,” Zaidi explained, “and for customers who have commercial or small-business banking needs, we have our team of experts, partners who will be working out of here and supporting other branches to connect customers. So it’s a one-stop shop.”

Tobaran said the open layout will help customers easily navigate what they need. “We will have associates in the lobby greeting clients, interacting with them. And then, depending on the transactions they’ll need to leverage, we can go back here and figure out what we need to help them with,” he explained, gesturing away from the front door toward the offices in back.

“But we equip a lot of our associates with tablets,” he added. “So in addition to helping them back there, however we can help support them face to face, sitting down in the lobby area, we will do that with the resources and tools we have.”

Besides banking business, Chase also wants to connect with Greater Springfield in other ways, Zaidi said, through financial-literacy programs and other types of community outreach.

“The idea is to have our branches be community anchors. So when we think about financial-literacy conversations, be it with young professionals or small-business owners, we want to host workshops and assistance in that space as well,” he explained, noting that Chase is working on several community-development efforts around financial literacy, including a partnership with Western New England University. “So this would serve as an anchor for us where we could do before- or after-hours seminars and events. It makes sense.”

Harrison Place

Harrison Place has been home to several banks in the past, from Third National Bank to the Bank of Western Massachusetts and People’s United Bank.

Tobaran added that the bank’s employees also reflect its region, as the branch hired locally, including people who hail from the Latino and Vietnamese communities, among others.

“We want some familiar faces to be representing Chase, saying, ‘hey, these are the resources we have to help you accomplish your goal.’ It was important for us to get local talent, people who had ties to the community, people who are passionate about giving back and who genuinely want to see Springfield succeed.”

 

Only the Beginning

Zaidi and Tobaran know Chase is making an ambitious surge into a region some have called overbanked, and where community banks have long dominated. But they say Chase is committed to local residents and organizations in much the same way locally headquartered banks are, while also bringing vast financial resources to the table.

“When you think about Chase, we have the resources of a large global corporation,” Zaidi said. “And our vision is, how do we take those resources and localize the solutions for our customers? Our technology and data analysis help us strategize and take a more targeted approach, because all the branches are going to operate differently based on the community-specific needs.”

One example is a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, one of the organizations that will be on hand on March 15 for the branch’s official grand-opening festivities.

“That’s one way Oumkar and his team have been making an impact in the community already,” Zaidi said. “We feel that we can be a valued contributor in that space among all the other banks. The competitive edge that we have is not only through our resources, but with the community aspect that we are trying to drive here.”

Sustainable Design Moves Further into the Mainstream

By
Architecture

Living with the Land

Environmentally friendly ideas are nothing new in the architecture and design world, but advances have come at a rapid pace — not just in how green a project can be, but how effectively the long-term cost savings justify the upfront expense. Clients want to do the right thing, design professionals say, but they’re much more willing if they can see an economic justification. Increasingly, they’re able to achieve both goals.

Sometimes design decisions bring unexpected benefits, Rachel Loeffler says.

Take a project her firm, Berkshire Design Group, designed for East Meadow School in Granby.

“Cost was a big factor, so we looked at using a meadow feed mix instead of traditional bluegrass, which saves the school 100 gallons of gasoline in mowing, as well as the labor,” said Loeffler, a principal and landscape architect with the firm.

“But then, what happened was, some birds moved in almost instantly, including some orioles.”

Orioles, by the way, are among the hundreds of bird species most at risk from climate change and destruction of meadow lands due to development, so creating a healthy habitat for them is significant, she said. “Sometimes, delightful surprises happen.”

When Northampton-based Berkshire Design Group, one of the region’s leading firms in the realm of sustainable design, opened its doors in 1984, its founders might have been equally surprised to see how common green ideas would become a few decades later.

“Back then, we were experimenting with stormwater standards, alternatives that then became state standards,” Loeffler said. “That creative approach is something that was part of us from the beginning.”

C&H Architects, headquartered in Amherst, can track a similar trajectory, emphasizing green and sustainable architecture since its launch in 1989.

“Nobody was trying to do that 30 years ago — it wasn’t even part of the lexicon,” said Thomas Hartman, partner and principal architect. “Over the years, it’s really been interesting to see how what might have been an odd-duck type of client become the norm.”

In those early years, he said, forward-thinking clients would seek out C&H specifically for this expertise, while today, green design isn’t surprising at all. “It’s gone from the occasional project to where, if this isn’t part of the conversation, you’re not really practicing in the mainstream anymore.”

In fact, he noted, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has basically shifted its organizational philosophy to suggest that, if a project isn’t environmentally conscious, if it’s not sustainable, then it’s just not good design.

“Climate change requires a holistic approach, addressing the interdependencies among people, buildings, infrastructure, and the environment,” AIA President William Bates said recently. “Our training allows us to look for solutions and ways to mitigate climate change comprehensively and creatively, which we do every day.”

At their most basic level, Hartman explained, buildings protect individuals from the elements and provide texture to people’s lives. Buildings, however, are also one of the largest contributors to global warming, accounting for nearly 40% of all greenhouse-gas emissions worldwide — a statistic expected to double by 2050. In an effort to mitigate these impacts, there has been a steady increase in sustainable architecture — the design of buildings that work in harmony with the environment.

Installing a meadow instead of grass at East Meadow School in Granby reduces gasoline use and provides a habitat for endangered birds.

C&H Architects has been at the forefront of this effort for three decades. For example, it designed the fifth-ever certified Living Building Challenge project in the world (and the first in New England) for Smith College’s MacLeish Field Station, the most rigorous performance standard for buildings available.

“It’s the most difficult standard — net-zero water, net-zero energy, avoiding certain materials and chemicals,” he said, noting that net zero means producing as much of that resource as one takes from the environment.

The firm has followed similar standards with other commercial and academic projects, and has designed more than 10 homes that boast net-zero energy, the most recent of which won the top honor at AIA Rhode Island in 2018, and includes a solar array that powers both the house and the car of its occupants.

That’s an especially cutting-edge standard, Hartman said, but it may become mainstream as well in the coming years, just as many sustainable practices in building and landscape design have become the norm, not the exception.

Holistic Approach

Loeffler said there are two ways to craft a sustainable philosophy for a project. One is to simply create a checklist of energy-saving or environmentally conscious features.

The other way of thinking actually takes cues from ecological thinking and the way all organisms are interrelated. On the simplest level, she cited the example of humans and trees — plants give off oxygen, while we breathe it in and give off carbon dioxide.

“There’s an understanding that each entity has a need for resources to consume, and has a waste product,” she said. “What sustainable thinking allows us to do is look at a project and look at ways to tie resources and waste together in a project or adjacent use somewhere else.”

Tom Hartman takes meter readings at a mill renovation in Lawrence — part of his goal to make sure energy-saving projects are performing as they are designed to.

One example is a dog park she recently worked on, during which time she approached a company that specializes in taking dog waste and turning it into energy. “Farms are taking waste from grocery stores, and any sort of organic waste products, and generating electricity. These are waste products that are being taken out of the waste stream instead of being shifted to a landfill somewhere.”

Hartman said architects, including those at his firm, are also starting to think about reductions in embodied carbon, which are the emissions associated with building construction, including extracting, transporting, and manufacturing materials.

“What that means is that we’ll be making low-carbon buildings, so we’re not adding to the carbon issue,” he said, adding quickly that this, like all new initiatives, comes with a learning curve. “In the evolution of our practice over 30 years, as soon as we get competent in one thing, we’re going to the next thing.”

Clients in the education sector have been particularly receptive to innovative ideas around sustainability, he noted, but those projects often come with time barriers.

“When you’re doing academic work, doing renovations on an existing building, they’re occupied, so you may have just a couple of weeks to do your job and have a limited budget, so how do you address environmental design and sustainable design on these types of projects?” he asked. “It comes down to the materials you’re choosing and what opportunities are available. For example, if you’re renovating a dormitory, you may only have 12 weeks, so you probably won’t renovate the exterior envelope of the building.”

“Nobody was trying to do that 30 years ago — it wasn’t even part of the lexicon. Over the years, it’s really been interesting to see how what might have been an odd-duck type of client become the norm.”

But all projects must consider their long-term impact on users, said Leon Drachmann, a principal at Payette Associates in Boston, who recently talked about sustainability on the U.S. Green Building Council website.

“The green-building initiative will have a deeper impact by expanding its scope — by shifting its focus to areas outside of building design, such as real-estate economics, zoning regulations and land use, while concentrating on the human experience and societal well-being,” he noted, adding that “sustainability should be considered not as an independent, separate process, but as an integral part of design itself.”

Dollars and Sense

One impact that can never be overlooked is the financial one, Hartman said. After all, while clients want to do the right thing, they’re still focused on the bottom line.

“I’ve never met a client where, if we could provide the economic case for doing good in sustainable design, they wouldn’t do it,” he told BusinessWest. “It’s rarer to find a client who will do the feel-good of sustainable design if it doesn’t pass the economic test.”

So part of his service to clients is actually visiting the site after completion, monitoring elements like energy use, waste production, and the overall costs to make sure the promised efficiencies have come to fruition.

“It has been really important for us to do that,” he said. “Most of the time, we want to maintain a relationship with the client in the future anyway. We will ask for energy bills. We’ve never met a client who doesn’t want us to follow up. That’s probably the most important thing for the profession — to make sure it all works, and if it doesn’t work, figure out why. Otherwise, you’re just waving your arms.”

Loeffler noted that clients that have a long-term vision are much easier to convince of the benefits of green design.

“If an organization’s economic-benefit analysis focuses on a one-year plan, they’re going to make a decision based on that — and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that,” she said. “But if their vision centers around a 20- or 50-year plan, they might be inclined to make different decisions.

“In a homeowner’s situation, with solar panels, there are upfront costs in that initial year. Over a certain amount of time, you’ll recoup those costs, but if you’re only looking at one year, you’re not going to budget for solar panels. If you’re looking at the long term, the cost makes more sense.”

The tipping point for much sustainable design and technology will come when those costs approach those of traditional methods across the board — and many in the industry say those days are getting closer. “When green materials become cheaper to acquire than previous materials, we project there will be a huge increase in the desire for this type of technology,” Loeffler said.

Until then, “we try not to push the issue too hard. We engage every client in the discussion, but they have different comfort levels. At the end of the day, we’re there to meet their needs and goals, and we work with them.”

Hartman is happy he works in a state which saw the value of renewable-energy credits and green standards well before most other states did.

“Massachusetts has been progressive, and they did those things so we wouldn’t be so reliant on fossil fuels from other countries,” he said. “It’s really exciting nowadays.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Recent Appointments

By
Banking and Financial Services

PV Financial Announces Two Additions to Team

PV Financial Group recently welcomed two new members to its team — Antonio Bastos as retirement plan coordinator and Andrea Santos as digital marketing specialist. Both will be working in PV’s main office located in Ludlow.

Antonio Bastos

Antonio Bastos

Andrea Santos

Andrea Santos

Upon graduating from Nichols College in Dudley with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Bastos accepted a job with MassMutual Retirement Services. During his five years with the company, he represented and sold MassMutual’s qualified retirement plan platform to small and mid-sized businesses. Bastos also obtained his Series 6 and Series 63 licenses while gaining beneficial knowledge and experience with qualified retirement plans.

At PV Financial, Bastos’s role is to manage all the qualified retirement plan clients, from day-to-day servicing to fielding all inquiries from retirement plan participants and plan trustees. He will also maintain relationships with retirement-plan providers in the industry. Other responsibilities will include staying connected and up-to-date on new products, services, and ERISA compliance regulations so he can properly and confidently serve PV Financial’s retirement plan clients and participants.

“By having Tony join the team at PV Financial, we have committed to the qualified retirement plan marketplace,” said Edward Sokolowski, PV’s managing partner. “As many local financial firms have been exiting this business, Tony will be able to fill the void and offer professional guidance to companies looking for quality advice for their retirement plans.”

Santos graduated from Holyoke Community College with an associate’s degree in Business Administration, as well as from Elms College with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Marketing. Upon graduating from Elms, Santos accepted a job at Northwestern Mutual. During her four years with the company, she held the position of director of Client Services, where she was responsible for the oversight of new business insurance applications and investment accounts, as well as insurance underwriting correspondence. She also worked with clients directly on account inquiries and led the office’s marketing efforts.

At PV Financial, Santos will be the digital marketing specialist. She will be the first point of contact for new and current clients who are a part of PV Financial’s new program, PV Navigator. Other responsibilities include maintaining the program’s website and social media accounts, staying up to date with the services provided within the program, maintaining relationships with the program’s clients, and assisting the advisors with outreach.

“Having Andrea join our team is a major step in the future success of PV Financial,” said Sokolowski. “Andrea’s talents in social media and client relationships will be a cornerstone to our newly launched investment program, PV Navigator.  I look forward to the energy and focus Andrea will bring to our firm and the positive impact she will have on our clients.”

Country Bank Appoints New VP of Marketing

Country Bank announced that Justin Roberts has joined the Marketing and Community Relations team as vice president of Marketing. Roberts’ experience in strategic marketing spans more than a decade in various industries. As a former small-business owner, he brings not just marketing savvy, but real-life experience.

Justin Roberts

Justin Roberts

“I am excited to join the Country Bank team,” Roberts said. “Having admired the brand for several years, I am looking forward to help activate the bank’s founding partnership of the Worcester Red Sox and promoting Country Bank’s presence throughout the region.”

In Roberts’ previous positions, he worked as the Development officer at American International College (AIC) in the office of Institutional Advancement, and also worked at MassLive, where he helped lead the Digital Marketing Strategy team to support local, regional, and national clients. His entrepreneurial spirit recently led him to open his own marketing and community-relations agency before joining the Country Bank team.

Roberts, who earned his bachelor’s degree and MBA in marketing from AIC, is the founder of Suit Up Springfield, a nonprofit organization that provides professional attire and mentorship to young men in Greater Springfield.

He also serves as vice president of the board for Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. He has served on many nonprofits and community organizations, including Wonderfund of Massachusetts, the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, the Rotary Club of Springfield, and Square One. He is a member of the New England Financial Marketing Assoc. and received the Game Changer award from the Center for Human Development.

“We are thrilled to welcome Justin to the Marketing and Community Relations team. His experience in marketing and digital strategies, combined with his extensive civic and community engagement, makes him a perfect fit for Country Bank,” said Miriam Siegel, first senior vice president of Human Resources. “We’re proud of Justin’s efforts within the communities we serve and look forward to his profound passion for community service while representing Country Bank. u

 

Florence Bank Welcomes Experienced Lender

Florence Bank announced the appointment of Douglas Gilbert to the position of vice president of Commercial Lending. Gilbert comes to the bank with more than 27 years of banking experience.

Douglas Gilbert

Douglas Gilbert

His most recent role was at Country Bank, where he served as first vice president and team leader in the Commercial Lending department. His duties there included managing the Commercial Lending team and an extensive loan portfolio. His experience also includes serving as vice president and head of Commercial Lending at Easthampton Savings Bank and as assistant vice president in Commercial Lending at Westfield Bank.

“It is a great opportunity to be affiliated with Florence Bank, which has such an excellent reputation and does so much good in the community,” Gilbert said. “Everyone here has made me feel right at home from the beginning.”

Gilbert is a certified public accountant who earned an undergraduate degree from Westfield State University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. He also serves on the board of the Quaboag Valley Business Assistance Corp.

Kevin Day, president and CEO of Florence Bank, added that “Doug is a great addition to the Florence Bank team. His significant lending experience coupled with his knowledge of the communities we serve will be a tremendous value to our business customers.”

Justin Roberts

By Contributor
40 Under 40 Class of 2022

Vice President of Marketing, Country Bank; Age 32

For Justin Roberts, being vice president of Marketing at Country Bank is all about giving back to the community.

“It all goes back to my interest that I’ve always had in giving back and making sure that individuals and organizations continue to succeed, especially the ones that have important missions that support the communities and the individuals that live in them and that need help,” he told BusinessWest.

Roberts’ desire to support individuals who need help was the driving force behind Suit Up Springfield, a nonprofit he founded eight years ago that provides professional attire in the form of suits, shirts, and ties to individuals graduating from high school or college, and individuals being released from incarceration who need assistance with their professional development. The program has provided attire to thousands of young men in the Greater Springfield area.

Additionally, Roberts has developed a partnership with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, providing professional attire to all inmates in the post-incarceration program. He’s even an honorary Hampden County deputy sheriff.

Beyond Suit Up Springfield, Roberts’ role at Country Bank has allowed him to be active with countless organizations.

“We do so much good and give back so much time, talent, and treasure to the community, which has always really been such an important part of my mission, my personal mission statement,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate to both personally and professionally give back in so many ways, whether it’s sitting and serving on some boards or volunteering for some organizations like Habitat for Humanity or Square One, or my board involvement at AIC, where I did my undergrad and MBA work. It just all ties back to the opportunities that I have to continue to give back and support the communities and the individuals that make them up.”

Currently, Roberts is vice president of the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity board. He’s been involved with building 10 homes in the past five years for families in need of good, affordable housing in Western Mass. He was instrumental in raising more than $150,000 to build Tommy’s House, a house built in memory of Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, who died as a result of an act of domestic terrorism at the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center in Tennessee in 2015.

Outside of his work and volunteering, Roberts loves to spend time with his family, his partner, Heather, and their two daughters, Maxie and Charlie. He loves playing golf, cooking, and eating good food.

 

— Elizabeth Sears

40 Under Forty Event 2013

By
40 Under 40 Events The Class of 2013
Celebrating the Class of 2013

untitled-40
IMG_0121More than 650 people flocked to the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House on June 20 to celebrate BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty Class of 2013 and the many accomplishments of its members. Attendees enjoyed picture perfect weather, fine food, and perhaps the best networking event of the year. On the pages that follow, we offer a photographic look back at a memorable evening for all those in attendance, but especially those who walked out with the 40 Under Forty plaques, seen at left, just prior to the start of the gala.


The event was sponsored by:



Check out the intro video from Viz-Bang!




untitled-17From left, Robert Hogan, quality control supervisor for U.S. Tsubaki, and his wife Samalid Hogan, senior project manager for the City of Springfield, with her fellow Class of 2013 honoree, Annamarie Golden, manager of Community Relations and Community Benefits, Baystate Health, and husband Hunter Golden, owner of Write Stuff Copywriting.

untitled-10
Elizabeth Beaudry, senior commercial credit analyst and information technology administrator, and Shonda Pettiford, assistant director of Commonwealth Honors College at UMass Amherst, two members of the Class of 201,3 share a moment before the awards ceremony.


untitled-26Xiaolei Hua, credit analyst at PeoplesBank and fellow Class of 2013 honoree Geoffrey Croteau, financial advisor and managing associate sales manager at MassMutual Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services network during the VIP hour in the Grand Edna Ballroom.



untitled-28Representing one of the evening’s sponsors, Hampden Bank, is Nora Braska, assistant vice president and training officer; Peg Daoust, branch manager; and Amy Scribner, assistant vice president and senior marketing administrator.





untitled-35From left, Jose Hernandez, machine operator for Rockbestos-Suprenant Cable Corporation; Alejandro Cameron, John Rivas, and Zydalis Zayas, WGBY-TV community engagement associates; Class of 2013 honoree, Vanessa Pabon, director of community engagement for WGBY-TV; Pabon’s daughter, Shayla Burge, and mother, Milta Franco, a case manager for Brightwood Health Center; and Veronica Garcia, WGBY community engagement assistant.

untitled-30Emily McArdle, left, physical therapist and Jeanne Coburn, audiologist, both of Baystate Rehabilitation Care, one of the evening’s sponsors.











untitled-37From left, Danielle Nicklas, an attorney with Cooley Shrair, and Jim Tinker, senior tax accountant, Burgess, Shultz & Robb, network with Amy Scott, president of Wild Apple Design Group, and Jennifer Schimmel Stanley, executive director of Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, both members of the 40 Under Forty Class of 2011.

untitled-36From left, Patrick Leary, Class of 2007, shareholder and vice president of Moriarity & Primack, P.C., an event sponsor, networks with Gwen Burke, senior advertising consultant with BusinessWest, her husband Chuck Burke, president of Action Marine and Water Sports, and Damon Cartelli, member of the Class of 2010, and president and general manager of Fathers & Sons, also an event sponsor.

untitled-38The team at UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management, an event sponsor, gathers before the awards ceremony. From left, Trista Hevey, program information specialist; Michelle Rup, office manager; Jennifer Meunier, director of Business Development; Kyle Bate, academic advisor and program developer; Melissa Garrett-Preston, academic advisor; Allison Furkey, media PR liaison; and Rachel Trafford, director of Organizational Metrix.

untitled-39The NUVO Bank & Trust Company team supported Class of 2013 honoree, Elizabeth Beaudry (fifth from left), senior commercial credit analyst and information technology administrator. Front row, from left, Michael Buckmaster, vice president, commercial lending; Leslie Ross Lawrence, senior vice president/CCO and SOO; Beaudry; Jackalyn Guenette, loan deposit operations agent; Sue Fearn, assistant vice president, client sales and service; back row; Jay Caron, president and CEO, Bee-Line Corp., and NUVO board of director; Jeff Sattler, president and senior loan officer; Denise Perkins, corporate secretary; Dale Janes, CEO; Jay Seyler, vice president, commercial loan division; and Eric Jalbert, credit analyst.

IMG_0139Gary Popovich, left, and Daniel Duncan, accounting associates, chat with Rebecca Connolly, audit manager, all of Moriarty & Primack, one of the event sponsors.









untitled-22Brenna Murphy McGee, Holyoke city councilor and member of the Class of 2013, with her husband, Todd McGee, Class of 2011, director, E&B Planning at Mass Mutual, and fellow Holyoke city councilor.






untitled-45Delcie Bean, Class of 2008 and founder and CEO of event sponsor Paragus IT, spoke to the audience of more than 650 people about the need for a computer technology-mentoring program that will benefit local youths, create jobs, and attract businesses to the Pioneer Valley through the reorganization of Valley Technology Outreach. Here, Bean is assisted by children from the Westfield Boys and Girls Club, who demonstrated the national numbers that underscore the need for more educational support through computer technology.

untitled-7Caitlin Casey, occupational therapist with Hartford Healthcare, and husband Jeremy Casey, assistant vice president and commercial service officer, Westfield Bank, celebrate his standing as a member of the Class of 2013.





IMG_0122From left, Darren Couture, painting contractor; Erin Couture, Class of 2013, vice president and commercial loan officer, Florence Savings Bank; Jeremy Leap, Class of 2013, vice president of commercial lending for Country Bank; and Andy Robb, Class of 2013, president, Burgess, Schultz & Robb, P.C.


untitled-19Timothy Brunelle, employee of L-3 KEO, and wife Erin Fontaine Brunelle, realtor, Century 21 Hometown Associates, founder, co-chair of Buy Holyoke and a member of the Class of 2013.






IMG_0145From left, Evan Alberts, practice manager and financial services professional, MassMutual Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services; Ian Vukovich, Class of 2010, director of product delivery, MassMutual-USIG; Erin Kates, Baystate Health; Matt Geffin, Class of 2011, vice president of business development, Webber and Grinnell Insurance; and Danny Kates, Class of 2013, managing associate, MassMutual Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services.

IMG_0154From left, Michael Hayden, owner, Springfield Motors; Ashley Bernard, speech pathologist, Springfield Public Schools, Nick Zajac, loan officer, Top Flight Financial; Carla Cosenzi, Class of 2012, and Tommy Cosenzi, Class of 2013, co-owners of TommyCar Auto Group; Amanda Douglas, esthetician at Puffers Day Spa and Salon; and Trevor Wood, engineer, City of Westfield.

IMG_0146From left, Melissa Mattison, clinical assistant professor, Western New England University (WNEU); Kim Gallo, staff Assistant, WNEU College of Pharmacy; Kam Capoccia, Class of 2013, associate professor of pharmacy practice, WNEU; and Jill Popp, Department of Research, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, network in the Southampton Room.



IMG_0155Chris Thompson, left, Class of 2009, vice president, business development, Springfield Falcons Hockey, networks with Jill Monson, Class of 2010, CEO, Inspired Marketing; and Alex Morse, mayor of Holyoke.





IMG_0160From left, John Roberson, vice president, Children & Family Services; Ja’net Smith, program director, Juvenile Programs, both with the Center for Human Development; Jennifer Root, Class of 2013, clinical director for the Center for Human Development; and Kate Blachfield, manager, HP Hood.



IMG_0171From left, Joe Bednar, senior writer, and Elizabeth Taras, staff writer at BusinessWest, co-introducers of the Class of 2013, and George O’Brien, the magazine’s editor, await the next winner’s walk to the stage to receive their plaque.





Check below for all photos from the event:

003_DifferenceMakers2019
2016 Difference Maker Carol Leary, Bay Path University; Noel Leary, 2019 Difference Maker Carla Cosenzi, Diane Cosenzi, and Nick Zayac.
Suzanne Parker, Girls Inc. of the Valley; and 2019 Difference Makers Frederick and Marjorie Hurst.
Michael Lefebvre, TD Bank; 2019 Difference Maker Joe Peters; Jeffrey Sattler, Savings Institute; and 2014 Difference Maker Colleen Loveless, Revitalize CDC.
Andrew Morehouse and Shannon Yaremchak of 2019 Difference Maker the Food Bank of Western Mass., and Frank Robinson, Baystate Health.
Carrie Shelffo, Krystle Bernier, and Brandy O’Brien, Viability Inc.
061_DifferenceMakers2019
Travis Ward, Development Associates; and Daniel Carr, Royal, P.C.
From Way Finders, Laureen Borgatti, Susan Gulluni, 2019 Difference Maker Peter Gagliardi, and Rene Lake-Gagliardi.
Andrew Morehouse (top center) with friends of the Food Bank of Western Mass., 2019 Difference Maker.
2016 Difference Maker Carol Leary and Noel Leary.
Travis Ward and Ken Vincunas, Development Associates; Michele Sullivan; and Daniel Carr, Royal, P.C.
Kathryn Senie with Rebecca Connolly, Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C.
Victor Rodriguez, PeoplesBank; and Glenn Welch, Freedom Credit Union.
Jane Albert, Baystate Health; and 2017 Difference Maker Joan Kagan, Square One.
2010 Difference Maker Ellen Freyman, Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin; and 2009 Difference Maker Susan Jaye-Kaplan, Link to Libraries.
Lisa Marrow, Frederick Hurst Jr., and 2019 Difference Maker Marjorie Hurst.
2019 Difference Maker Carla Cosenzi (center) with the contingent from sponsor TommyCar Auto Group.
Kathleen Bronner, Jenna Conz, and Teresa Grove from presenting sponsor Baystate Health.
The contingent from sponsor Viability Inc.

[Show slideshow]
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Borgatti Joins WGBY as Major and Planned Giving Officer

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — WGBY announced that development professional and BusinessWest 40 Under Forty alumna Monica Borgatti has joined the public television station as major and planned giving officer.

Borgatti, a Western Mass. native, has years of experience working with not-for-profit organizations in the region. Most recently, she worked as senior philanthropic service administrator at U.S. Trust in Glastonbury, Conn. Prior to that, she was development manager at the Center for Human Development in Springfield and resource development and communications director at Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity.

In 2011, Borgatti was named one of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty, a celebration of young business and civic leaders in the Pioneer Valley. She is active in the community, serving as president of Women in Philanthropy of Western Mass. and as a committee member for the Women’s Fund of Western Mass. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in non-profit management and philanthropy from Bay Path University.

“Major and planned giving provides vital and growing revenue for WGBY,” said Rus Peotter, the station’s general manager. “Monica’s knowledge, experience, and networks are terrific assets that she brings to support WGBY’s work throughout our service area.”

WGBY also announced that Jodi Fallon Fern, who joined its major and planned giving department in 2002, has been promoted to director of major and planned giving, replacing Laurie Leichthammer, who left WGBY in May 2014 when she and her husband relocated to New Hampshire.

Walter Tomala Jr.

By
Tomala-Walter
40 Under 40 The Class of 2013
Owner and President, TNT General Contracting, age 37

Tomala-WalterWalt Tomala Jr. says the speed-building endeavors he’s participated in — everything from two local Extreme Makeover: Home Edition projects to a blitz-build event for Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity — are in many ways a metaphor for how he lives his life.
In other words, he’s committed to simply not wasting a minute of his time. This attitude has enabled him to successfully balance his business, TNT General Contracting, with his family and especially his daughter, Lauren, and also his work in the community through those aforementioned projects, but also many others, especially his tireless service with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
But beyond maximizing his time, there is another common thread between Tomala’s extreme-building exploits and his own life. That would be the matter of dreams — making them, shaping them, and willing them to come true.
As a teenager, Tomala’s dream was to be a professional baseball pitcher, and he was on his way — he starred for Westfield High School — when a devastating shoulder and elbow injury took baseball out of the equation and forced him to recalibrate. He took work building and remodeling bowling centers, but a year into that job he was caught in a flash explosion when a sanding machine malfunctioned. He suffered third-degree burns over 60% of his body and spent a year in recovery and rehab.
Undaunted, he went back to building bowling centers, and eventually started his own construction company with a name, TNT, which has nothing to do with his family name, but everything to do with the explosion that nearly ended all his dreams.
Since then, he’s focused on other people’s dreams, from participating in the Extreme Makeover projects to designing and overseeing the blitz build for Habitat; from building four houses in a week for victims of the June 1, 2011 tornado to helping construct two homes for severely injured veterans.
Introduced to Make-A-Wish by his father when he was 13, Tomala has made that nonprofit one of his passions. And in 2000, the organization named him its volunteer of the year.
To say that he’s made the very most of all his time would be a huge understatement.

— George O’Brien

Dietz Donates to Nonprofits Through ‘Spread the Cheer’ Campaign

By
Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Dietz & Company Architects recently held its annual “Spread the Cheer” holiday campaign with a $2,500 top prize donation. Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) won it with nearly 25% of the total votes.

The “Spread the Cheer” holiday campaign began in 2017 in an effort to be more environmentally conscious by not sending out paper holiday cards, but rather raise awareness for all the work local nonprofits do.

“As a company, we firmly believe in being an active part of the Greater Springfield community and beyond through volunteerism and donating funds when possible,” said Ashley Solomon, Marketing manager at Dietz. “It is our hope that, by continuing to do this year after year, more people will be encouraged to learn about, volunteer with, and donate to the groups that are meaningful to them.”

During the nine-day campaign, 18 local organizations were selected to be included in the event. Voters used a SurveyMonkey link to access the poll and choose an organization they felt was deserving of a share of a $5,000 prize. The organization that received the most votes received $2,500. Second place won $1,500, and third place received $1,000. The International Language Institute of Massachusetts won second place with 22% of the votes, and Dakin Humane Society came in third with 19% of the votes. The remaining 15 organizations received $100 each.

“We are very appreciative of the donation from Dietz and the many community supporters who voted for us in the Spread the Cheer campaign, making us the top recipient,” said Aimee Giroux, GSHFH executive director. “There are so many well-deserving organizations doing much-needed work in the local community. We are honored to be recognized for our part.”

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

Liberty Bank Opens First Branch in Massachusetts

EAST LONGMEADOW — On Dec. 5, Liberty Bank officially opened its first bank branch in Massachusetts, located at 94 Shaker Road in East Longmeadow. As part of the grand opening, teammates from Liberty Bank, which is headquartered in Middletown, Conn., presented two grants totaling $10,000 to representatives from the East Longmeadow Food Pantry and Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. As part of Liberty’s growth strategy to build its presence along the I-91 corridor from New Haven to Hartford and now into Greater Springfield, it established a commercial loan production office in East Longmeadow in 2021. The relationship managers and support teams based in this market have been successful in maintaining and building new relationships within East Longmeadow and Greater Springfield, attracting new customers to the bank, networking with prospects, and building a strong community presence. This nearly 3,000-square-foot, full-service branch includes a drive-up banking lane, ATM, and night drop. The branch team, led by Teresa Parker, have been entrenched in the Western Mass. and Greater Springfield communities for many years, working, volunteering, and residing in the area.

 

Thunderbirds Contribute $15,000 to Mayflower Marathon

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Thunderbirds announced, in collaboration with Rock 102 and the Mayflower Marathon, that the team successfully generated more than $15,000 for this year’s Marathon. A contribution of $10,000 in cash was made by the Thunderbirds to Open Pantry, a result of generous donations throughout November and the funds raised during the T-Birds’ celebrity bartending event at White Lion Brewing earlier this month. Additionally, Ray Berry, founder of White Lion Brewing, will contribute an extra $800 from the proceeds of Thunderboom beers and burgers sold at White Lion. The Mayflower Marathon achieved another historic milestone, amassing a record-breaking total of $234,733.71 in food and monetary contributions. The non-perishable food donations filled four full-size Mayflower trailers and an additional one-and-a-half box trucks, marking a remarkable increase of more than $55,000 from the 2022 Marathon. Throughout November, the Thunderbirds actively collected donations at the team office and during home games inside the MassMutual Center. Leading up to Mayflower Marathon Night on Nov. 22, fans making contributions were rewarded with tickets to the T-Birds game.

 

Merged Agency to Be Called Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts

WESTERN MASS. — The mentorship agencies of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Franklin County and BBBS of Hampden County, both founded in 1967, announced they will merge into one organization. The combined agencies, operating under the name Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts (BBBSWM), will become the largest mentorship organization in the region. David Beturne, executive director of BBBS of Hampden County, who has been acting as interim executive director in Franklin County since April, will lead the new agency. Beturne brings 23 years of experience with BBBS and plans to maintain all staff at both locations. Both agencies have a long history of fostering connections in their respective counties, and plan to grow to serve areas without an established BBBS office. The merger does not include the Center for Human Development’s BBBS program, which will continue to serve the Hampshire County area. BBBS creates connections between children (Littles) with qualified and vetted mentors (Bigs) in the community to create fulfilling relationships. BBBS monitors all matches to ensure safety standards are upheld and that the relationship is positive and empowering for the children involved.

 

UMassFive Employees Support Local Nonprofits

HADLEY — UMassFive College Federal Credit Union announced that its employees have raised more than $18,000 for two local nonprofits during the fall of 2023: $13,677 in support of the UMass Cancer Center via participation in the UMass Cancer Walk and Run, and $4,800 for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts via participation in Will Bike 4 Food. A longstanding and top supporter of the UMass Cancer Walk and Run event for more than 20 years, UMassFive employees join together annually as Team UMassFive to raise funds for the cause, both personally and in branch locations. In 2023, fundraising efforts included raffle baskets, bake sales, candy sales, and art and jewelry sales. Donations were also sought from credit union corporate partners, whose support helps bolster efforts each year. Including the $13,677 raised in 2023, Team UMassFive has raised over $186,600 in donations to the UMass Cancer Center over the lifetime of its participation. Since 2020, UMassFive employees have also jumped on their bicycles in support of Will Bike 4 Food, a major fundraising event for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. In 2023, seven riders teamed up to raise $4,800 in support of their cumulative 300-mile ride. Including the 2023 efforts, Team UMassFive has raised $17,500 in just four years of participation, which equates to providing 70,332 meals to neighbors in need.

 

Smith Brothers Insurance Merges with the Quintal Agency

NORTHAMPTON — The Quintal Agency, an independent insurance agency led by Lynne Quintal-Hill and located in Plainfield, Conn., has merged its operations with Smith Brothers Insurance. Smith Brothers has offices across Connecticut, Massachusetts (including Northampton), New Jersey, and New York. Quintal-Hill will be fully engaged in client service and business development, and will continue to serve clients as she and her team members join Smith Brothers. The team will continue to work from their office in Plainfield while leveraging the resources of Smith Brothers.

 

Westfield Bank Donates Food to Local Communities

WESTFIELD — Westfield Bank invited its customers and community members across Western Mass. and Northern Conn. to help fight hunger in local communities as part of its 2023 food drive. From Oct. 25 through Nov. 18, all Westfield Bank branches collected non-perishable food items and monetary donations. Food items included items for Thanksgiving meals, including canned fruit, boxed stuffing and potatoes, gravy, jelly, cranberry sauce, and more. Each branch donated to a food pantry or community kitchen local to their service area. Some branch managers also gathered to cook for a local soup kitchen with the donated food items, donating a total of 126 pounds of food, which would be able to feed about 100 people that day.

 

Freedom Credit Union Supports Unify Against Bullying

SPRINGFIELD — Throughout the month of October, Freedom Credit Union and its members raised more than $1,000 for Unify Against Bullying. “Unify Against Bullying is an organization we are very proud to support,” said Debra Mainolfi, the credit union’s West Springfield branch officer and a member of the Unify Against Bullying executive board. “Every year in the U.S., over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying, and Western Massachusetts is no exception. Most children who experience bullying don’t report it. Unify Against Bullying makes a positive impact in our schools and communities to bring people together to speak out against bullying in a unified voice.” Unify Against Bullying pledges to bring an end to bullying through the celebration of true diversity. The organization works to ensure that victims of bullying know they are not alone — that they are, in fact, supported by a loving, caring community of fellow students, teachers, parents, siblings, business leaders, and many others.

 

Easthampton Learning Foundation Invests in STEAM Program at Mountain View School

EASTHAMPTON — The Easthampton Learning Foundation is investing significantly in enhancing the STEAM program at Mountain View School. Priscilla Kane Hellweg, founder of the Arts Integration Studio, and Megan Kelley-Bagg, Easthampton Public Schools STEAM teacher, are collaborating to expand STEAM opportunities for K-5 students. STEAM, an educational approach integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, fosters 21st-century skills like creative thinking and collaboration. Hellweg and Kelley-Bagg aim to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, elevate arts education within STEAM, and develop replicable content for teachers. A dedicated STEAM cohort has been formed, starting with fifth-grade teachers engaging in collaborative professional development. The focus is on weather, climate, and earth systems, with two hands-on curriculum units created for fifth grade. New STEAM content units will be developed monthly during the pilot year. With the success of the fifth-grade team, the program aims to inspire more teachers to embrace creative arts integration in the coming years. The STEAM program, launched last year, aims to promote collaboration among educators and introduce captivating, project-based learning opportunities into the academic day.

 

MCLA Receives $306,000 Grant to Fund Mental-health Support

NORTH ADAMS — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) announced it has received the Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Suicide Prevention Grant for $306,000 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Over the next three years, this funding will launch the MCLA Cares Project, an initiative to build campus-wide infrastructure to support student mental health. The MCLA Cares Project will utilize a multi-pronged approach to address mental-health support deficits across campus. This project will engage a health promotion coordinator, a new position designed to plan and implement the grant’s activities as well as produce additional mental-health and wellness programming. Grant funds will contribute significantly to training the student-facing faculty and staff in suicide awareness and prevention. The MCLA Cares Project was developed in accordance with MCLA’s mission to provide an accessible liberal-arts education to students traditionally underrepresented in higher education, such as first-generation students, students of color, and LGBTQIA+ students. The health promotion coordinator will collaborate with these groups to identify their specific needs and challenges in order to create responsive programming.

 

 

Springfield College Awarded $240,000 for Mental-health Needs

SPRINGFIELD — In partnership with the city of Springfield, Springfield College was awarded $240,000 to help assist in combating the growing mental-health needs among college students and the local community. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan announced the partnership as part of the Sarno administration’s Higher Education ARPA Fund at City Hall on Dec. 6. Sarno had previously announced the creation of the $750,000 Higher Education ARPA Fund as part of his 13th round of ARPA awards in July, as Springfield College was joined by American International College and Western New England University as recipients of the funding. The $240,000 allocation that Springfield College received will create additional opportunities to further support youth and families in the city of Springfield and provide collaboration between Springfield College students and Springfield Public Schools to enhance their learning and simultaneously support the community. With the funding, Springfield College intends to hire case managers to provide support and advocacy for both college students and children and families in Springfield Public Schools who have difficulty navigating the often-complex web of available resources, hire a psychiatric nurse practitioner to support critical needs within area colleges and the community, and strengthen relationships between school counseling and clinical mental-health counseling student interns at Springfield College and Springfield Public Schools to provide additional community-based mental-health services and support.

 

Lee Bank Foundation Distributes $83,750 in First Grant Funding Round of 2022 

By
Daily News

LEE — Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $83,750 to 12 Berkshire area organizations and an additional grant to Pittsfield Public Schools in its first-round of 2022 community funding. 

Recipients were awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $16,000 to support their local programming. Included in the awards are a series of Arts Access Grants for arts and culture organizations to expand access to programming for underserved audiences. 

The following organizations received funding: 

  • Berkshire Center for Justice;
  • Berkshire Community Diaper Project;
  • Berkshire Concert Choir;
  • Berkshire County Arc;
  • Berkshire Historical Society;
  • Berkshire Family YMCA;
  • Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity;
  • Community Access to the Arts;
  • Great Barrington Public Theater;
  • Greenagers;
  • Roots Rising; and
  • The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

  

Arts Access Grants of $1,000 each were awarded to Berkshire Concert Choir, Berkshire Historical Society, and Great Barrington Public Theater. Additionally, Lee Bank Foundation announced a $16,000 grant to the Pittsfield Public Schools — $1,000 for each school serving children and adults in Pittsfield, to coincide with the groundbreaking of the new Lee Bank branch on South Street.  

The deadline for the next round of 2022 Foundation funding is June 1. The application and more information can be found on the Community Impact section of Lee Bank’s website (https://www.leebank.com/community-impact/donations-sponsorships.html) 

To be considered for grant awards, applicants must be a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Foundation is focused on funding programs that work to bridge income and opportunity gaps in our region. Funding requests should reflect one or more of Lee Bank Foundation’s primary focus areas: education and literacy; food security and nutrition; economic growth and development; health and human services; mentorship, internship and “school to work” initiatives; and arts and culture 

Applicants are only eligible for funding once in a 12-month period. 

Lee Bank Foundation was established in 2021 to support Lee Bank’s long-standing mission of community reinvestment. In its first year, the Foundation awarded a total of $228,610 in grants and the Bank contributed an additional $84,000 in sponsorships. 

People on the Move

By
Departments People on the Move
Shannon Rudder

Shannon Rudder

The Providence Ministries for the Needy Inc. (PMN) board of trustees named Shannon Rudder executive director of PMN’s multi-human-services agency. First appointed interim director in May, Rudder previously served as executive director for MotherWoman Inc. in Hadley for four years. Prior to that, she was associate director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal Inc. in Buffalo, N.Y. “Shannon’s leadership, contagious enthusiasm, solid business acumen, strong operational skills, team-building focus, and dedication to building strong community relationships will advance our mission into the bright future ahead,” said Jean Zaleski, board chair. Rudder is currently on Springfield Technical Community College’s Foundation board; Mama’s Voice, a community-based participatory research project with Holyoke Community College; the grant review committee for United Way of Pioneer Valley; and United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council, and is an instructor at Bay Path University and Cambridge College. In addition, she has served as a guest lecturer at Springfield College, Smith College, and UMass School of Regional Planning. BusinessWest included Rudder in its 40 Under Forty class of 2016. “We are thrilled to have Shannon as our new executive director,” said James Wall, chair of PMN’s personnel committee. “She brings a great breadth and depth of experience that will help take Providence Ministries to the next level.” PMN is a member of the Sisters of Providence Ministry Corp. and is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization serving the Holyoke community with programs to feed, clothe, and shelter the poor and marginalized. These include Kate’s Kitchen, foodWorks at Kate’s Kitchen, Broderick House, Loreto House, McCleary Manor, Margaret’s Pantry, and St. Jude’s Clothing Center.

•••••

Anthony Hayes

Anthony Hayes

Following a nationwide search, Anthony Hayes has been selected as the new general manager for public broadcaster WGBY in Springfield. Hayes comes to WGBY with nearly two decades of executive experience in public TV and radio in Connecticut and Washington, D.C. He succeeds Rus Peotter, who retired last fall after leading the station for 15 years. “Anthony is a visionary leader, and his extensive background in strategic development and engaging with audiences will advance WGBY’s mission and vital role in the community and across the region,” said Liz Cheng, Television Stations manager for the WGBH Educational Foundation, which includes WGBY. Hayes will lead the station in its strategic planning, editorial operations, and community engagement, serving its public-media mission of advancing the educational and cultural life of Western New England. “As a highly accomplished media executive, Anthony’s management skills, experience, and style will be a great fit for WGBY. His industry knowledge and community focus will be of tremendous value in leading our public-media initiatives,” said Crist Myers, chair of the WGBY board of tribunes. Most recently, Hayes served as senior vice president for Engagement at Connecticut Public Broadcasting in Hartford, which includes CPTV and WNPR, where he guided fund-raising and sponsorship initiatives to develop new strategic opportunities and growth. Prior to that, he was at WAMU-FM, American University Radio, where he oversaw the sponsorship sales division and designed and implemented integrated fund-raising, communications, and outreach strategies, locally and nationally, that increased stakeholder engagement. Earlier in his career, he was with WETA, public TV and radio in Arlington, Va., where he managed corporate marketing and developed non-traditional revenue initiatives. “I couldn’t be more pleased to have this opportunity to magnify the impact of this exceptional organization,” said Hayes. “I will work collaboratively and strategically to build upon WGBY’s rich history and advance its core mission, focusing on building a stronger community through engagement, learning, and understanding. I believe WGBY is poised to expand its reach throughout Western New England, and I am eager to lead the charge.” Hayes holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the New York Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree in media entrepreneurship from American University. He will join WGBY on July 10.

•••••

Mike Hamel, owner of Summit View Banquet House and Hamel’s Creative Catering, has been named 2017 Business Person of the Year by the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. Hamel’s Creative Catering was established in 1990, but the Hamel family business roots go back to 1963, when his family owned and operated Hamel’s Market in South Hadley and Edgar’s Market in the Churchill section of Holyoke. “Mike is an exemplary model of a home-grown success story. This is a great story of small business success,” said Kathleen Anderson, president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. “It includes a family legacy, following a passion, having a dream, and overcoming obstacles to achieve something significant and lasting. We are very proud of Mike and his family, and congratulate them on this achievement.” The award has been presented annually to an outstanding business person who is community-oriented, is innovative, possesses a high degree of integrity, and for business accomplishments in Greater Holyoke’s business community. Marge Manton, treasurer and CFO of Loomis Communities and chairman of the chamber board of directors, also announced the selection of Harry Montalvo of bankESB to receive the Henry A. Fifield Award for Voluntary Service to the Chamber. The award is named for the late Henry A. Fifield, former Amped executive and civic leader who served in leadership positions with the chamber. Montalvo’s service includes the chamber ambassador committee, the board of trustees of the Chamber Centennial Foundation, and chamber liaison between the two chamber boards. Montalvo has also been a mentor to many of the Chamber Foundation’s SPARK Launch Class graduates. Both award winners will be honored at the Business Person of the Year and Fifield Volunteer Award Dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. at the Delaney House. Information can be found online at holyokechamber.com or by calling the chamber office at (413) 534-3376. Everyone is invited to attend.

•••••

Sarah Jordan

Sarah Jordan

James Kelly, president and CEO of Polish National Credit Union (PNCU), announced that Sarah Jordan has joined the credit union as a marketing specialist. Jordan’s responsibilities include internal and external communications, marketing and public-relations campaigns, community relations, and website management. She comes to PNCU from Westfield Bank/Chicopee Savings Bank, where she served as marketing coordinator. She is a graduate of the University of Hartford with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and has held marketing and communication assignments with the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, where she is a member of the marketing committee; the Barney School of Business Leadership Council; and the National Society of Leadership and Success – Sigma Alpha Pi. She has also been an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, the Spaulding After School Program, and Loaves and Fishes. “We look forward to Sarah’s success in promoting Polish National Credit Union and its products and services to both current and future members,” said Kelly. “We are pleased to welcome her to our team.”

•••••

Grace LaValley

Grace LaValley

Grace LaValley, who earned her doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree in the inaugural DNP class at Elms College, had a paper accepted to the American Assoc. of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) for a podium presentation at AACVPR’s 32nd annual meeting in October, where it is a candidate for the conference’s Beginner Investigator Award. The paper Lavalley will present at the AACVPR conference was her capstone project in the DNP program at Elms College. Each DNP student is required to complete a scholarly capstone project that contributes to the field of nursing. The project topics are related to the areas of nursing where they currently work or areas in which they have a particular interest. Lavalley’s project earned her the 2017 DNP Capstone Award from Elms College, which honors a DNP student who has developed a distinguished capstone project that demonstrates scholarly rigor, innovation, and outcomes that improve health or health-related outcomes for a specific population, and has the potential to advance nursing science, practice, or policy. The paper is titled “A Telephone Intervention to Improve Patient Return Rates in Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Pilot Study” and focuses on cardiac rehabilitation, or CR. “Cardiovascular disease accounts for 17.3 million deaths per year, a number projected to reach 23.6 million by 2030,” Lavalley said. CR improves patient outcomes and reduces risk in the earlier post-discharge period, but it remains highly underused, she added. Despite its benefits, many patients are at risk for not following the CR program, for a variety of reasons. She and her colleagues decided to investigate whether a telephone call focused on patient motivation, education, risks, and goal setting would improve return rates among patients identified as at risk for non-adherence to the CR program. “Telephone interventions are known to be an important tool to provide support and help overcome barriers after discharge,” she noted. They studied 100 patients in Baystate Medical Center’s outpatient CR program and found that those who received the telephone call were more likely to attend their second session of CR as scheduled, compared with patients who did not receive this intervention (80% versus 51%). The overall return rate was higher in the intervention group as well. “This straightforward strategy represents an attractive adjunct to current management of outpatient CR patients,” she said. Lavalley’s coauthors are Heidi Szalai, Dr. Quinn Pack, and Andrew Storer, associate professor of Nursing at Elms. Their paper will be published in the September/October 2017 issue of the AACVPR’s Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention. Storer was the capstone chair for Lavalley’s project; he supervised the project from the development stage through implementation and analysis. The project, he said, “has made a positive impact in the quality of care for the patients, institutions, and communities served.” Added Lavalley, “this project may be of great value to other cardiac rehab programs around the nation, particularly in this complex healthcare environment.”

•••••

Paulo Marques

Paulo Marques

LUSO Federal Credit Union announced that Paulo Marques, senior loan originator, ranked fourth among top loan originators by volume for credit unions in Western Mass., with loan volume of $23.4 million. He also ranked fourth for top loan originators by number of loans for credit unions in Western Mass., with 156 loans. These results were reported by the Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman.

•••••

Deborah Jordan of Shamrock Financial in Wilbraham was named 2017 Affiliate of the Year by the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV). The announcment was made during the association’s annual awards banquet held June 8 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. As the highest honor given to an affiliate member, the award is bestowed upon the one person who has shown outstanding service and devotion to the organization during the past 17 months in the areas of affiliate-related association activity, community service, and business activity. A member of RAPV for five years, Jordan has served on the affiliate/Realtor, Education Fair & Expo, and community service committees. Her committee involvement includes the annual Benefit Golf Tournament, Playhouse Build for the Boys and Girls Clubs, and blanket and book drives to benefit Shriner’s Hospitals for Children – Springfield. Jordan’s additional community activities include serving as president-elect for the Ludlow Rotary Club, volunteering with Revitalize CDC, and serving on the Buy Springfield Now Committee to promote home ownership.

Picture This

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Departments Picture This

Send photos with a caption and contact information to:  ‘Picture This’ c/o BusinessWest Magazine, 1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103 or to [email protected]

 

And the Winners Are …

HRU2HRU3HRUHRU1Human Resources Unlimited recently staged its annual employer recognition and fundraising event, which featured awards to several area businesses that help HRU carry out its multi-faceted mission.Top to bottom: HRU’s 2015 Employer of the Year Award went to Harrington Hospital.  Seen from left are: Sally Irvine of HRU’s Tradewinds program; Harrington Hospital President and CEO Edward Moore; Brittany Walker, program manager of Tradewinds; and Donald Kozera, President and CEO of HRU;  HRU’s 2015 Rookie Employer of the Year Award went to Plastipak Packaging. Front row (from left): ETS Career Services Senior Employment Coordinator Guss Ofori; Edgardo Antonmarchi, Karl Treat, and Rich Schroll, all with Plastipak Packaging; Pedro Martinez-Cruz, HRU’s ETS Career Services program; and Kozera. Back Row, from left: Paul Willridge, ETS Career Services, and Dean Kimber and Maryann Ayala of Plastipak Packaging; HRU’s 2015 Sheldon B. Brooks Employer Lifetime Achievement Award Winner was the YMCA of Greater Westfield. From left: Dan Flynn, COO for Wholesale Banking, United Bank; Dave Wunch, maintenance director, YMCA of Greater Westfield; Andrea Allard, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Westfield; and Ashley Ethier of HRU’s Forum House program; HRU’s 2015 Armand Tourangeau Volunteer of the Year Award Winner was John Ernst. From left: Timothy Marini, HUB International New England (formerly FieldEddy Insurance); John Ernst, Ernst Financial Group; Carol Tourangeau, wife of the late Armand Tourangeau; and Kozera.

 

 

Branching Out

Boys-and-Girls-Club-of-West-Springfield
Farmington Bank celebrated the opening of its first branch in western Massachusetts at 85 Elm St. in West Springfield on Oct. 15  with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by area business, municipal and community leaders. As part of the ceremony, the Farmington Bank Community Foundation announced donations to four area nonprofit organizations, which included a $2,500 contribution to the Boys & Girls Club of West Springfield. Seen here, from left, are: Mike Moriarty, Farmington Bank senior vice president, commercial team leader, and Boys & Girls Club of Springfield board member; Dan D’Angelo, Boys & Girls Club of West Springfield executive director; John Patrick, Farmington Bank chairman, president, and chief executive officer; and John O’Farrell, Boys & Girls Club of West Springfield director of development. The Farmington Bank Community Foundation also announced donations to West Springfield Partnership for Education, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity; and Cancer House of Hope.

 

Downtown Arrival
SCdowntown

Springfield College hosted an Open House and Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Oct. 21, in recognition of its new office space at 1350 Main Street in downtown Springfield. Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper joined Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno in leading the ceremony. Both Cooper and Sarno highlighted the college’s strong and rich commitment to the city of Springfield. Tours of the new office and conference room space were available for the individuals in attendance. The downtown office will assist the college in working more closely with city officials, organizations, and schools. It will provide new opportunities for experiential learning and collaborative planning. Here, from left, Springfield College Trustee Emeritus Lyman Wood, current Springfield College Student Trustee Jonathan Reidy, Cooper, Sarno, and Springfield College Trustee James Ross III help cut the ribbon.

 

 

Super 60 Celebration

Super60AwardSuper60DiasThe Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce staged its annual Super 60 Awards Luncheon on Oct. 23. The event recognizes top-performing companies in two categories: Total Revenue and Revenue Growth. Top, Wonderlyn Murphy, center, president of City Enterprise Inc. (No. 1 in the Growth category), receives her honor from Jody Gross, director of Business Development for Health New England, and Luke Kettles, senior vice president and chief lending officer for Berkshire Bank. Bottom, keynote speakers Emily and Oliver Rich, a.k.a. the Tea Guys, talk about their Whately-based venture.

 

Berkshire Bank Foundation Giving Tops $1.1M in First Half of 2016

By
Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank announced that its charitable foundation awarded $1,120,862 in grants from Jan. 1 through June 30 to nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.

In addition to supporting organizations within the foundation’s funding focus areas of education, community, and economic-development projects, it also donated to youth, cultural, and human-service organizations that provide vital services to the community. Berkshire Bank Foundation Inc. plans to award more than $1.8 million this year to nonprofit organizations across the bank’s service area.

In total, 365 nonprofits received grants from the foundation during the first half of 2016, including Berkshire County organizations 1Berkshire Strategic Alliance Foundation, Berkshire Community Action Council, Berkshire Family YMCA, and Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity; and Pioneer Valley organizations Baystate Health Foundation, Brightside for Families & Children, Chicopee Neighborhood Development Corp., and ReGreen Springfield.

Businesses Connect and Grow at the Orange Innovation Center

By
Franklin County

Hive of Activity

Mary Winzer Canning, owner of Follow the Honey.

Mary Winzer Canning, owner of Follow the Honey.

The movement toward innovation centers and collaborative maker spaces might be hot right now across Western Mass., but the Orange Innovation Center was on the cutting edge when it opened 20 years ago in this small Franklin County town. Under its current ownership, the complex has doubled its tenant roster over the past five years, in turn boosting perhaps its greatest calling card — the built-in support of a business community invested in seeing each other succeed.

Mary Winzer Canning characterizes her business, Follow the Honey, as a “human-rights honey company” that creates products with honey sourced from beekeepers and small-batch producers around the world. So she knows a little something about bees — and their habitats.

“No bee in isolation is effective because it operates as a superorganism,” she explained. “It’s about what’s best for the whole.”

The same can be said for the Orange Innovation Center (OIC) and the 48 businesses that call the complex — nestled in the woods in this Franklin County town of 4,500 residents — home.

“It’s a hive,” Winzer Canning said. “There’s a sense of egalitarianism here, where everyone is really rolling together. We want this to be a place where people are not in their silos. It’s the whole idea of having an open hive where everyone can learn from each other and help each other. It’s about giving; it’s about problem solving.”

And it’s about community, tenants repeatedly pointed out when BusinessWest spent the better part of a morning at the complex recently.

“I love that fact that I get to pamper the people with businesses here in the community, just building those bonds and really cross-advertising each other,” said Danalynn Stockwood, who owns the Fun Fancy Nails salon, just a quick walk down the hall from other personal-care businesses.

“I tell my customers, ‘hey, if you need your hair done or colored, we have a little salon right around the corner, and if you need a facial or waxing, go down the hall,’ and it’s just nice to have that support amongst each other,” she said. “We’re always saying, ‘hey, have you tried the Valley Farm Café?’ or ‘have you tried the gym?’ and ‘have you seen the honey?’ It’s just such a great family.”

Then-building owner Noel Vincent launched the Orange Innovation Center as a mixed-use destination 20 years ago, but occupancy really began to soar under its current owner, Jack Dunphy, who bought the complex in 2013 and has increased its tenant roster from 26 to 48.

“The mill owners had just left these abandoned buildings in the post-industrial era, so Noel started converting it into offices and multi-purpose suites,” said Brianna Drohen, the center’s development director. “He was actually a visionary; this is one of the first innovation centers in the state, if not the country.”

When Dunphy, who also owns Dunphy Real Estate, purchased the property, about 75,000 of its 128,000 square feet were rented, and he saw plenty of potential in the rest — but, more than that, an investment he could truly enjoy.

Brianna Drohen and Jack Dunphy

Brianna Drohen and Jack Dunphy have seen tenancy surge to nearly 50 businesses at the Orange Innovation Center.

“I met some of the tenants and saw a real sparkle in their eye and realized this could be fun,” he recalled. “And if you can do something fun and maybe make a little money along the way, that’s an exciting business venture — and it has been.”

The tenants, several of whom were enthusiastic about speaking with BusinessWest, range from a clinical psychologist to a photographer; from a career-services center to the Literacy Project, and even the Center for Human Development, which houses a branch on the ground floor.

“The kinds of businesses we concentrate on tend to be in the service industries, so they’re bringing in foot traffic — a brewery, a nail salon, a hair salon, a gym, a massage therapist, and there are also lot of professional offices. There’s a really healthy mix of businesses. And we’re strategic about who we let in here,” Drohen said, noting that she and Dunphy don’t allow competing businesses unless an existing tenant doesn’t mind.

“It’s about revenue,” she went on, “but at the end of the day, it’s more about growing this business community and having all the businesses be able to work with each other and sustain each other and support each other in any way they can.”

They certainly do, and in many ways, as we were quick to discover.

Food for Thought

Matt Buzzell has been in the food-service industry for almost a quarter-century, working in establishments in New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire. He said he wouldn’t have recognized the potential of the OIC, where he opened Valley Farm Café in July, just by looking at the understated old mill.

“Driving by, you have no idea what’s going on. But this place has a heartbeat — there’s a pulse when you walk in the doors and look around and see these businesses … it’s very energizing.”

He was introduced to the center by Jay Sullivan and Sean Nolan, the proprietors of Honest Weight Artisan Beer, who gave him their spent grain to feed the hogs on his nearby farm. “I found out through them that this opportunity was going to come up — the previous café owner didn’t want to do it anymore — so, long story short, I got together with Bri, had a meeting, and proposed a business plan.”

It turned out to be a successful one; the enterprise — which serves up salads, sandwiches, Tex-Mex fare, smoothies, and more, with ingredients sourced from local farms — draws a long line during the lunch rush, and virtually everyone who spoke with BusinessWest mentioned the café, not just for the food, but for its role as a nexus for making connections and hanging out with other business owners.

“I believe in the economic-development renaissance going on in the area, and that’s what was attractive about coming here,” Buzzell said. “I’m very thankful for the reception I’ve received from the tenants, the sense of community — the support from them is very humbling.”

Carly Mongeau has worked in the hair-salon business all her professional life, mostly in the Worcester and Marlborough areas, but once she settled in Petersham, she fell in love with the Franklin County culture. She stumbled upon the Orange Innovation Center two years ago, and the timing wasn’t right, but when she took a second look last year, she couldn’t stop thinking about the potential. One of the newer tenants, she opened Salon Nouve in January.

“It’s a great opportunity for someone who’s starting a new business to have space versus having to find a whole building — it’s a little more affordable, and a great way to get started,” she explained.

That’s partly because the tenants, especially those in similar fields, not only patronize each other, but also create a one-stop shop of sorts, which they all benefit from.

“Around the corner is a nail salon and a skin-care business, so we’re a good trio,” Mongeau explained, noting that her last client that day, a business owner in Athol, had told her she couldn’t regularly get her nails and hair done if she didn’t have a place to schedule everything at once.

Meanwhile, she added, a handful of women business owners at the OIC meet regularly for lunch. “We all brainstorm and bounce ideas off each other. We’re all different businesses, but we all have common ground in one way or another.”

She also appreciates the way different business owners talk each other up to customers.

“I recommend people to Matt all the time, and Matt recommends people to me. They smell the food as they’re walking up and say, ‘that smells amazing,’ and I say, ‘you have to go check out Matt.’ Or, ‘now that you’re all beautiful, you’ll have to go stop and get a drink at Honest Weight.’ It’s a great one-stop shop, and that’s what most of my clients love — that they can come here and get everything taken care of in a very accessible way.”

Matt Buzzell has seen Valley Farm Café become a hub of sorts

Matt Buzzell has seen Valley Farm Café become a hub of sorts at the OIC, where small-business owners make connections over breakfast or lunch.

Phil Simon is one of the veteran tenants at the OIC, having headquartered his music booking and publicity company, Simon Says Booking, there for a dozen years. Meanwhile, his wife, Angel Simon, and her mother, Lynn England, operate Old 78 Clothing — which makes upcycled and refashioned music-festival wear — elsewhere in the building.

Simon, who previously lived in Oregon, ran his company — which represents about 20 bands doing up to 1,500 shows a year, in addition to representing venues and festivals — from Boston and then Greenfield before moving to Warwick and finding ideal office space in Orange.

“I was an early adopter; it was a matter of convenience for me,” he said, adding that he appreciates the balance between a quiet workspace and the ability to chat with other tenants when he wants to.

“Even though we have our privacy in our office, I could walk down and get something in the café, there’s a gym here, and we can interact with a variety of other local businesses and talk about the things we’re doing. We don’t have to be locked in our box all day long.”

Those neighbors aren’t just friends and sounding boards, however; they’re also resources. For example, he was able to locate a tow-behind generator, to be used at an event this summer, through another OIC tenant. “It’s not surprising; there’s quite a network going on here. We get people knocking on the door all the time.”

Launching an Idea

Like Simon, Alec MacLeod has been at the OIC for a long time; in fact, he was one of Vincent’s earliest tenants, running a wetlands and watershed consultancy. Today, he’s teaming up with Drohen on a project to turn 10,000 square feet in a currently unusable building in the complex into LaunchSpace, a ‘community workshop’ that will provide resources, equipment, training, and support to a broad spectrum of people.

To explain it, MacLeod broke down the endeavor into three tiers. First is a community-based set of shops with three rooms: an arts room for paper arts, fabric arts, pottery, etching, glass blowing, and photography; a large room entirely devoted to robotics and information technology; and a third room divided between metalworking and woodworking.

The second tier is an emphasis on workforce development and education, aimed at improving the employability and salary of members who may, for instance, learn how to operate CNC (computer numeric control) machinery, an important skill in manufacturing. MacLeod has reached out to both local manufacturers about what their workforce needs are, and the region’s colleges and universities about developing courses for the space.

The third tier is entrepreneurial support, he added. “If you would like to be a cabinetmaker or some other type of woodworker, for instance, but you don’t have $30,000 or the room at your own place to set up your own shop, you can buy an entrepreneurial membership here, month to month, and come use our equipment.”

He noted that members will also access storage, marketing services, help with writing a business plan, and the services of board members including two local credit-union representatives and the head of the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce. As small businesses develop, they may incubate into spaces at the OIC or, better yet, need more space out in the community.

Carly Mongeau, who loves the Franklin County lifestyle

Carly Mongeau, who loves the Franklin County lifestyle, found in the OIC an ideal spot to grow Salon Nouve.

“This is economic development at the most basic,” MacLeod said. “This is grass-roots, town-scale economic development without needing to invite Apple to build a big factory.”

Drohen noted that Jay Ash, the state’s secretary of Housing and Economic Development, supported a recent $250,000 MassDevelopment Collaborative Workspace Initiative grant to improve the LaunchSpace site, because Ash is a believer in what’s happening in this corner of Franklin County.

“He sees how one business owner, Jack, can host all these businesses, and the state sees this whole collaborative workspace as the new way of doing business. This is where people can grow and can incubate and collaborate.”

Dunphy envisions LaunchSpace as the sort of environment where a middle-schooler might work alongside an 80-year old on woodworking equipment. “There will be interaction that normally doesn’t happen in a community, where different people who wouldn’t otherwise associate with each other are suddenly working together on a project.”

That also, in a way, describes the entire ecosystem at the Innovation Center.

“We’re all here earning our own livings,” MacLeod said, “but when we meet in the café, we have conversations, and we talk about what’s going on — ‘how is your business going? How are you doing? What are the hard parts?’ — and we help each other out. It’s a business community, and it really does foster innovation.”

Bee Ambitious

In a sense, innovation has been happening at the OIC since it housed Minute Tapioca in the early days of the 20th century. It was a multi-use complex in the middle of the century, hosting a sewing company, a shoemaker, and a retail store, among other businesses, before the Bedroom Company, a furniture manufacturer, set up shop in the 1960s.

Today, it’s back to multi-use, but the original tapioca vat is still in the basement, too expensive to remove. On the roof is a 93-kilowatt solar array, with plans to install another on the building that will house LaunchSpace.

That combination of old and new, historic and cutting-edge, isn’t unlike what Adam Suzor brings to the OIC, running two separate businesses: his own information-technology outfit, Suzor Enterprises, LLC — he also maintains the Innovation Center’s Internet service — and a fitness center, where he has incorporated digital technology into the equipment and is gratified when senior citizens join Snapchat to check out the gym’s activities there.

Some business relationships, however, are strictly old-fashioned, such as the bartering that goes on; for example, the resident photographer recently paid for massage services with a photo session.

Meanwhile, Dunphy is emphasizing the complex’s natural surroundings, planning a shuttle service for people who want to kayak or canoe on Millers River, right outside the OIC’s back door. A system of hiking and bike trails, stretching to New Hampshire, is equally accessible.

“We’re trying to offer more amenities to encourage people to come here,” he said. “We put a shower in just for that reason — if you take a bike ride or go to the gym, and then have to go to a meeting.”

In short, it’s a place to enjoy being at work, grow a business, and, in many cases, outgrow the space and have to find other digs, as North Quabbin Food Co-op, which incubated at the Innovation Center, did when it changed its name to Quabbin Harvest and moved into a building in downtown Orange, a short walk up the road.

Stockwood, on the other hand, who lives in Athol and used to rent a booth at a nail salon in Fitchburg before finding the OIC, believes she’ll thrive there for the foreseeable future.

“I absolutely love being here. It’s a cozy atmosphere for my clients,” she said, adding that she maintains a ‘party room’ one door down, where girls and women can get together for baby showers, birthday parties, or other events.

“Everyone gets to paint their nails and do some artwork and have some fun,” she said, adding that “this is my haven. My 11-year-old says, ‘are you going up to your castle?’ I call it my getaway, my quiet space, and it’s just nice to have.”

Winzer Canning feels that way, too, knowing she can throw open her doors any time to make her quiet space a little more social. She operated a yoga studio at the OIC a decade ago and was happy to return to build her bee-based business.

“There’s definitely beauty in numbers; it builds morale. Just go into the hallway — it’s like Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood. There’s Matt, smoking his pork out back. There’s Shawn and Jay doing things with their hops, and there’s Brianna talking with the film crew down the hall. She’s the queen bee,” she said with a laugh.

“People are doing their own daily grind, but at the same time, you’re not working in isolation,” she went on. “It really is a hive where you can feel connected to something greater.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Florence Bank to Celebrate 20th Annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program 

By
Daily News

 

FLORENCE — For 20 years, Florence Bank has awarded grants of up to $5,000 each to dozens of nonprofits chosen by its customers, and at its annual gathering this year, it will once again offer up $100,000 to organizations that support young and old in the community. 

At its 20th Annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants gala, to be staged May 19 at 5 p.m. at Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park, the bank will offer awards to 45 nonprofits and celebrate a total of $1.4 million in community giving through this one channel. 

Organizations like Shriners Hospitals for Children in Springfield and the Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Holyoke will receive awards for the first time this year thanks to customer voting. 

“We are so grateful,” said Stacey Perlmutter, director of development at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Springfield. “All care and services at Shriners Hospitals for Children are provided regardless of a family’s ability to pay. This grant money will help us to continue to provide life-changing pediatric specialty care to families throughout Western Massachusetts and beyond.” 

Likewise, Gerry O’Connor Page, executive director of Therapeutic Equestrian Center (TEC) in Holyoke feels grateful for an assist that will help provide therapeutic horseback riding to individuals with physical, emotional or psychological disabilities. 

“We will use the money to enable us to keep prices down,” she said. “It helps make the service accessible.” 

In the past, the bank has granted funds to some Hampden County-based nonprofits, such as Dakin Humane Society, which typically is the top vote-getter each year. This year, as Florence Bank develops its engagement in the southern county, the awards to organizations based there are increasing. 

“We have branches now in West Springfield, Springfield and Chicopee, and we very much want to be good neighbors in those communities,” said Florence Bank President and CEO Kevin Day. He noted that this year, the bank held a Zoominar event to educate Hampden County nonprofit leaders about the Customers’ Choice program. 

“We wanted to be sure they were aware of the program so they could take part and have the best chance at success,” he said. 

Florence Bank’s community grants program is an annual offering founded in 2002, and, through it, Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit in hopes it will receive a share of grant funding. 

Voting takes place all year long, online at www.florencebank.com/vote and in bank branches, and each customer has only one vote. To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes. In 2021, roughly 6,700 votes were cast, making 45 nonprofits eligible for a grant. 

Over the past 20 years, Florence Bank has tallied more than 141,000 customer votes and given grants to roughly 164 different organizations. 

Organizations to receive awards this year range from police, fire, library and school groups to nonprofits that provide food, shelter or support to people living with a serious illness or disability. Leaders of these nonprofits will learn the amount of their award at the May event. 

In addition to Shriners Hospitals for Children — Springfield, the Therapeutic Equestrian Center and Dakin, the following organizations received enough votes to qualify for a grant and will receive an award at the celebration: Amherst Neighbors, Amherst Survival Center, Belchertown Animal Relief Committee Inc. (BARC), Belchertown K-9, Cancer Connection, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Cooley Dickinson Hospital VNA & Hospice, Easthampton Community Center, Easthampton Elementary Schools PTO, Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Friends of Forbes Library, Friends of Lilly Library, Friends of M.N. Spear Memorial Library, Friends of Northampton Legion Baseball, Friends of the Williamsburg Library, Goshen Firefighters Assoc., Grow Food Northampton, Granby Senior Center, Habitat for Humanity Pioneer Valley, Historic Northampton, Hitchcock Center for the Environment, It Takes a Village, J.F.K. Middle School, Kestrel Land Trust, Leeds Elementary School PTO, Ludlow Boys & Girls Club, Manna Community Kitchen, Northampton Community Music Center, Northampton High School PTO, Northampton Neighbors, Northampton Survival Center, Our Lady of the Hills Parish, Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, Revitalize CDC, Riverside Industries, R.K. Finn Ryan Road School, Safe Passage, Smith Vocational High School PTO, The Parish Cupboard, Whole Children, and Williamsburg Firefighters Association. 

Country Bank Donates $670,000 to Area Organizations in 2015

By
Daily News

WARE — Officials at Country Bank reported that the bank donated more than $670,000 in 2015 to nearly 350 organizations in the communities it serves through its Charitable Giving Program. Many of these donations were in the form of contributions to local nonprofits, including senior centers, food pantries, homeless shelters, and health centers.

“Our commitment to our communities is deeply rooted in our philosophy of being a good corporate citizen. As a local community partner, we understand the importance of supporting local nonprofits that exist to benefit and improve the lives of the families and individuals in our communities,” said Paul Scully, president and CEO.

For example, the Ware Valley Domestic Violence Task Force through Valley Human Services received a $15,000 donation which enabled them to work with more than 100 adults and children from Ware and Hardwick. They also used these funds for an important educational theatre for the Ware Middle and High School to teach students to recognize the signs of partner violence and what healthy relationships look like.

Meanwhile, Hearts for Heat in North Brookfield received a $2,500 donation which was used to purchase heating assistance for five local families, ensuring they stayed warm during the winter months. Scholarships were also awarded to 32 graduating seniors totaling $80,000.

Other organizations that received support from Country Bank’s charitable contributions included Leicester Public Library, Ludlow Boys & Girls Club, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital Cancer Services through the Walk of Champions, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, the Jimmy Fund, and many more.

Country Bank’s staff are equally invested in giving back to their communities. In 2015, they volunteered more than 800 hours of their own time and contributed an additional $50,000 to employee-selected nonprofits through the bank’s Employee Charitable Giving Program. For more information about Country Bank’s Charitable Giving Program and 2015 donations, visit www.countrybank.com/about-us/our-involvement.

By
Departments

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

AMHERST

Consumer Exports Group Inc.,
495 Old Farm Road, Amherst 01002.
Michael Aronson, same. International and domestic sales.

P.H.E. Inc.,
55 University Dr., Amherst 01002.
Patrick Daly, 369 South Gulf Road, Belchertown 01007.
To operate a restaurant.

RJVM NR Inc.,
24 North East St., Apt. 6,
Amherst 01002. Nicholas Renzette, same.
Food service business.

Take5 Inc.,
61 Main St., Amherst 01002.
Huai Chin Chu, 94 Rambling Road, Amherst 01002.
Restaurant.

CHICOPEE

Bento Management Inc.,
1981 Memorial Dr., Suite 172,
Chicopee 01020. Arthur Paulino,
24 Westerly Circle, Ludlow 01056.
To deal in real estate.

New England Retirement Communities Inc.,
c/o Atlantic Capital Investors, 7 Coburn St.,
Chicopee 01013. Benjamin A. Surner Jr.,
55 Baker St., Amherst 01002.
Real estate development.

EASTHAMPTON

Salon O Inc.,
163A Northampton St., Suite RT 10,
Easthampton 01027.
A hairstyling salon including sale of hair care products.

FLORENCE

Hospitalist Management Solutions,
P.C., 860 Florence Road, Florence 01062.
Bipinchandra Mistry, M.D.,
90 Whittier St., Florence 01062.
To practice the profession of medicine.

HADLEY

Valley Vintage Cars Inc.,
81 River Dr., Hadley 01035.
Michael DiCola, 11 Crestview Dr., Hadley 01035.
Restoration of vehicles.

Valley ComputerWorks Inc.,
84 Russell St., Hadley 01035.
Delcie D. Bean, IV, same, president and treasurer;
Peter A. Gelinas, same, secretary.
Computer sales, consultation, service and repair.

HAMPDEN

All Propery Services Inc.,
42 North Monson Road, Hampden 01036.
Chris Lomascolo, same.
To clean and restore commercial, industrial and/or residential properties.

HATFIELD

Willflo Corp.,
122 Bridge St., Hatfield 01038.
Charles J. Florio, 3 Straits Road, Hatfield 01038.
To deal in real estate.

HAYDENVILLE

Natural Siding Associates Inc.,
206 Main St., Haydenville 01039.
Jennica L. Huff, 1 King Ave., Florence 01062.
To install fiber cement siding, exterior construction, etc.

HOLYOKE

E.C.M. Electronics Inc.,
6 Appleton St., Holyoke 01040.
Raymond M. Welch, 649 South Summer St.,
Holyoke 01040.
Repairing and upgrading industrial equipment.

LONGMEADOW

Ace Fire & Water Restoration Inc.,
95 Meadow Road, Longmeadow 01106.
Gary W. Brunelle, 125 Crest Lane, Granville 01034.
Fire and water restoration.

LUDLOW

Kara Evans-Scott Memorial Fund Inc.,
714 Fuller St., Ludlow 01056. Sandra Evans, same.
(Nonprofit) To establish an endowment fund to provide educational scholarships and the development of literacy programs.

Ultimate Motor Cars Inc.,
7 Spring St., Ludlow 01056. Bruno Fernandes,
190 Lakeview Ave., Ludlow 01056.
Sales and service of new and used motor and recreational vehicles, motorcycles, boats, etc.

MIDDLEFIELD

Happy Wednesday Inc.,
86 Chester Road, Middlefield 01243.
Joan L. Winberg, 2 Pickens St., Lakeville, 02347.
(Nonprofit) To build homes for deserving mothers through Habitat for Humanity’s women build program, etc.

MONTGOMERY

Pearl Property Management Services Inc.,
292 Main Road, Montgomery 01085.
David R. Champiney, same.
Real property management and services.

NORTHAMPTON

Friends of Northampton Trails and Greenways Inc.,
341 Prospect St., Northampton 01060.
Nicholas Jon Horton, same. (Nonprofit)
To promote the proper use, development and care of the ongoing trail and greenway development, etc.

Northampton Cal Ripken Basebell Inc.,
351 Pleasant St., Suite B-PMB 189,
Northampton 01060. Robert K. Ostberg,
48 Greenleaf Dr., Florence 01060. (Nonprofit)
To provide all children interested in baseball a safe place to dream and succeed, etc.

Peri Hall & Associates Inc.,
16 Armory St., Suite 8, Northampton 01060.
Peri H. Hall, same.
A strategic consulting firm specializing in content rich media design and web development, etc.

PALMER

Accurate Auto Glass Inc.,
320 Wilbraham St., Palmer 01069.
Robert Corliss, 178 Bourne St., Three Rivers 01080.
Auto glass replacement and repair.

Akcess BioMetrics Corp.,
21 Wilbraham St., Palmer 01069.
Katrina Champagne, same.
(Foreign corp; NV) Manufacturing security equipment.

RUSSELL

Massachusetts Association of Professional Foresters Inc.,
260 Upper Moss Hill Road, Russell 01070.
Robert E.W. Collins, 109 Carson Ave., Dalton 01226. (Nonprofit)
To improve the conditions and grade of products of agricultural personnel.

SOUTHAMPTON

Law Offices of Michael Sacco, P.C.,
The, 116 Brickyard Road, Southampton 01073.
Michael Sacco, same.
The professional practice of law.

SOUTHWICK

Sunrise Mortgage Co. Inc.,
9 Bonnieview Road, Southwick 01077.
Georgios Karathanasoulos, same.
To operate a mortgage company, etc.

SPRINGFIELD

Ascher Zimmerman Funeral Home Inc.,
44 Summer Ave., Springfield 02208.
Robert P. Zimmerman, 97 Fillmore St.,
Chicopee 01020.
To operate a funeral home and related services.

J & M Partners Inc.,
1123 Main St., Springfield 01103.
Marc W. Sparks, One Pearl Brook Road,
Southwick 01077.
To own and operate bars, taverns, restaurants, etc.

Jagat Guru Inc.,
114 Lakeside St., Springfield 01109.
Jihan Ali, same. (Nonprofit)
To collect, analyze, and distribute information on third-world countries, etc.

Tavern Restaurant Springfield Inc.,
25 Mill St., Springfield 01108. John Bonavita,
26 Autumn Ridge Road, East Longmeadow 01028.
To own and operate a restaurant.

The Raging Red Rooster Co.,
64 Bronson Terrace, Springfield 01108.
Mark Alan Russett, same.
Production and sale of food items.

Ushirika Sacco Cooperative Inc.,
45 Copley Terrace, Springfield 01107.
John Wachira, same.
To engage in cooperative trade.

WESTFIELD

Galreal Inc.,
18 Whispering Wind Road,
Westfield 01085. Gail Ann Butler, same.
Real estate sales, brokerage and leasing.

Magic Printing Inc.,
14 Lisa Lane, Westfield 01085.
Richard B. Wechter, same.
Vinyl printing.

WILBRAHAM

Pioneer Valley Funding Inc.,
3 Foxhill Dr., Wilbraham 01095.
Anabela Basile, same.
Commercial lending for real estate.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

Florence Bank Opens New Hadley Branch
HADLEY — Florence Bank, a mutually owned savings bank serving the Pioneer Valley through nine branch locations, celebrated the opening of its new Hadley location at 377 Russell St. last month, with local and state officials, as well as more than 100 well-wishers. Florence Bank CEO John Heaps Jr. and bank officials were joined by State Senate Majority Leader Stan Rosenberg, state Rep. John Scibak, Hadley Town Administrator David Nixon, and Amherst Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Don Courtemanche, along with customers, friends, and supporters who turned out to welcome the bank to its new home. In addition to the ribbon cutting, bank officials officially dedicated a new tractor weathervane, which sits atop the new building, to the Devine family of Hadley. John Devine, who was a lifelong farmer and a member of Hadley’s Planning Board, was instrumental in recommending that the bank consider a cupola and weathervane as part of the new building’s design. Bank officials wanted to do something to honor the memory of Devine, who passed away unexpectedly a year ago. Florence Bank Senior Vice President Sharon Rogalski presented a replica of the weathervane to John Devine Jr., who accepted the gift on behalf of his family. Toby Daniels, vice president and  branch manager of the Hadley Branch, will continue in that role in the new location. “Hadley has been our home for nearly 20 years,” said Heaps. “We are especially pleased to renew our commitment to this community with our new location. We thank our many customers and friends for their ongoing support and look forward to serving everyone for years to come.”

PeoplesBank Named a ‘Top Place To Work’
HOLYOKE — Recently, the Boston Globe recognized PeoplesBank as a “Top Place to Work” for the third year in a row. Massachusetts-based companies that are eligible for Top Place to Work consideration undergo a rigorous evaluation by survey firm WorkplaceDynamics. More than 76,000 individuals’ responses were submitted by the companies regarding key factors related to employee happiness, company direction, execution, employee connection, work load and responsibility, management, and pay and benefits. 
“While there is definite value in these indicators, many signs of recovery cannot be boiled down to pure economics,” said Boston Globe Business Editor Mark Pothier. “The companies on our Top Places to Work list foster productivity and innovation by investing in the happiness of their employees, which cannot solely be measured in dollars and cents.” Said Douglas Bowen, president and CEO of PeoplesBank, “our intent was to establish the values and culture necessary to support a great organization. Over time, we learned that those values and that culture would improve our bottom line and make PeoplesBank a top place to work.” Employee engagement is critical to a high-performance culture, according to Janice Mazzallo, executive vice president and chief human resource officer at PeoplesBank. “Associates become engaged when they know we care about them,” she said. “We want to know their ideas, so we have associate think tanks. We want them to grow, so we have innovative development programs, mentoring, and learning centers. And we want to encourage life-work balance because our values are abou more than just work. We need to have fun, too.” As part of the Top Place to Work award to PeoplesBank, the Boston Globe highlighted two efforts by bank associates. The first, called the Smoothie Patrol, started at an associates’ organized wellness fair and was so well-received that associates decided to take it on the road and make surprise visits to each of the bank’s 17 offices. Xiaolei Hua, an assistant vice president and credit officer at PeoplesBank and Habitat for Humanity volunteer, was interviewed by the Boston Globe regarding the bank’s support of volunteerism. “I know that the bank cares about more than just getting the work done,” Hua told the paper. “They care about me, my family, and the community.”

Polish National Credit Union Donates $15,000 to Westfield Senior Center
WESTFIELD — At a check-presentation ceremony last month, Polish National Credit Union made a $15,000 donation to the capital campaign of Friends of the Westfield Senior Center Inc. The donation was made at the Westfield River Branch of the PNCU by Branch Manager Cynthia Houle to Friends of the Westfield Senior Center’s board of directors. PNCU President and CEO James Kelly commented on the credit union’s commitment to the Westfield community. “Our branch in Westfield is one of our largest and most vibrant locations, and we enjoy being involved in supporting the community in any way we can. The new senior center is going to be a wonderful asset to the community, and PNCU is thrilled to be a part of it.” The donation will be used for furnishings at the new senior center, currently under construction on Noble Street in Westfield. “The Polish National donation will enable us to provide comfortable furniture and accessories for the new senior center that Westfield’s seniors will benefit from for years to come,” said board member Tom Keenan. “Polish National is genuinely concerned about the community and making Westfield a better place to live.” Founded in 1921, Polish National Credit Union is one of the largest credit unions in the Pioneer Valley. Headquartered on Main Street in Chicopee, the credit union operates full-service branches in Chicopee, Granby, Westfield, Southampton, Hampden, and Wilbraham.

Grainger Foundation Supports STCC Foundation
SPRINGFIELD — The Grainger Foundation, an independent, private foundation located in Lake Forest, Ill., has donated $5,000 to the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation in support of its Foundation Innovation Grant program. “This grant will be used to help us continue to support faculty and staff innovation here at STCC,” said President Ira Rubenzahl. “The Foundation Innovation Grant program helps us to improve excellence in the delivery of academic or student retention services at STCC. We are grateful to the Grainger Foundation for its generosity and in helping us to continue our mission.” In addition to the contribution from the Grainger Foundation, the STCC Foundation will match Grainger’s $5,000 contribution this year. Foundation Innovation Grants are awarded in the spring. “We want to thank the Grainger Foundation for its generous support,” said STCC Foundation President Kevin Sweeney. “With their assistance, the STCC Foundation will continue its commitment to support innovative projects at the college that promote community impact, economic growth, workforce development, and quality of life in our region.” The donation to the STCC Foundation was recommended by John Duffy, market manager of W.W. Grainger Inc.’s Springfield location. Grainger has been a part of the Western Mass. business community for nearly 40 years as the leading broad-line supplier of maintenance, repair, and operating products. “We are proud to recommend the programs offered by STCC,” said Duffy. “We understand the need for active engagement and partnership between our technical education providers, businesses, and the community.” The Grainger Foundation was established in 1949 by William Grainger, founder of W.W. Grainger Inc.

Mercy Hosts Topping-off Event for Cancer Center
SPRINGFIELD — The construction project to expand the Sr. Caritas Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center is on schedule, and a topping-off ceremony was held Nov. 20 to mark the completion of the project’s main structure with the placement of the top steel beam. A topping-off ceremony is a tradition within the construction industry and is held when the highest structural point in the building construction is attained. To celebrate this event, the last steel girder is signed, lifted into place, and welded to the structure. A small evergreen tree and the American flag are also secured to the girder as it is hoisted to the top of the structure. The tree is meant to represent the strength of the new building and the desire for the construction project to remain injury-free. The $15 million expansion of the Sr. Caritas Cancer Center, which will add an additional 26,000 square feet of space on two levels, is designed to provide more comprehensive care delivery and added convenience for patients. In addition to radiation-oncology services, medical-oncology offices, physician offices, and exam rooms will be located on the first floor. Medical-oncology treatment and infusion space, an oncology pharmacy, and laboratory space will be located on the second floor.

Editorial

By
Opinion
They Make a Difference in Many Ways

This region is going to miss Anthony Scott.
Holyoke’s police chief is slated to retire in a few months, when he turns 65. In addition to making a serious dent in the level of criminal activity in the Paper City, Scott has been as outspoken as they come, making him a real favorite of the media and a royal pain to the judges and parole officers he’s criticized seemingly without end for what he considers light sentences and decisions to release repeat offenders on their own recognizance.
Scott, who will retire to a consulting gig in South Carolina, will long be remembered around here for his hard-edged sound bites and newspaper headlines, but his main contribution — it remains to be seen whether it’s a lasting contribution (that’s up to his successor) — was his success with simply driving criminals out of his city because, as he put it, he made the “overhead costs” too high to do business there.
Scott’s decade-long tenure in Holyoke is a classic example of how there are many ways to make a difference in this region through one’s work or contributions to the community. And this year’s Difference Makers, as chosen by BusinessWest (profiled beginning on page 40), really drive that point home.
Lucia (Lucy) Giuggio-Carvalho has made a difference by starting Rays of Hope. She was still recovering from breast cancer when she pulled together the concept, the sponsors, the upfront money, and, yes, the courage and determination to get this fund-raiser off the ground. Today, Rays of Hope is on the brink of surpassing the $1 million mark for funds raised in one year, and with any luck, organizers will bust down that door this fall.
But beyond the money raised — which goes toward research and a variety of services for breast-cancer victims — the walk has become, well, an event, a show of strength and perseverance for survivors and their friends and families. The results are difficult to quantify, but Carvalho and her walk have certainly made a difference in thousands of lives.
Some of Tim Brennan’s contributions are hard to quantify as well. It’s like that when you’re a long-range planner. Some of his efforts as director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission are visible — like the bike trails running through area cities and towns, a visibly cleaner Connecticut River, and a widened Coolidge Bridge. However, with initiatives such as the Plan for Progress, which Brennan initiated, the benefits are difficult to see with the naked eye.
But they have succeeded in doing something that is desperately needed in this region — promoting business owners and municipal leaders to look beyond next week, next year, or even the next decade, imagine what the competitive landscape will be like, and be ready for that day.
As for Robert Perry, as he told BusinessWest, he’s not really handy, but that hasn’t stopped him from being a driving force with Habitat for Humanity — or any of the organizations to which he’s contributed his time, energy, imagination, and ability with numbers.
In short, his contributions have added up to something special — literally and figuratively.
Which brings us to Don Kozera, whose strong leadership skills and ability to shape goals and, as he put it, “define reality” for his staff, have enabled Human Resources Unlimited to help those with physical and mental disabilities find employment, independence, and self-esteem. By doing so, he and all those at HRU are making a difference in the lives of thousands of people, and this region as a whole.
BusinessWest invites all its readers to attend the Difference Makers gala on March 24 at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. We’ll be celebrating these five individuals, but also the many ways in which people can make a difference, and the hope that their work will inspire others to find and develop still more methods for having an impact.

PeoplesBank Again Named a “Top Place To Work”

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — Recently, The Boston Globe recognized PeoplesBank as a Top Place To Work for the third year in a row. Massachusetts-based companies that are eligible for Top Place To Work consideration undergo a rigorous evaluation by survey firm WorkplaceDynamics. More than 76,000 individuals’ responses were submitted by the companies evaluated regarding six key factors related to employee happiness, company direction, execution, employee connection, work load and responsibility, management, and pay and benefits.
“While there is definite value in these indicators, many signs of recovery cannot be boiled down to pure economics,” said Boston Globe Business Editor Mark Pothier. “The companies on our Top Places To Work list foster productivity and innovation by investing in the happiness of their employees, which cannot solely be measured in dollars and cents.” Said Douglas A. Bowen, president and CEO of PeoplesBank, “our intent was to establish the values and culture necessary to support a great organization. Over time, we learned that those values and that culture would improve our bottom line and make PeoplesBank a top place to work.”

Employee engagement is critical to a high-performance culture according to Janice Mazzallo, executive vice president and chief human resource officer at PeoplesBank. “Associates become engaged when they know we care about them,” she said. “We want to know their ideas, so we have associate think tanks. We want them to grow, so we have innovative development programs, mentoring, and learning centers. And we want to encourage life-work balance because our values are more than just about work. We need to have fun, too.” As part of the Top Place To Work award to PeoplesBank, The Boston Globe highlighted two efforts by bank associates. The first, called the Smoothie Patrol, started at an associates’ organized wellness fair and was so well received that associates decided to take it on the road and make surprise visits to each of the bank’s 17 offices. Xiaolei Hua, an assistant vice president and credit officer at PeoplesBank and Habitat for Humanity volunteer, was interviewed by the Boston Globe regarding the bank’s support of volunteerism. “I know that the bank cares about more than just getting the work done. They care about me, my family, and the community, Hua told the paper.

Community Foundation Announces Four New Hires

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the appointments of Briana Wales as vice president for People and Culture, Emma Mesa-Melendez as director of Communications, Keith McKittrick as Development coordinator, and Ullapi Shrestha as program assistant. These appointments are the latest example of CFWM’s ongoing commitment to expand its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts internally and within the nonprofit sector.

In her new role, Wales will focus on a wide scope of DEI initiatives to guide both the foundation’s external and internal DEI work, training, and development of best practices. She has an extensive career in workforce development for youth and adults and has provided leadership in both nonprofit and quasi-public settings. In her efforts to serve communities, she has fostered partnerships and programming to increase equity and access for underrepresented or marginalized groups. She received her bachelor’s degree in social justice education from UMass Amherst and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mount Holyoke College.

Mesa-Melendez will be responsible for CFWM’s communications strategy and will assist with DEI initiatives. In recent work, she has consulted in marketing and graphic design, and previously served as vice president for Community Relations, Human Resources, and Marketing Management for New Valley Bank & Trust. She received her MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and her bachelor’s degree in critical social thought from Mount Holyoke College. She has worked with several nonprofits as both a board member and volunteer, including the Minority Inclusion Project, Farmington Valley YMCA, Vet Air, and the Performance Project.

McKittrick comes to the foundation with 25 years of experience in philanthropy. He has held positions at UMass Amherst, Western New England University, and Holyoke Community College, where he has worked with donors to establish scholarships and fundraise for educational initiatives. He received his master’s degree in public administration from Framingham State University and his bachelor’s degree in political science from Westfield State University.

Shrestha has worked as an interpreter at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and as an intern at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. She has volunteered with the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity. She received her master’s degree in management from Saint Joseph College and her bachelor’s degree in business marketing from the Institute of Technology in Carlow, Ireland.

The Class of 2010

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The Class of 2010
40 Under 40 The Class of 2010
This Diverse Group Is a Breed or Several Breeds Apart

The Class of 2010

You could call this a good dog-gone class of 40 Under Forty winners.

Canines are dominant in this year’s photographs, with several breeds, including the basset hound, weimaraner, and rottweiler, among others, represented (apparently cats don’t sit still for this kind of thing). There’s even a cartoon dog that has become a company’s logo. But members of this class are much more than animal lovers — although that’s a good start.

They’re also successful in business and contributors within the community, helping those with two legs as well as four. And, like the three that came before it, the class of 2010 is diverse, with a number of business groups and nonprofit agencies represented. There are entrepreneurs as well, with members starting businesses in the high-tech sector, marketing and public relations, and even motion pictures.

This year’s class has several lawyers, accountants, and bankers, as in previous years, but it also has managers of nonprofits ranging from Springfield School Volunteers to the United Way to Big Brothers Big Sisters. And the contributions within the community are diverse as well, from work (if you call running work) to raise funds for the Jimmy Fund to efforts on behalf of Habitat to Humanity, to initiatives to rescue basset hounds.

Overall, this is an inspiring class, perhaps best exemplified by the story of Nancy Bazanchuk (page A4), this year’s highest scorer. Born with a congenital condition that required the amputation of both legs above her knee, she is now program director of Disability Resources for the Center for Human Development. In that role, she has grown the department exponentially over the past 13 years, and today empowers people with physical disabilities through participation in a number of different sports.

There are a number of stories like Bazanchuk’s over the next 30 or so pages. They involve people who were inspired, and are now inspiring others. People like Natasha Clark, who was reminded daily by her father about the importance of reading and learning. He didn’t live to see her become a respected journalist and, now, program manager for Springfield School Volunteers, but he’s always been a force in her life. Or people like Jill Monson, who says she learned from the death of her mother that one never knows how much time they have, so they have to make the most of each day. She does, and she named the business she started after her mother — sort of. It’s called Inspired Marketing & Promotions because her mother inspired her to start it.

So here are the stories of the class of 2010, and, in many cases, their dogs as well. Read, and become inspired along with us. — George O’Brien

2010
40 Under Forty Winners:
Nancy Bazanchuk David Beturne Raymond Berry Jr.
Maegan Brooks Karen Buell Shanna Burke
Damon Cartelli Daniel Finn Natasha Clark
Julie Cowan Karen Curran Adam Epstein
James
Krupienski		 Susan Mielnikowski Owen Freeman-Daniels
Lorenzo Gaines Thomas Galanis Anthony Gleason II
Allen Harris Meghan Hibner Amanda Huston
Kimberly Klimczuk Mary Fallon David Kutcher
James Leahy Kristin Leutz Meghan Lynch
Brady Chianciola Jill Monson Kevin Perrier
Lindsay Porter Brandon Reed Boris Revsin
Aaron Vega Ian Vukovich Thomas Walsh
Sean Wandrei Byron White Chester Wojcik
Peter Zurlino

Meet Our Judges

This year’s nominations were scored by a panel of five judges, who took on the daunting task of reviewing more than 100 nomination forms and choosing 40 winners from that impressive pool.

BusinessWest would like to thank these outstanding members of the Western Mass. business community for volunteering their time to the fourth annual 40 Under Forty competition. They are:

Denise Dukette, associate director of the Western Mass. Enterprise Fund, who serves as director of lending and head of operations for that organization, a nonprofit community-loan fund that works with banks and other lenders to enable financing for businesses that would otherwise not qualify.

Ronn Johnson, president of R.D. Johnson Consulting in Springfield, which specializes in strategic planning and organizational development. Formerly, he served as director of Community Responsibility for MassMutual.

Kathy LeMay, owner and founder of Raising Change, a Florence-based company focused on building bridges between philanthropists and nonprofits. The highest scorer among the 40 Under Forty Class of 2009, she recently completed a book titled The Generosity Plan.

Jeff McCormick, a partner with the Springfield-based law firm Robinson Donovan, and one of the region’s preeminent trial lawyers. He specializes in business litigation, personal-injury law, federal litigation, professional-malpractice law, and legal ethics.

Marla Michel, executive director of Strategic Communications and Outreach at UMass Amherst. In this recently created role, she will help lead efforts to build awareness and understanding of research and scholarly accomplishments among internal and external constituents and to expand the university’s role in local and regional innovation. Previously, she served as director of Research Liaison and Development.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Mei-Ann Chen

Mei-Ann Chen

Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced that internationally acclaimed conductor Mei-Ann Chen, who was guest conductor for the SSO’s 2023-24 opening-night performance, is joining the SSO in the newly created position of artistic advisor, effective for the 2024-25 season. Chen will serve as the orchestra’s artistic face, curating programs, selecting guest soloists, and facilitating other artistic needs. She will also conduct a minimum of two symphonic concerts per season. At the same time, the SSO will continue to engage guest conductors in performances of the symphony. An acclaimed, innovative leader both on and off the podium, Chen has served as music director of Chicago Sinfonietta since 2011. Chief conductor of Austria’s Recreation – Grosses Orchester Graz at Styriarte, she also serves as an artistic partner with ROCO in Texas and Northwest Sinfonietta in Washington. A sought-after guest conductor, she has appeared with distinguished orchestras throughout the Americas, Europe, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Scandinavia (more than 150 orchestras to date). Named one of Musical America’s 2015 Top 30 Influencers, Chen is a recipient of a League of American Orchestras Helen M. Thompson Award, a Taki Concordia fellowship, and several ASCAP awards, and is the only woman in the history of the Malko Competition to have been named First Prize Winner.

•••••

Jack Dill

Jack Dill

Ashley Vanesse

Ashley Vanesse

Lisa Wills

Lisa Wills

Elms College announced that three prominent leaders in the region have joined the college’s board of trustees. B. John (Jack) Dill is the president and principal of Colebrook Realty Services and has been negotiating real-estate transactions on behalf of his clients — buyers, sellers, property owners, and tenants — for more than three decades. He holds the counselors of real estate designation, along with other professional designations and licenses in the fields of real estate, finance, and construction, and is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Dill has been an active supporter of more than 20 local nonprofits, including Elms College, and is currently vice chairman of the Fallon Community Health Plan board of directors and a member of the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corp. He earned his bachelor of arts degree cum laude from Williams College. Ashley Vanesse is the president of the Elms College Alumni Assoc. and has been a member of the association since graduating from the Elms in 2011. She is currently office manager for Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home and also held various positions in the Elms College Admission Office. She earned her bachelor’s degree in history from Elms College and her master’s degree in psychology and school counseling from Westfield State University. Lisa Wills is a partner at Whittlesey, one of the largest regional CPA and IT consulting firms in New England. She has worked primarily with nonprofits over her 25-year career and is an expert in complex audits. She is a licensed certified public accountant with the state of Connecticut and an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, as well as the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants (CTCPA). In addition, she is a recognized industry leader and frequent speaker on topics such as FASB changes and female leadership. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration from Elms College in 1988.

•••••

The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce announced that its executive committee has concluded its search for the chamber’s new executive director and selected Jacob Robinson, who brings more than 15 years of experience in building coalitions, fostering partnerships, and promoting business-driven leadership for sustainable impact. In his most recent role as the West Roxbury Main Streets program director, Robinson concentrated on local economic development, offering technical assistance to small businesses, facilitating pandemic recovery efforts, leading community events, and championing inclusive commercial planning efforts. His commitment has extended to serving on municipal planning committees and nonprofit boards and contributing to Belchertown’s Climate Resilience and Sustainable Growth Plan. His past work includes building regional and national networks of business leaders working together to develop and share best practices in energy management and strategy. He is also a skilled researcher and educator on the topics of corporate environmental, social, and governance leadership. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental management from Indiana University.

•••••

Thomas Dufault

Country Bank announced the appointment of Thomas Dufault as senior vice president of the Retail Lending department. With 35 years in the mortgage industry and an entrepreneurial and construction background, he brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to his new role. Dufault has gained extensive experience in construction standards, business acumen, and process improvements throughout his career. His diverse background, including as a former business owner, makes him an ideal candidate to lead Country Bank’s Retail Lending team. In addition to his professional achievements, Dufault is also committed to community service. He has served on the board of Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts for 10 years, the past four years as the board president. He supports various charitable initiatives, including the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, the American Cancer Society, Heifer Project International, and the Alzheimer’s Assoc. He has also served on various committees and boards in the town of Rutland, where he lived for 26 years.

•••••

Tech Foundry, the regional leader in IT workforce development and training, announced the hiring of four new staff members as well as promotions of existing staff to support the organization’s growing operations. Phillip Borras, Tech Foundry’s Career Readiness and Recruitment coordinator, was recently promoted to Coaching manager. A professional speaker, comedian, and life coach, he now leads a team of three coaches who mentor student members throughout the organization’s IT support training program and after graduation. This work complements Tech Foundry’s professional-development training, including résumé writing, interviewing, networking, and other professional-development skills. Jessica Cogoli has been promoted to instructor. A Tech Foundry alum, she has been working closely with the organization since she graduated, as a volunteer, assistant instructor, and technical lead for the IT support training program. She recently graduated from Holyoke Community College with an associate degree in computer science and is now working toward her bachelor’s degree at Southern New Hampshire University. Eric Maldonado, a 20-year veteran of the human-services field, joins the Tech Foundry team as a coach. His previous work focused on youth and homeless adults, including experience as a career coach with MassHire in Springfield. He is also an entrepreneur and has been running two successful businesses for the past five years. William Medina, a former instructor at Tech Foundry, returned to the organization as the new Tech Hub director at the end of February. He is a technology enthusiast who helped build the organization during its early years. In his new role, he is responsible for managing the daily operations of the Tech Hub, a Holyoke-based center which provides digital-literacy classes, technical support, and device distribution throughout Western Mass. As director, he manages daily operations, curriculum development, community relations, the digital fellows program, and professional development. Hilda Santa, a recent graduate of Tech Foundry, joins the team as the new administrative assistant and coach. She is a retired 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air National Guard and brings more than 15 years of administrative experience to the organization. In her role as a part-time coach, she will mentor the next generation of student-members. She holds a bachelor’s degree in health studies from UMass Amherst. Pattie Carulli-Hauser brings her passion for coaching and mentoring to the Tech Foundry team as one of the organization’s new coaches. In her role, she will provide ongoing mentoring and support for Tech Foundry’s student members. She has spent most of her career in research and development leadership roles in the consumer-goods industry.

•••••

Caitlin von Schmidt

Franklin Community Co-op recently welcomed Caitlin von Schmidt as its new Outreach and Communications manager, effective March 19. “Caitlin’s time as coordinator of the Greenfield Business Association and in the Mayor’s Office at the city of Greenfield sets her up beautifully to succeed in her new position, and we’re excited to have her on board,” co-op General Manager John Williams said. “We’re happy to have her as the newest member of our successful team.” Williams also thanked Amy Britt for her time in the position as she moves on to other opportunities. “I’m thrilled to be joining the Franklin Community Co-op family,” von Schmidt said. “The co-op is a beloved establishment, and its role as an anchor business and vital community member can’t be overstated. In addition, I’m thrilled to be involved at such an important time, with the expansion into the Wilson’s building on the horizon.”

•••••

Duc-Pac Corp. announced that its president, Gregory Merchant, has been voted to serve as president of Air Distribution Institute (ADI), the national alliance of steel HVAC pipe and fittings manufacturers focused on research and working with industry leading decision makers to create better policy. Duc-Pac is a family-owned and operated business that was founded in 1949. The company moved its manufacturing facility to Springfield in 2022. “I am proud to contribute my experience by helping lead the ADI,” Merchant said. “Duc-Pac has been a member of the organization for over 15 years. There is a lot of attention today on the use of green energy in HVAC and achieving ever-greater efficiencies with heating and cooling our homes. On one hand, we are very specialized production manufacturers. On the other hand, we have a big role to play in providing products and information essential to more efficient HVAC systems. We cannot lose sight that to not participate in HVAC improvements this way is to invite overseas competition to do so.”

•••••

Lauren Tabin

Lauren Tabin

bankESB recently hired Lauren Tabin as assistant vice president, branch officer of its King Street, Northampton office. Tabin has nearly 30 years of banking experience. Prior to joining bankESB, she was assistant vice president, branch officer at PeoplesBank, and previously held various other positions there, including banking center manager, branch officer, trainer, and teller. She brings an extensive background in management and leadership experience to her new role, where she will manage the Northampton office team while remaining engaged in the community. She currently serves on the board of the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club, and previously served on the board of Black Horse Trust, the Miracle League of Western Massachusetts, the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, and Providence Ministries. She is a member of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2011.

•••••

Country Bank announced the appointment of four new corporators and a new trustee at its annual meeting on March 11. Ivon Gois, president of Gois Broadcasting, brings a wealth of experience to the bank. Based in Worcester, Gois operates 12 radio stations in New England and is well-known for his contributions to the media industry, ethnic and racial diversity work, and financial expertise. Mechilia Salazar, CEO and director of Hope for Youth and Families Foundation in Springfield, is a respected leader in the nonprofit sector. Her previous role as CEO of the Ludlow Boys and Girls Club demonstrates her commitment to serving marginalized and underbanked communities. She often serves as the bridge between local businesses and the communities they serve. Samalid Hogan, a business consultant, CEO, and principal at Greylock Management in Ludlow, is a seasoned professional with a strong track record of success. Her leadership as past president of the Springfield Rotary Club and her involvement on various boards further highlight her dedication to making a positive impact. Her passion for empowering small businesses has made her a respected leader in the industry. Walter Pacheco, a prominent figure in the hospitality industry, owns several Western and Central Mass. restaurants and investment properties. His extensive business acumen and local ties make him a valuable addition to the bank. In addition to the new corporators, new Country Bank President Mary McGovern was appointed to the board of trustees.

•••••

Paul Asselin

The Massachusetts chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors announced that Paul Asselin, Gould Construction Institute instructor, is the 2024 ABC National Craft Instructor of the Year. Asselin was honored at the 2024 ABC Convention in Orlando, Fla. on March 13. ABC presents the annual Craft Instructor of the Year Award to an outstanding instructor with a passion for their craft, creativity, a positive attitude, and the ability to transfer knowledge through excellent communications skills and forward-thinking teaching to future construction professionals. With nearly 40 years of experience in the construction industry, Asselin has taught basic through advanced electrical courses since 2001. He is the training manager for Elm Electrical Inc. in Westfield, where he has worked since 1983. He is also the wiring inspector for his hometown of Russell and previously served as chair of Westfield Technical Academy’s general advisory board and electrical shop advisory board. As Craft Instructor of the Year, Asselin received a $10,000 cash prize. Co-sponsors of Craft Instructor of the Year are the National Center for Construction Education and Research, the training, assessment, certification, and career-development standard for the construction industry; and Tradesmen International, North America’s premier craft-professional staffing resource. Asselin will also be profiled in the June issue of Construction Executive magazine.

•••••

On April 6, Westfield State University inducted six alumni into the Criminal Justice Alumni Hall of Fame. Inductees are recognized for their excellence in their chosen field and for their accomplishments in criminal justice and law enforcement at the state, federal, and local levels. This year’s alumni inductees are Benjamin Campbell ’11 of the Maine State Police; David Campbell ’84, a retired special agent in the U.S. Department of Justice; Cheryl Clapprood ’92, Springfield Police superintendent; John Kotfila Jr. ’08, who served in the Sheriff’s Office in Hillsborough County, Fla.; Kenneth O’Connor ’87, a chief court officer in the Massachusetts Trial Court; and Jeffrey Trask ’02, a leader in emergency management and preparedness. Kim Tobin, professor of Criminal Justice, was also honored for her distinguished service to Westfield State. Both Benjamin Campbell and Kotfila were recognized posthumously.

Scenes from 40 Under Forty Alumni 2014 Event

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40reunionSponsors

Scenes from the 2014 40 Under Forty Reunion

IMG_1728More than 100 people gathered at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House on April 24 for the second annual 40 Under Forty reunion party, which drew alumni from among the past seven classes of honorees. Pictured are Nico Santaniello, financial representative at Northwestern Mutual, a sponsor of the event; Kate Campiti, associate publisher at BusinessWest; and Paul Kozub (class of 2007 and 2009 judge), owner of Valley Vodka.





IMG_1717From left, Sharon Marshall, financial representative at Northwestern Mutual, an event sponsor; Kathleen Plante, advertising consultant at BusinessWest; Sarah Tsitso (class of 2007), executive director at the Springfield Boys & Girls Club; Michelle Theroux (class of 2007), executive director of Berkshire Hills Music Academy; and Pam Thornton, business development manager at United Personnel and past president of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield.

IMG_1730Danielle Lord (class of 2012), administrator at O’Connell Care at Home & Staffing Services, and Dan Bessette (class of 2009), owner of Get Set Marketing.









IMG_1731From left, Dan Finn (class of 2010), independent associate at Viridian; Jason Tsitso (class of 2012), project manager at MR&D LLC; and Adam Quenneville (class of 2009), president of Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding.

IMG_1732From left, Kristi Reale (class of 2009), senior manager at Meyers Brother Kalicka, P.C.; Sean Wandrei (class of 2010), lecturer in taxation at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst; and Melyssa Brown (class of 2013), manager of audit and accounting at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.









IMG_1748Members of event sponsor Northwestern Mutual, from left, Shekha Patel, financial representative; Tia Allen, campus recruiter; and Anand Thakkar.

IMG_1739From left, Bernie McCoy; Kate Kane, managing director of Northwestern Mutual’s Springfield office, an event sponsor; and Susan Mielnikowski (class of 2010), elder-law and estate-planning attorney at Cooley Shrair, P.C.

IMG_1737From left, Ed Zemba (class of 2007), owner of Robert Charles Photography; Gwen Burke, senior advertising consultant at BusinessWest; and Craig Swimm (class of 2007), general manager of 94.7 WMAS and 1450 WHLL.

IMG_1745From left, Leyla Kayi, director of donor relations at the Gray House; Peter Ellis (class of 2011), creative director at DIF Design; Jessecah Gower of the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center; and Jennifer Schimmel (class of 2011) of Habitat for Humanity. The Gray House, Habitat, and the O’Connor Center were all spotlighted at the reunion by the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, which unveiled its YPS Cares program, an effort to foster volunteerism in the community.

IMG_1755From left, Jason Barroso (class of 2013), project environmental scientist at Tighe & Bond; Jeremy Leap (class of 2013), vice president of commercial lending at Country Bank for Savings; Kristen Hua (class of 2011), assistant vice president at PeoplesBank; and Xiaolei Hua (class of 2013), assistant vice president and credit officer at PeoplesBank.

IMG_1773Dianne Doherty (2011 judge), left, regional director of the Mass. Small Business Development Center’s Western Mass. office, and Samalid Hogan (class of 2013), project manager for the city of Springfield.










IMG_1752From left, Erin Couture (class of 2013), vice president of commercial lending at Florence Savings Bank; Jeff Fialky (class of 2008 and 2013 judge), attorney at Bacon Wilson, P.C.; and Susan Mielnikowski (class of 2010), elder-law and estate-planning attorney at Cooley Shrair, P.C.









IMG_1777Members of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, which partnered with BusinessWest in the production of the reunion event, gather for a group photo. Many of the group’s members are 40 Under Forty honorees.

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MassMutual Named A Working Mother 100 Best Company

SPRINGFIELD — Working Mother magazine recently named MassMutual a ‘2007 Working Mother Best Company.’ Leading a significant and ongoing culture shift, MassMutual officials note they are using company-wide benefits and programs to help ensure the retention and advancement of working mothers. MassMutual provides a number of options to help employees achieve a strong work/life balance, including flexible schedules, on-site and near-site child care facilities, an on-site credit union, convenience store with a full-service pharmacy, dry cleaner, tailor, jewelry and shoe repair, a barbershop, and a hair salon. MassMutual also has a strong commitment to employee health, offering state-of-the-art wellness activity centers, employee health service centers that offer such amenities as personal health assessments, on-site physical therapy, and flu vaccinations, as well as an employee-assistance program. In other news, the company has been awarded the No. 1 ranking in this year’s InformationWeek 500 “Information Security/Privacy” category for its proprietary information security management system. MassMutual’s award is one of only five “Leaders in Innovation” category awards identified by InformationWeek, namely, Productivity, Information Security, Supply Chain Innovation, Emerging Technology and Customer Intimacy.

Daly Honored At Baystate Dedication

SPRINGFIELD — Recognizing his strategic vision and his inspirational leadership of the organization for 22 years, Baystate Health recently honored Michael J. Daly during a dedication ceremony of the Daly Building, formerly the Centennial Building, at the stystem’s Springfield campus. Baystate’s Board of Trustees officially renamed and dedicated the medical center to honor Daly, who served as chief executive officer from 1981 to 2003. An unveiling of a special plaque in his honor was among the festivities during the dedication ceremony on Oct. 2.

Spalding Introduces ‘The Beast’

SPRINGFIELD — Spalding is bringing an NBA in-arena style experience to a new portable outdoor system. By introducing The Beast, Spalding now offers the first ever 60-inch glass portable backboard system in the market. The Spalding Beast’s glass board provides increased benefits to players, highlighted by a 37% truer rebound than achieved with acrylic systems, according to company officials. The Beast also boasts an aluminum-trimmed unit which features a heavy duty steel frame, Z-arm board mounts that provide increased stability, and a heavy duty Pro Image® breakaway rim. In addition, an institutional style lift provides infinite height adjustment from 7.5’ to 10’, a portable, multi-wheel with castors base provides ease of movement, and a four-strut pole/base mount provides superior system rigidity.

North Amherst Company Wins National Award

NORTH AMHERST — Cowls Land and Lumber Company has been awarded the Assoc. of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ prestigious Landowner Stewardship Award. The award is presented annually to landowners who make a significant and positive conservation impact on a large area of privately owned land. The award was recently presented to Cinda Jones and her husband, Chuck Walker, of the Cowls Companies at the annual meeting of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in Louisville, Ky. Over the past 265 years, the family’s Western Mass. forest land has been devoted to sustainable timber production, while providing public recreational access and improved wildlife habitat. Cowls was one of the original tree farms to embrace and meet the requirements to be certified as a sustainable producer of trees in the United States. Cowls employs professionally trained foresters in the management of its land and incorporates multiple uses into its land-management plans. Cowls management plans are long-term and set the goal of achieving a sustained yield while retaining diversity of fish and wildlife, habitats, and ecosystems function. This year’s award represents the first time recognition has been given to a sustainable forest-based enterprise (in the past only farmers and ranchers have been recipients) and the first time for a Northeastern state. For more information on the award program, visit www.fishwildlife.org.

Big Y Promo Supports Breast Cancer Research

SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Supermarkets will be donating proceeds from its produce department as well as additional select products in October to the local Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Massachusetts and Connecticut Affiliates, to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer. The month-long initiative is titled “Partners of Hope,” and Big Y has partnered with many manufacturers to procure hundreds of thousands of pick-labeled products with funding toward breast cancer research and awareness. Big Y will be selling pink T-shirts, pink-frosted cupcakes, pink travel mugs and water bottles, pink bouquets and more. Pink paper ribbons will also be available for a $1 donation and will be posted in each market. Internally, Big Y’s Wellness Team will be hosting several programs this month to highlight breast cancer awareness to the employee family.

TD Banknorth Grant Supports Museum Programs

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums have received a $10,000 grant from the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation for its Weekend Family Fun series of educational programs. Weekend Family Fun programs highlight holidays, special exhibits, cultures from around the world, and popular topics like dinosaurs and Dr. Seuss. Each program includes a performance, art demonstrations, science activities, and hands-on craft workshops. The four Springfield Museums and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden are located on the Quadrangle at 21 Edwards St.

Springfield Falcons Partner with Big Y, WNEC

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Falcons recently signed a two-year corporate partnership agreement with Big Y Foods that once again offers fans a discount ticket for select nights when they present their Big Y Savings Card at the MassMutual Center Box Office. Big Y Foods will also receive maximum exposure as part of its partnership with their logo appearing on signage on the MassMutual Center center-hung video board, and also on dasherboard signage inside of the MassMutual Center. The Falcons also recently partnered with Western New England College for the 2007-08 season to develop the Falcons’ new multimedia section located on Falconsahl.com. The new feature will consist of both audio and video clips involving Falcons players and coaches, as well as game highlights. WNEC officials noted they are proud to provide support and assistance for this ambitious web marketing enterprise, known as the Western New England College multimedia section of the Springfield Falcons’ website, where fans will be able to enjoy a more interactive experience with the organization.

Avada’s Blulink Offers Wireless Hearing

SPRINGFIELD — Avada Hearing Care Centers recently introduced Blulink™, its first wireless communication system that tackles challenges for those with hearing loss — providing ultimate sound quality that is delivered in sync with the listening environment and offering hands-free connectivity to Bluetooth-enabled cell phones and other wireless electronic devices. Unlike traditional hearing instruments, Blulink’s high speed wireless digital technology creates a wireless ‘bubble’ around the user, allowing a pair of Blulink hearing devices to communicate together to process sounds similar to the way the human brain receives and interprets sounds. For more information, visit www.avada.com.

Hampden Bank to Continue Energy Relief Program

SPRINGFIELD — There is still uncertainty about how much it will cost homeowners to stay warm this heating season. However, many people are already beginning to wonder, and worry, about how they are going to pay their heating bills this winter. In response to what could be some very tough situations for local residents, Hampden Bank has decided to once again continue it’s Energy Relief Program introduced two years ago. The program is designed to give mortgage customers the option to make a smaller, ‘interest only’ payments on their mortgage for the duration of the heating season. “We are reacting to the needs of our customers,” said Senior Vice President Robert Michel. “While fuel prices have come down, filling up your car or paying the heating bill is still painful. With this program, we allow our borrowers to make an interest-only payment. They’ll be able to use the savings each month to apply toward their heating costs.” Michel added. The program is simple, but the savings can be profound. For example, a $150,000 loan balance with a 20-year remaining term at an average 6.5% interest rate would yield a savings of almost $250 per month.

Jack Toner

By
40 Under 40 The Class of 2017

Principal, Customer Relationship Development, Sumner & Toner Insurance Agency Inc.; Age 36

Jack Toner

Jack Toner

Jack Toner is a third-generation business owner who you might say is going the distance. He’s an insurance agent by trade, and a marathoner for fun.

“The insurance business is always evolving and changing; on any given day you might come across a new risk that you need to manage,” he explained. “Running is a mental and physical recharge for me.”

He’s also on the run for his clients, some who’ve been with Sumner & Toner for more than 40 years.

Toner said the insurance industry is all about partnerships, bringing agents and customers together to tailor policies to meet each of their specific needs. “I like meeting people and figuring out not only how to help them prepare for the unexpected, but also make a positive difference in their lives.”

He got a jump start on changing lives for the better two years out of Georgetown University, when he taught English as a second language in China. “I was working in D.C. and decided I wanted to see the world and do something different,” Toner said. “It was amazing to experience their culture, and share ours.”

When he returned, he worked as a leasing agent for just over a year. He decided to come home to work at his family’s agency because it was an opportunity to not only carry on a family legacy, but build on a solid foundation of success.

“In 1967, our family became involved in a local independent insurance agency that was founded in 1933 in Springfield,” he noted. “The agency took its present form in 1998, when my father, Bill, and Warren Sumner III merged their two agencies. Today, Warren’s son Bud is my partner in the agency.”

Toner, who lives with wife, Elizabeth, in Longmeadow, is also involved in the community, serving as a leader for the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, Habitat for Humanity, and the Springfield Rotary Club. He also serves on St. Mary’s Parish Council in Longmeadow, and is a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus.

“I truly believe in the Rotary’s mission, ‘service above self,’ and serving humanity, whether it’s in our own backyard or across the world,” he said.

He added that he’s blessed to have loving parents who taught him that the world was bigger than him. “They told me to be patient, humble, and considerate, and that would lead to success.”

—Alta Stark

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

Thunderbirds Recognized for Record-setting Season

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Thunderbirds were recognized for hitting milestone thresholds across a variety of business categories during the American Hockey League’s team business meetings in Tucson, Ariz. The annual event features representatives from all 32 member clubs for sessions discussing best practices and innovative ideas across multiple departments. On the heels of another record-setting year for the Thunderbirds business that saw new regular-season records in attendance per game (6,162), sellout games (15, including every Saturday from Dec. 30 onward), season-ticket members, and group-sales revenue, the team’s ticket sales department achieved a number of milestones for a second straight season. Among them were 600 new full-season equivalents (FSE), a metric that tracks full-season and partial-season ticket sales. The department also saw a greater than 85% renewal rate among its full-season ticket members. Individual game ticket sales also provided the Thunderbirds with two more threshold recognitions, as the business saw a greater than 15% increase in both FSE revenue per game and group ticket revenue per game. In what was also a record-setting year for the club’s corporate sales department, that area of the business was recognized for also seeing a greater than 85% renewal rate in corporate cash accounts en route to a single-season record in corporate revenue. The Thunderbirds also had a prolific season in the Springfield community, with more than 250 appearances by mascot Boomer and team players combined, ranging from youth hockey practice sessions to charitable affairs like the Rays of Hope walk, annual Teddy Bear Toss deliveries, and corporate partnership events.

 

National Grid Awards $800,000 to Eight Chambers of Commerce

NORTHAMPTON — National Grid announced it will donate $800,000 to eight chambers of commerce in Massachusetts to support local small businesses. The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce has been named one of the recipients of a $100,000 award. Other chambers receiving the funds include the Cape Cod Chamber, Merrimack Valley Chamber, North Central Chamber of Leominster, North Shore Chamber, OneSouthCoast Chamber, South Shore Chamber, and Waltham Chamber. Each chamber will receive $100,000, which they will then distribute in grants of $1,000 to National Grid small-business customers with fewer than 150 employees. The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce looks forward to distributing these grant awards to give local small business community a boost during the coming months. This pledge follows a similar donation by National Grid in January, when the company distributed $1 million to four small-business organizations to help with energy bills. The Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, the Retailers Assoc. of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Restaurant Assoc., and the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce each received $250,000 to distribute to their small business members.

 

Lee Bank Foundation Distributes $50,000 in Grant Funding Round

LEE — Lee Bank Foundation awarded $50,000 to 12 Berkshire area organizations for its second round of 2023 community funding. Recipients were awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to support their local programming. The following organizations received funding from Lee Bank Foundation: Becket Athenaeum, Berkshire Bounty, Berkshire Center for Justice, Berkshire Children’s Chorus, Berkshire Community Diaper Project, Berkshire County Arc, Berkshire South Regional Community Center, Community Access to the Arts, Elizabeth Freeman Center, Greenagers, Mass Audubon Pleasant Valley, and Roots Rising. The deadline to apply for the next round of 2023 foundation funding is Sept. 1. To be considered for grant awards, applicants must be a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The foundation is focused on funding programs that work to bridge income and opportunity gaps in the region. Funding requests should reflect one or more of Lee Bank Foundation’s primary focus areas: education and literacy; food security and nutrition; economic growth and development; health and human services; or mentorship, internship, and school-to-work initiatives.

 

Mandati Jewelers Opens at Holyoke Mall

HOLYOKE — Family-owned Mandati Jewelers celebrated its grand opening at Holyoke Mall on June 28 on the shopping center’s lower level near Center Court. The 2,423-square-foot space is the custom jeweler’s first Massachusetts location. Mandati specializes in certified diamonds, watch and timepiece brands, necklaces, charms, and other fine jewelry. The store is offering 30% to 50% off gold and diamonds and 25% off watches through July 31. The New York jeweler’s custom jewelry clientele includes Buffalo Bills defensive end Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr. and rappers Conway the Machine, Westside Gunn, and Benny the Butcher. Holyoke Mall is Mandati’s fourth store and joins locations in Albany, Buffalo, and Syracuse.

 

The Dowd Agencies Supports Area Charities as Part of 125th-anniversary Celebration

HOLYOKE — The Dowd Insurance Agencies, LLC, a leading insurance provider serving New England since 1898, has donated a total of $3,250 to five charities since the beginning of the year as it celebrates its 125th anniversary. Charities were determined by polling employees. So far in 2023, the Dowd Agencies donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes for children diagnosed with critical illnesses; Community Music School of Springfield, which provides arts education to local students; Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Holyoke, which provides horseback riding to children and adults with disabilities; Shriners Children’s, which provides critical medical care to children; and Homework House Inc., in Holyoke, which provides free tutoring and mentoring for children living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The Dowd Agencies will continue to donate to charities selected by its employees throughout the remainder of the year.

 

Liberty Bank Supports Nonprofits

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — David Glidden, president and CEO of Liberty Bank and president of the Liberty Bank Foundation, announced that the foundation recently awarded five nonprofits with $5,000 each in recognition of the bank’s 198th birthday. As part of Liberty’s birthday celebration on May 4, the team came up with a creative idea to provide ‘birthday gifts’ in the aggregate amount of $25,000 to five community organizations on behalf of the Liberty Bank Foundation. Liberty teammates had the opportunity to vote on their favorite charity from a list of three nonprofits in each of the regions the bank serves: Central North, Central South, Eastern, Western, and Massachusetts. Based on the final vote count, the following five nonprofits received a $5,000 donation from the Liberty Bank Foundation: House of Heroes (Hamden, Conn.), the Boys and Girls Club of Lower Naugatuck Valley, Middlesex Habitat for Humanity, New London Community Meal Center, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

 

Smith Brothers Insurance Acquires Rawson & Sons

NORTHAMPTON — Smith Brothers Insurance, with an office on Main Street in Northampton, has acquired Rawson & Sons Insurance Group, an independent insurance agency located in Worcester. The acquisition expands the Smith Brothers Insurance footprint in Massachusetts, with Rawson & Sons maintaining a local presence while leveraging the resources of Smith Brothers Insurance, one of the nation’s top 100 independent brokers. Rich Rawson, founder of Rawson & Sons, will stay fully engaged in business development, sales, and client service, alongside the same team of insurance professionals. All Rawson & Sons team members will be joining Smith Brothers. Smith Brothers Insurance has more than 200 team members in locations across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.

Area Banks, Credit Unions Stress Philanthropy, Volunteerism

By
Mary McGovern, incoming president of Country Bank.
Banking and Financial Services Special Coverage

Community Interest

Mary McGovern, incoming president of Country Bank.

Mary McGovern, incoming president of Country Bank.

 

When asked why Country Bank supports local nonprofits, incoming President Mary McGovern gave a simple answer. “It’s a way for us to make a difference in our community.”

Then she elaborated.

“We have a tagline we adopted two years ago, ‘made to make a difference.’ We feel that encapsulates what Country Bank is all about, trying to make a difference in our community. It’s something we’ve done over the history of Country Bank, and we continue to make a positive impact by supporting local nonprofits, specifically the kind that rely on donations from their local businesses to help support them.”

Those efforts have focused in recent years on a number of priorities, she added, including food insecurity, health, education, and financial literacy, as well as homeless shelters, senior-serving programs, youth organizations, and more.

To that end, Country reported more than $1.2 million in donations in 2023, with 463 organizations receiving grants. One highlight last year was a partnership with (and $30,000 donation to) the Wonderfund, which aims to improve the lives of individuals in the Department of Children and Families system.

That large number of supported nonprofits resonates with Matt Bannister, senior vice president of Marketing and Corporate Responsibility at PeoplesBank, who was named a 2024 Difference Maker by BusinessWest last month for his extensive role in the bank’s community-support efforts. PeoplesBank recorded $1.6 million in donations last year to more than 550 area nonprofits, making the average grant just under $3,000.

“We continue to make a positive impact by supporting local nonprofits, specifically the kind that rely on donations from their local businesses to help support them.”

“We give a little to a lot of groups. We don’t tend to do large capital campaigns,” he said. “One big ‘yes’ often means a lot of little ‘no’s.’ So many nonprofits out there are doing good work, so it feels wrong to say ‘no’ to people.”

So, outside of a few big splashes — like a major donation to help the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts build its new headquarters — spreading the wealth around is a guideline the bank tends to stick with.

“The overall philosophy for our funding is we want to level the playing field — give opportunities to those who are disadvantaged and need more help,” Bannister added. “We have funding areas — food insecurity, housing, economic development, etc. — and the overarching principle of all these funding areas is to level the playing field.”

Many area institutions share their donation figures each year; Pittsfield Cooperative Bank donates nearly $200,000 — a striking number, considering it boasts around $385 million in total assets — through its charitable contributions to regional scholarships, youth mentorship programs, and nonprofit, economic-development, and health and human-service organizations.

Meanwhile, the Liberty Bank Foundation granted $1,453,742 to local nonprofits in 2023, including $10,000 as an annual ‘holiday gift’ from the bank, with the recipient chosen by bank customers. And Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) gave more than $1 million in 2023 to more than 300 organizations.

Peter Albero, GSB’s chief financial officer and treasurer, noted that, while profits have been challenged over the past couple years by rising interest rates, the bank has not cut back on its financial support in the community, or its level of employee volunteerism.

Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch (right) presents a check to John Beaulieu

Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch (right) presents a check to John Beaulieu, president of the Westover Galaxy Community Council, one of the recipients of Freedom’s Month of Giving campaign.

“Profitability may be reduced, but we have not reduced our commitment to our communities. I think we are a pillar of Greenfield and the broader community,” Albero said. “So we continue to reinvest in the community, and everyone benefits from that.”

A.J. Bresciano, first vice president and commercial loan officer at GSB, agreed.

“Even in a higher-interest-rate environment, we’re taking measures to ensure our impact in the community is not being impacted and not deteriorating. So many local organizations throughout the Pioneer Valley rely on contributions of time, talent, and treasure. We make supporting those organizations a priority at Greenfield Savings Bank, and we want our team members to invest going forward.”

 

Philanthropic Priorities

Bannister made it clear that banks are required, to some degree, to be involved in their communities in a charitable way, noting that bank examiners make sure a bank’s locations and loan activities are representative of where it does business — meaning not just serving and lending to those with high incomes or profits — and they also ask how the institution gives back to the community.

“The challenge with that is there’s no right answer. We just have to go to the examiners each year and say, ‘here’s what we did.’ And when we give, we make sure a substantial amount that we give away benefits LMI — lower- to middle-income communities.”

Area banks and credit unions have increasingly inspired employees and customers to involved in giving efforts as well. In 2023, Freedom Credit Union contributed $181,898 to more than 70 charitable organizations throughout the four counties of Western Mass.

Of that, corporate charitable giving accounted for $130,432, but throughout the year, Freedom also conducts Month of Giving campaigns, in which customers can support a specific organization each month; those programs raised $17,316 in 2023. And local branch and department giving contributed an additional $34,150 to local charities.

“Our members and staff are passionate about supporting the community where we live, work, and serve,” Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch said. “In 2023, we were proud to donate funds for a wide variety of deserving institutions.”

“We give a little to a lot of groups. We don’t tend to do large capital campaigns. One big ‘yes’ often means a lot of little ‘no’s.’ So many nonprofits out there are doing good work, so it feels wrong to say ‘no’ to people.”

Other institutions take customer involvement to the polls. Both Florence Bank and Monson Savings Bank boast popular programs — called the Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program and the Community Giving Initiative, respectively — that complement other bank philanthropy by letting customers vote for nonprofits to support.

Through that initiative, Florence Bank awarded $150,000 to 46 area nonprofits in 2023, the 21st year of the program; the higher-than-usual total commemorated the bank’s 150 years in business.

“It’s amazing to see so many community organizations being recognized, and the fact that the recognition comes from Florence Bank customers in the form of votes is really special,” President and CEO Matt Garrity said.

Meanwhile, in the 14th year of its community-giving program, Monson Savings Bank awarded a total of $15,000 to the 10 top vote-getting nonprofits.

PeoplesBank employees volunteers

A team of PeoplesBank employees volunteers at Kent Memorial Library in Kent, Conn.

“Everyone’s passion for our annual Community Giving Initiative is always so exciting,” said Michael Rouette, the bank’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “As a locally operated bank, Monson Savings has a great desire to support the residents, businesses, and nonprofits of the communities that we work in and live in.”

President and CEO Dan Moriarty added that “these organizations are worthy nonprofits that supply important resources to our communities. It is clear why they were chosen by our community members to receive support from Monson Savings.”

 

More Than Money

But community banks and credit unions in Western Mass. aren’t just giving money; many also emphasize a culture of volunteerism, even providing time for their employees to get involved in the community.

For example, employees at UMassFive College Federal Credit Union raised more than $18,000 for two local nonprofits last fall — $13,677 for the UMass Cancer Center via participation in the UMass Cancer Walk and Run, and $4,800 for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts via participation in Will Bike 4 Food.

A supporter of the UMass Cancer Walk and Run for more than 20 years — during which time it has raised more than $186,600 for the cause — UMassFive employees join together annually as Team UMassFive to raise funds, both personally and in branch locations. In 2023, fundraising efforts included raffle baskets, bake sales, candy sales, and art and jewelry sales, and the credit union’s corporate partners also pitched in.

Will Bike 4 Food is a more recent priority at UMassFive, as employees have taken part since 2020, raising a total of $17,500 in just four years, which equates to providing 70,332 meals to neighbors in need.

“We are so proud of our employees for supporting local causes that they care about,” said Cait Murray, Community Outreach manager at UMassFive. “Together, our team can make a more significant impact than if we all participate in events on our own. These organizations make such a big difference in our communities, and we are thrilled to support those efforts.”

Country Bank reported that its team members volunteered 1,255 hours of community service in 2023, while 37 team members served on 65 nonprofit boards and committees.

“Oftentimes, we can supplement or replace a monetary donation with volunteers, whether it’s picking vegetables at a local farm to be donated out, or helping nonprofits clean up the facility, or doing outdoor work like volunteering with Habitat for Humanity,” McGovern said. “We’re still putting the bank’s dollars to work, but the hands of our employees are helping to sustain some of these nonprofits as well.”

Liberty Bank reported 13,721 employee volunteer hours, including nearly 170 hours at Connecticut Foodshare, the aforementioned recipient of the bank’s holiday gift in 2023. The bank also actively solicits nonprofits to share information on what types of volunteer help is needed — whether working on a project or serving on a board or committee — and aims to meet those requests.

At PeoplesBank, employee volunteerism is considered part of the bank’s culture, Bannister said — part of its DNA, in fact, and something made clear to job applicants.

“We report volunteer hours to the bank examiners, and we were third in the state last year in hours volunteered per employee. It’s something that’s expected, and it’s something that builds camaraderie,” he said.

And it’s something that community banks simply should do.

“We’re more engaged in the community, where national banks are not known for that as much,” Bannister told BusinessWest. “And we consider it a competitive advantage. When you’re choosing a bank, hopefully the bank’s values are something you consider, and hopefully that volunteerism reflects well on the brand.”

 

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Michael Fox

Michael Fox

Michael Fox has been appointed dean of the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) at UMass Amherst, effective Aug. 15. Fox has been a member of the Virginia Tech faculty since 2012, where he currently serves as director of the Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience, the endowed I.D. Wilson Chair in the Virginia Tech College of Science, and professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, a research-intensive institute on the health-sciences and technology campus of Virginia Tech. After beginning his undergraduate studies at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), Fox earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the College of William and Mary and his Ph.D. in anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University. He completed his post-doctoral training in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University. Throughout his career, Fox has received numerous awards and honors, including both the Jordi Folch Pi Award and the Marian Kies Award from the American Society for Neurochemistry, and has served as a counselor for the American Society for Neurochemistry, on several leadership committees for the Society for Neuroscience, and as a reviewer and chair for National Institutes of Health review panels.

•••••

Kuhn Riddle Architects (KRA) announced the promotion of four key team members to leadership positions. Andrew Bagge has been promoted to associate/senior architect. He has a proven track record of delivering successful projects and will play a vital role in driving the firm’s design vision and fostering creative excellence. Thom Barry has been promoted to associate/senior architect. He displays outstanding leadership abilities and commitment to delivering exceptional results, and will optimize project-delivery processes and ensure the highest standards of quality and client satisfaction. Brad Hutchison has been promoted to senior architect. He shows deep attention to detail, remarkable dedication to his clients, and outstanding project-management skills. He will expand his technical proficiency and mentor staff in the latest building-science technologies and energy-efficient design practices. Karen Michalowski has been promoted to associate/senior interior designer. Her tremendous expertise in interior design, and her sensitivity and understanding of client needs and the ever-changing interiors market, will help to expand the firm’s market presence in interior design.

•••••

Elizabeth Dougal joined Bulkley Richardson as counsel in the Trusts & Estates department, where her practice incudes preparation and administration of wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, personal-effects memorandum, durable powers of attorney, healthcare proxies, real-estate deeds, homestead exemptions, and small-business succession plans. For the past 19 years, Dougal ran a boutique legal practice providing clients with estate planning and related transactional work. She was also a consultant to estate, trust, and elder-care clients in several states through the Attorney Resource Center. She earned both a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, and a juris doctorate from Boston College.

•••••

Aimee Goddard

Aimee Goddard

Kristina Laplante

Kristina Laplante

Sara Dieters

Sara Dieters

Terry McConkey

Fifteen months after introducing its Client Advisory Team, HUB International New England announced the appointment of the personal lines directors: Aimee Goddard, director of Personal Lines – Operations; Kristina Laplante, director of Personal Lines – Sales; Sara Dieters, director of Personal Lines – Service; and Terry McConkey, director of Personal Lines – Specialty. Goddard has been in the insurance industry for over 32 years, starting her career in commercial lines before switching to personal lines in 1997. She spent 10 years of her career at Eastern Insurance, contributing to the company’s personal-lines growth and success. Having been with HUB since 2016, she has been promoted numerous times, to manager, director, regional director/senior vice president, and now to Operations director/senior vice president. With more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, Laplante has held various roles, providing her with extensive experience. She is committed to growing a sales team that is both customer-focused and driven to achieve results. A natural leader, her energy and enthusiasm inspires her team to strive for excellence, making them an asset to the organization. Having first started in banking, Dieters was introduced to insurance by a family friend, which proved to be an ideal fit, as she has now spent more than 16 years in the industry, including 10 years at HUB. She has been promoted numerous times over the years and is excited for this new opportunity. McConkey has worked for HUB for more than 35 years. She has held various roles in personal-lines service and leadership, including account manager, team leader, PL manager, PL specialty manager, and now Personal Lines director. She has a wealth of insurance knowledge and leadership experience and is excited to continue her positive impact in her new role. In addition, HUB congratulates the following employees who have been promoted to senior regional managers: Lisa Koehler, Partnership and Processing Teams; Patty Angell, Service and Remarket Teams; and Shirlee Capponcelli, Sales Team. Becky McLaughlin is moving into a new role as East Region director of Learning & Organizational Development.

•••••

1Berkshire announced the promotions of staff members Benjamin Lamb and Kristen Harrington in recognition of their achievements, contributions, and dedication to the organization and its initiatives throughout Berkshire County. Lamb has been promoted to vice president of Economic Development. This promotion follows five years of work helping to build the economic-development team and expand the 1Berkshire footprint of activities and overall work. Hired in 2018 as the Economic Development projects manager, he was promoted to director of Economic Development a short time later. In his new position, Lamb will continue to lead and expand the outreach of 1Berkshire through its economic development in Berkshire County. Harrington has been promoted to Finance & Administration coordinator, a title that reflects her new responsibilities in accounting and internal operations and as property liaison. Previously, she functioned as the accounting specialist for 1Berkshire, a position she had held since 2019. She joined the Berkshire Visitors Bureau as a finance associate in 2015, and a year later, in a merger resulting in the creation of 1Berkshire, Harrington was named accounting associate.

•••••

Country Bank announced four recent promotions. Jessica McGarry has been promoted to senior vice president, East Region Commercial Lending team lead, while Shantie Prashad, Cindy Saucier, and Blair Robidoux have been promoted to assistant vice presidents, Retail Banking. McGarry has more than 20 years of experience in the banking industry and has been a commercial lender in the Worcester market for the past 10 years, with the entirety of her career spent in a community-bank setting. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business from Nichols College, received the Forty Under 40 designation in 2014 from the Worcester Business Journal, and was a member of the Leadership Worcester class of 2015-16. She also gives back to the community, currently serving on the board of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Worcester Business Development Corp. She remains active in volunteer opportunities through various organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, Be Like Brit, and the Community Harvest Project. Prashad has more than 26 years of sales and leadership experience, most recently serving as the Retail Banking officer of Country Bank’s Park Avenue, Worcester location. She graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies in 2022 and is highly active in the Worcester community, serving on the board for the Learning First Foundation and the YWCA and as an ambassador for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Saucier has more than 20 years of banking and leadership experience, serving as the Retail Banking officer of the Charlton Banking Center. She graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies in 2021, is a board member and vice chair for the Central Mass South Chamber of Commerce, and serves with various nonprofits and committees within the Charlton community. Robidoux currently leads the West Street Banking Center and has more than 17 years of experience in the retail division. She has held various roles throughout her tenure at Country Bank and graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies in 2019. Throughout her career, she has been an integral part of the community within her market. She serves on the board of the Ware Business and Civic Assoc. Country Bank also congratulates Dianna Lussier, vice president of Risk, on her recent graduation from the American Bankers Assoc., Stonier Graduate School of Banking, which is the industry’s preeminent graduate banking program. Graduates receive both a Stonier diploma and a Wharton leadership certificate.

•••••

Karen Rousseau

Karen Rousseau

Karen Rousseau, dean of the School of Health Sciences at American International College (AIC), has been recognized as a member of the Commonwealth Heroines class of 2023 by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW). This state-established body is responsible for assessing the status of women in Massachusetts and making recommendations to enhance access to opportunities and promote equality. Each year, in collaboration with state legislators, the commission acknowledges and celebrates remarkable women who have made significant contributions to their organizations and communities. Rousseau was nominated by state Sen. Jacob Oliveira as the honoree in his Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester district. She was among 126 women across the state honored during the MCSW’s 20th-anniversary celebration at the Massachusetts State House on June 23. With a career spanning four decades, Rousseau excelled as a practicing registered nurse and has dedicated more than 30 years to nursing education. Her areas of expertise include maternal/newborn and pediatric nursing, as well as nursing management. Before holding the position of dean of the School of Health Sciences at AIC, she served as director of the Division of Nursing and contributed as a professor in both the undergraduate and RN-to-BSN programs.

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Anna Bognolo will serve as the Greenfield Public Library’s new library director beginning July 10. She is taking over for Ellen Boyer, who is retiring after leading the library since February 2012. Bognolo earned her bachelor’s degree, three master’s degrees, and a post-graduate diploma while attending the University of Rochester, the University of Toronto, the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, the Scuola Vaticana di Biblioteconomia in Rome, and Simmons University in Boston. Prior to entering the field of librarianship, she worked for Christie’s Auctioneers in London and Rome. She then spent much of her career in library services, working for nearly a decade at Springfield Technical Community College as the reference outreach and technical services librarian. In that role, she developed a sound knowledge of the Central and Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing consortium’s inner workings and the services it provides to member libraries. In September 2017, Bognolo was named library and archive director at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield. She oversaw the day-to-day operation of the library, provided instructional support to students and teachers, and led the expansion of the school’s archive. She has also worked as a substitute librarian at the Jones Library in Amherst and the Greenfield Public Library, as well as in a part-time capacity at the Boyden Library of Deerfield Academy.

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Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a leading labor and employment law firm, recently welcomed Kelley Mantz as a summer associate. Mantz attends Western New England University School of Law and will enter her third year this fall. After graduating from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2019, she assisted employers of all sizes as a technical recruiter. While doing so, she worked closely with human-resources professionals to identify hiring goals and implement strategies for meeting those goals. Since entering law school, Mantz has worked for a law firm in Connecticut and participated in the Small Business Clinic, where she assisted local small to mid-sized entrepreneurs in the Springfield area with legal matters, including employment matters.

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The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) board of directors approved a long-planned leadership transition under which President and CEO John Regan will step down at the end of 2023 and be succeeded by Chief Government Affairs Executive Brooke Thomson. To support a smooth transition, Regan will remain in the CEO role through the end of the year, and Thomson will begin as president effective immediately. During his tenure, in tandem with the leadership team and board, Regan, 62, has guided AIM’s public-policy work, served as a voice for the employer community, expanded the award-winning AIM HR Solutions business, built a comprehensive team with the skills necessary to support AIM’s 3,400 member organizations, made AIM a leader on diversity, and assured that members had access to timely support during the pandemic. He plans to pursue new opportunities as a consultant, advisor, and board member. Before joining AIM’s leadership team more than four years ago, Thomson, 44, was a member of the AIM board. In her current role, she has been responsible for designing and advancing AIM’s policy agenda and strengthening relationships with elected officials and business leaders on Beacon Hill and throughout the Commonwealth, while ensuring that employer needs are represented at every level of the public-policy-making process. Thomson is committed to expanding the progress AIM has made in diversifying its membership, reflecting statewide business-community needs, and advancing policies that support both economic competitiveness and economic opportunity for the people of Massachusetts. She previously served as vice president of Government Affairs for AT&T and is a former senior official with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Anthony Worden

Anthony Worden

Michael Tucker

Michael Tucker

Kevin O’Neil, chairman of the board of directors of Greenfield Cooperative Bank (GCB) and its Northampton Cooperative Bank division, announced the promotion of Anthony Worden to president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2021. This promotion is in anticipation of the retirement of current President and CEO Michael Tucker, who is relinquishing his title as president, but will remain CEO until his actual retirement in January 2022, when Worden will take over that role as well. Tucker will remain as a director of the bank and holding company. O’Neil noted that this transition schedule is part of an overall succession plan for the bank that the board adopted some time ago. Worden has worked closely with Tucker in addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic within the bank and its local communities. Tucker also noted he has complete confidence in Worden’s ability to lead the bank into the future. O’Neil noted the board was pleased to be able to select someone like Worden who already knows and values GCB’s traditions and internal culture. A Pioneer Valley resident for the past 30 years, he is a director, executive committee member, and chair of the governance committee for the United Way of Franklin County; a former director of the Franklin County Community Development Corp.; and a former director of the Berkshire Brewing Co. of South Deerfield. He received his bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst and his MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, and he is a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Monson Savings Bank announced the recent promotion of Rob Chateauneuf to senior vice president and senior commercial loan officer. In his new role, Chateauneuf will be responsible for leading the bank’s Commercial Lending team as they continue to serve local businesses of all sizes. He is skilled in commercial real-estate lending, C&I lending, construction lending, and SBA lending. At Monson Savings Bank, he most recently served as first vice president of Commercial Lending and has been the bank since 2012. With more than 20 years of banking experience, including commercial lending, residential lending, and retail branch management, he has a comprehensive understanding of the needs and challenges of commercial businesses. Chateauneuf earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Springfield Regional Chamber’s Leadership Institute at Western New England University and the American Bankers Assoc. Stonier Graduate School of Banking – Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2014, he was recognized as one of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty. He served on the board of directors at Hawthorn Services from 2006 to 2010, serving as president and chair from 2008 to 2010. When Hawthorn Services merged with the Center for Human Development (CHD), he was asked to join the CHD board, which he served as chair of the program committee and a member the board of directors from 2010 to 2020. He also served on the board of directors of the South Hadley Chamber of Commerce from 2004 to 2013. He has also been involved in myriad other charitable organizations and volunteer events throughout the years, including those benefiting Habitat for Humanity, the Westfield Boys & Girls Club, the United Way, and the towns of Agawam and South Hadley.

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Berkshire Bank announced the promotion of Jennifer Carmichael to executive vice president and chief internal audit officer. She previously served as senior vice president and audit manager at the bank. In her role, Carmichael will continue to lead all aspects of Berkshire’s internal audit and independent SOX testing programs. She is responsible for providing independent and objective assurance to management and the audit committee on the adequacy and effectiveness of governance and internal controls to support the achievement of organizational objectives as well as promote and facilitate continuous improvement as part of the third line of defense. She reports directly to the audit committee of the board of directors and administratively to acting CEO Sean Gray. Carmichael previously served as senior vice president and audit manager at Berkshire Bank. She joined Berkshire in 2016 from Accume Partners, where she served as senior audit manager to several clients in the New York and New England regions, including Berkshire. She began her career in the community-banking sector in internal audit roles and previously served several years at Ballston Spa National Bank, including as assistant vice president, compliance and BSA officer and assistant auditor. In addition to her professional achievements, she also serves as a member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary and the Vermont Veterans Home board of trustees, where she serves on the strategic planning committee.

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Eric Ohanian

Eric Ohanian

Eric Ohanian, structural project engineer at Tighe & Bond Inc., was named a 2020 Young Professional of the Year by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA). This award recognizes the accomplishments of young engineers by highlighting their interesting and unique work, and the resulting impact on society. Ohanian has been a key contributor to the successful rise of Tighe & Bond’s bridge-design and assessment practice over the last few years. His extensive experience and knowledge of engineering design have greatly contributed to the service the firm provides to municipal and DOT clients, including assisting numerous towns with applications for more than $3 million in grant funding for bridges. Beyond bridge design, his work includes business development, project management, marketing, mentoring, and engineering. His hard work was recognized early in his career with Tighe & Bond when he was selected to join the first year-long Aspiring Leaders Program. This provided an opportunity to work directly with senior leadership and solve upcoming challenges. His contributions to the program resulted in the development of a new internal quality management committee, of which he is an active member. Ohanian will be honored by ACEC/MA alongside other award recipients at its 2021 awards gala.

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Belt Technologies Inc., a manufacturer of custom metal belt conveyer solutions and conveyor systems, announced that Timothy Condry has joined the team in the role of materials coordinator. A seasoned professional, he will coordinate logistics for the busy manufacturer. Condry holds business degrees from Manchester Community College and Eastern Connecticut State University. Prior to joining Belt Technologies, he was a production planner for 15 years, responsible for forecasting and purchasing materials, providing customer support, and production control.

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PeoplesBank recently announced nine promotions. Christina Bordeau has been promoted to assistant vice president, banking center manager for the High Street, Holyoke location. She has more than 24 years of financial-services and banking experience, having served in various retail banking roles. Michael Gay has been promoted to vice president, banking center manager for the Amherst location. He has more than 20 years of retail and banking experience. Jacquelyn Guzie has been promoted to vice president and regional manager. She has more than 20 years of financial-services and banking experience, having served in various retail banking roles, including managing the Suffield Banking Center. Clare Ladue was promoted to vice president and regional manager for the Holyoke region. She has more than 25 years of financial-services and banking experience, having served in banking center management, administration, and commercial lending. She previously served as banking center manager for the Hadley Banking Center and was promoted to assistant vice president, regional manager, in 2019. Aneta Lombardi was promoted to finance officer. She has more than 15 years of financial-services and banking experience, including serving in various positions in the finance division, most recently as financial analyst. Nicole Nelson was promoted to banking center manager at the Windsor Locks location. She has more than eight years of banking experience, including serving as assistant manager of both the East Longmeadow and Windsor Locks banking centers. Steve Parastatidis was promoted to first vice president, commercial banking. He has 16 years of banking experience. Brenda Rodriguez was promoted to assistant vice president, banking center manager of the Chicopee location. She has more than 14 years of financial-services and banking experience, having served in various retail banking roles, including most recently as banking center manager for the St. James Avenue, Springfield location. Danielle Rosario was promoted to vice president, banking center manager, for the Chicopee location. She has more than 17 years of banking experience.

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Bill Jackson

Bill Jackson

Restoration specialist Bill Jackson has joined the business-development team at Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding Inc. He will work to expand partnerships and provide assistance throughout the New England condominium industry, particularly for members of the Community Associations Institute (CAI). His experience in the condominium industry will give property managers a go-to source for renovations that may include roofing, siding, windows, decks, and all-inclusive envelope projects. He will also work closely with clients to solve any issues. Jackson was a member of the CAI-CT board of directors, covering the Connecticut region, for six years. He also served on the association’s full fun committee and conference committee, and is a certified educated business partner. He worked for several years at two restoration companies. Jackson met Quenneville at a CAI conference in Connecticut, and is now hoping to meet property managers from all over New England to offer consultation and advice on upcoming projects and to solve any issues they might have. Jackson expects a busy spring because many projects have been put on hold during the pandemic.

 

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

Fuss & O’Neill Announces Partnership with Trilon Group

SPRINGFIELD — Civil and environmental engineering firm Fuss & O’Neill announced a strategic partnership with Trilon Group, a family of infrastructure consulting businesses. The partnership gives Fuss & O’Neill additional capital and resources to expand its services and markets in the Northeast, while better serving its clients. Founded in 1924, Fuss & O’Neill is a leading provider of engineering services, with offices in each New England state and New York. Fuss & O’Neill was selected by Trilon Group to be a part of the company’s vision to build the next top-10 design firm in North America. Trilon will support Fuss & O’Neill to accelerate the growth and careers of its employees with additional investment in talent, technology, and targeted mergers and acquisitions.

 

Easthampton Announces Business Grant Winners

EASTHAMPTON — The City of Easthampton announced that five local businesses have been awarded business grants as part of the 2023 Business Census, launched earlier this year. The five winners were randomly selected out of the 66 survey respondents. The $1,000 business grant winner is Yarn Dragon’s Basket. The $500 business grant winners are Beautiful Gardens, Jude Ribisi, Klituscope Films, and Staying in Balance Acupuncture. In partnership with both the Chamber of Greater Easthampton and Blueprint Easthampton, the city launched the 2023 Business Census, a comprehensive survey for business owners, innovators, and entrepreneurs in the community. This effort was made possible by participation in the National League of Cities’ City Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) program, the fourth that Easthampton has been a part of. Through support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the CIE program is a National League of Cities initiative that asks city leaders to commit to an inclusive economic-development policy, program, or practice over the course of one year.

 

Hyundai Hope on Wheels Gives $20,000 to Two Nonprofits

HOLYOKE — During a check presentation on Jan. 25 at Gary Rome Hyundai, Hyundai Hope on Wheels made two donations: $10,000 to LukeStronger Inc. of South Hadley and $10,000 to Each Moment We’re Alive of West Springfield. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope on Wheels is one of the longest-running corporate social-responsibility efforts in the automotive industry. In honor of its 25th anniversary, it announced plans to award $25 million in research grants this year, its largest donation in a single year, bringing its total giving to $225 million since its inception. Each Moment We’re Alive was launched by Sheridan Murphy in 2015 after her second bout with breast cancer. She then realized that reaching out, rather than blocking out, was the best chance for survival. Since then, she has helped organize support groups and workshops with a focus on emotional and spiritual health. Sheridan has since expanded her network to help families with all types of cancer, including pediatric cancer. LukeStronger Inc. is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing assistance to local families dealing with pediatric cancer so that parents can spend time with their children. LukeStronger originated when Luke Bradley, a then 10-year-old boy from South Hadley, relapsed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Local residents rallied to support his family with, among other things, a benefit golf tournament. Complications and another unforeseen relapse kept Luke at Boston Children’s Hospital for 15 months. He underwent a bone-marrow transplant in December 2017 and is doing well today. Bradley’s family created a nonprofit to help other families by continuing the golf-tournament tradition. In its short history, LukeStronger has helped seven local families fill the income gap caused by pediatric cancer.

 

Dietz Supports Nonprofits with ‘Spread the Cheer’ Campaign

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Dietz & Company Architects recently held its annual “Spread the Cheer” holiday campaign with a $2,500 top prize donation. Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) won it with nearly 25% of the total votes. The “Spread the Cheer” holiday campaign began in 2017 in an effort to be more environmentally conscious by not sending out paper holiday cards, but rather raise awareness for all the work local nonprofits do. During the nine-day campaign, 18 local organizations were selected to be included in the event. Voters used a SurveyMonkey link to access the poll and choose an organization they felt was deserving of a share of a $5,000 prize. The organization that received the most votes received $2,500. Second place won $1,500, and third place received $1,000. The International Language Institute of Massachusetts won second place with 22% of the votes, and Dakin Humane Society came in third with 19% of the votes. The remaining 15 organizations received $100 each.

 

Breeze Airways Launches Service to Cincinnati, San Diego

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority announced that low-cost carrier Breeze Airways will be launching non-stop summer seasonal service between Bradley International Airport and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The flight will operate on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, starting May 2. Additionally, Breeze will offer daily summer seasonal service between Bradley and San Diego International Airport, starting May 1. The flight will be part of the airline’s BreezeThru service, which includes one stop, but passengers do not have to change planes. The announcement follows recent news of the airline’s plans to launch service between BDL and Orlando, Fla. and Santa Ana, Calif. in May. Breeze currently flies nonstop between Bradley and Charleston, S.C.; Columbus, Ohio; Fort Myers, Fla.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Las Vegas; New Orleans; Phoenix; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Sarasota, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; and Vero Beach, Fla.

 

Greenfield Cooperative Bank Supports Empty Arms Bereavement

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Cooperative Bank announced that its nomination of Empty Arms Bereavement, an organization offering compassionate support to families experiencing pregnancy or infant loss, has resulted in a $5,000 grant from the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. (MBA) Community Service Grant Program. “Empty Arms’ dedication to supporting families during some of life’s most difficult moments resonates deeply with our commitment to community service,” said Tony Worden, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank. This year, the MBA Charitable Foundation awarded 41 grants, totaling $152,500, to nonprofit organizations across the state. Empty Arms’ dedication to grieving families stood out among the many nominations, earning it this vital funding.

Monson Savings Bank Promotes Rob Chateauneuf

By
Daily News

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank announced the recent promotion of Rob Chateauneuf to senior vice president and senior commercial loan officer.

“Rob has more than proven his value over the years through his hard work and dedication to Monson Savings Bank’s customers and his team members. We are so pleased to recognize his commitment with this well-deserved promotion,” Monson Savings Bank President Dan Moriarty said. “Rob puts his heart into his work. His in-depth understanding of commercial lending, his welcoming disposition, and his enthusiasm to help commercial borrowers make him an asset to our team and our customers.”

In his new role, Chateauneuf will be responsible for leading the bank’s Commercial Lending team as they continue to serve local businesses of all sizes. He is skilled in commercial real-estate lending, C&I lending, construction lending, and SBA lending.

At Monson Savings Bank, he most recently served as first vice president of Commercial Lending and has been the bank since 2012. With more than 20 years of banking experience, including commercial lending, residential lending, and retail branch management, he has a comprehensive understanding of the needs and challenges of commercial businesses.

Chateauneuf earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Springfield Regional Chamber’s Leadership Institute at Western New England University and the American Bankers Assoc. Stonier Graduate School of Banking – Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2014, he was recognized as one of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty.

He served on the board of directors at Hawthorn Services from 2006 to 2010, serving as president and chair from 2008 to 2010. When Hawthorn Services merged with the Center for Human Development (CHD), he was asked to join the CHD board, which he served as chair of the program committee and a member the board of directors from 2010 to 2020. He also served on the board of directors of the South Hadley Chamber of Commerce from 2004 to 2013. He has also been involved in myriad other charitable organizations and volunteer events throughout the years, including those benefiting Habitat for Humanity, the Westfield Boys & Girls Club, the United Way, and the towns of Agawam and South Hadley.

“I am excited to be a part of Monson Savings Bank, a community bank that focuses on the true needs of our local businesses,” Chateauneuf said. “Monson Savings Bank supports the local economy by providing businesses with capital to grow, resulting in more local jobs and vibrant communities.”

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