Outlook 2018 by repubnews

Outlook2018

S T R O N G E TOGETHER J

| SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

Collaboration. Cooperation. Community.

Merriam Webster, the dictionary company that has made its home in Springfield since 1828, defines “collaborate” as: “to work jointly with others, especially in an intellectual endeavor.” Its Latin origin comes from “collaborare,” meaning to labor together. All over Western Massachusetts, there are examples of how collaborative efforts are making this region a better place to live, learn, work and do business in 2018. Forty years in the making, Springfield’s renovated Union Station made its grand debut in 2017. The MGM Springfield casino rises in the heart of downtown, preparing for a 2018 opening. Chinese rail car manufacturer CRRC Massachusetts is ready to roll out its North American headquarters. At Valley Venture Mentors, new entrepreneurs are being inspired to succeed in their dreams. Collaboration is key to the evolving renaissance of Western Massachusetts as cities and towns, the state, businesses and industry, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, colleges and universities, legislators, chambers of commerce, health care institutions, arts groups and philanthropists all join forces to help our region grow and thrive.

We are Stronger Together.

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Examples of collaboration abound across Western Massachusetts as the region works together to help spur economic development, says Richard K. Sullivan Jr., president and CEO of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts. This view of Springfield comes from atop 31 Elm St. in Court Square, a property slated for conversion to housing and offices as part of the MGM Springfield casino project. State and federal agencies are working with the Springfield Redevelopment Authority to determine steps to deal with environmental cleanup of the property, while the Opal Real Estate Group and Winn Development hold a memorandum of understanding to buy and renovate the property. MGM may assist with the project as part of its commitment to provide market-rate housing downtown. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Western Mass rises thanks to power of collaboration

TRUE STRENGTH OF the Western Massachusetts economy is our ability to work together for the common good of the region. We see collaboration between colleges and universities, private business and public sector organizations, and between the many mayors and our legislative delegations. This united voice, with the same message and goal, will not go unnoticed by businesses that are looking to grow and expand in the region nor by students who are looking at their educational and career choices. The No. 1 issue for growing and expanding businesses is the workforce. Can they find the workers to fill the available jobs, and can they retain the talent once the jobs are filled? Western Massachusetts needs to be able to answer yes. Many regional partnerships have developed in order to meet this workforce need. A major asset of the Western Massachusetts region is the presence of so many world-class colleges and universities. These institutions are educating and training the very talent that private business is seeking. In recent years the colleges and universities have signed articulation agreements between themselves to attract students, which makes getting a degree more affordable and, in some cases, quicker than in previous generations. Elms College and Greenfield

Richard Sullivan jobs available today and will be in demand in the years to come. In Westfield, Gulfstream has worked closely with Westfield Academy and Westfield State University to create a new aviation-related curriculum. MassMutual has invested more than $17 million with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and its Springfield satellite campus and Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges to create cutting-edge programs in data science, cybersecurity and women in data science programs. Bay Path University recently held a full-day seminar on cybersecuThe moon sets behind the Springfield skyline, seen from Maple Street, on Jan. 31. At the upper left of the moon is rity, highlighting Bay Path’s and a shadow created by the beginning of a total lunar eclipse. (GREG SAULMON / THE REPUBLICAN) the region’s leadership position in cybersecurity. Community College have develthat guarantees a scholarship with MGM Springfield has been allows qualified BCC physical fitness oped a program that allows students an associate’s degree with certain working closely with HCC to create graduates to transfer to Springfield academic conditions. Western New College’s applied exercise science to achieve a degree in business a state-of-the-art culinary and hospitality curriculum and with STCC and England University guarantees an management, early child care or program with junior standing. Cambridge College around gaming. education. American International, academic scholarship to GCC graduPrivate industry has begun workRail car manufacturer CRRC Holyoke Community and Springfield ates. Berkshire Community College ing directly with our public schools Massachusetts has collaborated with Technical Community colleges cre- and Springfield College have entered to create the curriculum that stuSEE SULLIVAN, PAGE J6 ated the Direct Connect Scholarship into an academic agreement that dents must learn in order to fill the

‘New Springfield’ draws strength from past

ARDLY A DAY passes that does not show new proof of downtown Springfield’s continuing renaissance. It’s not just the billion-dollar MGM Springfield casino, although it is clearly the big engine that is bringing downtown back to life. It’s not just the reconstruction of Interstate 91, although it is clearly the vehicle for thousands of new jobs and new investment born out of the new confidence that new ventures are worthy. It’s also the refreshing sign of public, private and community leaders once again working together for the common goal

glove with Springfield Central, the private sector’s downtown redevelopment organization. Springfield Central was formed in the late 1970s to counter the new competition from suburban malls. It was formed and paid for by Mass Mutual, the downtown’s banks and insurance companies, and a host of smaller outfits David Starr which recognized its need. It hired a former mayor, Charles of bringing New Springfield’s Ryan, to run it and a former downtown back from the near- city assessor, Carlo Marchetti, dead. as executive director. They There was an inspiring burst tried hard, but Springfield of downtown renaissance in Central was dormant until the the 1980s, led by then-mayors Springfield Newspapers joined Richard E. Neal and Theodore the effort in 1977. The newspapers vigorously explained the Dimauro, working hand-indesperate need for downtown help and trumpeted its purpose to the public It was that partnership of private sector, city government and the newspapers that lifted downtown by its own bootstraps. Springfield Central created a low-interest mortgage pool of $16.3 million to help convince developers to invest in Springfield instead of other places. In five short years, two new skyscrapers were built where before there had been only one, two new half-size skyscrapers went up where before there In this November 1978 photo, Springfield Mayor Theodore Dimauro, left, is seen at Court Square with David Starr, publisher of the Springfield Newspapers and then president of Springfield Central, and Gov. Michael S. Dukakis. Starr, who is today president of The Republican Co., says Springfield Central, in the late 1970s and into the 1980s, served as a catalyst for $450 million worth of new and rehabilitation dollars – all private money – to begin Springfield’s downtown renaissance. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

In June 1989, Springfield Central released “Visions,” a new master plan focused on continuing the downtown revitalization efforts. From left are Carlo Marchetti, executive director, Philip E. Lamb, at the microphone, Springfield Central’s president, David Starr, publisher of the Springfield Newspapers, and Mayor Mary E. Hurley. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

had been none, a new large national-franchised hotel opened where before there had been only one and all over the place factories were renovated into apartments. In all, $450 million worth of new and rehabilitation dollars – all private money – was spent in Springfield’s downtown renaissance. It won national praise and recognition. Alas, it was not thus for most

of the next 30 years. The building boom of the 1980s was followed by a near-desert of municipal stagnation. Mayor Michael Albano tried in the 1990s, but his work was aborted by a foolish and unnecessarily imposed state financial control board and ineffectual mayors. Today, we have another smart mayor, Domenic J. Sarno, who understands and

appreciates the need to bring in the private sector again, plus state and federal agencies for help. Sarno and his chief development officer, Kevin Kennedy, have consistently worked well with others, like MGM’s local and national managers, CRRC, the Chinese railroad car manufacturing company that is ready to start work soon, and real estate developers from SEE STARR, PAGE J4

“The grand opening of MGM’s casino later this year, along with the grand reopening of the I-91 viaduct, will create a new downtown that fulfills the dreams of Springfield’s planners 30 years ago.” DAVID STARR, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLICAN CO.

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Together always was and always will be a better way. MassMutual has been proud to call Springfield home since 1851. Through the years, we’ve had the honor of seeing the successes of all members of our business community inspire and elevate our great city.

Live Mutual

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Insurance products issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111, and its affiliated US insurance companies. Securities offered through MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC® and a MassMutual subsidiary. CRN202001-225209.

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Public-private partnerships help WMass region rise

In this photograph from 1998, U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal is seen in front of the then-abandoned Union Station in Springfield. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

NE OF THE MOST PLEAsurable experiences I’ve had in my career in public service was the grand opening of Springfield’s Union Station in June. The rebirth of this historic facility marked the culmination of a 40-year effort to preserve and renovate one of the most important structures in the city. It was met with universal acclaim. Once a vacant eyesore and against long odds, the station has been transformed into a state-of-the-art intermodal transportation center serving the entire region. The process was a decades-long lesson in perseverance, determination and hard work. It is also a good reminder of what we can accomplish in Western Massachusetts when the public and private sector work together for the common good.

Richard E. Neal During my first campaign for City Council, I made a pledge that I would do all I could to save Union Station from the wrecking ball. Like so many others, I had fond memories of this iconic structure and all the people who passed through it. The biggest challenge was securing the resources necessary to make the $95 million revitalization project pos-

sible. But, with the bipartisan support of local, state and federal officials, we now have a railroad terminal that has the potential to completely transform the north blocks of downtown Springfield. And, with north-south regional passenger rail service expanding significantly this spring, more people will be utilizing Union Station than ever before. That is why I brought the entire Western Massachusetts legislative delegation together last month to prioritize our future transportation needs. To build on the momentum we achieved with Union Station, I believe we need to continue to speak with one voice when it comes to important local public works projects. This strategic approach to governing will benefit the entire region.

SEE NEAL, PAGE J17

Union Station in Springfield was reopened in June, the culmination of a 40-year effort to restore the historic rail station. U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, who began the effort when he served as a city councilor, calls it a prime example of what can be accomplished with public-private partnerships and perseverance. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

TRANSPORTATION

Union Station is downtown’s crown jewel $95M effort turns landmark into 21st century gem By JIM KINNEY

different days. Vendors at the station had The people behind Springto have enough food. And field’s Union Station knew the there were challenges for place was popular. the station’s janitorial crew. But they weren’t necessarily The social media response expecting 10,000 to 12,000 informed Stelzer he needed people to visit for Thanksgiv- to get more signs for inside ing. the station so folks could find That’s just a rough estimate their way around. of the crowd that streamed Stelzer and others believe through Union Station during big crowds will become the that holiday weekend, says norm for Union Station in the Paul M. Stelzer, president of future as more office space is Appleton Corp., an affiliate occupied, a new restaurant of the O’Connell Companies, opens and Connecticut’s which manages the building. CTRail inaugurates commutThe crowd was mostly coler rail service to New Haven lege students and others who through Hartford and conused Peter Pan Bus Lines and necting with Springfield. The September opening of Greyhound to travel home for the MGM Springfield casino the holiday. Stelzer says the bus lines told him the Christ- is also expected to generate mas crowd was probably traffic through Union Station. about the same size, only it The refurbished Union Stawas spread out as the region’s tion opened to the public in June following a $95 million colleges let out for winter rehabilitation into a modern break at different times and intermodal transportation students finished exams on jkinney@repub.com

Starr

SEE UNION, PAGE J18

estern Massachusetts is a region on the rise. With billions of dollars in economic development, a thriving Knowledge Corridor with some of the best colleges and universities in the nation, an educated workforce, topranked hospitals, world class museums and affordable real estate, we enjoy a quality of life that is unrivaled.

The 40-year effort and $95 million investment to renovate Springfield’s historic Union Station came to fruition in June with the opening. The Thanksgiving holiday weekend saw the first deluge of traffic through the station that officials forecast will become the norm as rail, bus and other transportation-related business, coupled with offices and restaurants, make the station a 21st century intermodal transit center. At left, Peter Pan is leasing 21,000 square feet on Union Station’s third floor and will pay $1.6 million for the lease’s initial five-year term. Peter Pan will move into its new offices in April. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

2018

What a year to come!

The Pioneer Valley is simply a great place, to live, work and raise a family. And we have achieved this success through a remarkable partnership between the public and private sector. Our community leaders know that we are stronger together. As we begin the new year, I look forward to many signiﬁcant announcements that will build on our continuing renaissance and resurgence. It’s an exciting time to be in the crossroads of New England. CONGRESSMAN

Richard E. Neal

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by MGM’s ability to attract big-name entertainment. The city, in turn, is spending CONTINUED FROM PAGE J2 its own money to spruce up New York and from our own downtown and its neighborregion. They have also worked hoods with new street and sidewalk paving, new facades hand-in-glove with the Economic Development Council for stores that had become of Western Massachusetts and shabby and the construction the Pioneer Valley Planning of a new downtown police Commission, the short-range sub-station and Main Street and long-term private and police kiosks. public agencies. The grand opening of The new spirit of cooperMGM’s casino later this year, ation has been best demonalong with the grand reopenstrated by MGM. It decided ing of the I-91 viaduct, will itself to build a six-floor, create a new downtown that close-to-the-sidewalk hotel in- fulfills the dreams of Springstead of another skyscraper, it field’s planners 30 years ago. explained, because the lower height better recognized the David Starr is president of unique character of an urban The Republican Co. and senior casino compared to a resort editor of Advance Newspapers. casino. The lower height will He is a founder of Springfield encourage more people to Business Friends of the Arts, get out and walk around the the Community Foundation of streets of downtown SpringWestern Massachusetts and the field, rather than live in a high- Economic Development Council rise cocoon. of Western Massachusetts. He MGM has also already was president of Springfield agreed to help downtown’s Central for 16 years and has cultural organizations, includ- been active with the Springfield ing the Springfield Museums, Symphony Orchestra, public the Springfield Symphony television station WGBY and Orchestra, CityStage, its the Springfield Library and restaurants and the MassMuseum Association. He served Mutual Center survive and on the Massachusetts Cultural grow instead of being crushed Council board for 31 years.

hub. U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, championed the project for more than 40 years. Since the opening gala, Dietz & Co. Architects has fitted out and moved into 8,000 square feet of office space on an upper floor, and construction is underway for new offices for Peter Pan Bus Lines. Peter Pan is leasing 21,000 square feet on the building’s third floor and will pay $1.6 million for the lease’s initial five-year term. Peter Pan will

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

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The MGM Springfield casino project is about seven months away from opening. In this photo taken in January, the facade of the 250-room boutique hotel takes shape along Main Street in the city’s South End. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

I The MGM Springfield Casino is only seven months away from the projected opening. This is a view of the entertainment complex from Union Street. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

CASINO

Let the games begin 6 years later, MGM Springfield ready to open casino doors By JIM KINNEY

jkinney@repub.com

MGM Springfield recently supplied the state Gaming Commission with a bar chart that is pages long. The document shows when each facet of the resort casino began construction and when it must be complete. Nearly every project runs up against a black bar – a deadline in every sense of the word – six months from now in August. That’s when nearly everything must be ready because MGM Springfield will open in September. Only the long-promised market-rate housing construction and a few retail projects won’t be done by then, according to the filing with the state commission. The possibility of casino gambling in Western Massachusetts was a topic of debate for decades even before the three-year construction project commenced. Projects came and went, from a possible site in Palmer, to investors touring cornfields in Westfield, to the Wykoff Country Club in Holyoke. The old Westinghouse site in East Springfield, where CRRC Massachusetts will soon start making passenger rail cars in a massive factory, was once even cleared as a potential casino site. Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts International came

to Springfield in August 2012. Back then, MGM was just one of five proposals for a Western Massachusetts casino. There was a statewide vote, a citywide vote and numerous votes by the City Council, the state Legislature and the gaming commission. And now the casino is just seven months away from opening. But jobs have to be filled now. In November MGM opened a career center on East Columbus Avenue, where it is screening and hiring job applicants. MGM Springfield will have 125,000 square feet of gambling space with 3,000 slot machines, 100 tables, a poker room and high-limit VIP gambling area. Its 250-room hotel will have a spa, pool and roof deck. The facility will have about 55,000 square feet of commercial space that will accommodate 15 shops and restaurants. It will also have a multilevel parking garage. The casino promised the state it would create 3,000 permanent jobs when it opens. Of those, at least 2,200 will be full-time. It is estimated MGM will have an annual payroll of $90 million. A rough breakdown of those jobs calls for MGM Springfield to hire at least 1,000 workers on the casino floor, including dealers, pit managers, slot machine technicians and the like. The casino also will need 800 food, beverage and culinary workers and 115 hotel workers. MGM expects to hire 55

SEE CASINO, PAGE J7

MGM set to ‘bring the show back downtown’

HAVE A VINTAGE PHOto from 1904 in my office. It’s of the circus marching down Main Street in Springfield. The image is faded and yellowed, but you can still see it was a great show. There were elephants and marching bands, and families and crowds lining the street. When I think about this year and what our company is creating downtown, I think about that photo. I think about MGM Resorts’ corporate creed: “Entertainment is a Fundamental Human Need.” That’s been true from the beginning of time. It was true in 1904, and it’s just as true today. As MGM Springfield rises and begins to shed its scaffolding, it’s more than a world-class resort. We’re bringing the show back downtown. A year from now, we

Michael Mathis men and women – many of whom will be your neighbors, friends and family – who we will be hiring to put on the show. To that end, MGM’s workforce development continues to focus on two key areas: outreach and education. In terms of outreach, we have partnered with 20 outstanding local community organizations, and we have

with job seekers and potential employees at all skill levels and experience. In fact, the commonwealth recognized how powerful a tool SkillSmart could be for the region when it provided the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts a Working Cities Challenge grant in October to provide SkillSmart to other employers in the area. Another educational resource that we are excited to help launch is the Massachusetts Casino Career Training Institute’s Gaming School. Located in downtown Springfield, classes start this month, with programming focused on table games training and other casino-industry specific skills new to the area. In early December, we opened up the first enrollments for the gaming school at the MassMutual

This aerial perspective is a rendering of how MGM Springfield will appear from Main Street. At center can be seen a portion of the old National Guard armory that is being preserved as part of the casino’s design. In the foreground is the facade for the 250-room boutique hotel that is included in the project. (MGM SPRINGFIELD)

will be talking about the great acts MGM booked, events on our plaza and hundreds of thousands of visitors we have drawn to our casino, hotel, restaurants and the downtown area. So, in this Outlook 2018, it’s about finishing preparations before we open the show and the work that is centered on finding and training the 3,000

learned a great deal about the community’s employment needs and desires. Those partners have offered up their high schools, community centers and churches for us to talk about the opportunities we are bringing to the region. MGM also introduced SkillSmart, an online interactive job-training resource designed to match employers

Center and had 60 men and women sign up the first day. They represented a diverse community – from all walks of life – recent high school and college graduates side by side with retired seniors wanting a second career. I can’t wait to see them welcome you to MGM Springfield. The foundational philosophy behind all our workforce de-

velopment efforts is to build a trained workforce that reflects the community. We prioritize diversity in the workplace and strive to give equitable opportunity to the information and services needed to apply for a job with us. By focusing on the people who will become the life force of our new resort, responsible for engaging, inspiring and entertaining our customers, we know we are making a sure bet! It may strike you as odd that in the final year of our construction I speak not of cranes or concrete, but of building relationships in our community and with our future team members. But I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a strong and engaged workforce. When we open our doors and greet our customers, our employees will be on the front lines representing the cultural and economic renaissance in Springfield. A 250-room boutique hotel, gourmet dining options, well-curated retail stores, tranquil spa facilities, a comfortable and spacious gaming space and an 8,000seat entertainment and events venue, via our partnership with MassMutual Center, will come to life because of our employees. As the largest private development in the history of Western Massachusetts, we are well aware that expectations are high and all eyes are on us as we approach our opening. We will not disappoint. We are primed to attract thousands of new visitors and reintroduce Springfield to the region and the world. The past five years has been a great mix of challenging, humbling and fulfilling work. Our team continues to find its inspiration in the mission of this resort destination and the people of this community. Together, we stand ready for 2018 because we know the best is yet to come. Michael Mathis is president and chief operations officer of MGM Springfield. To learn more about MGM Springfield, visit the website, mgmspringfield. com.

“It may strike you as odd that in the final year of our construction I speak not of cranes or concrete, but of building relationships in our community and with our future team members. But I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a strong and engaged workforce.” MICHAEL MATHIS, PRESIDENT, COO, MGM SPRINGFIELD

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Stewards of the past, museums for the future

E Samilid Hogan

Network helps small businesses thrive

VER THE LAST 18 months, I’ve had the privilege to advise small businesses in the Pioneer Valley. Every day I meet with folks who are looking to fulfill the traditional American Dream and want to start or grow their businesses. As the regional director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Western Office, my dual role as a manager and adviser allows me to coach business owners, share lessons learned and my experience to help them avoid costly mistakes. Our specialty, though, is to help our clients secure capital to buy, start or grow a business. We do this by helping them build what we refer to as “loan packages” (business plans with two or three-year proforma) to be presented to a bank or an investor. However, we could not be highly effective at our job without the support network we have created here in the Pioneer Valley. Whether by chance or intention, the heads of various organizations have created an impressive network of resources dedicated solely to helping businesses in our region start and grow. Granted, there are still a number of communities and people who may yet not be aware of all the resources available to them, but not for long – the word is spreading! Over the next 12 months I predict the impact of our entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Pioneer Valley will be more evident to everyone, not just to the people involved. SPARK in Holyoke will be graduating its eighth cohort of 10 or so businesses from their business start-up program in April for a total of 80 businesses over the past two years. Valley Venture Mentors is graduating 30-plus businesses from its third Business Accelerator Cohort last year, and the fourth is just getting started now in February. At the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, we helped clients secure $3 million in capital last year from area lenders and investors and helped to start over 20 businesses, and we are on

STABLISHED IN 1857, the Springfield Museums celebrated its 160th birthday in 2017, and oh, what a year it was! With funding from the capital campaign launched by our museum trustees in 2015, we completed the restoration of our historic George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, installed a new state-of-the-art security system, redesigned the welcome center and museum store and opened the long-awaited Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum. Designed as a tribute to Springfield-born icon of children’s literature, Theodor Seuss Geisel, the new museum immerses visitors into a Seussian world filled with his whimsical characters and the private realm of his studio and sitting room. The three-day opening celebration in June was attended by 5,000 people and included a fundraiser donated by Paul Picknelly at the Sheraton Hotel, a fantastic parade down Mulberry Street organized by the Spirit of Springfield, original performances of Seuss-inspired music by Springfield students and the Community Music School and a ribbon-cutting

Kay Simpson ceremony attended by the mayor, elected officials, donors and members of Ted Geisel’s family. The opening kicked off our “Spectacular Summer of Seuss,” a three-month extravaganza of programming and exhibitions that attracted the same level of visitation that we typically have in a year. Not only did we draw tourists from every state in the country, the museum was a destination for travelers from around the globe. By every measure, the Dr. Seuss Museum helped our Quadrangle “soar to high heights.” As revitalization in the city continues to accelerate, the Springfield Museums are poised to ascend to even higher levels of visibility and importance in 2018. The opening of the Dr. Seuss Museum took place against a backdrop of city-

organizations and businesses are collaborating together on this initiative. If we are sucCONTINUED FROM PAGE J2 cessful, this has potential to STCC, Putnam Vocational grow the available workforce and the region’s trade unions, significantly. hiring many of its graduates Valley Venture Mentors, and members. Many area supported by private and public contributions, is dedicated manufacturers and the National Tooling and Machining to building, supporting and Association are working hand maintaining a community in hand with our technical and to launch an entrepreneurial vocational schools to edurenaissance and is growing cate and attract the needed quickly. workforce. Baystate Health, through its The public and private technology innovation center, sectors have come together has created Techspring, which in support of the Federal Reserves as the bridge between serve Bank’s Working Cities technology innovators and Grant, led by the EDC and the health care professionals, Regional Employment Board making it possible to prove of Hampden County. value and bring better soluCommunity leadership tions to market, has become has led to the creation of the a national leader. Innovation Springfield Works Initiative. and entrepreneurism is a The initiative looks to bring fast-growing segment of our individuals that are currently economy. not participating in the workOur region’s mayors, state force into the workforce with and federal elected officials a career pathway to a better are always willing to come life. More than 40 private, together on a regional issue of importance and meet public, and not-for-profit

(DAVE ROBACK/ THE REPUBLICAN)

wide efforts to reinvent Springfield, led by the city’s Department of Planning and Economic Development. Working in tandem with the city, the museums were privileged to curate and install an exhibition for the grand concourse of the restored 1926 Union Station that will be seen by an estimated 4 million travelers every year.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno greets students from Springfield’s Homer Street and William N. DeBerry schools who gathered on April 28 to present a check for the proceeds of their Pennies for Seuss fundraising campaign to benefit the new Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum at the Quadrangle. At left, Springfield Museums president Kay Simpson, left, stands with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito next to the Cat In the Hat display inside the Massachusetts Building at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield in September. The museums collaborated with the state to create the new exhibit to highlight the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum to fairgoers. (DAVE ROBACK / MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN)

SEE HOGAN, PAGE J14

Sullivan

A December preview of the Springfield Museums’ exhibition, “Jack and Jackie: The Kennedys in the White House and Collecting Camelot: The Kennedy Era and Its Collectibles,” included a tour of the collection of Richard Avedon photographs by Shannon Perich, curator for Photographic History Collections at the National Museum of American History.

together on a regular basis. While each official certainly has important projects in their own communities, they understand that it is important to the whole economy that each community thrive. Creating a positive business climate is important and our officials have shown a unique willingness to work together for the greater good. The messages we are sending as a region, the partnerships that have been created and the results that are being produced are not going unnoticed. There is significant economic development occurring throughout the region. Leadership has impressively come from every sector within our economy. Working together, our regional economy is bright. Richard K. Sullivan Jr. is president and CEO of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts. To learn more about the council and its work, visit the website, westernmassedc.com.

mens from diverse geographic The museums are also locations to Springfield to working with MGM Springfield on a unique partnership give citizens a window on the that will market the Quadworld in their own backyard. rangle to the 8 million guests However, today’s visitors are expected to visit the new looking for a level of interactivity beyond traditional resort through the display of museum artifacts and accom- museum displays. No longer panying collateral promotion. do visitors want to just look at The city’s plan to re-open a picture, they want to be in the long-closed Pynchon the picture. In order to engage today’s Plaza will provide pedestrians with easy access from the experience-driven visitors, Quadrangle to the downmuseums must provide optown and its nascent dining portunities for participation district, MGM entertainment through hands-on activities, center and neighboring attouch-screen computers and tractions. three-dimensional immersive environments. Rooted Other collaborations in interacmerged the tivity and resources of the play, the Dr. museums with Seuss Mucultural assets seum has outside the city. elevated the During the fall, Quadrangle the museums to previouscollaborated ly unimagwith the state inable Department success. of Agriculture Although at the Eastern the museum States Exposition on a colopened in orful Dr. Seuss the middle display in the of calendar Massachusetts year, by Building that the end of promoted the November, Quadrangle to our attendance had the 1.5 million doubled visitors who KAY SIMPSON, PRESIDENT, over 2016. enjoyed the 17SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS But it is day fair. only the Similarly, our beginning. As the Once-ler MassMutual-funded partnership with the Smithsosaid about the Truffula tree nian enabled us to showcase seed in “The Lorax” film, “It stunning exhibitions and is not about what it is, it is about what it can become.” By programs from the nation’s cultivating the museums with premier cultural institution creativity and inspiration and in our museums. In December we opened an exhibition growing them through shared of renowned photographs of resources from collaborating partners, the Springfield the Kennedys in the White Museums will increase our House by Richard Avedon during our Camelot-themed audience exponentially, expand our impact and flourish annual holiday gala. The event was attended by mem- in 2018. bers of the Kennedy family through the invitation of U.S. Kay Simpson is president of Rep. Richard E. Neal and was the Springfield Museums & the most successful gala in Dr. Seuss National Memorial our history. Sculpture Garden. To learn more about the museums, visit The Springfield Museums were established to bring art, the website, springfieldmuseums.org. artifacts and scientific speci-

“Rooted in interactivity and play, the Dr. Seuss Museum has elevated the Quadrangle to previously unimaginable success.”

Developing Careers Growing Business

futureworksjobs.org

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | J7

Working together essential to region’s rise

N 1955, MASSACHUsetts became one of the first states in the nation to enact regional planning, enabling legislation allowing “a city or town to plan jointly with cities and towns to promote with the greatest efficiency and economy the coordinated and orderly development of the area within their jurisdiction and the general welfare and prosperity of their citizens.” With leadership provided by an initial core of six communities, the creation of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission followed, establishing an effective regional planning district that today encompasses 43 member cities and towns, nearly 1,200 square miles of land area and a population of over 630,000. The rationale of this legislation was sound, recognizing that in order for communities to effectively address problems, as well as to pursue opportunities, they needed to reach beyond individual municipal borders in order to think, plan and act together, However, this was not an easy transition for any Pioneer

Tim Brennan Valley community to navigate given New England’s penchant for home rule and local autonomy. Over time, however, there has been growing recognition that in order for communities in a region to grow, compete and prosper, it is essential that they work together. Undeniably, this reality took considerable time and effort to take hold, but today collaboration is the foundation of virtually all of our region’s contemporary success stories. If we look back over several decades of regionwide collaboration that the planning commission has helped orchestrate, there’s an impressive list of important accomplishments we can celebrate,

Regional collaboration played a key role in the creation of the region’s public transit district, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, the largest regional transit authority in Massachusetts, says Tim Brennan, executive director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. The PVTA now operates all of its Springfield service from Union Station, moving about 6,000 people a day. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

including notable examples like these: • The ongoing Connecticut River cleanup project, which has reduced water pollution levels by over 50 percent south of the Holyoke Dam while regaining fishable, swimmable water quality above it; • Creation of the region’s public transit district, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, the largest regional transit authority in Massachusetts, which today employs over 300 vehicles to transport nearly 12 million transit riders per year; • Development and ongoing implementation of the Pioneer Valley Plan for Progress, the region’s strategic economic plan, which was first launched in 1994 and has since undergone major overhauls in 2004 and 2015; • Reconstruction and revitalization of the region’s main north-south passenger rail corridor with an over $120 million investment of federal and state funds, which has successfully brought back Amtrak rail service to the cities of Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield for the first time since 1989; Bicycle riders make their way along the Norwottuck Rail Trail • Sparked by the 1992 openin Northampton in this archival photo. Opened in 1992, the trail ing of the Norwottuck Rail was the first of many in a still-evolving network of bicycle and Trail, an 11-mile combined pedestrian facilities in the Pioneer Valley that is the result of collaborative efforts by municipalities, state and federal agen- bicycle-pedestrian facility linking Amherst, Hadley and cies. (MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

“Today, collaboration is the foundation of virtually all of our region’s contemporary success stories.” In this file photo from 2014, Northampton Mayor David Narkiewicz awaits the arrival of Amtrak’s Vermonter at the train platform following the restoration of stops in Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield for the first time since 1989. The return of the service is among examples cited by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission of successful collaborative efforts to improve transportation services in the Pioneer Valley.

TIM BRENNAN, PIONEER VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION

• The spring 2018 launch of the first phase of the Pioneer Valley Bike Share Project, a joint venture led by Northampton, Amherst, (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) South Hadley, Holyoke, Springfield, the University of Northampton, the Pioneer To maintain this pace of Massachusetts and the planning commission; Valley today boasts an evolvsuccess, however, requires ing network of bicycle and pe- that our region continue the • Start-up of Connectidestrian facilities that enhance sound planning and doing cut’s new commuter rail our region’s attractiveness, service, dubbed the Hartford what is needed in order to livability and health; and Line, which during 2018 will intelligently cooperate with • The successful launch of our collective future. In fact, connect New Haven-Hartford-Springfield, bringing Leadership Pioneer Valley, a it’s proven to be the bedrock nonprofit that the planning of sustainable progress for the 12 round-trips per day into commission helped organize Pioneer Valley and its people. Springfield’s revitalized Union Station; in 2010 to fill a critical need Happily, as we look ahead • An expanding array of for a program producing an to 2018 and beyond, there are army of emerging leaders many more collaborative and municipal, shared-service projects that encompass to tackle the challenges and exciting regional ventures in diverse activities such as opportunities of the region at the “pipeline” that we can SEE BRENNAN, PAGE J12 large. look forward to, including:

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allegations, but the claims, coupled with the failure to disclose a $7.5 million settlement of a sexual harassment case, have prompted the state Gaming Commission to investigate the “appalling accusations,” and how they affect the suitability of the company to build the casino. The Wynn plans include a 27-floor hotel tower and a $2.4 billion price tag. With 600 hotel rooms, Wynn Boston will have 3 million square feet and create more than 4,000 permanent jobs. The state’s sole slots parlor, Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, opened in 2015 and cost $250 million. The gambling industry, and MGM’s business as well, could get a shakeup later this year when the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of federal bans on sports betting at casinos, racetracks and other venues. New Jersey is challenging the law.

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into a different landscape than the one that existed when the project was conCONTINUED FROM PAGE J5 ceived. for engineering and mainConnecticut officials and tenance, 500 for general the state’s two casino-owning administration and 80 for Native American tribes are valet parking, bus greeters working on their own casino and similar jobs. at the site of a former movie Aspiring card dealers, theater complex in East croupiers and gaming floor Windsor, about 15 minutes employees started taking away. Meant to compete classes this month at the with MGM, the smaller East Massachusetts Casino Career Windsor facility still needs Training Institute, a gaming federal approval. school run by Springfield It had appeared all systems Technical Community Colwere go for an opening next lege, Holyoke Community spring of the Wynn Boston College and MGM. Students Harbor casino complex who take two classes earn until the recent bombshell themselves a tryout, or job news of alleged sexual interview on the floor. misconduct by magnate Also this winter, the MGM Steve Wynn, who resigned Resorts-Holyoke Community as chairman and CEO this College Center for Culinary week. Planned to be larger Arts will open in The Cubit than MGM Springfield, it is building in downtown Holybeing built under the same oke. Students interested in 2011 state law that legalized culinary jobs at MGM or else- casino gambling in Massawhere will be trained there. chusetts. Wynn has denied the MGM Springfield will open

J8 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Millennials rising: Young people fuel renaissance

CRRC Massachusetts is putting the finishing touches on its mammoth $95 million factory at the old Westinghouse site on Page Boulevard in East Springfield. At right, this prototype rail car for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Orange Line was built in China and is undergoing testing at an MBTA facility in Medford in advance of production in Springfield to begin later this year. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO / CRRC PHOTO)

MANUFACTURING

Test driving Springfield’s future Existing orders will keep CRRC plant busy to 2025 By JIM KINNEY

jkinney@repub.com

Technicians at the Great Boston transit system’s rail yard are test driving Springfield’s future. The prototype Orange Line cars represent a step toward greater reliability and frequency of service for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

at the MBTA’s Wellington station in Medford were built by CRRC in China. Starting in April, Chinese-owned CRRC will begin manufacturing the Orange Line cars at its new $95 million factory on Page Boulevard in East Springfield. Sometime later this year, the factory will start making railway cars for MBTA’s Red Line. The company already has 59 employees working in Springfield, according to spokeswoman Lydia Rivera. That includes 20 union assemblers and test technicians who

On Oct. 12, CRRC Massachusetts president Chanhe Zhou led a tour of the rail car plant that included Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. The plant will begin manufacturing rail cars in April. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

What’s more, the cars carry with them the hopes CRRC, the largest manufacturer of railroad rolling stock in the world, holds for expanding into the North American market. The prototype cars going through “dynamic” – meaning moving – testing this month

traveled to China last year for training. The other 39 are managers, supervisors, engineers and finance, purchasing, IT and human resources personnel. CRRC plans to hire approximately 45 additional employees at the Springfield facility this year, most all of them

electrical and mechanical assemblers and test technicians. More hiring is expected later as the production crew ramps up to a total of 150. The company has said production jobs will pay $55,000 to $60,000 a year. This will be CRRC’s first factory in North America, and the MBTA deal was its first contract to build cars for a North American transit line. The company has since signed deals with other cities in the U.S. Producing the cars in Massachusetts was a key part of the MBTA contract. The hope is that 2018 will be the first year of an extended renaissance in rail car manufacturing in Springfield. With the Wason Manufacturing Co. in the North End, Springfield was a center of the rail car industry from 1845 to the Great Depression. At 204,000 square feet, the CRRC Massachusetts factory is big enough for three-anda-half football fields. CRRC built it over the past two years at the site of an old Westinghouse manufacturing plant. The plant is the largest industrial investment in Springfield in generations. Westinghouse built its plant in 1915 and by 1930 had 4,500 employees. Westinghouse used the site for research, too, establishing radio station WBZ there in 1921 as America’s first licensed commercial radio station. The plant closed in 1970 and the property was largely vacant until 2012, when it was cleared as a potential site for a casino to be operated by Ameristar, but the company later dropped its bid

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to build a casino there. In 2014, CRRC received a $566 million contract from the MBTA to build 152 Orange Line cars and 252 Red Line cars in Springfield. In December 2016, the state upped the order with another 120 new Red Line cars, with production set to begin in June 2022 at a cost of $277 million. The state went without federal funding on the cars so that it could mandate that they be assembled in Massachusetts. The idea was to foster the industry of making

SEE CRRC, PAGE J17

HILE DIVISION and strife mark the national news, the news here in Western Massachusetts is about coordination and collaboration – especially among an emerging group of young leaders in government, business and the nonprofit sector who are tackling our region’s longtime challenges with new energy and fresh perspectives. As co-chair of the state Senate’s Millennial Engagement Initiative, I’ve traveled to every corner of our commonwealth to meet with young people who are stepping up to lead. Millennials, in particular, are ready to reject old dogmas and divisions and to instead focus on solving problems through collaboration and building bridges across diverse viewpoints and cultures. Western Massachusetts has been at the vanguard of this change. Two Western Massachusetts cities are led by millennials: Alex Morse in Holyoke and Will Reichelt in West Springfield. A near majority of the Springfield City Council is now under 40. This fall, Chicopee elected a new School Committee member and two new city councilors, each in their early 20s. These young leaders are already changing their communities and bringing forward new ideas. Last month, the Springfield City Council increased the age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21 after a group of young people organized a campaign to change the law. Chicopee is exploring options to improve broadband internet

Eric P. Lesser

“It’s a good thing we have so many young people willing to step up, because the next several years, while filled with opportunity, will continue to present challenges that require creativity and outside-thebox thinking.” Eric P. Lesser, state senator

service, and both Holyoke and West Springfield are better leveraging technology to make government more transparent and responsive. Young people are driving each of these initiatives. By bringing a more activist perspective to municipal government, millennials are also expanding the circle of people involved in government decision-making, offering new pathways for women and minorities to enter public service, regardless of age. Our business community is similarly benefiting from an emerging generation of young entrepreneurs who SEE LESSER, PAGE J20

EDC Membership MassMutual Life Insurance Co Baystate Health Systems Eversource ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL The Republican www.westernmassedc.com UMass Amherst Cluster Berkshire Bank MGM Springfield Health New England Big Y United Bank Baystate Health Comcast Cable Columbia Gas of MA WWLP-22 News Smith & Wesson AECOM/Tishman Const. TD Bank Berkshire Gas Co Davis Foundation CBS 3 Springfield News Westfield Bank Friendly’s PeoplesBank Massachusetts Mun. wholesale Yankee Candle National Grid Mercy Medical Center Monarch Enterprises CRRC MA Easthampton Savings Bank Verizon Bulkley Richardson and Gelinas Country Bank Farmington Bank Eastman Chemical, Inc. Key Bank Financial Partners, INc. (FPI) All States Material Group Florence Savings Bank Bacon Wilson PC MassLive Balise Motor Sales Hazen Paper Bradley Int’l Airport Community Foundation Holyoke Medical Center Freedom Credit Union Mount Holyoke College The Markens Group, Inc. Nicolai Law Group N. E. Farm Workers Council Smith College Peerless Precision, Inc. Springfield College Pride Stations & Stores STCC Sulco Warehousing UMass Amherst Monson Savings United Personnel Service Universal Plastics Corp Renaissance Advisory Services Peter Pan Bus Lines Western New England Univ Spherion Staffing Maybury Material Handling Westfield Gas & Electric Westfield State Univ Baystate - Noble Hospital BayPath University Chicopee Electric Light A.L. Griggs Industries Dufault Vann & Co Eastern States Exposition FL Roberts Greenfield Community College For information call Greenfield Co-Op Rick Sullivan Holyoke Community College President & CEO (413) 755-1300 Holyoke Gas & Electric

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

MARIJUANA

Coming soon to store near you 1st pot sales licenses due for issuance this spring By SHIRA SCHOENBERG

sschoenberg@repub.com

In July, for the first time, an adult in Massachusetts will be able to walk into a store and buy marijuana that has been tested for safety and accurately labeled. That is, if the federal government does not crack down on federal marijuana crimes, if marijuana businesses are able to find banking, and if growers are able to grow enough supply to meet the demand. This year will mark a major milestone for Massachusetts – the start of a new industry that faced enormous opposition and comes with the potential for new benefits and new risks.

Control Commission, which was appointed to set up and oversee the marijuana industry, started meeting in September and drafted industry regulations in December after a public hearing process. The rules are to be finalized by March 15. The commission will start accepting license applications April 1 and plans to issue the first license June 1. “Our intent is to have people up and running by July 1 in the adult use part of the business,” said Cannabis Control Commission chairman Steven V. Hoffman. Existing medical marijuana dispensaries will have some advantages in entering the recreational market, if they choose to do so, since they already have cultivation facilities up and running. But any company that meets the licensing requirements will be able to grow or sell marijuana this year.

“Our intent is to have people up and running by July 1 in the adult use part of the business.” STEVEN HOFFMAN, CHAIRMAN, CANNABIS CONTROL COMMISSION

Peter Bernard, president of the Massachusetts Grower Advocacy Council, says that from a business perspective, 2017 was about ramping up. “Everyone is figuring out which ducks they need to put in which order in which row to get themselves ready for 2018,” Bernard said. Recreational marijuana use for adults was legalized on the ballot in November 2016, in spite of concerns about public health and safety, and

Opening a marijuana shop, however, is far more difficult than opening a drugstore. For example, businesses will have to navigate municipal ordinances. In addition to the usual zoning and planning requirements, some municipalities have voted to either ban marijuana businesses outright or to place a moratorium on marijuana businesses, which can last until the end of this year. The goal of the moratorium is to give

This will mark a milestone year for marijuana in Massachusetts as the first retail shops are due to open this summer. Recreational marijuana use for adults was legalized on the ballot in November 2016, and the state Legislature in 2017 passed a bill making some changes to the law, including increasing the tax rate, pushing the opening of retail shops from January to July of this year and setting up the process for cities and towns to permanently or temporarily ban marijuana sales. (ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO)

opposition from most of the state’s top politicians. The Legislature in 2017 passed a bill making some changes to the law, including increasing the tax rate, pushing the opening of retail shops from January to July of this year and setting up the process for cities and towns to permanently or temporarily ban marijuana sales. A five-member Cannabis

municipalities time to come up with regulations before businesses can open. Based on rough estimates from groups tracking these moratoriums, approximately 40 communities have banned all marijuana businesses. Around 70 communities have a moratorium. Amherst failed to pass a moratorium, but did vote to SEE POT, PAGE J18

John L. Doleva, president and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, says the hoop hall saw a nearly 7 percent increase in visitors in 2017, welcoming close to 250,000 visitors. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

“We’ve become an international institution. We’ve had to introduce our brand and take the hall of fame on the road, but doing so secures its place in Springfield.’’ JOHN L. DOLEVA, PRESIDENT, NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM

‘More than just a museum with tickets’ Hoop hall in midst of $15 million renovation project By RON CHIMELIS

rchimelis@repub.com

John L. Doleva has not forgotten 1999, the year he took over the operation of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and realized the credibility problem his museum was facing. In some respects, that was as large an obstacle as the financial woes that also bedeviled the museum. Within the sport itself was the perception that by trying to serve basketball’s many constituencies on a short budget, it wasn’t serving any of them well and was losing the crucial campaign for relevance. “We needed to be more than just a museum with tickets. The first thing we changed was how we treated our hall-of-famers, because without them, you really don’t have a hall,’’ says Doleva, the president of the Springfield shrine. “That first year, we had eight hall-offamers say they’d come back to visit. Three of them canceled at the last minute, and the other five were all over 80 years old.’’ That was then. Last year, 67 hall-of-famers visited Springfield, where the sport was invented in 1891 and where its museum now serves as not just a display case for artifacts, but as a center for where basketball’s pulse and soul can be experienced. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has a $30 million fundraising goal that should be reached and surpassed in 2018. Doleva says more than 95 percent has come from the basketball community, “which is exactly the opposite of what it was when we got started,’’ he explains. “Even the younger players now are seeing the hall. Maybe they played in Springfield in the Hoophall Classic (a January tournament considered the nation’s showcase high school event).’’ The year 2018 will mark the 50th year since the hall of fame’s physical presence was created on the Springfield College campus in 1968.

This artist’s rendering shows what the lobby of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield will look like when a $15 million renovation project is completed by 2020. Renovations to the exhibition areas will begin once work on the lobby and theater are complete. (NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME PHOTO)

Lobby and theater work is underway at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, and renovations to the exhibit areas should begin in 2020. This is the lobby where the ticket booth used to be. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

For most of that half-century (and extending back to 1959, when the first inductees were selected), the institution faced an uphill and often losing battle for credibility within its own sport. Its earliest selections were drawn heavily from the sport’s infancy, which was understandable but overlooked large segments of the basketball community. Women were excluded for the first 26 years, and, when Bill Russell became the first African-American player selected – 16 years after the first

hall-of-fame class, the Boston Celtics star refused to show up to accept his award. It’s taken a long time for the hall of fame to shed its image as a stodgy, regional operation to serve as a stylish, major player on basketball’s international stage. Success has been achieved without the price Western Massachusetts officials feared it might take – that to claim its rightful place, the hall of fame would have to leave basketball’s birthplace and relocate to New York, Florida or some other larger market.

Doleva says that will never happen. The tourist market is now Springfield. Rather than diminish its presence in Western Massachusetts, the hall of fame’s expanded visibility has safeguarded its stability in the region. “We’ve become an international institution. We’ve had to introduce our brand and take the hall of fame on the road, but doing so secures its place in Springfield,’’ he says. It meant the hall had to find ways to appeal to younger fans without forgetting its

SEE FAME, PAGE J16

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“The founders hoped the business would allow these employees to live productive and meaningful lives.” PHIL D’ENTREMONT, CEO, MICROTEK

MANUFACTURING

MicroTek ‘wired for excellence’ Service industry grows to global, $12M business

Above, Sinoun Lapointe works the crimping and labeling area of MicroTek manufacturing facility in Chicopee. MicroTek manufactures custom cable and wire configurations for equipment used globally in the medical, scientific and security industries. Founded in 1983, it is a nonprofit that employs workers with intellectual and physical disabilities. Its customers include Fortune 500 companies. (JANICE BEETLE PHOTOS)

By JANICE BEETLE

Special to The Republican

In the early 1980s, when the state was shuttering its schools and hospitals for the disabled, three concerned residents of Hampden County were worried about the security of those being so abruptly re-introduced into mainstream communities. The trio created MicroTek so that people with intellectual and physical disabilities would have a path to earn an income. A nonprofit with an altruistic mission, Chicopee’s MicroTek manufactures custom cable and wire configurations for equipment used globally in the medical, scientific and security industries. Its first customer was a powerhouse tech company that needed workers to build cable assemblies. Still a client 33 years later, that $17-billion corporation is widely known, but Phil D’Entremont, MicroTek’s current chief executive officer, can’t name it because of non-disclosure agreements. Likewise, other clients are in the Fortune 500 realm; most are smaller firms. “They didn’t know anything about the wire and cable industry,” said D’Entremont, of the firm’s founding partners. “They went looking for the types of work the individuals could do, work using their

of 5,000 and 10,000. Now, 1,000 is more like it, and they are more complex.” The hope at MicroTek is that the business will grow by 10 percent in sales in 2018. “We want more of the complex work, as it’s more MicroTek employee Nitesh Patel works with box build at the Chicopee factory. At right, cables and box builds in wait. profitable. For every $1 sale it’s (JANICE BEETLE PHOTO) less labor and less impactful hands. The founders hoped on the workforce,” D’Entremthe hands of D’Entremont, and a gathering space for staff. others. the business would allow “A new hire could be on that who previously served as vice ont said. One afternoon last fall, inside a sprawling yet extremely team for a couple of weeks He explained that everythese employees to live propresident of sales. He says he ductive and meaningful lives.” tidy production area, employ- or a couple of months,” he thing MicroTek builds is has big shoes to fill. There were only a handful of ees sat at roughly a dozen Finding employees is a cur- designed by its customers. explained. rent challenge in what D’Enstations. Some were testing employees in the early years Because there is much MicroTek’s board of directremont describes as a tight completed products as a final tors, comprised of all volunafter MicroTek opened in engineering and set-up inteers, is also all women, aclabor market. “We have an en- volved, “Once a customer has 1983, and most of them had a quality-control measure, but disability. Now, the nonprofit most were getting assemblies cording to D’Entremont. The try-level pay scale because the awarded us the business … former CEO was a woman as product is not high-cost,” he it’s likely we will be building started, cutting, stripping or employs 136 people, 19 of well, Anne Paradis. MicroTek says, adding another obstacle the product for the long-term. crimping wire. whom are disabled. The products we create are received multiple awards as is finding more high-volume D’Entremont said those Microtek grossed $12 million less prone to competitive a women-led company, and assemblies to produce. “We in 2017 and sits on five acres of three actions are integral in forces.” in November, it also received used to produce quantities land in Chicopee. Employees all of the work at the factory, work in a 54,000-square-foot and all employees receive the state certification as a womsame training in the skills and en-led nonprofit. location that houses offices, Today, since Paradis’ deparworkflow. Some progress into shipping and receiving, a Thomas P. Foley II, CPA ture in July, the business is in production and storage space, assembly more quickly than

Brennan

state borders. This collaborative path is how we now have many major and noteworthy achievements to point to and perhaps, more importantly, why we must commit to stay on this collaborative course.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE J7

Tim Brennan is executive director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. To learn more about the commission and its work, visit the website, pvpc. org.

Amtrak’s Vermonter train service made stops in Northampton and Greenfield for the first time since the 1980s on Dec. 29, 2014. The southbound Vermonter crossed the Connecticut River from Holyoke into Chicopee on its maiden voyage that day. Restoration of the service is among examples cited of successful collaborative efforts to improve transportation services in the Pioneer Valley. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

than 50 years of practice is a system of regional governance, rather than regional government, that is firmly grounded in cooperation, trust and confidence. As American industrialist Henry Ford once observed “coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” The Pioneer Valley has surely learned how to collaborate on a regional scale and, increasingly, at a super-regional scale that stretches across

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working in concert with Amtrak, the state Department of Transportation and other key partners. None of the above-cited accomplishments, whether achieved in the past or anticipated in the future, could have been achieved by one community or organization acting alone. These are, and will continue to be, the products of collaborative thinking and acting that’s results-driven. What has evolved across the Pioneer Valley after more

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accounting, animal control, economic and community development, information technology, conservation and storm-water management, among others; • Led by the Hampden and Franklin-Hampshire regional employment boards, a regional partnership will unveil a new Pioneer Valley Workforce Blueprint that is aligned with critical state workforce development priorities; • Implementation of numerous clean energy and climate action strategies that will accelerate the region’s transition to renewable energy sources while simultaneously reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions to ensure we meet statewide reduction targets established for years 2020 and 2050; and • Launching, on a pilot basis, expanded passenger rail service north of Springfield to benefit Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield,

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RESTAURANT NAME: Center Square Grill ADDRESS: 84 Center Square, East Longmeadow, MA PHONE: 413-525-0055 WEBSITE: www.centersquaregrill.com HOURS OF OPERATION: Sun-Wed 11:30AM-10PM / Thurs-Sat 11:30AM-11PM OWNERS: Bill Collins and Michael Sakey CHEF: Andrew Brow HOW DID THE RESTAURANT BEGIN?: Bill and Michael worked together for over a decade opening multiple different concept restaurants with Claudio Guerra, founder of the Northampton-based Spoleto Restaurant Group. When Guerra was downsizing some of his operation in 2014, including the Spoleto Restaurant in East Longmeadow, Collins partnered with Sakey to purchase Spoleto East Longmeadow and create their own venture. HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?: Since 2014 WHAT MAKES YOUR RESTAURANT STAND OUT FROM OTHERS: We have a bit of everything, from Oysters and Champagne, to Beer and Burgers. In addition, there are two owners on site interacting with our guests. Our menus are created seasonally by both the Chef Andrew Brow and Owners Bill Collins and Michael Sakey. The three of us have different palates thus keeping the menu appealing to a wide range of people. In addition, we pride ourselves on being a “Yes” restaurant- meaning, if there are requests for items not on the menu, and we have the ability to make them come true, we will. WHAT DO YOU STRESS MOST TO YOUR STAFF? : “If you would not eat it, do not serve it.” That quote is sort of a mantra for us here at CSG. In addition, our wait staff go through a rigorous training and must answer a 50-question test scoring 90% or above even before going out on the ﬂoor to serve customers. These are talented, engaging servers with knowledge of our food and wines. The way we look at it is that food tastes great with really good service, but good food can taste bad with bad service.

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR BAR: The continually rotating selection of locally brewed craft beers are a fan favorite. Our Manager Kim Hulslander works diligently with our vendors to ﬁnd unique spirits to bring to our guests. A few of this winter’s favorite cocktails are our “Winter on the Cape” White Cosmo made with a Fig Vodka imported from Europe or our “Fly like and Eagle” bourbon cocktail with lemon and apple cider. Nonetheless, the most important thing to know about our bar, is that it functions like a local Cheers- everyone knows your name, guests become friends, and it’s a very social place. You will feel comfortable sitting solo or with your entire entourage. WHY DO YOU ENJOY THIS BUSINESS? Restaurants are kind of like throwing a party every night. If you can make your guests happy, that’s something unique, not like any other industry. Everyday is different and the challenge is different, but ultimately, it’s the smiles and laughs we see in the dining room that make all the efforts worth it. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN TODAY’S RESTAURANT SCENE? Never stop evolving. A mentor once told us “you are only as good as your last meal” and it is absolutely true. Not only do we strive to put out amazing food and service every day, but also, we try to keep the menu exciting with seasonal changes, exciting specials, and unique cocktails. Our continual staff training helps maintain the level of knowledge required to truly be engaging. Lastly, you must be humble. In all business to succeed you must be able to admit mistakes and improve from them.

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION

Architect gets in on ground floor of new Springfield Dietz & Co. among 1st Union Station revival tenants By CAROLYN ROBBINS

Special to The Republican

It makes perfect sense that Dietz & Co. Architects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a firm specializing in historic restoration â&#x20AC;&#x201C; would become the first tenant to sign a lease for office space in the $92 million renovation of a long-derelict and dilapidated building. Founded in 1985 by Kerry L. Dietz, the firm has made a name for itself by taking old urban structures and redesigning them for 21st century use. Over the years, the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fortunes have mirrored downtown Springfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revitalization progress. Now the largest architectural firm in the region with 26 employees, the company has left its distinctive mark on dozens of historic properties in Greater Springfield, including the Holyoke apartment building where Dietz rented her first apartment. Dietz also renovated the Patton Building at 17 Hampden St. in downtown Springfield, the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s address SEE DIETZ, PAGE J17

Kerry L. Dietz, inset, and the architectural firm she started in 1985 in Springfield became the first tenant in the renovated Union Station. Dietz says Springfield was and continues to be a great place to do business. The offices of Dietz & Company Architects are located on the second floor of Union Station. Historic renovation is a niche for architects at the firm. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a good place to start a business,â&#x20AC;? (Kerry L. Dietz) says, marveling now at the courage she had to open an architectural firm at the age of 31. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My friends thought I was crazy. What did I know about running a business?â&#x20AC;?

SUCCESS STORIES

No job too big for Chicopee Industrial Contractors CIC marks 25 years of helping move manufacturers By ELIZABETH LaFONDCOPPEZ

Special to The Republican

Carol Campbell experienced a major loss and a major gain, all in the same year. Not only did Campbell lose her father, who was a very prominent figure in her life, but she also opened her own business, during a time when Western Massachusetts needed it the most. The year was 1992. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thought I could do more and be more,â&#x20AC;? Campbell recalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When your world is rocked like that (the loss of a parent), risk does not seem as frightening as in other points in your life.â&#x20AC;? Chicopee Industrial Contractors Inc. (CIC) was born on Feb. 22, 1992, and at the time, three rigging companies had just closed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fortunately for CIC, we had a ready-made labor force,â&#x20AC;? Campbell says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had highly skilled, displaced workers and that was our birth.â&#x20AC;? Chicopee Industrial Contractors, located at 107 North Chicopee St. in Chicopee, specializes in providing all the rigging and machine

Chicopee Industrial Contractors provides rigging, heavy lifting and machinery moving equipment and services to help with plant relocations and machinery installations across New England and beyond. The company, headed by president and CEO Carol Campbell, has marked 25 years in business. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN)

installing steel. In short, they are experts in taking things apart and putting them back together again. They can also move things â&#x20AC;&#x201C; really, really big things. Their teams can prepare manufacturing plants for the installation of new equipment. They can find ways to get new equipment into existing buildings. And

position among companies with revenue growth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big or small, we can handle 500 pounds to 200 tons,â&#x20AC;?adds Campbell, who is a very energetic president and CEO. â&#x20AC;&#x153;CIC works within 60 miles of Chicopee, but in the past 25 years, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gone worldwide to Mexico and even China.â&#x20AC;? Campbell says the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s location is ideal, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fortunately for (us), we had a ready-made labor force. We had highly skilled, displaced workers and that was our birth.â&#x20AC;? CAROL CAMPBELL, CHICOPEE INDUSTRIAL CONTRACTORS

moving equipment needed for relocation projects, along with storage facilities. CIC relocates companies, dismantles and installs machinery, and transports equipment and prepares sites by installing concrete foundations and

they have all the equipment, training and skills to make it all happen without a hitch. The company was recognized last year by the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce among its Super 60 honorees, landing in ninth

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close to Interstates 91 and 391 and to the Massachusetts Turnpike. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are very accessible for trucks, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re receiving all day,â&#x20AC;? she explains. CIC has many, many forklifts and a vast array of

specialty equipment, including tractor trailers, bobcats, dump trucks, Tri-lifts and Versa-lifts, along with a heavy supply of slings, shackles and skates. On its website, you can watch a time-lapse video of how the company offloaded a more than 53,000-pound chiller for one of its projects. Reflecting on the past 25 years, Campbell says itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gone by fast. â&#x20AC;&#x153;CIC has always attracted highly skilled and dedicated workers who are loyal to the company and the customer,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We keep attention to detail and making sure jobs come in on time and on budget.â&#x20AC;? Employees at CIC are highly trained and, among other things, have a great understanding of physics, according to Campbell. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although our clients have similar needs, we never do the same job twice,â&#x20AC;? she explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a different

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variable. My employees are the ultimate problem solvers!â&#x20AC;? Campbell, who is a board member with the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts and Associated Industries of Massachusetts, was honored as the Woman of the Year for 2014 by the Professional Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chamber of Western Massachusetts. Said the chair of the chamber board when the award was announced, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can think of no greater female professional to receive this award than Carol Campbell. On both a personal and professional level, Carol has contributed greatly to the overall advancement of women in business and the greater well-being of our community.â&#x20AC;? To learn more about the company, its history and work, visit its website, chicopeeindustrial.com.

Hogan CONTINUED FROM PAGE J6

target to double our numbers this year. Time will tell what the long-term impact of our combined efforts will be, but in the short term, new jobs and capital made available for our regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entrepreneurs is what we need to continue to keep the momentum growing our local economy. I am excited about the collaborations we have built here in the Pioneer Valley. Every organization I have met with has been willing and is partnering with the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center in some way. All types of organizations, including chambers of commerce, banks and nonprofits, are involved. As an example, we have built great collaboration between SPARK, a program of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, and Valley Venture Mentors. I join with other business advisers who volunteer our time to mentor the businesses in their programs and often end up receiving many referrals from both the program directors and the businesses with which we have worked. In addition, over the past year-and-a-half, the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center has added two new outreach sites to meet with clients, one at Common Capital and the other at the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce. Most notably, though, (and surprising to some) is the strong partnership we have built between SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) and the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, two resource partners supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Rather than seeing all of these organizations in the Pioneer Valley as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the competition,â&#x20AC;? I see them as assets to the community and resourceful partners with whom we can collaborate to ensure we have the best shot at meeting our goals and fulfilling our mission. Samalid Hogan is regional director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network. To learn more about the center and its work, go online to msbdc. org/wmass.

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NONPROFITS

New leader sets goals for women’s fund Young women’s initiative will mark 1st graduation By JANICE BEETLE

Special to The Republican

The staff of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts includes, from left, chief executive officer Donna Haghighat, office manager Julie Holt, development associate Jorene Lomenzo, program officers Ellen Moorhouse and Christine Monska, and director of philanthropy Monica Borgatti. Not pictured is Nikai Fondon, youth development coordinator. (JANICE BEETLE PHOTO)

returning to the U.S. in 2007. Since then, her work has primarily focused on leading nonprofits, most of them serving women. Haghighat has held leadership roles at YWCA Hartford Region, Hartford Public Library, the Women’s Education and Leadership Fund and the Aurora Foundation for Women and Girls. Most recently, she founded her own consulting practice, called Collabyrinth Collective. While at Aurora, an organization that is 11 years old, Haghighat kept her eye on the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, which was founded in 1997. “We looked at the women’s fund as, ‘That’s what we want to be when we grow up.’ So, I’d been watching it,” Haghihat shared. Now, Haghighat will watch over it. She looks to 2018 as a time during which she’ll have a key role in achievements that were put in motion before she arrived. The women’s fund will enter the second year of a three-year strategic plan, for instance, and this year marks the first graduation for the Young Women’s

create partnerships with more deserving nonprofits and an effort to diversify and strengthen the nonprofit’s 16-member board of directors. As she works to offer opportunity and inspiration to young women across the region, Haghighat will also stay in close touch with her children, daughter Madeleine, 21, and her son William, 19. Like her mother before her, Haghighat has worked hard to instill in them a respect for the importance – and the This poster for the fourth privilege – of education. World Conference on WomShe also pushes them to en hangs in the office of the understand independence. Women’s Fund of Western Just as Haghighat has taught Massachusetts. The conference, held in Beijing, China, in countless other young women to stand up for them1995, inspired the creation of the nonprofit. (JANICE BEETLE PHOTO) selves, so has she taught her own children: “I wanted to Initiative Springfield Partner- make sure my children could ship. advocate for themselves, Haghighat also has big plans especially my daughter. She of her own. gets it now.” She wants to collect data on the status of women and girls in Western Massachusetts to best inform the organization on the most urgent needs and problems, including an overhaul of the grants – or community investment – strategy to “spread the wealth” and

Work has started on major renovations to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Lobby and theater work is underway and renovations to the exhibit areas should begin in 2020. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Fame

ing, among other features. The $15 million expansion is targeted for a 2020 finish, and the building will stay open throughout the work. With the MGM Springfield casino opening later this year, Doleva thinks visitation can only go up. Even if the two facilities don’t necessarily attract the same customer base, the close proximity of two major attractions looks like a win-win. The hall of fame president does not take his institution’s relevance and credibility for granted. Doleva remembers when the hoop hall was battling crippling debt and striving to be taken seriously with its own, diversified basketball community. “Those problems are all behind us,’’ Doleva says. “We are still teaching the history of the game, how it was invented and by whom in Springfield. But we are doing it by mixing and melding the past with the present, in a way either an older fan or a teenager can relate.’’

NONPROFITS

Community partners team to help kids Eversource grant helps Square One, Bay Path program By NATASHA ZENA

Special to The Republican

For nonprofits across Western Massachusetts, it’s never about the size of the contribution received from business partners. Every donation can make a difference. And when supporters collaborate, the gift can have an even greater impact. Take the recent case of Eversource and its award of

$2,500 to Bay Path University for its Play Matters program for children in need of occupational therapy services at Square One. The funding helped expand the current services of a long-standing partnership that allows students in Bay Path’s master’s degree program in occupational therapy work directly with children in need of their services. The grant is allowing the program to incorporate nutrition into its curriculum and assisting with the purchase of equipment for group facilitation and treatment components. SEE EVERSOURCE, PAGE J18

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0307477 7

tends. The numbers back him up: Visitation at the Springfield museum has risen for each of the past three years. CONTINUED FROM PAGE J10 As 2017 came to a close, role as curator of basketball Doleva cited an increase in history. visitors of nearly 7 percent “Museums always look in from the previous year. the rear-view mirror,’’ Doleva More than 247,000 fans and says. “The history of the sport tourists passed through the is part of our mission, but turnstiles, many enticed by we also know that basketball the hoop hall’s popular “60 history is as recently as last Days of Summer” program. night.’’ The economic impact of With a worldwide audithis year’s Spalding Hoophall ence watching, the hall of Classic, played the weekend fame holds its annual enof Jan. 11 through 15, was shrinement ceremonies in expected to exceed $4.19 Springfield, something that million with attendance in will not change, according to excess of 10,000 people as Doleva. The hall also sponsors it drew teams from 60 high tournaments at the Mohegan schools in 17 states, more Sun casino in Connecticut and than 800 players and hunelsewhere around the country. dreds of hotel rooms booked A four-team tournament in Greater Springfield. “We brought American college surprised even ourselves with basketball to Ireland for how much impact it has,” says the first time and generated Doleva. near-sellout crowds. The hall of fame is underTaking the hall of fame on going a massive, two-phase the road will cause fans to renovation that will expand consider making Springfield a the theater and modernize the digital capacities and lightplace to visit, Doleva con-

Square One children work with Felicia Kroll, clinical instructor of emerging practice for the Bay Path University Occupational Therapy Department. For three years, Bay Path students have been working with children at Square One through the Play Matters program on gross and fine motor development, social skills and sensory integration. (SQUARE ONE PHOTO)

www.vhb.com

After Donna Haghighat’s parents were married in the 1950s, her father came to this country to find work, while her mother, 16 at the time, waited for him in Iran. Because she was a married woman, Haghighat’s grandfather didn’t think Parvaneh Haghighat needed to complete her high school education. Parvaneh won this right only after sneaking to school, getting caught and holding her own in a heated argument with her father. Growing up in Connecticut, Donna Haghighat heard this story many times. She heard as well how her mother did eventually earn her high school equivalency, and she watched first-hand as a teenager as her mother earned a bachelor’s degree. “I like to say that that really shaped my feminism before I knew what feminism was,” says Haghighat, now the chief executive officer of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts. “That my mother valued college was foundational for me.” It was also inspirational. Donna Haghighat earned a bachelor’s degree in economics at Trinity College in Hartford and a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law. It was her experience in law, higher education, fundraising, communications and women’s issues that positioned her as valuable asset for the women’s fund last summer as the organization searched for a new leader. Haghihat took the reins on Sept. 1, several months after the organization moved its offices to downtown Springfield. Early in her career, Haghighat was a tax attorney for the Connecticut Department of Revenue. Later, after spending three years in England, where her husband, Chris Dickinson, was launching an annuities business for the Hartford Insurance Co., she reinvented herself upon

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | J17

“(Union Station) is also a good reminder of what we can accomplish in Western Massachusetts when the public and private sector work together for the common good.” RICHARD E. NEAL, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE, SPRINGFIELD

Neal

days are ahead. But the good news is not just in Springfield. Continued investment CONTINUED FROM PAGE J4 in Barnes Air National Guard Base in The successful completion of the Westfield and Westover Air Reserve Union Station project is another Base in Chicopee results in $300 milexample of the economic resurgence lion being pumped into the regional economy each year. Holyoke Comwe are currently experiencing in the munity College’s new $7.5 million Pioneer Valley. At the other end of Main Street, the Culinary Arts Institute in The Cubit $960 million MGM resort casino is is a game-changer in the Paper City’s expected to open its doors in Septem- Canal District. I recently spoke to ber, bringing an estimated 3,000 new the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, jobs to the region. The State Street where business people networked Corridor continues to be a vibrant with elected officials to discuss ways thoroughfare with the $70 million to improve the city. This is precisely federal courthouse and the $110 state the type of partnership between the data center as its anchor tenants. In public and private sector that is helping to grow our economy. And this East Springfield, the China Railway Stock Corporation (CRRC) is nearing successful model of engagement is completion on a $95 million factory being replicated across the four counthat will build nearly 700 rail cars for ties of Western Massachusetts. My message to these groups has the greater Boston subway system. All of this investment and economic been consistent and direct. To sustain development in our community is no the growth we are witnessing locally, accident. It has come about thanks access to apprenticeship programs, to the collaboration of many stakecommunity colleges and technical holders in the region. Local elected schools must be improved. There are officials, business leaders, organized more jobs to be filled, especially in the labor and community activists have skilled manufacturing field: We just joined together, across party lines, to need to do a better job of filling the make Western Massachusetts a better skills gap. place to live, work and raise a family. I believe Western Massachusetts And I believe some of our brightest is a region on the rise. With billions

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, invited past and present members of his staff to celebrate the grand opening of Union Station at a black tie gala on June 24 in downtown Springfield. After 40 years and a $95 million investment, the iconic train station reopened as a state-of-the-art intermodal transportation center serving all of western New England. Neal calls it “one of the most pleasurable experiences I’ve had in my career in public service.”

of dollars of economic development, a thriving Knowledge Corridor with some of the best colleges and universities in the nation, an educated workforce, top-ranked hospitals, worldclass museums and affordable real estate, we enjoy a quality of life that is unrivaled. And we have achieved this success through a remarkable

partnership between the public and private sector. Our community leaders know that we are stronger together. As we begin a new year, I look forward to being a part of many significant announcements that will build on our continuing renaissance and resurgence. It’s an exciting time to be in

the crossroads of New England. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, is the congressman for the 1st District of Massachusetts. You can learn more about the congressman and his work online at neal.house.gov. His district office in Springfield is located at 300 State St., Suite 200, 413-785-0325.

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for 218 more beginning in 2021. CRRC will build 45 double-decker train cars for SEPTA, Greater Philadelphia’s transit system, for $137.5

million beginning in 2019. Two-level cars like those SEPTA ordered are used by transit systems all over the country, including New Jersey Transit and the MBTA.

BUSINESS NAME: McGill Hose & Coupling, Inc. ADDRESS: 41 Benton Drive – East Longmeadow, MA - 01028 E-MAIL ADDRESS: sales@mcgillhose.com – alexmcgill@mcgillhose.com PHONE NUMBER: 413-525-3977 WEBSITE:www.mcgillhose.com HOURS OF OPERATION: as many as possible (or 8-5) NAME: Alex McGill TITLE: Vice President HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER? I’ve been working in the hose industry since graduating from Elon University in 1999. My ﬁrst job was with a PTFE hose manufacturer. After gaining some valuable experience and working with some amazing people I felt it was time to come back and help grow McGill Hose & Coupling. My responsibilities are wide ranging and I enjoy being a part of all aspects of our business. I love working with customers as well as my coworkers to solve problems and improve processes. HOW LONG HAS YOUR COMPANY BEEN IN BUSINESS? 1962 WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION? Our application expertise combined with an extensive inventory and unmatched fabrication capabilities has put us in a league of our own in terms of problem solving the most demanding situation WHAT DO YOU STRESS MOST TO YOUR STAFF? There is not one order or customer that is going to break the bank and send everyone off to a tropical island for an early retirement. The important thing is to handle the basics of business properly, learn from experiences, and enjoy what you do. DESCRIBE YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: We provide ﬂuid handling components (Hose, pipe, tubing and all connection types) 95% of these are solution driven custom fabricated assemblies or kits. We offer hose testing for large facilities that require annual safety audits, for example, and hose surveys for those facilities that require a less frequent audit and want to enhance safety or reduce downtime.

MEET THE PROFESSIONALS AT McGILL

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS? Hoses. Who else eats, sleeps and dreams about them? We are fortunate to have an expert niche. WHY DO YOU ENJOY THIS BUSINESS? Our customer base is incredibly diverse so we get to learn a lot about many different industries. We get involved with aerospace, food and beverage, construction, power generation and biotech to name just a few. Also, the supporting network of suppliers and our fellow hose distributors around the world have made this journey quite enjoyable. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN TODAY’S MARKETPLACE? Step 1: Wake up earlier than the competition and be willing to go the extra miles. Step 2: Recruit and invest in people with exceptional attitudes toward customers. When everyone in the organization is looking out for the customer’s best interest, life gets real easy. Step 3: Develop diligent communication skills and techniques (which I admit to defeat at times). Things move rather quickly, so you have to be loud and clear and deﬁne objectives at a rapid ﬁre pace.

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While historic restoration remains the company’s niche, Dietz & Company has several new construction projects to which it can point as examples of its work, including the new Easthampton Savings Bank headquarters in Hampshire County. For Dietz, an Ohio native, landing in Springfield was somewhat serendipitous. After graduating from the University of Michigan’s school of architecture, Dietz’s interest in historic preservation drew her to New England with its abundance of old buildings. “It was the lure of the East Coast,” she says, “but I never got as far as Boston.” Dietz arrived in Springfield in the late 1970s and decided to stay, drawn by what she says is “the city’s historic fabric and its manageable size.” “It was a good place to start a business,” she says, marveling now at the courage she had to open an architectural firm at the age of 31. “My friends thought I was crazy.

What did I know about running a business? “ After the first year of operation, Dietz made more money than she did as an employee of another architectural firm. Today, the company is one of the most visible and recognizable firms in the city. Recently, Dietz & Co. has been working with MGM Springfield to renovate the 95 State St. building that once housed the Keg Room on its ground floor. The casino operator, which is in the process of finishing its $960 million complex in the city’s South End, is using the State Street building for administrative and other offices. “I give credit to MGM for its sensitivity to the historical property,” Dietz says. As with every field, architecture has benefited with advances in technology, according to Dietz, and working on historical restoration of buildings can be fascinating. “We (once) had to figure out what a building was made of – where were the electrical wires, for instance. We had to count bricks and take photographs,” she explains. Modern laser technology has made that process vastly more efficient. Currently, Dietz & Company is working on 40 to 50 projects of varying size, including a $75 million project with the Cambridge Housing Authority that has spun off another $45 million in related projects. Dietz, who has taught architecture at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, says a fully accredited program at UMass is a wonderful asset for the region – and for her company. Many of Dietz & Company hires have been her former Dietz students. Dietz believes Springfield is on the right track to realizing its potential as one of the state’s Gateway Cities. “It’s still a great place to do business,” she says.

Gov. Charlie Baker speaks during an Oct. 12 tour of the CRRC Massachusetts rail car plant in Springfield. Production is set to begin this spring to build cars for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Behind Baker is a graphic of what the plant will look like when production work begins. Prototype cars, delivered to the MBTA last month from China, are currently undergoing testing. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

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until last June when the team moved a few blocks away to its 8,200-square-foot space on the second floor of Union Station. The distinction of becoming Union Station’s first tenant is not lost on Dietz. “It’s really cool,” she says. Dietz has been front and center as the city experienced both boom and bust periods in downtown revitalization, but with the dawn of 2018, Dietz sees a city on the upswing. “We’re in a boom period,” she said, noting that her firm is looking to expand. The light-filled space her firm occupies is a wonderful place for architects to work, according to Dietz. The Union Station location is also convenient and central as she notes how members of the firm can park their cars in the new garage where they can also pick up rental cars from SIXT for the drive to Boston and elsewhere for meetings with clients. Dietz is among those who would love to see the addition of regular passenger rail service from Springfield to Boston some day. “I’m a big fan of state Sen. Eric Lesser’s call for an east-west train,” she says. Driving to and from Boston is wasted time, while taking a train would allow firm members to work while they travel, according to Dietz. Although the company is working on several major renovation projects in Cambridge, Dietz says her business is firmly rooted in Springfield, where she also owns a home in the city’s Forest Park Heights Historic District. Among Dietz’s favorite and most rewarding restoration projects are the renovation of Sumner Avenue and Indian Orchard elementary schools.

The light-filled space her firm occupies is a wonderful place for architects to work, according to Dietz. The Union Station location is also convenient and central as she notes how members of the firm can park their cars in the new garage where they can also pick up rental cars from SIXT for the drive to Boston and elsewhere for meetings with clients.

Proﬁles In Business

Dietz & Company Architects occupies 8,000 square feet on the second floor of Union Station. The architectural firm is working with MGM Springfield to renovate the 95 State St. building that once housed the Keg Room on its ground floor. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

rail cars in Massachusetts. A few months ago during a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, MBTA officials explained the cars are needed to replace older, outmoded cars now in use. The new cars can be run closer together, which means more frequent service at rush hours. The Orange Line will get a 40 percent boost in service, meaning trains will come every four or 4.5 minutes. Red Line service will get a 50 percent boost, meaning trains will come and go every three minutes. Production of each $2.43 million car is forecast to take 22 days. The Springfield complex has a 2,240-foot track where cars off the production line will be tested. CRRC has said it has enough orders now to keep the factory busy past the year 2025. Los Angeles has ordered 64 new subway cars at a cost of $178.4 million, with an option

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Union CONTINUED FROM PAGE J4

Murals documenting the history of Union Station and the evolution of transportation in Springfield highlight the main floor of the renovated station in downtown Springfield. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

move into its new offices in April. There is still office space for rent on half the second floor and on the mezzanine level between the first and second floors, according to Stelzer. Sixt Rent a Car, a Subway sandwich shop, Dunkin’ Donuts, Commuter Variety newsstand, Peter Pan Bus Lines, Greyhound, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority and a few retail kiosks fill up some of the available retail space on the first floor. PVTA, Peter Pan and Greyhound all have ticket counters on the first floor. Amtrak has plans to move its ticket counter there as well. CTRail will sell tickets from a vending machine. Peter Pan president and CEO Peter Picknelly and business partner Andy Yee plan to expand their Student

The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority now operates all of its Springfield service out of Union Station. Opened in June, the renovated station is filling up with transportation-related business, retail and office tenants. This is the PVTA ticket counter. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Prince Cafe and Fort Dining Room into Union Station. The Union Station location would be similar to the Wurst

Haus stand the restaurant has run at the Eastern States Exposition for the past two seasons.

“The state isn’t saying farmers can’t do it, but what they’re offering isn’t really substantially different in substance from what they are offering the big indoor growers.” TED DOBSON, FARMER, SHEFFIELD

Pot CONTINUED FROM PAGE J10

limit the number of retail stores allowed. Springfield is considering a moratorium. Chicopee passed a moratorium. The Holyoke City Council did not establish a moratorium, but instead established zoning rules to regulate where businesses can locate. Geoff Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, says the Cannabis Control Commission’s guidelines have given municipalities a “greater sense of clarity” as cities and towns decide what types of bylaws and regulations they want to pass. Municipalities will now have to act to draft and pass those regulations. For example, towns can limit the number of marijuana businesses or where businesses are sited. “Things are coming closer into better focus, but there’s still a lot of action that dozens and dozens of communities will need to take in terms of passing updated bylaws, ordinances or rules before the licensing process is triggered later this year,” Beckwith said. The Cannabis Control Commission’s draft regulations lay out in minute detail the requirements for everything from growing to testing to packaging to selling marijuana. Although eight states have legalized recreational marijuana use, Massachusetts has a few factors in its laws that are unique. First, the law requires the state to help communities that have been “disproportionately impacted” by enforcement of marijuana laws. The Cannabis Control Commission defined these areas based on statistics, including arrest data, incarceration data, unemployment and income. Marijuana businesses run by people who live in these areas will have lower licensing fees and access to coaching both during the licensing process and during the early stages of their business. State officials are working with the private financial sector and other partners to determine what kinds of opportunities for financing exist for people who are not wealthy but who want to get into the marijuana business. “We want to get out there and let people know what opportunities are, offer them assistance, and let people understand and successfully navigate the licensing process,” Hoffman said. “And if they are successful, give them coaching and guidance and help to help them be successful business people.” Massachusetts also is unique in its development

of a social consumption program, which lets businesses allow people to buy and consume marijuana on site – either in a marijuana cafe or as part of a separate business, like a yoga studio or movie theater. There are also provisions to help small businesses and farmers – for example, tiered licensing with cheaper licenses for smaller growers, or the possibility of co-ops, where groups of growers can

be taxed with a 6.25 percent sales tax, 10.75 percent excise tax and potentially a 3 percent local option tax, which would go to host communities. The industry is not expected to be fully ramped up until 2020, given the amount of time it takes to build a marijuana facility, grow the crop and go through the necessary approvals. Hoffman said even once the industry is fully opera-

The Cannabis Control Commission has said it plans to continue its work despite the federal actions. One bill introduced in the Statehouse would prohibit state authorities from helping federal law enforcement crack down on state-authorized marijuana commerce. Several bills introduced in Congress would protect state-approved medical and recreational marijuana use from federal intervention.

Edgar Alejandro, manager of community development at Eversource, and Joan Kagan, president and CEO of Square One, talk about the utility’s recent award of a $2,500 grant to help expand the Bay Path University Play Matters program at Square One. (SQUARE ONE PHOTO)

Eversource CONTINUED FROM PAGE J16

In this photo from January, cannabis consultant Juan Aguilar rings up a customer’s marijuana purchase in the Herban Legends pot shop in Seattle. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded an Obama-era policy that paved the way for legalized marijuana to flourish in states where the drug is legal across the country, creating new confusion about enforcement and use just three days after a new legalization law went into effect in California on Jan. 1. Andrew Lelling, the U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, has said he will decide whether to prosecute marijuana crimes on a case-by-case basis. (ELAINE THOMPSON / ASSOCIATED PRESS)

join together and apply for a single license. Massachusetts farmers had some concerns about whether the industry would be welcoming to local agriculture, as opposed to large indoor growing companies. Sheffield farmer Ted Dobson, who has advocated for the farming community, says the regulations do not exclude farmers but also do not take steps to provide incentives to farmers. For example, while outdoor growing is allowed, farmers must still pay for expensive cameras and security systems. “The state isn’t saying farmers can’t do it, but what they’re offering isn’t really substantially different in substance from what they are offering the big indoor growers,” Dobson said. The industry will bring in significant new revenue for the state. The Department of Revenue estimates that state tax revenue from marijuana in fiscal 2019 will be between $44 million and $82 million. Marijuana will

tional, the oversight commission will continue to look at ways the rules can be updated and improved. “It’s not going to be a final product,” Hoffman said. “We’ll need to see how things evolve and make whatever changes we need to make from a regulatory standpoint.” One major uncertainty is how the federal government will act. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded Obama-era guidelines that prevented the Department of Justice from prosecuting federal marijuana violations when people were complying with state law. Andrew Lelling, the U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, has said he will decide whether to prosecute marijuana crimes on a case-by-case basis. In addition to making the marijuana business more risky in general, federal uncertainty could also affect what types of banks or credit unions are willing to accept money from the marijuana industry.

“Many of our children experience trauma in their lives as a result of the challenges they are faced with at home. Poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, abuse and neglect all place a tremendous strain on their health and development. Our partnership with Bay Path is meeting a critical need,” says Kristine Allard, chief development and communications officer for Square One. “We are very grateful to them, as well as to Eversource for recognizing the importance of this work.” The Bay Path students involved in Play Matters are at the very end of their coursework and nearing graduation. Between 16 and 20 students work within the program each year in 12-week rotations. Through group and individual work, they service approximately 140 children within Square One on gross and fine motor development, sensory integration, social skills, nutrition and coping mechanisms, to help bridge a crucial gap during a critical time in the children’s development. Amanda Lizotte, coordina-

tor of community-based and emerging practice fieldwork in Bay Path’s occupational therapy department, says Play Matters is just one example of how Bay Path works to give back to the region. “Play Matters is one of three community-based occupational therapy programs the university operates in the Massachusetts-Connecticut area,” Lizotte said. “Play Matters is our pediatric branch. We have two other programs, Enfield Holistic and Manchester Holistic – servicing the adult population and adolescents with chronic mental illness – each with their own full-time occupational therapist, also part of our Bay Path staff.” Eversource, according to spokesperson Priscilla Ress, was impressed by the Bay Path’s and Square One’s compelling proposal, which coincided with the company’s mission to support the community and make a difference in the lives of their customers. “Their grad students are providing occupational therapy to low-income families,” Ress said. “These are kids who may not have access to these services and may go into kindergarten without the strong skills they’ll need.”

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Lesser

Daniel O’Connell’s Sons has moved into new headquarters at 800 Kelly Way in Holyoke. Its projects have included the renovation of Union Station in Springfield, Simmons Hall at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston and construction of the U.S. District Courthouse on State Street, also in Springfield. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

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are creating jobs and adding vibrancy to the economy here in Western Massachusetts. Companies like Paragus Strategic IT, owned by Delcie Bean, who is 31, are creating new technology jobs and experimenting with new management models, like employee ownership sharing, that have the potential to become models nationwide. Tech Foundry, another initiative launched by Bean, is successfully training unemployed and high-school-aged individuals for IT jobs in local companies, and has received plaudits (and grants) from leaders in Boston. Iron Duke Brewing, founded by young brew masters Mike Marcoux and Nick Morin, both in their 30s, has become a must-stop for craft brewery enthusiasts, expanding to dozens of bars and package stores in just a few years of operation. These are just a few examples of many millennial-run businesses from across Western Massachusetts revitalizing our cities and towns. In 2018, I’m confident we will see even more millennials here open new businesses and create new jobs. It’s a good thing we have so many young people willing to step up, because the next several years, while filled with opportunity, will continue to present challenges that require creativity and outsidethe-box thinking. A lack of connectivity is putting a ceiling on our region’s growth and, if we don’t make some substantial changes, we will continue to fall further and further behind the Greater Boston area. An opiate epidemic is hollowing out our families and burdening our health and justice systems. Persistent economic inequality is limiting our region’s full potential, and too many areas of Western Massachusetts remain too segregated and too isolated from each other. Luckily, our region is blessed with many institutions bringing people together to take on these challenges. And again, millennials are stepping up and taking leadership roles. The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts offers training for young women interested in running for public office. Valley Venture Mentors is supporting young entrepreneurs who want to start their business here and Leadership Pioneer Valley is providing a forum for young leaders in business, nonprofits and politics to come together to tackle these common challenges with one voice. This is how millennials solve problems, and this is how our region’s young leaders will make lasting change for our communities. This is the challenge of 2018, as MGM Springfield opens its doors, CRRC Massachusetts comes on line, and new rail service connects Springfield with Hartford and New Haven. Now is the time to take these very important gains even further, by making sure we lock in new opportunities and new jobs for generations to come. As one young man said at our millennial discussion at the Edward Kennedy Institute in Boston, “If you give young people opportunity, they will create opportunity.” Yes, they will. With a renewed spirit of collaboration and optimism, our region’s emerging leaders will help turn these developments into real benefits for our families and communities. But doing that will take time, and it will require the determination to see good ideas through to implementation. It will also demand the participation of young people unafraid to stand up and lead. Eric P. Lesser, of Longmeadow, is senator for the First Hampden & Hampshire District, serves as co-chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development & Emerging Technologies, and leads Millennial Outreach for the state Senate.

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

At left, Daniel O’Connell, an immigrant from Ireland, founded the company that still bears his name in the 1880s. At right is a view of the company’s Hampden Street headquarters in Holyoke from 1880 through 2017. (DANIEL O’CONNELL’S SONS PHOTOS)

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION

A century of building Western Mass. Irish immigrant Daniel O’Connell’s firm dates to 1879 By CORI URBAN

Special to The Republican

Officials of colleges and universities have learned that if they have a complicated building project, they can rely on Daniel O’Connell’s Sons. For more than a century the firm has been a leader among construction contractors in Western Massachusetts. The company’s work is seen not only on campuses but also in cities and towns from Hanover, New Hampshire, to New Haven, Connecticut, and from the Hudson Valley of New York to locales up and down the East Coast. “We get projects that are complicated. We’re told people view us as people who can figure out something really complicated (like positioning a building between others),” says company president Jeffrey C. Bardell. “If you need engineers to sit down and figure things out, we have people who can do that.” Company founder Daniel O’Connell was just 14 years old when he arrived in Holyoke from Ireland in 1847. He first worked as a water boy for the construction team of the original Holyoke dam. Later he worked for the city as a superintendent of streets and, in 1879, he established Daniel O’Connell’s Sons, a firm that today can claim it has built everything from classrooms to dams, theaters to bridges and laboratories to high-rise towers. Daniel O’Connell’s Sons has grown from a local general contractor that builds roads and bridges, to a regional construction company that offers sophisticated construction management and general contracting services to both public and private clients. The company, now owned by a group of employees, has about 300 employees with offices in Holyoke and Franklin in Massachusetts and also in Kingston, New York, New Haven, Connecticut, and Miami. The company has built such recognizable Springfield landmarks as the Sheraton Hotel, Tower Square and the federal courthouse. It also engineered and built the approach to the Memorial Bridge. In addition, Daniel O’Connell’s Sons does considerable work on college and university campuses, including the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, Dartmouth and Bennington colleges and Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The Union Station project in Springfield is the most recent testament to the company’s work. It won the grand prize of the Phoenix Awards for best Brownfields redevelopment in

The O’Connell Companies, which includes Daniel O’Connell’s Sons, has moved into new headquarters at 800 Kelly Way in Holyoke. The family of companies began in 1879 with Daniel O’Connell’s Sons general contracting company, and today also includes property development and real estate management firms. This is Jeffrey C. Bardell, president of Daniel O’Connell Sons. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

the country in 2017. “It came out looking great,” says Bardell of Union Station. “It’s always good to take something like that and hope to turn that area of town around and to have a transit hub.” Among the work Bardell, who holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, finds especially rewarding is the company’s work on sewage treatment plants, including Springfield’s plant in Indian Orchard. “I really like the work that provides people with cleaner water,” he says. Among Daniel O’Connell’s Sons current work is a parking garage in downtown Greenfield and three projects at Dartmouth College. “We’re like every contractor – busy but always looking for work,” Bardell says. To learn more about the company, visit the website, oconnells.com.

“We’re told people view us as people who can figure out something really complicated (like positioning a building between others). If you need engineers to sit down and figure things out, we have people who can do that.” JEFFREY C. BARDELL, PRESIDENT, DANIEL O’CONNELL’S SONS

In this photo from July 2014, Robert Aquadro, right, project manager with Daniel O’Connell’s Sons, talks with U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, left, during a tour of the construction progress at the Union Station on Frank B. Murray Street in Springfield. (MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN )

Union Carpenters Building Springﬁeld Union Station • MGM Casino • The I-91 Viaduct South End Community Center • Pope Francis High School WNEU Dining Hall • The CRRC Train Assembly Plant Memorial Square • STCC Building 19 Renovation • Sodexo Nutrition Center • PVTA Maintenance Building • Head Start

“Yeah, we built that!”

Carpenters Local 108 is now Local 336

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Joan Bessette REALTOR

O. 413.565.2111 | joan.bessette@raveis.com C. 413.552.8301 | F. 413.565.2888 JoanBessette.raveis.com 36 Center Square | East Longmeadow | MA 01028

Angela Fillion REALTORÂŽ 413.896.2332

angela.ďŹ llion@raveis.com thesuzannewhitegroup.raveis.com

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C. 413.537.7038 | O. 413.565.2111 William.McCarry@raveis.com Website. WilliamMcCarry.raveis.com

36 Center Square East Longmeadow | MA 01028

36 Center Sq.| East Longmeadow | MA 01028

36 Center Square | East Longmeadow, MA 01028

KENNETH NYGREN

PAM SPEAR, GRI

REALTOR

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REALTOR O. 413.565.2111 C. 413.563.3970 F. 413.565.2888 margaret.teel@Raveis.com 36 Center Square | East Longmeadow | MA 01028

Suzanne White REALTORÂŽ 413.530.7363 suzanne.white@raveis.com thesuzannewhitegroup.raveis.com

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PATRICIA WHEWAY

A HOUSESOLD NAME

(413) 478-1166 CELL (413) 513-1955 FAX Pat.Wheway@NEMoves.com PWheway@aol.com www.TheGroupThatSells.com

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Broker Sales Associate

RealtorÂŽ licensed in MA & CT CateShea@CateShea.com

136 Dwight Road Suite 2 Longmeadow, MA 01106 Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC.

MARGE THIBODEAU, CBR, GREEN

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LINDA FAWCETT

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Team HB Ray Hoess-Brooks 244.2233 Alan Catrett 265.9144 Lisa Catrett 530.4357 Olivia Hoess 427.4869 Maureen McCabe-Tsatsos 977.4099 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Selling homes one relationship at a time.â&#x20AC;?

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Outlook2018 K

| SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

WE ARE HOME HEATING OIL AND SO MUCH MORE

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Latest in diabetes health could be ‘breath’ away By NATASHA ZENA

Special to The Republican

As Western Massachusetts continues to grow into a hip hub for early-stage startups, the latest company building buzz has the potential to change the lives of 415 million people worldwide who are living with diabetes. New England Breath Technologies is developing a mechanism that will allow diabetics to do away with the painful

‘World’s 1st pain-free glucose monitor’ tested method of pricking their fingers to test their blood glucose levels. The new tool, Glucair, is a breath analyzer that can detect acetone using nanotechnology. Acetone is an organic compound produced by the body as a part of the process of metabolism. As blood sugar levels rise, so do levels of acetone, and

Ronny Priefer

Michael Rust

those with diabetes have higher levels of both. Similar in construction to an alcohol Breathalyzer, Glucair determines the level of acetone in the breath and converts it to glucose equivalents. If successful, Glucair would be the world’s first noninvasive glucose monitor.

The company was co-founded by Western New England University faculty members Ronny Priefer and Michael Rust. A patent is pending on Glucair. It has gone through several clinical studies, the most recent in November, as the company works toward getting Glucair approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Priefer says the clinical study

MORE INSIDE

SEE DIABETES, PAGE K3

• Valley Venture Mentors ‘founding’ angel looks forward, Page K9 • PeoplesBank debuts ‘Innovation Series’, Page K5

EDUCATION

John Heaps

Florence Bank builds community partners

LORENCE BANK IS A big believer in the “Stronger Together” concept. In fact, collaboration is what our management and board are focused on, but not because “together” makes us stronger. We value what our connections and support provide to the community. What people might not know is that one of the reasons we can be good neighbors is because we are a mutually held bank. With no quarterly dividends to pay out to stockholders, Florence Bank can focus on the ideas and decisions that are good for our community and our customers. We are free to partner with other leaders in the Pioneer Valley to do good. We’ve been doing that for 144 years and intend to extend that philosophy well into the future. Over the past few decades, as local banks got swallowed up by larger ones, only to eventually disappear, we

SEE PARTNERS, PAGE K10

Bay Path University’s first graduating class of the registered nurse to bachelor’s degree in nursing program in 2017.

This photo from 1946 shows the medical secretarial laboratory at Bay Path Secretarial School for Women.

(BAY PATH

UNIVERSITY PHOTO)

Bay Path blazes trail to fit workplace, women’s needs Evolution continues with 21st-century goals, strategy

By CAROLYN ROBBINS

Special to The Republican

tarted as a secretarial school more than a century ago, Bay Path University is now in the vanguard of efforts to speed up higher education’s response time to the ever-changing workplace.

Much of Bay Path’s evolution into a four-year-college with three satellite campuses and total enrollment of 3,298 began in 1994 when Carol A. Leary became the institution’s fifth president. “You can never rest,” Leary said in a recent interview at the school’s flagship campus in Longmeadow. “That’s an important tenet we’ve always had.” Bay Path’s staff and faculty are “continually looking at trends locally, nationally and globally” in an effort to develop accessible, affordable and relevant undergraduate and graduate degree programs for students, says Leary.

As it looks ahead to 2018 and beyond, Bath Path is continuing to tailor its undergraduate and advanced degree programs to meet the needs of employers in many fields, particularly in health care and technology, according to Leary. Satellite campuses include the nearby Phillip H. Ryan Health Center in East Longmeadow and locations in Sturbridge and Concord. This year, Bay Path is adding a doctoral program for nurse practitioners to its array of graduate degrees, which already range from genetic counseling to physician assistant and from cyber security to information

“Every higher educational institution can do a good job, but we have a special niche. What students learn in an all-women environment is that their voices are important.” CAROL A. LEARY, PRESIDENT, BAY PATH UNIVERSITY

SEE BAY PATH, PAGE K11

HCC rooted in collaboration

Teresa Edwards, an Olympian and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall, right, shoots hoops with Jordan Roberts, 9, of West Springfield, following the Florence Bank Dribble Parade held in October in West Springfield. (MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN)

T HOLYOKE COMmunity College, we use the words “collaboration” and “partnership” a lot, and with good reason. We don’t do anything alone. Whether we’re talking about workforce development and job training, building new facilities, developing academic programs, or forging transfer pathways, to be true to our mission, every HCC Holyoke Community College president Christina venture, project or initiative Royal, right, is shown here in an August with Denis Lu- must in some way benefit the zuriaga, owner of the Cubit building, taken during the cities and towns we serve, the construction at the HCC-MGM Culinary Arts Institute. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Florence is always there for my business. Lee Vardakas Aegis Energy Services, Inc.

Christina Royal residents who live there and the places they will work. For example, in response to industry needs, in January we

opened the HCC-MGM Culinary Arts Institute in Holyoke’s Innovation District. We expect the institute to become the region’s premier culinary arts and hospitality education and training facility, supplying a new generation of workers for area restaurants and hotels and filling many of the jobs that will be available once MGM Springfield opens in September. This was not a solitary endeavor but a partnership of the college, the city of HolySEE HCC, PAGE K14

INSIDE: Culinary institute answers regional workforce demands, Page K3

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FlorenceBank.com Member FDIC / Member DIF

K2 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

David M. Cruise

Paul Gentile

Regional employment boards collaborate for future

Cooperative defines credit unions

N THE PIONEER VALley and across Massachusetts, economic growth is constrained by a labor shortage while jobseekers are looking for work. Bridging the gap between the skills and experience of individuals and the needs of the employers seeking to hire is critical for the continued economic expansion of the region and the commonwealth. In response to this reality, Gov. Charles Baker convened the Workforce Skills Cabinet in order to align the Executive Offices of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Housing and Economic Development toward a comprehensive economic growth agenda. Since April, a Pioneer Valley regional planning team, consisting of representatives from workforce development and economic development entities, educational institutions, one-stop career centers, and other stakeholders in Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties, with guidance and support from state staff, have been meeting to develop the Pioneer Valley Labor Market Blueprint. The team has focused on the following issues: SEE FUTURE, PAGE K3

James F. Craig, of Montague, a senior at Franklin County Technical School, cleans a vice in the machine technology shop. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING

Schools, industry team for training GCC, Franklin County Tech link in workforce training By CORI URBAN

“The economy is improving, and businesses are expanding. But the workforce is aging. Now we are supplying and backfilling (to meet industry’s needs).” Raye M. Young, Franklin County Technical School

Special to The Republican

Jocelyn N. Crowningshield, a sophomore at Franklin County Technical School from Rowe, is studying machine technology because she wants to learn a trade. She hopes to be a machinist like her cousin and says the “money is good” in the field. Across the shop at the school, classmate Tyler G. Sicard, a senior from Bernardston, is checking on a computer-aided project. He hopes to attend college to study chemistry.

“Every road must lead to work. That’s what we want for all of our students,” says Jocelyn A. Croft, career and technical education coordinator at the school in Montague. That goes for its adult students, too. Franklin County Technical School partners with Greenfield Community College to provide evening adult education programs in manufacturing technologies and with businesses to educate a new

generation of workers and to retrain adults who are unemployed or underemployed. The ninth cohort of adult learners graduated from the advanced manufacturing CNC (computer numerical control) operator training program in December. “It gives them a legitimate career that can support a family,” explains Raye M. Young, cooperative education coordinator. Both the adult learner and the high school programs

also benefit the region’s industry. As the current workforce ages and retires, it’s imperative that new workers have the training to step into their manufacturing jobs, and vocational schools are making sure there are skilled workers here in Western Massachusetts. Franklin County Tech has a co-op and internship program that matches students with jobs while they are still

SEE TRAINING, PAGE K19

AVING A CHOICE among service providers is at the heart of the American way. Consumers like to have options, many of them, in fact, when they are faced with making a choice. Whether it’s choosing a Ford, Mercedes, Chevrolet or Chrysler as your auto; a hamburger, taco or salad for lunch; or a bank or credit union as your banking-services partner, consumers enjoy having a variety of options from which to choose. Think of what it would be like if there were no options and we all were stuck with one type of car, one type of food to eat and one banking-services provider where we would manage our finances, pay our bills, take out loans and save for the future. Without choice, we would all be at a serious disadvantage. While having a choice empowers consumers, it also defines and distinguishes the many options that are made available to us. Competition breathes a higher level of quality among some of the options, elevating them to the top spot as a popular pick. Others position their value proposition based on offering the lowest price or by embracing a set of principles that govern their product, service and business model. The latter is SEE UNIONS, PAGE K8

Join us for the 23rd annual

Women’s Leadership Conference APRIL6TH,2018

by Strategic Alliances at Bay Path University

MORNING KEYNOTE: AMY CUDDY Amy Cuddy is a Social Psychologist, a Harvard Business School professor, and the New York Times best-selling author of Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges. Her 2012 TED Talk, “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are” is the second-most-viewed TED talk of all time.

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OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | K3

“We worked with MGM not only to have them come in and demonstrate techniques or the latest best practice in the industry but also working with them to make connections with students.” JEFFREY HAYDEN, VICE PRESIDENT BUSINESS, COMMUNITY SERVICES, HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

EDUCATON & WORKFORCE TRAINING

Program designed to meet employers’ needs Culinary institute answers regional workforce demands By JIM KINNEY

jkinney@repub.com

The Holyoke canal walk just outside the windows of the Holyoke Community College-MGM Culinary Arts Institute on Race Street was covered with fresh snow. But Warren Leigh, chairman of the college’s hospitality management and culinary arts programs, imagines it as an outdoor dining room once the weather turns nice. There, students will serve foods they have prepared in the new institute, which opened for business in late January. “We have a lot of plans,” says Leigh. Those are plans befitting a 20,000-square-foot, $7.5 million state-of-the-art culinary school with five kitchens. Those kitchens include a fully functional restaurant production kitchen, a separate teaching kitchen with lab stations and a baking kitchen. There is also a demonstration kitchen where students first watch and learn about tech-

Above, culinary arts student Behnam “Ben” Alimirzaei, of South Hadley, trims beef in the first-floor teaching kitchen, one of five kitchens in the new Holyoke Community College-MGM Culinary Arts Institute. At left, first-year culinary arts student Rosaura Cardona, of Springfield, stirs a pot of jam in the first floor baking shop kitchen at the institute. (CHRIS YURKO / HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE)

niques and culinary science. A second teaching lab kitchen is on the second floor of the institute, where students began their studies the week of Jan. 22. The school, which occupies two floors of the Cubit building, a renovated mill building, has a capacity of about 150 students at any one time and replaces one kitchen and a small baking room at Holyoke Community College. It will be home to five separate programs, including two-semester certificate courses of study and four-semester, or two-year, associate’s degree programs. That

includes a new associate’s degree in applied sciences-culinary arts, according to Michele Cabral, interim dean for business and technology. MGM Resorts International supported the creation of the center with a $500,000 grant. MGM needs 200 line cooks for when it opens the doors at its $960 million casino in Springfield in September. “We worked with MGM not only to have them come in and demonstrate techniques or the latest best practice in the industry but also working with them to make connections with students,” said Jeffery Hayden, the college’s

vice president of business and community services. MGM will offer work opportunities and networking. “Not just MGM, but we are working with dozens of potential employers,” adds Hayden. The Regional Employment Board of Hampden County identified 1,700 vacancies in the food service industry in Hampden County one year ago. MGM will also use the institute’s facilities as a venue when it has tryouts for the experienced and high-level chefs it needs to hire. Those jobs require a “bench-test” where chefs cook a meal.

was huge because it supplied potential investors with confidence that Glucair is viable and has lucrative possibilities. “We did another study in November where we monitored patients and tested blood glucose levels the old-fashioned way. We were able to track, with very good correlation, their blood glucose levels with their acetone levels simultaneously,” Priefer said. “Next year is going full-force into the hand-held version. We’ve spoken to a company that specializes in electronic medical devices. They’re going to miniaturize it to the size of an asthma inhaler. Study one is to ensure we convert the device from Sally Delaney of Erving, MA with her granddaughter Harper. PHOTO COURTESY OF SHIRE PHOTOGRAPHY.

To see a video of Holyoke Community College culinary arts chairman Warren Leigh talking about the role MGM will have in the new culinary institute, go online to MassLive.com.

The second-floor students’ break room at the Holyoke Community College-MGM Culinary Arts Institute looks out over downtown Holyoke. To see a gallery of photos of the institute, go online to MassLive.com. (MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN)

CONTINUED FROM PAGE K2

THE REPUBLICAN)

CONTINUED FROM PAGE K1

Future

Western New England University professors Ronny Priefer, left, and Michael Rust formed a start-up company called New England Breath Technologies. The company has plans for a hand-held Breathalyzer-type medical device for checking blood glucose levels. They are seen here at TechSpring, the Baystate Health Technology Innovation Center. A patent is pending for their product, Glucair, as the company works toward getting it approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (DAVE ROBACK /

Diabetes

WATCH THE VIDEO

“That was the biggest problem. Potential investors were pleased, but they knew this company would not be successful if it was just the two of us. Understanding how to raise money, regulatory affairs, et cetera, we know what we don’t know.” Ronny Priefer, professor, Western New England University

a bench top to a hand-held, standalone battery activated device. Then we’ll do a nationwide study.” While Priefer and Rust had the tech aspect down, their challenge was building a company. “That was the biggest problem. Potential investors were pleased, but they knew this company would not be successful if it was just the two of us,” Priefer said. “Understanding how to raise money, regulatory affairs, et cetera, we know what we don’t know.”

The duo brought on Judy Grupp as CEO and was accepted as a participant into the Valley Venture Mentors 2017 Startup Accelerator program, where they were awarded $25,000. Priefer said the learning curve at Valley Venture Mentors was great because it allowed them to gel as a team, refine their pitch and gave them an opportunity to deliver in front of angel investors. Last year, they also won the People’s Choice Award at the annual Massachusetts Medi-

cal Device Development Center (M2D2) $100k Challenge at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell for early-stage medical device and biotech companies and were a 2017 finalist at the Venture to Stop Diabetes Challenge in Chicago, hosted by the American Diabetes Association. New England Breath Technologies currently operates out of TechSpring’s co-working space in downtown Springfield. Neal Stine has also joined the team as chief innovation officer.

• Understanding the economic, education and workforce context for the region; • Development of criteria for identifying priority industries and occupations; • Identification of priority industries and occupations that align to shared criteria; • Development of an asset map of existing regional resources; • Development of goals and shared strategies to expand prioritized talent pipelines; and • Measuring and building shared accountability for results. The regional employment boards of Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire counties are serving as the intermediaries to convene the regional partners and facilitate dialogue and deliberation that is focused on results and measurable outcomes. The blueprint has been informed by input from 32 cross-sector, cross-region private-sector employers who told us what was working and what we needed to do different to help them attract, develop, and retain the talent they need to remain competitive in today’s global economy. In April 1983, the landmark education reform report “A Nation At Risk” began with the following economic promise: “All, regardless of race or class or economic status, are entitled to a fair chance and to the tools for developing their individual powers of mind and spirit to the utmost. This promise means that all children can hope to secure gainful employment and to manage their own lives.” Gainful employment – a fair day’s pay

“The regional partnership that has evolved from this planning process is committed to implementing coordinated, sustainable and bold actions that will drive regional economic expansion.” David M. Cruise, CEO, Regional Employment Board of Hampden County

for a hard day’s work – is the American promise. The blueprint is a call and commitment to work regionally to implement new strategies to respond directly to the business needs of our employers while ensuring that our region’s job seekers have greater access to a continuum of career pathway programs augmented by an array of services and supports to ensure employment retention. The Pioneer Valley region is strong, and its future looks very promising. The regional partnership that has evolved from this planning process is committed to implementing coordinated, sustainable and bold actions that will drive regional economic expansion, increase job opportunities, and strengthen businesses, communities and families. Please join us in the work ahead. David M. Cruise is president and CEO of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County. To learn more about the board and its work, go online to rebhc.org.

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K4 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Insurance agents thrive on being part of WMass team

Nick Fyntrilakis

HEY ARE AS UNavoidable as death and taxes: those television, radio, and internet ads telling you that 15 minutes can save you money on insurance. But does a talking reptile or a slick website really understand you, your company, or your community? Of course not. That is why business owners and

residents across the commonwealth continue working with local independent insurance agencies to help protect what matters most. The Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents represents over 1,200 independent insurance agencies across the commonwealth, with nearly 100 agencies and over 120 locations right here

The Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents represents over 1,200 independent insurance agencies across the commonwealth, with nearly 100 agencies and over 120 locations right here in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties. in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties. Across the state, these small – and medium-sized – local businesses employ over 10,000 workers and contribute approximately

$1 billion annually to the Massachusetts economy. Independent agencies work with individual consumers and businesses to provide property and casualty insur-

ance as well as life and health products. Insurance agents are also consumer advocates that focus on meeting their customers’ individual needs

SEE INSURANCE, PAGE K6

EDUCATION

Westfield Promise gives bridge to college High schoolers from 3 cities get jump-start on higher ed By JANICE BEETLE

Special to The Republican

Pearl Magala, a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College, went on to attend Mount Holyoke College and earned her Ph.D. in chemistry at Johns Hopkins University. She now works as a research scientist at the University of Washington. (SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE PHOTO)

EDUCATION

STCC launched scientist on her journey to Ph.D. Continued studies at Mount Holyoke, Johns Hopkins Born and raised in Uganda, Pearl Magala has literally traveled thousands of miles to obtain a top-notch education and pursue her dreams. “I left Uganda for better opportunities in the United States,” she says. “I think the higher education system in the U.S. is the best in the world.” Today, the 31-year-old holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and works in a research laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle. She earned her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College. But her quest to obtain the best possible education began at Springfield Technical Community College. She enrolled in the engineering and science transfer program at STCC in 2003, the year she emigrated from Kampala, Uganda, to live with her father in East Windsor, Connecticut. “There are so many advantages when you choose STCC,” Magala says. “It saves a lot of money going to community college. And you’re enrolled in basic classes. You’re learning the same exact thing, whether you’re taking the classes at

“A lecture hall with 200 students is incredibly overwhelming. At STCC, I wasn’t in a class with more than 20 people.” PEARL MAGALA

a community college or at a four-year school.” Magala cites what she calls the most major benefit to her community college education: intimacy. The classes generally are smaller than ones found in big universities, and the professors make themselves accessible, she adds. “A lecture hall with 200 students is incredibly overwhelming,” she said. “At STCC, I wasn’t in a class with more than 20 people. I took a lot of engineering and science transfer classes where there were usually 10 people.” Magala was enrolled in premed, which is part of the engineering and science transfer

SEE STCC, PAGE K14

Ramon S. Torrecilha, Westfield State University’s 20th president, moved to this country from Brazil 40 years ago, landing a job at an orchard in Washington state. He knew admission into Portland State University would change the trajectory of his life because, as he says, knowledge becomes yours. While he had no idea how to get started, Torrecilha stumbled through the mystery of the college entrance process because he knew it would take him where he wanted to go. Torrecilha is certain that today’s high school students are equally as unprepared for college and all that enrollment entails, lacking in what he calls “cultural capital.” So he eagerly got behind the Westfield Promise after he came on board just over two years ago. The program gives high school students in Westfield, Springfield and Holyoke – and their high populations of underrepresented, low-income and first-generation college students – a taste of the academic experience as well as general savvy. “It’s invaluable,” Torrecilha says. “For many students, especially students of color and first-generation students, the notion of going to college is a mystery. This program

Ramon S. Torrecilha, Westfield State University’s 20th president, has expanded the Westfield Promise program to include Westfield, Holyoke and Springfield high school students, allowing them to take college courses in an effort to build the students’ self esteem and get a taste of the academic experience on a bridge from high school to college. (JANICE BEETLE PHOTO)

and Holyoke, partly in the hope of diversifying the university’s student body through the potential feeder program. The pilot began with 91 high school students from the three communities. Financial assistance is provided to students with demonstrated need; others will each pay no more than $300 for the grant-funded program that will offer them college credits they can transfer anywhere. In each student’s junior year, university faculty team teach at the high schools, offering one of eight 101-level stretch courses. In their senior year,

man, the early college access and education recruitment coordinator, are the on-campus champions of the Westfield Promise. They collaborate with Stefan Czaporowski, superintendent of Westfield Public Schools, Lydia E. Martinez-Alvarez, a 1986 university alum and trustee who is an assistant superintendent in the Springfield Public Schools, and Mickey Buhl, the executive director of secondary education and pathways for the Holyoke Public Schools. Roughly 50 students at Westfield High School and the technical academy are en-

is one student who battled that self-doubt about whether she could manage college. She says her guidance counselor pushed her to take part in the Westfield Promise. “I love it,” Turrini says. “It challenges me just the right amount, but it’s still in my comfort zone.” Taking part in the program has made Turrini feel less anxious about pursuing a college degree. “It’s a nice cushion, a little pre-warmup for college,” she says. Eventually, Torrecilha hopes to expand the Westfield Promise into Chicopee, and it’s also a hope of his to one day offer programing to students “For many students, especially students of color and first-generation in elementary and middle students, the notion of going to college is a mystery. This program school. Just last month, the state awarded a $10,000 comhelps them bridge that space between high school and college.” petitive planning grant to the Ramon S. Torrecilha, president, Westfield State University Westfield Promise program to take the program to the next rolled in the Westfield Promlevel. the high schoolers will take helps them bridge that space ise for this academic year, Said Gov. Charlie Baker in classes at Westfield State between high school and taking English and American announcing the recent grants, alongside enrolled students. college. It’s about building “Early college programs are “That’s when they link their government courses, accordthe student’s self-esteem and ing to Czaporowski. crucial for exposing students respecting his or her ability to short- and long-term goals “It gives our students an to the opportunities higher with what they’re doing in the learn.” opportunity to explore the education can create and classroom,” Torrecilha says. The program got its start at college experience sooner and with these designations, “They translate that knowlWestfield Technical Acadeedge into skills. By the time my, the city’s vocational high also helps them make an inmore students will be able formed decision about where to earn college credits at no they finish at Westfield State, school, several years ago as they want to go in the future,” cost. We are pleased to work they will be able to write, to one “stretch” course, aptly he says. “It helps them answer with these school districts to named because it took the full think, to analyze, to work in expand or launch early college the questions: ‘Am I college groups.” year to complete. programs so their students are Shelley Tinkham, Westfield material?’ and ‘Can I handle Then Torrecilha officially better prepared for successful the work?’” launched the Westfield Prom- State’s dean of the College ise in the fall of 2017, expand- of Graduate and Continuing academic and professional Ravyn Turrini, a junior at ing it to include Springfield Westfield Technical Academy, careers after high school.” Education, and Ryan Meers-

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OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | K5

“Collaboration is necessary for everyone to win, and I’m a big proponent of communication. It’s the only way to be successful in all we do.” THOMAS SENECAL, PRESIDENT, PEOPLESBANK

BANKING & FINANCE

Innovation key for customers, community PeoplesBank says collaboration is driver for success

WATCH THE VIDEO

To see the first video in the PeoplesBank “Innovation Series,” go to the online version of this story at MassLive.com.

By CYNTHIA G. SIMISON

csimison@repub.com

When Joseph Skinner and other civic leaders in Holyoke set out more than a century ago to establish the mutual savings bank that would become PeoplesBank, they exemplified the true spirit of collaboration and innovation. Fast forward to 2018, and PeoplesBank holds true to those tenets as it continues its founders’ mission. “One of the reasons we are thriving is because of that collaboration and that connection to the community,” says Thomas Senecal, president and CEO of Peoples Bank. “As a mutual institution, that’s exactly what it was. Joseph Skinner got together a group of people who formed a mutual bank for the community, by the community and which contributed back to the community.” Each of those core principals remain integral to all the bank does today, both internally and in its interactions with customers and community, according to Senecal. “As a community bank, I cannot tell you enough how committed we are to the community,” the bank president says. “Our corporate structure as a mutual bank means we are responsive to the community. We are one of the most philanthropic banks headquartered in the area. Forty-eight of our officers serve on the

services has evolved steadily over the past decade to make banking at Peoples “a frictionless experience,” he and Senecal explain. PeoplesBank has seen the “adoption rates,” meaning the numbers of and pace at which customers take to the new services, skyrocket year over year, both say. Online banking. Remote deposits. Fingerprint ID. Each new technological advance is being utilized by more and more customers. Just as it’s done in its business practices, PeoplesBank wants to cast the net of innovation into the broader commuMatthew Bannister, PeoplesBank first vice president of marketing and innovation, interviews leaders of Valley Venture Mentors nity. With today’s publication in the first of a series of online videos focused on innovation in the Pioneer Valley. (PEOPLESBANK PHOTO) of Outlook 2018 in the Sunday Republican, PeoplesBank is With today’s publication of Outlook 2018 launching the “Innovation Series,” a six-part video series in the Sunday Republican, PeoplesBank that focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship in Western is launching the “Innovation Series,” Massachusetts. It’s a spinoff of a six-part video series that focuses on another video concept, “Everyday People,” it undertook innovation and entrepreneurship in to highlight the good works Western Massachusetts. in the community by people “who go above and beyond to help our communities.” Liz Roberts, CEO of Valley Venture Mentors, is featured in The “Innovation Series” the debut segment of PeoplesBank’s “Innovation Series” of came about as the leadership videos. (PEOPLESBANK PHOTO) of PeoplesBank contemplated “We have done a lot of inboards of directors for 115 nonthe customers, things like new puts the banks’ customer and “how does the innovation profits.” novation for bank customers, processes that help us with community missions front and we’re doing impact our region Innovation plays out each fingerprint ID, bank on the cyber-security.” center with “innovation” a key as whole, even beyond our customers,” says Bannister. and every day for customers at go, Apple pay,” he explains. Bannister’s position is first to both. PeoplesBank’s push “The economic drivers of the PeoplesBank, adds vice presi- “A lot of our innovation is vice president of marketing to incorporate technological SEE PEOPLES, PAGE K10 dent Matthew Bannister. internal and really invisible to and innovation, a title that advances into its customer

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OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

EDUCATION

Trades can pave path to jobs, success Putnam students learn ‘dream job’ close at hand By CAROLYN ROBBINS

Special to The Republican

Rafael Rivera, a sophomore at Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, can see a clear path to a bright future from the seat of a virtual John Deere 310SL backhoe-bucket loader. Rivera, 16, is among 15 sophomores enrolled in the school’s new construction and craft labor shop who can expect to land high-paying union jobs starting at $17.50 an hour in highway construction after graduation. The shop where they learn exists thanks to a $441,000 federal Pell grant that Putnam received to staff and outfit the 3,850-square-foot facility with the kind of equipment

Hilary Weisgerber, left, vocational director at Putnam Vocational-Technical Academy, talks with students Dalyan Paz and Norman LaFond in the academy’s construction craft workshop. (PUTNAM ACADEMY PHOTO)

he maneuvered the controls through a virtual construction site displayed on three video screens. As he manipulated the machine, Rivera said, “I like to work with my hands, and I like having fun while I work.” The construction craft labor shop is the latest of Putnam’s 21 vocational programs. They range from carpentry to culinary arts and from allied health to machine technology. Students and parents are beginning to understand that an education in a trade is a valuable endeavor, says Hilary Weisgerber, the school’s vocational director. Putnam is the most popular of Springfield’s five public high schools among eighth-graders so entrance isn’t guaranteed. At the Springfield Public Schools’ recent school-choice fair, the line of students at the Putnam table was the longest, according to Weisgerber. The new construction craft laborer program includes instruction in general construction, line-grading and concrete at work, construction math, scaffolding, hoisting and rigging, hand signals, blueprint reading and site preparation. Students in the four-year program get federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training and garner 1,000 hours of the 4,000 apprenticeship hours

needed to earn their journeyman’s license, Weisgerber says. First-year students at Putnam are all introduced to the choices of trade programs the school offers. In sophomore year, they choose a specialty for their focus. Rivera, who was originally planning to study how to become an electrician, said he was sold on the construction program when he learned about it. Weisgerber and Frank Manzi, an instructor in the construction craft labor shop, say highway construction will be a booming field for many years to come. “There are several large construction projects currently underway in Springfield and around the region,” Weisgerber says, noting the Interstate-91 viaduct work underway downtown. “And nationally there is a very big interest in infrastructure repair.” Data shows the aging of the current workforce means there will be many jobs that

plan, regardless of provider. As local Western Massachusetts companies themCONTINUED FROM PAGE K4 selves, our members are with the appropriate products, deeply invested in the social at the best value. and economic health of this This is a truly exciting time region. Our independent for Western Massachusetts. agents are your friends and Unprecedented investment neighbors, Little League is transforming the region coaches and community into a destination for tourists volunteers. They give of their and new businesses alike. time and money and care Our members recognize deeply about the communities they serve. that with expanded opportunities come new risks and Perhaps most importantly, challenges. That is why it is however, they are there for so critical to have a personal you when you need them and ongoing relationship most. Those of us who lived with a licensed independent through the 2011 tornado professional who gets to and “Snowtober” storm know you, grows with you, remember not only the and understands your unique horrific devastation wrought needs. by those two events, but also Companies such as CRRC the heroic way in which our Massachusetts and MGM communities came together Springfield are bringing to rebuild in the aftermath. entirely new and exciting inWe are proud to say that dustries to the region. Local local independent agents independent agents are in a played an important role in position to understand these that effort. They were on the trends in a way that a call ground, providing comfort center operator in Anytown, and advice mere minutes afUSA simply cannot. Indepen- ter the storms touched down. dent agents can serve as aux- Agencies opened their office iliary members of your team doors to customers who lost and work with you to provide power and phone service and personalized recommendaworked around the clock to tions and suggest the best answer questions and guide

people through the claims process. These are the types of services that can never be reflected in a 15-minute quote. The notion that this region, or any region of the commonwealth, is “stronger together” is nothing new to independent insurance agencies. Approximately 13 percent of our members have been in business for over 100 years and 40 percent have been in business between 50 and 100 years. You cannot achieve this type of longevity by going it alone. As Western Massachusetts embarks on this exciting new chapter, our agencies will be right there with you, offering the products and services you need to sustain this region’s renaissance through the next century and beyond. Nicholas Fyntrilakis is president and CEO of the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents. He also serves as volunteer chairman of DevelopSpringfield, a nonprofit economic development organization focused on development in the city of Springfield. To learn more about the association and its work, go online to massagent.com.

“I just got my tax return information. I made $70,000 last year. That’s more than (my teacher) makes.” Jose Parrilla, Putnam Vocational Technical Academy carpentry grad

students will use on the job after graduation. Part of that equipment includes an actual John Deere backhoe-bucket loader that students can try out when they’re ready. On this day, though, Rivera was working at a simulator – one of several other socalled SIMLOG stations – as

Insurance

Above, Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy sophomore Rafael Rivera, left, works with Frank Manzi in a simulation lab that shows students how to operate construction vehicles. At left, Manzi, construction craft laborer instructor, and Hilary Weisgerber, vocational director at Putnam, say interest among students in Putnam’s construction craft labor program is booming.

WATCH THE VIDEO

To see the Carpenters Local 336 video with Putnam Vocational Academy alum Adrian Rolon, go online to MassLive.com or Youtube. com/NECarpenters

NICHOLAS FYNTRILAKIS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE AGENTS

the union – right out of the gate,” he says in the video. As if on cue, 24-year-old construction craft laborers Jose Parrilla, another former will need to be filled with a and carpenters often work on carpentry student of Manzi’s new generation, she adds. the same sites. stopped in at the shop and “We’re not going to see that During a recent interview shared his on-the-job expestop for a long time,” Weisgerber says. riences as a member of the at the shop, Manzi proudly Like Rivera, many of carpenters’ union. played a YouTube video produced for Carpenters Local Manzi’s current and former “I just got my tax return students are laser-focused on 336, featuring former student information,” Parrilla said. their career path armed with 18-year-old Adrian Rolon “I made $70,000 last year. Hernandez. the knowledge that getting a That’s more than Mr. Manzi In the video, Rolon Herjob in construction is the road makes.” nandez describes the joys to a high-paying career with Manzi says he couldn’t and benefits of his job as a opportunities to grow and be happier for his students’ carpenter’s apprentice. He advance. success and hopes that one Carpentry is another popu- calls carpentry his “dream day when they have achieved lar shop at Putnam. job,” saying that it allowed success in their fields, they’ll Manzi, who worked in him to tap into his creativity at return to Putnam as instructors themselves to share their highway construction when an early age. Interstate 291 was built, says “This is the best time to join knowledge and experience.

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“Companies such as CRRC Massachusetts and MGM Springfield are bringing entirely new and exciting industries to the region. Local independent agents are in a position to understand these trends in a way that a call center operator in Anytown, USA simply cannot.”

(PUTNAM ACADEMY PHOTO)

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | K7

ENERGY & BROADBAND

Worker-owned solar firm earns national kudos

“The beauty of solar is you don’t have to pay for sunlight. Once you pay off the equipment, energy is free (under the direct ownership model).”

PV Squared on track for 3.5 megawatts of projects in 2018 By CORI URBAN

Special to The Republican

“Solar (energy) is worth looking into for everyone,” Josh Hilsdon says with certainty. He is the commercial design and sales consultant for Pioneer Valley PhotoVoltaics Cooperative Inc., also known as PV Squared, an employee-owned and certified B corporation solar installation company headquartered in Greenfield. Benefits of both home and business solar energy solutions include direct ownership of equipment, long-term cost savings, spending in the local economy and eco-friendly power. “It’s a strategic investment that pays for itself and is a more attractive alternative than continuing to pay utilities with no end in sight,” Hilsdon says. “And more and more people are realizing this,” adds Adam Thurrell, president of the board and operations team leader. PV Squared received company accreditation by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, an accreditation awarded to companies that meet a rigorous set of standards regarding installation, employee

JOSH HILSDON, CONSULTANT, PV SQUARED

Josh Hilsdon, Andrew S. Toomajian, Adam Thurrell and Stacy A. Metzger stand beside one of the PV Squared vehicles at the solar company’s Greenfield headquarters. The company, formally known as Pioneer Valley PhotoVoltaics Cooperative Inc., employs 44 workers. At right, Hilsdon and Thurrell show a panel used for custom solar energy solutions. (CORI URBAN PHOTOS)

training and qualification, safe work practices and customer accountability. The company joins seven other accredited companies and is the first located in New England. PV Squared is regarded as a socially responsible leader in the field of solar design, installation and maintenance. It has provided renewable energy solutions to a range of clients, including business owners, commercial property owners,

ENERGY & BROADBAND

Whip City Fiber wires up Westfield Adds high-speed internet service

farmers, academic institutions and homeowners since 2002. The business employs 44 people, 24 of whom are co-owners. In 2016, PV Squared completed 188 projects in the Pioneer Valley and surrounding areas, installing 2.5 megawatts of solar power. According to Stacy A. Metzger, general manager, PV Squared expects to install 3.5 megawatts in 2018.

“The beauty of solar is you don’t have to pay for sunlight,” Hilsdon says. “Once you pay off the equipment, energy is free (under the direct ownership model).” To qualify for a solar array, a customer must own the property, have sufficient sunlight and use electricity. “Renewable energy is the fastest-growing source of new energy generation in the country,” says Andrew S. Tooma-

By HOPE E. TREMBLAY

Special to The Republican

Whip City Fiber is growing, one neighborhood at a time. Since the first neighborhoods were connected in 2015, Whip City Fiber, an offshoot of Westfield Gas & Electric, has been expanding its service across the city as more and more residents cut the traditional cable cord.

jian, a design and sales team member. And business grows as customers become more familiar with renewable energy through systems their friends, family or neighbors install. “When you have solar on your home, you are more resilient to electric grid price changes, volatilities,” Metzger adds. PV Squared solar energy systems range in price from less than $20,000 to more than

Whip City Fiber started connecting businesses to high-speed internet service 20 years ago and began bringing gigabit speed internet to residents with its 2016 pilot of 240 homes. This year, most Westfield neighborhoods will be able to connect. The municipal utility’s general manager, Daniel Howard, who also heads Whip City Fiber, says what makes the compa-

$40,000, and the company offers financing options. PV Squared operates from Worcester to the New York state border and from the Connecticut state line into Vermont. It offers solar design, installation, service, maintenance and repair for residential, commercial, agricultural, institutional and custom projects. To learn more about the company, visit its website, pvsquared.coop.

ny stand out, aside from its speed, is its service. “We pride ourselves on being local, our reliability, our value and especially our service,” said Howard. Whip City Fiber has built on the good reputation of Westfield Gas & Electric, and Howard says customers know the company for its fast response and com-

SEE UTILITY, PAGE K13

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OUTLOOK 2018

“We are here. People can come in and talk to me.” JAMES C. HAGAN, PRESIDENT, WESTFIELD BANK

Westfield Bank is scouting locations for new branches, including a site in Connecticut, as it looks to spread the reach of its branches, according to president and CEO James C. Hagan. Westfield Bank already has offices in Enfield and Granby in the Nutmeg State. This is the Westfield Bank branch at Tower Square in downtown Springfield. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

BANKING & FINANCE

Banks look to spread branches Face-to-face service still valued amid tech-driven world By JIM KINNEY

jkinney@repub.com

Sometimes bank mergers mean fewer branches, with locations closed or consolidated in the name of eliminating redundancy. But Westfield Bank and Chicopee Savings Bank didn’t close any locations in their $110 million merger. The deal, which created a larger Westfield Bank, became official in October 2016. Westfield Bank completed the transition and changed signs on all the branch locations in December of that year. Today, Westfield Bank has $2.1 billion in assets, compared with $1.4 billion prior to the merger. The employee headcount at the combined James C. Hagan Westfield and Chicopee banks was little changed at 300 or so. About 40 jobs were eliminated as redundant, but many people in those roles chose to retire, leaving about a dozen jobs eliminated. Now Westfield Bank is looking for a new branch location, says James C. Hagan, president and CEO. Another branch, the bank’s 22nd, could open in 2019. He also says Westfield Bank is looking for locations in Connecticut – Westfield Bank already has offices in Enfield and Granby in the Nutmeg State – or in Massachusetts. Only one community, West Springfield, had both a Chicopee Savings and a Westfield Bank, and both will remain open. They are some distance from each other, with one on Park Avenue and one on Morgan Road. All this talk of branches might seem old-fashioned in this day of online shopping, banking apps for mobile phones and direct deposits. Many people never deposit a paper check or withdraw cash anymore. But, says Kevin O’Connor, executive vice president and chief banking officer for Westfield Bank, branch offices give banks like Westfield a presence in communities. And they give customers a sense of security. They know they can find a person to work with when they need one, according to O’Connor. “They want to see a teller face-to-face,” O’Connor says. Westfield has shifted bankers and functions into its branches. Now customers can at least begin a business loan or a home mortgage in a branch office. In the past, all

BANKS MAKE CHANGES Here is a rundown of changes in banking in Western Massachusetts in the recent past: Bank of America: Plans to close branches in South Hadley and Easthampton next month. BankESB: Previously called Easthampton Saving Bank, it will open a new branch at Sargeant and Beech streets in Holyoke this year. Berkshire Bank: Pittsfield-based Berkshire Bank completed its $109 million purchase of Hampden Bank in 2015. In 2017, Berkshire Bank moved its headquarters to Boston and added 16 Worcester-area branches with the purchase of Commerce Bank and Trust Company in Worcester for $209 million. Community Bank: In May, Nuvo Bank & Trust changed its name to Community Bank following a string of separate takeovers. Nuvo is now owned by Community Bank of Syracuse, New York. Florence Bank: In September, Florence Bank, headquartered in Northampton, opened its first Hampden County location on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield; a second Hampden County branch will open in Springfield this summer. Florence Bank also recently opened a new drive-up office and ATM at the Pleasant Street rotary in Northampton. Greenfield Savings Bank: Opened new downtown branches in Amherst and Northampton in the summer of 2017. Key Bank: Key Bank bought First Niagara Bank for $4.1 billion and rebranded First Niagara, the former Westbank here, as Key Bank in August 2016. PeoplesBank: Plans to establish financial services center at the Yankee Pedlar site on Route 5 in Holyoke. Project will include a new branch to replace two outmoded branches nearby. United Bank: United Bank merged with Rockville Savings Bank in Connecticut in a $369 million deal in 2013. In January, United opened a new downtown Springfield office in Monarch Place. Westfield Bank: Westfield Bank and Chicopee Savings Bank merged in a $110 million deal that became official in October 2016.

availability exists throughout his bank’s entire organization. “We are here,” he said. “People can come in and talk to me.” According to O’Connor, Westfield Bank’s home mortgage business has improved since it started following Chicopee Savings Bank’s model and servicing those loans in-house. In the past, Westfield Bank sold those loans and customers ended up making their payments to and dealing with another company. Hagan says the commercial loan pipeline has also been strong in the last 16 to 18 months, an indicator that the regional economy is picking up. He’s not the only bank executive who is optimistic. that was in a central office. Dan Flynn, executive vice The bank seeks to add president and chief operating layers of availability, O’Con- officer for wholesale banking nor also says. Now those at United Bank, points to functions are available at developments in Springfield the East Main Street branch like the CRRC Massachusetts in Westfield, for example, rail car factory and the MGM until 7 on weeknights. That’s Springfield casino. handy for a small businessThe casino, he says, is an person who can’t get away opportunity the city must during business hours. seize because it’s unlikely “We make ourselves there will be another $960 available to customers when million project anytime they need us to be available,” soon. “We are not going to O’Connor says. get a second chance to get Hagan says that sense of this right,” says Flynn.

According to Kevin O’Connor, Westfield Bank’s home mortgage business has improved since it started following Chicopee Savings Bank’s model and servicing those loans inhouse. In the past, Westfield Bank sold those loans and customers ended up making their payments to and dealing with another company.

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Unions CONTINUED FROM PAGE K2

most evident when it comes to the organic food industry and healthy eating. In the world of banking, a comparison is no different. When scanning the various choices that exist for banking services there are the “forprofit” business model, one that is structured to generate healthy yields to investors and shareholders, and the “not-for profit” business model, reflective of America’s credit unions. As financial cooperatives, credit unions are owned by those who belong to the organization, those using its services to meet their banking needs. Credit unions refer to them as member-owners. And since the cooperative business model has no shareholders or investors to satisfy with profits, any excess earnings generated by the credit union are redirected back to the member-owners in the form

Polish National Credit Union was honored with the 2018 Reader Rave award for Best Credit Union. Here, members of the credit union team, from left, Ela Vickers, Kathi Donahue, Tracey Egloff, Melinda White, Christine Gagnon, Kevin Kober, Sarah Jordan, Zaneta Grasakis and Michael Kelley pose on the red carpet at the October awards celebration at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. (MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

competitive rates and loan products are the primary reasons why consumers choose the banking partners they do. To the contrary, our findings show otherwise, pointing to something much deeper. We’re seeing more and more consumers want to do business with institutions they trust. Whether it’s buying lo-

The Polish National Credit Union opened its doors at 222 Exchange St. in Chicopee on March 21, 1921, founded by 15 men with a capital outlay of $325. (EDWARD BELLAMY MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION PHOTO)

of better rates, low or no fees, and high-quality financial products. Besides empowering consumers, being offered a choice also assumes knowledge of the options. Making a selection blindly, without knowing what makes one option better than the other, can result in the decision maker losing out on a host of benefits, which otherwise could have generated savings and more convenience in the long run. Did you know that time and time again, the American Customer Satisfaction Index ranks credit unions No. 1 among all financial institutions in customer-member satisfaction? You might think that

cally grown food, going green or shopping at the mom- and pop-owned store down the street, consumers are becoming more selective of the organizations they choose to do business with, and when it comes to financial services, credit unions are the smarter choice. Trust is our sweet spot, and consumers are taking notice! Nationally, 33 percent of the population belongs to a credit union. Here in Massachusetts it’s even higher, standing at 42 percent. Our trust factor is leading the way for new membership growth like never before, now surpassing 110 million member accounts nationwide.

Credit unions are also at the forefront of leadership in harnessing new technologies like mobile banking, online lending, online advertising and remote deposit capture. They also can boast of having one of the largest surcharge-free ATM networks in the country through the CO-OP Network’s 30,000-plus ATMs. Credit unions are able to achieve such a national network because they cooperate with one another. Cooperation is one of the defining principles of a cooperative. Giving back to the community is another. Here in Massachusetts, credit unions have shown tremendous commitment to the communities they serve. Supporting military families and their deployed loved ones; helping to shelter the homeless and soften the burdens they face; contributing to local charities and the well-respected services they provide for the less fortunate only scratches the surface of the many ways credit unions care for the neighborhoods where their members live and work. When it comes to banking in 2018, choose wisely! Credit unions are clearly the smarter choice. Learn more at BetterValuesBetterBanking.com. Paul Gentile is president and CEO of the Cooperative Credit Union Association. To learn more about the association and its work, go online to ccuassociation.org.

OUTLOOKE 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | K9

‘Common purpose’ binds manufacturers

GREW UP IN NORTH port their families. called Associated Industries you knew (and you knew most Adams Regional Hospital. North Adams was a tightly Adams in a world defined everyone) worked either at Few people in North Adams of Massachusetts (AIM) did, knit Berkshire County mill by family, community but we all grew up breathing Sprague Electric, General could tell you what the stateSEE AIM, PAGE K18 town where almost everyone Electric in Pittsfield or North wide employer association and work. The three elements existed symbiotically: families bonded around common values; “We work with government to help employers create the kind of economic opportunity that will neighborhoods joined toallow more moms and dads to set down their tools, computers, briefcases and research notes at gether to form communities; the end of the day and enjoy the kind of life for which we all hope in the next century.” and innovative employers created jobs that allowed Richard C. Lord, CEO, Associated Industries of Massachusetts hard-working people to sup-

Richard Lord

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

‘Rock star’ leads angels Paul Silva pushes boundaries to help start-ups succeed

and now to his two latest endeavors, Launch413 and the Lean Innovation Institute. Launch413 comes in where his previous work left off. Silva says the next challenge after start-ups go through an accelerator like Valley Venture Mentors is their pursuit of capital. Most entrepreneurs are talented in a particular area, but either lack the skills they need to move forward or there are skill gaps on their team,

financing, build sales, create supply chains, recruit key talent and set strategy, all while prepping them to scale. They use a royalty model where they By NATASHA ZENA essentially invest $50,000 to Special to The Republican $100,000 worth of labor and When we think of a rock star take 5 percent of revenue down we don’t often think of an exuthe road and then it’s capped. berant angel investor wearing While venture capitalists are a rubber ducky necktie. looking for 10 times the return But that is exactly what Paul from unicorns, Launch413 and G. Silva is shaping up to be its royalty model shoots for as he continues to push the three times the return. boundaries Silva says Can you take a curriculum that has proven to be a about a dozen of Western Massachusuccess for one industry and use it to rejuvenate companies setts’ startthroughout another? Paul Silva is banking on it. up scene. the U.S. are As a senior using the royat the University of Massaalty model. He and his team of which initially make them chusetts at Amherst in 2000, venture advisers at Launch413, undesirable to investors. Silva cofounded the Entreclub which includes Ali Usman, “The investor says ‘no, the because he needed help build- team doesn’t have enough Brett Gearing, Jean Coyle, Jim ing his start-up Zform. That’s Geisman, Randy Krotowski, experience. I’m not going to where his duck tie first made Rick Plaut, Scott Longley and give them the money,’” Silva its appearance as a silly way to explains. “And the entrepreSteve Rubin, are going into neur goes, ‘if I had your money their pilot year focused on make his fellow students feel I could hire the people with ex- working with four start-ups. less nervous when pitching perience.’ It’s a Catch-22. This their ideas. Since then, the Can you take a curriculum summer I had the inspiration ducks have been on quite a that has proven to be a success for, hopefully, how to solve it.” for one industry and use it to ride. They’ve accompanied Silva Silva’s alternative venture rejuvenate another? Silva is from college competitions to fund, Launch413, was born. banking on it. his work in angel investment Instead of investing capital, If breathing life into the to the co-founding of Valley they invest time and experregion’s start-up community wasn’t enough, he and Venture Mentors, the region’s tise in seed-stage start-ups by helping them raise next-round his trusty rubber ducky are leading start-up accelerator,

More than a decade ago, Paul G. Silva was nurturing start-ups with his angel investment group, River Valley Investors. He went on to help found Valley Venture Mentors and today is looking for new ways to invest and mentor new entrepreneurs. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

floating into the nonprofit sector with the Lean Innovation Institute. Silva is taking the curriculum from Valley Venture Mentors’ pilot manufacturing accelerator last year and teaching it to established companies. He said the alum of the manufacturing program proved the curriculum works by generating over $2 million of new revenue within six

months of graduation. “Nonprofits are viciously competing for donor dollars these days. The donor pool isn’t getting bigger, but their expenses are. So if they could generate millions of dollars in revenue and further their mission at the same time, holy cow. That’s really meaningful to them,” Silva said. Pathlight is one of his current

clients, and he has two large nonprofits in the region in the pipeline that he could not name at press time due to impending negotiations. With all that is on his plate, when does he have time to rest? “I have two kids,” Silva added. “They taught me I don’t need sleep.” How very rock star of him.

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Peoples CONTINUED FROM PAGE K5

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“Florence Bank supports the business community with loans that provide opportunities and expansion. Our job is to help them in theirs.” JOHN F. HEAPS JR., PRESIDENT, FLORENCE BANK

Ronald C. DeCurzio

The Florence Bank Dribble Parade in October saw youngsters dribble basketballs down Main Street in West Springfield to help celebrate the opening of the bank’s latest branch and the first in Hampden County. The bank partnered with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for the event. (MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN)

Partners

Municipal utilities power up carbon-free

ITH A LONG HIStory of providing reliable service and stable electric rates to the people they serve, municipal utilities in Massachusetts and their joint action agency, the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co., are working together to strengthen their communities through a public power business model that has stood the test of time. The 40 municipal utilities in Massachusetts, of which 20 are Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co. (MMWEC) members, operate under a not-for-profit structure based on local control over decisions affecting electric service, rates and resource choices. In Western Massachusetts, the communities of Chicopee, Holyoke, South Hadley, Russell, Chester and Westfield are served by municipal utilities. MMWEC, a nonprofit, public corporation and political subdivision of the commonwealth, was built on the premise that working together, through joint action, strengthens each individual member and, as a result, the communities they serve. For more than 40 years, it has ensured that the hallmarks of joint action – improved

We also have ties to Aegis oped a website to support Northampton with his wife, Energy Services Inc., a green Devon, can keep his store their growth. They have since power company in Holyoke. gone global, so the classes stocked with educational CONTINUED FROM PAGE K1 We financed the construction toys all year-round thanks they offer for beginners to have elected to remain of a solar field on a former seasoned knitting experts, to a line of credit that we mutual. Our management Brownfield site so that Aegis provide. In a world overly and their how-to videos, can and board are committed to was able to grow and also become a mainstay. saturated with technology, our independence, and that produce affordable, green At Florence Bank, we are A2Z provides fun and organic means we don’t have to make energy. The project also all about stronger. Together. learning. It also has long money for stockholders. We allowed Lee Vardakas, the offered a “Yo-Yo School” for We’re excited to bring our can invest dividends into the Aegis chief executive officer, interested kids. customer service and support community instead. We can and Joe Goding, the chief deeper into Hampden CounSteve Elkins and his wife, build community partners. financial officer, to lower the Kathy, the owners of WEBS, ty. Our hope is that what has worked for us in Hampshire There are many examples firm’s own utility costs and America’s Yarn Store, a County will work there, too. of the collaborative work we produce affordable energy second-generation family do in the region, with the for residents in Holyoke and business, have seen their John F. Heaps Jr. is president most altruistic found in our across the state. business take off in recent of Florence Bank. To learn support of area nonprofits. André Boulay, a yo-yo years. Backed by a Florence Each year, we distribute expert who owns A2Z Bank loan, they purchased a more about the bank, visit the SEE POWER, PAGE K16 website, florencebank.com. $100,000 to organizations Science & Learning Store in new warehouse and develthat change lives through our Customers’ Choice community grants program. This year, we will pass the $1 million mark in terms of dollars invested in organizations in our midst that are changing lives every day. We don’t make the decisions on who receives the funds. The beauty of the Customers’ Choice program is that people who bank with us get to call the shots. They choose the organizations they believe in. Last year, Dakin Humane Society, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the Amherst and Northampton survival centers received the most customer votes. These organizations, and dozens of others that received the funds, keep the people in our communities safe, secure, healthy, active and engaged. We can’t take the credit for that. Likewise, Florence Bank supports the business community with loans that provide opportunities and expansion. Our job is to help them excel in theirs. That business growth we shepherd helps area residents access the products and services that are crucial in their lives. We’re proud of what our customers can do for the people who live in our midst – our employees, customers, neighbors and friends. The relationships we build and translate into partnerships are also important to members of the community, such as the relationship The pathway to a promising future for motivated high school students. we have with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of ■ Earn a minimum of 12 college credits while still in high school Fame. ■ Participate in college readiness, career preparedness and financial aid awareness programs The hall of fame became a customer about eight years Successful participants are given preferred admission to Westfield State upon completion of the Westfield Promise. ago, and together we have offered programs that have Have questions? benefited people of all ages, most recently this fall when Contact Ryan Meersman at (413) 572-8316 or email rmeersman@westfield.ma.edu we held our Florence Bank Dribble Parade at our new branch in West Springfield. Hall of famer Teresa Edwards served as the parade marshal, and she spent hours talking and shooting hoops with young people and their parents at our first Hampden County location.

westﬁeld.ma.edu

03075423

region come from small business and the entrepreneurs.” In the debut video, Bannister visits with one of the founders of Valley Venture Mentors, Scott Foster, and the organization’s CEO, Liz Roberts. The entrepreneurial mentoring organization is among the nonprofits that PeoplesBank helps underwrite with financial support. “Valley Venture Mentors is a great place to go (for the series), to look at them, as well as success stories,” Senecal says. “Our idea is to highlight innovative thinkers in our region, look for commonalities and shine a spotlight so others can see them.” It was a case, explains the bank president, of how PeoplesBank might, along with being innovative itself, drive and inspire even more innovation in the region as a means of helping spur economic development. “A rising tide helps all boats,” Senecal says. For now, they’ve set it as a six-part series, but they’ll carefully monitor to decide if there is an audience for it and how well it is received. Segments may be added, and they know they’ll have no shortage of topics. The next segment will feature New England Breath Technologies, a startup nurtured by Valley Venture Mentors that is highlighted in another Outlook 2018 article. As PeoplesBank thrives, it is also growing and one of its major projects on deck for 2018 is evolving as a focal point in the community. Senecal, perhaps more than anyone at PeoplesBank, is well aware of how great an impact the bank’s plans for the Yankee Pedlar property along Route 5 in Holyoke will have on the community. In mid-January, the bank got the approvals it needs from state and municipal historic commissions to proceed with plans to demolish portions of the restaurant and inn as it clears the way for development of a financial services center. “It is a good example of collaboration,” says Senecal, of the process the bank undertook planning for the Pedlar property. “If it was purely a financial decision, it would not have been the same answer (about these plans). I think it is a landmark and a very well-admired, respected and beloved landmark.” Senecal happens to have been married at the now-shuttered Mater Dolorosa Church in downtown Holyoke and had his wedding reception at the Pedlar. “A piece of me wanted to personally see it retained,” he explains. “I had to make a business decision and, along with that decision, came an effort to collaborate with the community to maintain the historic nature of that property and that corner in Holyoke.” Senecal hopes the community, when the project is completed, will “share my feelings we did the best which could possibly be done on that site.” The original Hildreth House portion of the Pedlar, which dates to 1875 and was used as a private home until the restaurant and inn opened in the 1940s, will be retained. The banking center will include a community room that will be open for public use by nonprofit organizations, Senecal says. Along with the history of that portion of the Pedlar, PeoplesBank took into consideration the geography of the site and its location along the route of the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade and Road Race for which Holyoke is known around the world, according to Senecal. “In general, in business, if you don’t have collaboration, you don’t always accomplish a lot. Collaboration is so important to get things accomplished, and I believe in communication in everything we do,” says Senecal. “It’s not like we were trying to do what we wanted to do (in this case). Collaboration is necessary for everyone to win, and I’m a big proponent of communication. It’s the only way to be successful in all we do.”

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | K11

Bay Path CONTINUED FROM PAGE K1

technology management. Students recognize the value of those degrees, so competition for entrance into the programs is stiff, Leary says, noting that there are 1,400 applicants for just 30 slots in the nurse practitioner program. Bay Path is now just one of three Massachusetts schools offering a master’s degree in genetic counseling. The other two are Boston and Brandeis universities. Bay Path embraced technology early in Leary’s tenure. In 1999, the school added a master’s degree in information technology management. The next big jump came when the school launched a program leading to a master of science degree in cyber security management. There is a pressing demand for more highly skilled workers – especially women – in technology fields, Leary says, adding that Bay Path is uniquely positioned to pave the way to correct a gender imbalance in high-tech fields that require advanced skills in coding and applied data science. All of Bay Path’s graduate degree programs – in disciplines including education and psychology – are open to men, who make up about 6 percent of its graduate level students. But as Bay Path, now one of about three dozen women’s colleges in the United States, focuses on its future, the education and advancement of women remain its primary focus. During Leary’s tenure, Bay Path has added programs to its residential undergraduate program that aim to help women finish degrees or retrain themselves for new careers. In 1999, Bay Path launched its on-campus One-DayA-Week Saturday program aimed at helping adult women who missed out on a college education for a variety of reasons, including work and family pressures. “Every higher educational institution can do a good job, but we have a special niche,” Leary said. “What students learn in an all-women environment is that their voices are important.” In the 1960s, there were 300 women-only colleges, Leary said. “Now there are just 39, making schools like ours even more valuable and precious,” she says. Four years ago, Bay Path launched the American Women’s College, an online, 120-degree credit program exclusively for women. For inspiration in designing American Women’s College, Bay Path turned to focus groups comprising women who graduated from the OneDay-A-Week program, many of whom had never thought they’d graduate from college. Caron T. Hobin, vice president for strategic alliances, says Bay Path followed the advice of focus group members, Caron T. Hobin who said – beyond the academics – what they liked best about the Saturday accelerated program was the emotionally supportive environment and the sense of teamwork, collaboration and sisterhood. The American Women’s College took the advice to heart and designed an instruction model that was collaborative and engaging, a place where women could meet online and share experiences and ideas related to their studies, according to Hobin. One of the beauties of the model, says Leary, is that it uses technology to individualize the courses to meet the learning styles of the students. If, for example, a student is having trouble with text-driven material, she could opt to obtain it another way through videos or audiotapes.

Journalist Barbara Walters was the keynote speaker at the Bay Path Women’s Leadership Conference held at the MassMutual Center in Springfield in 2014. This year, the university will present its 23rd annual event, featuring social psychologist and bestselling author Amy Cuddya. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

“I love that I can study at any time and I can do my class work at any time. I found that through the support of the professors and my advisers, I had no reason to be afraid. I even made the dean’s list several times.” Student Susan Armstrong, of Greenfield

of local employers,” Hobin said, adding that her fear of said. “What we were hearing failure soon faded. “I found Carol Leary, left, president of what was then Bay Path College, from them was that they were that through the support welcomed British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to Springlooking for ways to help their of the professors and my field in 1998 for a speech at Symphony Hall. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) advisers, I had no reason to be employees build skills-based afraid. I even made the dean’s competencies in their jobs.” Since its inception, the onand made me feel immediate- list several times.” In response to discussions line college has served more ly comfortable with my ignowith regional industry leadBay Path’s latest initiative, rance about college jargon,” ers, Bay Path has designed a than 1,300 students, mostly a collaborative program with series of short, customized from the New England region. Armstrong recalls. “The next local businesses known as thing I knew, I had scheduled “Strategic Alliances,” recogprograms for women on a Students appreciate the variety of topics, some chosen freedom of the online college. an appointment to sign up for nizes that “learning doesn’t end once you get a degree,” classes. I never looked back. by employers and others Susan Armstrong, 55, of Hobin says. “I love that I can study at by Bay Path. “We look for Greenfield, who is working “Historically, we’ve always any time and I can do my class topics that are ripped from the toward a bachelor’s degree work at any time,” Armstrong been attuned to the needs headlines and what people are in cyber forensics, is grateful for the flexibility the program provides her. “I first heard of the American Women’s College through a friend who attended Bay Path’s 2014 women’s conference,” Armstrong says. “She handed me a little purple business card, and that started the wheels turning for me. I was in a dead-end job, going nowhere. I wanted something different but had no formal education so I knew I needed to get serious about my future.” Armstrong went on the college’s website and a chat box popped up. She wound up In the archival photo at left are members of the Class of 1948 at the Bay Path Secretarial School for Women. What was started as the Bay Path Institute in 1897 was purchased in 1945 by a chatting with Sarah Chadwick, director of recruitment, Springfield businessman, Thomas Carr, who shifted the school to all women and moved it to a campus in Longmeadow. The Bay Path Institute is shown at right in downtown Springfield in events and admission, who about 1907. The school was first situated at the corner of State and Dwight streets before movallayed her fears. “She was amazing to talk to ing to 100 Chestnut St. (BAY PATH UNIVERSITY PHOTOS)

talking about in the workplace.” Hobin says. Recently. Bay Path sponsored a customer-service training event in a conference room at West Farms Mall in Connecticut. The idea was to help women working in fields – from manufacturing to hospitals – find out what they could learn from a retail environment, according to Hobin. Another course focused on the role of emotional intelligence and empathy in a hospital setting. The creation of the Strategic Alliances division was inspired by Bay Path’s signature annual event, the Women’s Leadership Conference – now in its 23rd year. Past speakers at the daylong event have included journalist Barbara Walters, singer Gloria Estefan and Olympian Jackie Joyner Kersee. This year’s women’s conference is set for April 6 at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield Social psychologist and bestselling author Amy Cuddy, an expert on the behavior science of power, presence and prejudice, will be the keynote speaker. She is author of the book, “Presence.” It is a fitting topic considering current events. In the meantime, Bay Path is in the midst of another three-year strategic planning phase. Leary says, “We ask ourselves: Does this fit the mission as a women’s college? Is it good for our students?” You can be assured, she says, that Bay Path will never rest in its mission to keep innovating as it strives to meet the needs of the workplace.

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OUTLOOK 2018

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(CAROLYN ROBBINS PHOTO)

(ASNUNTUCK COMMUNITY COLLEGE PHOTO)

Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield works to ensure its students in its manufacturing technology center’s programs meet the requirements of industry in Western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut. Above left, instructor Conrad Rioux, right, works with students at the college’s manufacturing technology center. Above center, students take a final exam at their computers at Asnuntuck’s manufacturing technology center. The shop floor, above right, has every feature found in a modern factory, providing students with hands-on experience.

WORKFORCE TRAINING

Answering the call of industry Manufacturers cite ‘dire’ need for skilled workers

and a handshake and told, ‘Have a nice life,’ and they’re saddled with college debt,” Lombardi says. Meanwhile, students who receive a certificate in adBy CAROLYN ROBBINS vanced manufacturing techSpecial to The Republican nology at Asnuntuck leave Over the next decade, lead- the program with a good-payers of the advanced manufac- ing job and the opportunity turing industry are projecting to use the credits they’ve the state of Massachusetts earned toward obtaining will create 30,000 new jobs, an associate’s or bachelor’s paying between $60,000 and degree, he said. $80,000 a year, to start. Still, despite the opportuniThat’s a much better future ties in manufacturing, there is than many graduates of four- a critical shortage of workers year liberal arts institutions with the skills to fill those face, says Michael Lombardi, high-paying jobs. a manufacturing instructor “The need is dire,” says at Asnuntuck Community Frank Gulluni, director of College’s Manufacturing Asnuntuck’s Manufacturing Technology Center, located at Technology Center. “Employ170 Elm St. just over the state ers need workers who know computer code and how to line in Enfield. “They’re given a diploma read blueprints.”

(ASNUNTUCK COMMUNITY COLLEGE PHOTO)

Asnuntuck is hoping to fill the gap with its two-semester, 30-credit course in advanced manufacturing that leads to placement in good-paying jobs at companies like Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky divisions of United Technologies and General Dynamics Electric Boat, according to

Gulluni. With the opening last June of the new $10 million, 52,000-square-foot manufacturing space that serves 500 to 600 students a day, Asnuntuck is on the way to help bridge that gap. The shop floor has every feature found in a modern

factory, providing students with hands-on experience in developing manufacturing technologies. A big part of Asnuntuck’s mission is to convince parents of high-school and middle-school students that there is a bright future in manufacturing. “It’s not the dank, dirty

“It’s not the dank, dirty and dangerous field it once was. Our message to parents is: Don’t discount going into a trade.” FRANK GULLUNI, DIRECTOR, ASNUNTUCK COMMUNITY COLLEGE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield opened its manufacturing technology center last June. At left, instructor Peter Gibbs, right, works with students at Asnuntuck’s manufacturing technology center. (CAROLYN ROBBINS PHOTO)

and dangerous field it once was,” Gulluni stresses. “Our message to parents is: Don’t discount going into a trade.” The first semester of the program is spent by students working on the shop floor and taking courses in subjects including mathematics to computerized measuring, robotics and electronics. During the second semester of the certificate programs – ranging from computer numerical control (CNC) to welding and from fabrication

SEE INDUSTRY, PAGE K13

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OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Utility CONTINUED FROM PAGE K7

BRIAN P. SULLIVAN, WESTFIELD MAYOR

Industry

erment, Reliability, Value, Innovation, Community and Excellence,” says Howard. “That’s what we’re about.” For Mayor Brian P. Sullivan, the partnership between Whip City Fiber and the city is a real plus, especially when bringing in new residents and

new commercial and industrial businesses. “Being able to offer highspeed Internet and other Whip City Fiber services does draw people to Westfield,” says Sullivan. “We are partnering with them on a marketing campaign for the

city that will launch later this year.” Last year, Westfield City Council showed its support for Whip City Fiber with approval of a $15 million bond, which will help 10,000 customers get connected by the end of 2018.

Asnuntuck began its manufacturing program 20 years ago in cramped quarters outfitted with donated machines from Pratt & Whitney.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE K12

program the average age of students was 47. Now, it’s 26,” Gulluni says. “And more 17- and 18-year-olds are

Conrad Rioux gives instructions to students at Asnuntuck’s manufacturing technology center. (ASNUNTUCK COMMUNITY COLLEGE PHOTO)

“At the beginning of the program the average age of students was 47. Now, it’s 26. And more 17- and 18-year-olds are coming into the program.” Frank Gulluni, director, Asnuntuck Community Ccollege Manufacturing Technology Center

Michael Lombardi is manufacturing instructor for Asnuntuck Community College’s manufacturing technology center. The center boasts a 90 percent placement rate for its students. (CAROLYN ROBBINS PHOTO)

to get the message that a certificate in advanced manufacturing is a very good deal, he says.

RESTAURANT NAME: Donovan’s Irish Pub ADDRESS: Eastfield Mall, 1655 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01129 PHONE: 413-543-0791 WEBSITE: www.donovanspub.com E-MAIL: info@donovanspub.com HOURS OF OPERATION: Sunday: 8:30 am – 9:00 pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm Thursday: 11:00 am – 12:00 am Friday, Saturday: 11:00 am – 1:00 am YOUR NAME/S AND TITLE: Justine and Frank Garaughty, Owners HOW DID THE RESTAURANT BEGIN?: Donovan’s Irish Pub was established in the year 2000 by long time Springfield area restauranteurs Diane and Michael Donovan. Justine and I had been long time patrons of Donovan’s Irish Pub and we purchased the business from Diane and Michael in September of 2015. HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?: Donovan’s Irish Pub will be entering its 18th year of business. WHAT MAKES YOUR RESTAURANT STAND OUT FROM OTHERS: Being locally owned and not part of a chain, we can provide a more personal level of service. Many dishes are made fresh from scratch on site, and are not a pre-prepared purchase. We pride ourselves on providing a family friendly environment. WHAT DO YOU STRESS MOST TO YOUR STAFF? : Customer service is the most important part of our business. Our customers are the reason for our business. DESCRIBE SOME OF YOUR SPECIALS AND UNIQUE/CREATIVE DISHES: We pride ourselves on our fresh seafood, with whole belly clams and fish and chips being very popular. Our corned beef is the leanest and tastiest to be found anywhere in the area. Homemade beef stew, shepherd’s pie and meatloaf are all very popular dishes. TELL US ABOUT YOUR BAR: The bar is designed to recreate the type of traditional bar that you find in Ireland. It is very well stocked with a variety of wines and liquors and 15 beers on draught. We have live music two to three nights a week. In keeping with the Irish theme, most weeks we have Irish music two nights provided by very talented local performers and guest performers from Boston, New York, and sometimes even direct from Ireland. WHY DO YOU ENJOY THIS BUSINESS?: It is a unique opportunity for Justine and I to promote our Irish heritage and provide a space for people to relax and enjoy themselves. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN TODAY’S RESTAURANT SCENE?: It is an increasingly competitive environment, but the basics still ring true; take care of your customers or somebody else will.

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certificate programs pay the same tuition rate as in-state Connecticut residents. The outlook for advanced manufacturing after decades of decline beginning in the 1970s is very bright, Gulluni says. Feeder institutions such as middle and high schools need to be made aware of the big opportunities in advanced manufacturing, he says. In fact, Gulluni would like to see students in second or third grade

introduced to robotics. “We need to develop an appreciation for how things work,” he says. “Kids would develop self-esteem with hands-on experience.” Gulluni, a Springfield resident and former head of the Massachusetts Career Development Institute, says the attitude toward manufacturing as a career is changing. Asnuntuck began its manufacturing program 20 years ago in cramped quarters outfitted with donated machines from Pratt & Whitney. The program has come a long way since then, with funding commitments from Gov. Daniel Molloy and the support of industry. “At the beginning of the

coming into the program.” As they look at the high costs of education, parents and students alike are beginning

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to electro-mechanical and now 3-D printing, students work as apprentices at manufacturing companies in northern Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. Graduates of the program meet the employment requirements of the manufacturing sector in the Massachusetts-Connecticut region, Gulluni says. “We have 90 percent placement rate,” he adds, noting that the $8,500 tuition for the course is a fraction of what students pay at four-year colleges and universities. After receiving the advanced manufacturing degree, students are job-ready – “and they have a lot more money jingling in their pockets than if they had enrolled in a four-year college,” Gulluni says. They also have a head start on completing studies for their degrees if they choose to continue their education, as many students do. The Asnuntuck program also caters to workers who need to brush up on skills in order to compete in the new world of manufacturing, with its advances computer-assisted design, robotics and additive manufacturing technology, commonly known as 3-D printing. “We have a big contract with Pratt & Whitney to provide orientation for new employees,” Gulluni says, adding that Asnuntuck instructors also offer ongoing training for aerospace workers and other industries. Companies in Western Massachusetts, including Hoppe Toole in Chicopee, Smith & Wesson and Mitchell Machine, both in Springfield, also depend on Asnuntuck for its manufacturing recruits. And Massachusetts residents who enroll in the

Whip City Fiber, a division of Westfield Gas & Electric, hopes to complete wiring this year to make all of the city’s neighborhoods ready to provide high-speed internet service. The Westfield City Council approved a $15 million bond last year to help finance the work. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Proﬁles In Business

“Being able to offer highspeed internet and other Whip City Fiber services does draw people to Westfield.”

mitment to customers. “We have a very dedicated, talented group of people here,” Howard says, explaining Whip City Fiber technicians make sure customers are connected and stay connected. They also work with residents and businesses to ensure they have the service they need. Caitrin Ferriter, key accounts and sales manager, says Whip City Fiber created materials to help customers choose what services work best for them, and technicians will even help customers set up their streaming services and make sure they know how to navigate them. Howard credits the city for partnering with Whip City Fiber – and Westfield Gas & Electric – to expand services and attract more people and businesses to live and work in Westfield. “The cooperation has always been there, but it has

really flourished the past few years,” said Howard. “We are working together with the city, the chamber of commerce and the School Department.” Whip City Fiber and Westfield Gas & Electric are part of the Westfield Education Business Alliance, which started a year ago with the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, schools and a couple of businesses. This group has grown, with its meetings hosted at the utility’s operations plant on Turnpike Industrial Road. “We started with 10 people in meetings, and it’s grown beyond our expectations,” says Howard. The group works together to help the public schools prepare students for work opportunities. Howard says the utility companies’ community work and commitment to customers ties into what he and his 80 employees set as priorities. “Three years ago our employees created our SERVICE priorities – Safety, Empow-

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | K13

K14 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“Institutions like HCC can be key catalysts of change, but we must also evolve and grow along with our economies and communities. When we need to adapt, we do. That benefits us all.” CHRISTINA ROYAL, PRESIDENT, HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

HCC CONTINUED FROM PAGE K1

oke, MGM and local developers, funded through a mix of city, state, and federal funds, grants and private donations. HCC’s middle name might be “community,” but that middle C could just as well stand for “collaborate” or “co-create,” that is, working together to build something new, such as the gaming school set to open later this month in Springfield. HCC will operate the school jointly with our colleagues at Springfield Technical Community College, and in partnership, once again, with MGM Springfield. Why? Community colleges are in the business of education, and we operate in the public interest. As good community partners we want area residents to be educated, skilled and properly trained for the jobs that are available and offer the most potential. As the oldest two-year college in Massachusetts, HCC has 71 years of experience partnering with institutions of all kinds. In fact, the college was born of innovation through collaboration. We trace our origins back to the 1920s, when faculty from Amherst, Smith, Mount

Christina Royal arrived on the campus of Holyoke Community College in January 2017 as the fourth president and the first woman to lead the college. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

So we look for opportunities to “co-create” with partnerships like “E2E,” Education to Employment, the workforce and training center we recentHolyoke Community College president Christina Royal joined Fire Chief John A. Pond, left, May- ly established in downtown or Alex B. Morse and Holyoke Public Schools receiver Stephen Zrike at the Holyoke Farmers Ware at the invitation of the Market’s first cook-off on Aug. 31. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp. Holyoke and Springfield We’re working with area In 1946, that school became city itself optioned the land – a colleges and the University of Holyoke Junior College with former dairy farm – on which high schools to expand dual Massachusetts came together classes taught mostly by the new campus was conenrollment programs and to start offering college-level with Holyoke to strengthen distinguished faculty from the structed. The community understood career pathways at Dean classes to working adults, at area’s top colleges. Holyoke the time a radical idea. Technical High School and Junior College joined the state then – and understands now, I believe – that Holyoke Com- also to develop new models Later, the Holyoke Graduate college system in 1964 and munity College is vital to the School began operating out for K-12 education to better was renamed Holyoke Comregion’s fortunes. Finally, we prepare students for college. of Holyoke High School. Stu- munity College. dents then were mostly vetIn 1968, however, a fire can put a dollar figure on that. We aggressively apply for erans of World War II, taking destroyed the downtown camA recent economic impact grants to expand workforce advantage of the educational pus and put the college’s fustudy calculated the value of training for the unemployed ture in doubt. Administrators, HCC to the Pioneer Valley at benefits of the GI Bill. and to enhance our academic trustees and state officials nearly $215 million annually, offerings. For instance, HCC pushed to merge HCC with a contribution about as large recently received a $431,000 As the oldest two-year college in STCC, founded the previous as the region’s entire arts, federal grant to expand our Massachusetts, HCC has 71 years of year. But Holyoke officials, entertainment and recreation Community Health Worker local business leaders, eduindustry. program. Our partners are experience partnering with institutions cators and residents objected That is a big impact – and a Behavioral Health Networks of all kinds. and ultimately prevailed. The lot of responsibility. and Gandara Center, two hu-

STCC

“I initially wanted to study medicine, but med school is so expensive,” Magala said. “I alCONTINUED FROM PAGE K4 ways loved chemistry, starting program. Her classes weren’t in high school in Uganda. It’s all science and mathematics. what I studied as an undergrad She studied English composi- at Mount Holyoke College, so tion, introduction to sociology I applied to chemistry Ph.D. and psychology, all subjects programs.” that four-year colleges and She was accepted into presuniversities generally require, tigious Johns Hopkins, and, two weeks after earning her before focusing on organic chemistry and other pre-med doctorate in 2017, she moved to Washington state to start her courses. She earned her associate new postdoctoral position at degree in 2005 and transferred the University of Washington. to Mount Holyoke, where she Working as a research scienreceived her bachelor’s degree tist, she studies how bacteria affect human cells. The specific in chemistry in 2007. After bacteria she examines are the taking two years off from academics, she decided to seek her type that cause urinary tract doctorate in chemistry. infections, and her research

could result in a better way of treating people. “Antibiotics are not as effective as they used to be, because there’s growing resistance against them,” she says. “We’re looking for alternative treatments.” Magala works in Rachel Klevit’s laboratory at the University of Washington. Klevit holds the Edmond H. Fischer-Washington Research Foundation Endowed Chair in Biochemistry. “Throughout the years, several members of my research team here at University of Washington got their start at a community college and have since gone on to achieve their Ph.D. and become researchers,” Klevit says. “Pearl Magala

is the latest in this terrific group of individuals. As part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers, (she) is the lead scientist in the structural biochemistry arm of an exciting

new project. Her previous training, which started at community college, has equipped her well for this highly technological research.” Asked what her dream job

man service agencies in need of employees with that kind of skill set. When it opens on campus this summer, our Center for Life Sciences will offer advanced biotechnology education and training in the region’s only instructional “clean room” lab, designed in consultation with one of our alumni, scientist Steven Richter, a member of the Class of 1975, who is founder of Microtest Labs, now Avista Pharma, in Agawam. Society is never still. We can’t be either. Institutions like HCC can be key catalysts of change, but we must also evolve and grow along with our economies and communities. When we need to adapt, we do. That benefits us all. Christina Royal is president of Holyoke Community College. To learn more about the college and its programs, go online to hcc.edu.

would be, Magala says without hesitation, “I want to be a research scientist. I am a research scientist, but eventually I want to have my own lab and run my own projects.”

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Mike Schilling and Jordana Starr met in 2002 as first-year students at Tufts University. Their first few dates were over Krispy Kreme doughnuts at midnight, but they soon evolved into more elegant affairs.

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Mike Schilling grinds malted grains for a customer at his Beerology store in Northampton. (JANICE BEETLE PHOTO)

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though, Starr says. Before the brew kit inspired them, Schilling and Starr traveled, living in Taiwan for a time, and later, in Washington, D.C. Starrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a ballroom dance teacher, an editor and a graphic designer; Schilling has also taught ballroom and conducted research for an organization in higher ed. Starr says the craft beer revolution is nourishing their souls as well as providing success. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People care more about what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re eating and drinking now,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to engage everybody in this craft renaissance.â&#x20AC;?

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cial brewmasters. One recent Wednesday, the shop was hopping with customers immediately after the 11 a.m. opening. Several came in for supplies, but â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as often happens â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one customer, in this case, Jason Tsitso, of Longmeadow, came to share a bottle of his Novemberfest brew. Schilling cracked it open, poured it into glasses and the three sat at one of the tables in the center of the store, sampling the MĂ¤rzenstyle lager and talking about process. Getting to this place with their business was a journey,

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OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“Massachusetts municipal utilities have been doing their part to reduce carbon emissions, despite no mandate to do so.” RONALD C. DECURZIO, CEO, MASSACHUSETTS MUNICIPAL WHOLESALE ELECTRIC CO.

Power CONTINUED FROM PAGE K10

efficiency, economies of scale and legal and political strength – guide everything that they do. MMWEC is empowered by state law to issue tax-exempt revenue bonds to finance ownership interests in energy facilities. Using this authority, MMWEC has issued more than $4.7 billion in bonds to finance and refinance its approximate 750-megawatt ownership in these facilities, located across the region. This program has enabled municipal utilities to establish an independent power supply. All of MMWEC’s power supply project debt will be retired by 2019, with only $10.68 million in project debt currently outstanding.

The strength and success of MMWEC’s financing program has positively positioned the 28 municipal utility project participants, which enjoy a diversified power supply directed by the people they serve. This program also has provided MMWEC with a greater capacity to invest in new, innovative resources to help the state and the region move toward a clean energy future. Massachusetts municipal utilities have been doing their part to reduce carbon emissions, despite no mandate to do so. In fact, our members’ power portfolios are nearly 50 percent carbon-free, including 58.2 megawatts of wind generation, 41.6 megawatts of solar, and 2 megawatts of battery storage. Up to 8 additional megawatts of solar and more than 8 megawatts of battery

With its own hydro generation, plus additional carbon-free resources, the municipally owned Holyoke Gas & Electric boasts a power portfolio that is approximately 90 percent carbon-free. This is a view of the Holyoke Dam on the Connecticut River. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Holyoke Gas & Electric announced in 2017 it has signed a power purchase agreement for a new 3-megawatt battery storage project, scheduled to come online this March. The project will be connected with a solar array completed last year.

storage are projected to come online in member territories in 2018. The light departments in Chicopee and Holyoke currently own 11.6 megawatts and 12.8 megawatts of solar, respectively. In addition, Holyoke Gas & Electric announced in 2017 it has signed a power purchase agreement for a new 3-megawatt battery storage project, scheduled to come online this March. The project will be connected with a solar array completed last year. With its own hydro generation, plus these additional carbon-free resources, Holyoke boasts a power portfolio that is approximately 90 percent carbon-free. Over the past year, MMWEC has assisted its members with various efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the Bay State, from replacing outdated equipment with newer, lower carbon-emitting models, to offering their customers new ways to be more energy efficient at home. Several municipal utilities are finishing installation of new energy-efficient LED streetlights as 2018 gets underway. Seventeen members have received a total of $2.2 million in state grant funding for LED streetlights, resulting in a cost savings to the utilities and their customers. These utilities include Chicopee Electric Light Department and South Hadley Electric Light Department, which have completed installations of a combined 2,348 lights. In May 2017, MMWEC launched its electric vehicle initiative, with financial incentives offered to participating municipal utility customers purchasing an electric vehicle, along with the opportunity to obtain free or reduced-cost level 2 electric vehicle chargers. Municipal light departments in both Chicopee and South Hadley participated in this program, providing their customers with another way to reduce their own carbon footprints. In October, MMWEC received a federal grant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by die-

This archival photograph shows the Hadley No. 1 turbine, a component of the first electric generator installed at the Holyoke Dam for Holyoke Gas & Electric. It is part of the generating facility built in 1948 and 1949 that then had a capacity of 15 megawatts.

sel-powered bucket trucks at four member utilities. The grant funds are being used to replace four vehicles with hybrid and high-efficiency engine bucket trucks. These utilities will serve as a model to others in the state and the region looking for innovative ways to play their part in achieving the common goal of carbon-reduction. And in December, MMWEC was awarded state grants for battery storage projects in three member communities. These projects will continue to support the policy shift toward increasing the number of renewable and carbon-free re-

sources in Massachusetts, as they will reinforce growing resources such as solar and wind. As we look ahead to the remainder of 2018, MMWEC will persist in looking for opportunities to use joint action to help its municipal utility members continue to provide the exceptional and reliable service and rates by which all others are measured. Ronald C. DeCurzio is the CEO of Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co., Based in Ludlow. To learn more about MMWEC, go online to mmwec.org.

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OUTLOOK 2018

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | K17

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K18 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

MANUFACTURING

Skilled workforce needed to fill manufacturing jobs Montague firm looks to hire local, retain workers By CORI URBAN

Special to The Republican

Robert L. Savage and Eric D. Hagopian both come from manufacturing families. Savage’s father, John Savage, founded Hassay Savage – now located in the Montague Industrial Park – while Hagopian’s grandfather, Avedis Hoppe, began Hoppe Technologies Inc., which is located in Chicopee. The two men now work together at Hassay Savage, where Savage is the general manager and Hagopian is the owner and president. He purchased the business in June and is also the owner of the duMont Co. in Greenfield. Hassay Savage manufactures high-speed steel broaching tools for cutting keyways and gears. The business also imports Magafor precision round tools and GMauvais USA precision micro drills. The duMont Co. also manufactures broaches.

Blanks like these are used to make broaches at Hassay Savage in Montague. A broach is a tool for holes. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

the company’s machines. Savage looks for creative candidates who have training on computer numerical control machines, math skills and the ability to work in a manufacturing environment and work as a team.

over the past four or five years, thanks to marketing efforts, direct sales calls and website and catalogue sales, reaching customers throughout the country, Canada, Mexico and 26 other countries.

The workers of yesteryear needed to mill, turn, file and read blue prints, but, with today’s computerized equipment, workers also must program, understand modern quality-control techniques and understand methods

In top photo, Christopher D. Chadwick, a CNC operator at Hassay Savage in Montague, works on outside diameter grinding on a part. Above, a Chevalier CNC surface grinder grinds a keyway. (CORI URBAN PHOTOS)

ployed here … The speed and amount of change in technology are epic.” Savage also seeks employees who live within a 20- to 25-mile radius of the shop because that aids in employee retention. After all, it

updates equipment to remain current in the industry and is focused on keeping manufacturing in the area. “Manufacturing has always been a core part of this region,” says Hagopian, former owner of Hoppe Technologies.

“Technology is advancing so quickly (employees are) literally learning things every single day no matter how long they have been employed here. The speed and amount of change in technology are epic.” ERIC D. HAGOPIAN, OWNER, HASSAY SAVAGE

In the company’s first 40 years, it established a reputation as a producer of quality standard broaches and bushings while increasingly proving its capabilities in the area of customized broaching. But to stay successful, the business needs skilled workers who can receive special training on the job to master

“The skill level of people we need to hire is higher than it used to be,” Hagopian says. Years ago, the manufacturing workforce was made up in large part by people with a high school diploma – or less – who got on-the-job training, earned a decent blue-collar wage and stayed with their employer for years.

needed to operate CNC (computer numerical control) machines. “There is a lot of machining technology that was not available before,” Hagopian says. “Technology is advancing so quickly (employees are) literally learning things every single day no matter how long they have been em-

takes 18 to 24 months to train someone for a skilled job at the manufacturing facility. “They don’t teach tool making in any school,” he says. “They’re teaching skills so students have the foundation on which the company can help them build skills for the job they are hired to do.” Yet the company regularly

“Families have been involved for generations in working in manufacturing.” And he intends to keep manufacturing jobs in Franklin County, “a pretty great place to live,” he adds. “It is incumbent upon us to give our employees a clean, comfortable, safe and challenging place to work.”

cials to support public policies that would create economic opportunity for the people of CONTINUED FROM PAGE K9 the commonwealth. the air of its accomplishThrough a century of boom ments. So did kids raised in and recession, world wars, Southbridge around Amera moon landing, the develican Optical, in Springfield opment of the internet and near American Bosch or in the mapping of the human Quincy by the shipyard. All of genome, AIM has been a clear us instinctively understood and unwavering voice for that the jobs our parents and Massachusetts employers. grandparents held, usually for Membership has expanded decades, created an enduring to include employers in every sense of certainty that held sector of the economy, from together families, communimultinational corporations ties and all the things we held to software start-ups to sole important. proprietorships. AIM today Not to mention the ballrepresents several thousand fields, parks and street signs employers who together that companies often donatembody all the intelligence, ed. ingenuity and work ethic that It was in November 1915 make Massachusetts unique. that a group of 26 manuThe genius of the AIM facturers, primarily from founders was to look beyond Western Massachusetts, the immediate economic and formed Associated Industries political challenges of the of Massachusetts. Its mission day and concentrate instead was to work cooperatively on the long-term structural with state government offiissues that would shape the

Massachusetts economy. These founders understood that the creation of a job and a person’s ability to do it weaves together every important aspect of social and economic stability – the desire for a better life, the ability to support a family, the confidence to start a business, and the need to support efficient government management of services such as education, health care and public safety. It also engenders a sense of common purpose that binds us together as a community through good times and bad, through prosperity and uncertainty, through national triumphs and unspeakable tragedies. AIM has in recent years honored the long-term vision of its founders by publishing an annually updated economic plan for Massachusetts called the Blueprint for the Next Century. The blueprint, due to be updated again in 2018, identifies

four major priorities for the state economy: • Develop the best system in the world for educating and training workers with the skills to allow Massachusetts companies to succeed in a rapidly changing global economy; • Create a competitive economic structure across all industries, geographic regions and populations rather than picking winners and losers. That structure must include a well-functioning and reliable transportation system throughout the commonwealth; • Establish a world-class state regulatory system that meets the highest standards for efficiency, predictability, transparency, and responsiveness; and • Moderate the substantial burden that health care and energy costs place on business growth. All this came back to me several years ago when my father,

Through a century of boom and recession, world wars, a moon landing, the development of the internet and the mapping of the human genome, AIM has been a clear and unwavering voice for Massachusetts employers.

them on vacation, pay for trips to the emergency room, send them to college and then and enjoy a bit of retirement. Associated Industries of Massachusetts conducts its public policy advocacy in the marble halls of the Statehouse on Beacon Hill, but the ultimate value of what we and our 4,000 member employers do each day is found in thousands of living rooms around the commonwealth. We work with government to help employers create the kind of economic opportunity that will allow more moms and dads to set down their tools, computers, briefcases and research notes at the end of the day and enjoy the kind of life for which we all hope in the next century.

With 16 full-time employees, Hassay Savage operates out of a 7,000-square-foot manufacturing facility with a 7,500-square-foot corporate office and warehouse building. According to Savage, the business averages sales of $5 million a year and has grown an average of 6 to 10 percent

AIM

who spent a career working for General Electric in Pittsfield, passed away a year before the 100th anniversary of AIM. I thought about all the fathers and mothers who have worked hard at AIM-member companies during the past century so they might create a future for their children, take

Richard C. Lord is president and CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts. To learn more about the organization and its work, visit the website, aimnet.org.

GAGLIARDUCCI CONSTRUCTION General Contractors solving problems from the ground down

Gagliarducci Construction has been a family owned business for over 100 years.

What started as a small landscaping firm has grown to be a leader in site construction and development in Western Massachusetts. s. Customers include commercial corporations, private institutions, and public agencies. The heavy construction division operates throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut, while the crushing division serves all of New England.

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OUTLOOK 2018

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | K19

Training CONTINUED FROM PAGE K2

in school. It provides them hands-on experience in the workplace before they even graduate and usually leads to full-time employment after high school. Young oversees the program, serving as the liaison between students and businesses. Last year, there were 50 students in the internship program, with more likely this year. In addition to using and learning technical skills, students in the program get a taste of the world of work while getting paid, and employers get workers who understand their industry’s language, know safety regulations and are willing to take entry-level positions then work their way up. “The economy is improving, and businesses are expanding,” Young says. “But the workforce is aging. Now we are supplying and backfilling (to meet industry’s needs).” “A good community is filled with people who represent every facet (of employment),” says Croft, noting that the tech school trains students in 12 trades. “Every single trade feeds into Franklin County.” The goal of Les W. Pomainville, a machine technology teacher, is to ensure students get jobs so they can afford families, houses, cars and things they want. “I want them to have a good career.” Teachers at the tech school are certified and professionals in their field. Young has a contact list of 250 businesses in the region, and she regularly connects with about 60 employers who hire Franklin County Technical School students who come from 19 school districts spread over 540 square miles. And no matter what road they take to get to school, “every road must lead to work,” Croft emphasizes. “That’s what makes our society strong — our working people.”

Noah A. Chase, of Greenfield, a senior at Franklin County Technical School, programs a computer numerical control milling machine. Below, a tool cart is ready for students’ use in the machine technology class. (CORI URBAN PHOTOS)

Jordan C. Smith, of Northfield, a sophomore at Franklin County Technical School, machines a part to size as classmate Jocelyn N. Crowingshield, of Rowe, looks on. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

“A good community is filled with people who represent every facet (of employment). Every single trade feeds into Franklin County.” JOCELYN A. CROFT, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR, FRANKLIN COUNTY TECHNICAL SCHOOL

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OUTLOOK 2018

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SUCCESS STORIES

Kringle keeps the candle burning brightly By Cori Urban

Special to The Republican

ichael J. “Mick” Kittredge III, founder, president and CEO of Kringle Candle, can look at hundreds of candles neatly lining the shelves in one of his retail store’s display areas and pick out the one that has a slightly – ever-so slightly – wrinkled label.

“It’s all about the details,” he says as he removes it from the display. It’s that attention to detail that has helped Kittredge grow the business beyond his plans and expectations. What was supposed to be a small

“People love to look at (the flame). It’s mesmerizing, magical. It’s ambiance. It’s a detail product that turns a house into a home.”

Michael J. “Mick” Kittredge III, Kringle Candle

business with six or seven employees has taken off with nearly 150 employees now. The original Kringle Candle retail store opened on Route 5 in the

SEE KRINGLE, PAGE L13

Michael J.”Mick” Kittredge III, founder, president and CEO of Kringle Candle in Bernardston, displays the company’s new brand, Country Candle. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

Baystate Health looks to make difference for WMass

Nicole D’Amour Schneider

Big Y: We are better together

Betty Medina Lichtenstein is the founder and executive director of Enlace de Familias. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

NONPROFITS

‘Force of nature’ for those in need

VER 80 YEARS AGO my grandfather, Paul D’Amour, left his job as a Wonder Bread deliveryman to open his own 900-square-foot market in Chicopee. He did so in the midst of the Depression years with the hope and dream of establishing a successful business that would serve his community’s food needs and support his growing family. A few short years later, his brother, Gerry, would formally join him in his efforts. Paul and his wife, Yvette, as well as Gerry and his wife, Jeanne, along with their sisters, worked together and built the foundation of our family

Enlace de Familias founder builds community bridges By Elizabeth Roman

eroman@repub.com

SEE BIG Y, PAGE L19

Need a winter coat? Running out of food for the week? Not sure how to be a good parent to your newborn? Enlace de Familias has you covered. The grassroots nonprofit organization has been around for 24 years, providing parenting programming and resources for families in Holyoke.

SEE FAMILIAS, PAGE L18

“I’ve known Betty since 1991 when I first started working in Holyoke. I immediately learned she was a fervent community leader and a force of nature.” Andrew Morehouse, executive director, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts

Mark Keroack

GREW UP IN Springfield, in the hospitals that would one day become Baystate Health. On Saturday mornings, I sometimes accompanied my father, Dr. Alvin Keroack, on his rounds. I absorbed a bit of what he and my mother – a nurse at Springfield Hospital (now Baystate Medical Cen-

ter) – had learned about healthcare and the human condition. Like everyone else, I look back on those days as simpler times. In fact, life then was complicated, too. Many of the patients in my parents’ care coped with the same stressors that challenge our families, SEE BAYSTATE, PAGE L2

“In my 20 years as a practicing physician, I saw the difference that compassionate, excellent care makes in a person’s life.” Mark Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health

Above, Dr. Amir Lotfi is an interventional cardiologist at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. He and other physicians work as a team at facilities across the Baystate Health system. At left, Baystate oncology nurse David Roy measures out a dose of medicine during daily rounds. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN)

INSIDE: TechSpring at Baystate Health redefines health care for the future, Page L2

“W “We’re the only hospital in th the region that does this lifesaving cardiac procedure.” lifesavi - Dr. Greg Gregory Valania, cardiologist and director of the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) program Le

Pictured is Ernest Scruse, Jr. and Dr. Gregory Valania

L2 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

HEALTH CARE

TechSpring redefining future of health care Mission aims to break down patient-doctor barriers By CAROLYN ROBBINS

Special to The Republican

In the not-too-distant future, the delivery of quality health care could be as easy as reading a patient’s palm. But the palm reader won’t be tucked away in a carnival booth. Instead, the future of health care innovations will most likely come from TechSpring Health Technology Center, a digital nerve center backed by the resources of the $2.5 billion Baystate Health. Currently, TechSpring is collaborating with private health care IT security company imprivata, headquartered in eastern Massachusetts, to bring palm vein scanning technology used for positive identification of patients to the medical marketplace. TechSpring’s managing director Christian Lagier and his staff are already redefining the future of health care from the center’s fifth-floor perch in the MassLive Building at 1350 Main St. in downtown Springfield, as they help entrepreneurs bring products to market. The name “TechSpring” is based on “technology” and “Springfield,” Lagier explains. “We chose this name as it is descriptive and honors Springfield’s past and future,” he says. If two patients have the same name, for example,

A view of Court Square from the headquarters for TechSpring on the fifth floor at 1350 Main St. in downtown Springfield. TechSpring is a health care innovation center that is part of Baystate Health. (CAROLYN ROBBINS PHOTO)

TechSpring offers professional co-working space in its headquarters in the MassLive building at 1350 Main St., Springfield. TechSpring’s 50-plus renters – known as members – include a number of businesses, entrepreneurs, developers, consultants, remote workers, health care professionals and investors. (TECHSPRING PHOTO)

or if someone winds up in the emergency room unconscious and without a wallet, the palm vein scanner would read the unique vein pattern of a patient’s palm to provide positive identification, according to Lagier. Beyond avoiding potential medical mistakes, the major advantage of palm-scanning technology is that it will save time for both physicians and patients, he adds. “The patient can be registered once,” Lagier says, saving time for both doctors and patients – and ultimately improving the quality of physician-patient interactions. When patients show up for appointments, they won’t

have to take the time to fill out the lengthy and repetitive forms that they do now, he notes. One innovation that has emerged from TechSpring’s collaboration between health care technology innovators and the Baystate Health system includes a mobile app that allows doctors to easily update medical records. Another app allows obstetricians and maternity nurses to keep better tabs on women

with high-risk pregnancies and to offer them feedback as their due dates approach. “The idea is to have technology fade into the background while the doctor and patient interact,” Lagier says. Founded by Baystate Health in 2014,TechSpring’s “core activity is to break down barriers” between private health care technology firms and the regional health care system to create a broader collaboration, according to Lagier.

TechSpring’s staff can link innovators with Baystate Health, including its doctors, hospitals and medical practices, providing the innovators a real-world testing ground. The beauty of the center’s model is that it allows companies and entrepreneurs to tap into the vast resources of Baystate Health with its

CHRISTIAN LAGIER, TECHSPRING HEALTH TECHNOLOGY CENTER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE L1

Baystate Medical Center in Springfield is the flagship of the Baystate Health system, which also includes Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer and Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield as well as outpatient, imaging, urgent care and other medical service centers across Western Massachusetts. (DAVE ROBACK/ THE REPUBLICAN)

Baystate Health is deeply committed to treating illness and injury and equally committed to keeping our communities healthy. Massachusetts. They are treated by Baystate Health physicians who work as a team across all our hospitals, using research-driven, system-wide clinical protocols, with a common electronic health record that follows them wherever they go. In 2018, we’ll continue to strengthen that infrastructure – making our care as seamless as possible; • Comfort: Leading-edge care and patient comfort guide our facility design. In 2018, a new Emergency Department – twice the size of the current ED – will open

SEE TECHSPRING, PAGE L8

“The idea is to have technology fade into the background while the doctor and patient interact.”

Baystate friends, and neighbors today – factors that we now call, social determinants of health. Poverty. Addiction. Violence. Aging. Chronic illness. The human experience remains pretty much constant. But health care has grown more complex. While 21st century healthcare enables us to live better and longer, it’s often delivered in ways that can make it difficult to navigate. At Baystate Health, we’re shaping tomorrow’s healthcare. In my 20 years as a practicing physician, I saw the difference that compassionate, excellent care makes in a person’s life. Today, the 12,000 people of Baystate Health are driving a transformation that will make that kind of difference for all of our patients, every day. We are leveraging the scope and scale of a fully integrated health system to deliver care that is both coordinated and consistent – while forging impactful community-based partnerships to keep people healthy. • Coordination: Baystate Health embraces our patients in a continuum of care that carries them from our community hospitals, to the tertiary services of Baystate Medical Center, to our home and hospice services and into the offices of 1,400 physicians throughout Western

12,000 employees serving 1 million patients in Western Massachusetts, he says. Baystate Health owns Baystate Medical Center, community hospitals in Westfield, Greenfield and Palmer, numerous outpatient centers, including Baystate Mary Lane in Ware, urgent care facilities and labs, as well as insurer Health New England. TechSpring’s staff can link innovators with Baystate Health, including its doctors, hospitals and medical practices, providing the innovators a real-world testing ground. A Silicon Valley transplant, Lagier, who grew up in Co-

at Baystate Wing Hospital. A new Pediatric Procedures Unit, combined with a relocated Sadowsky Center for Children, at Baystate Children’s Hospital will streamline care for children receiving chemotherapy and specialty outpatient procedures – providing plenty of room for families as well as easy access to inpatient services. At Baystate Medical Center, a new cogeneration power plant is poised to produce reliable heat and electricity for up to 30 days, off the grid and will save $2.7 million in energy costs annually; • Community: Baystate Health is deeply committed to treating illness and injury and equally committed to keeping our communities healthy. We continue our commitment to deliver coordinated care that is part of the Affordable Care Act with dozens of quality measures and a set budget for thousands of patients assigned to us in an Accountable Care Organization, or ACO. In 2018, we will continue to evolve our nationally recognized Accountable Care Baystate Medical Center’s new cogeneration power plant is Organization for Medicare poised to produce reliable heat and electricity for up to 30 days patients. We will launch a off the grid and will save $2.7 million in energy costs annually new ACO for MassHealth at the Springfield hospital that is part of the Baystate Health patients designed to improve system. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN) efficiency and elevate health

Baystate Children’s Hospital’s new Pediatric Procedures Unit, combined with a relocated Sadowsky Center for Children, will streamline care for children receiving chemotherapy and specialty outpatient procedures (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN)

status through partnerships with social service agencies that focus on housing, transportation, nutrition and counseling around chronic disease. An active partner in our region’s response to the opioid crisis, we will continue participation in three community task forces, launch a $650,000 research initiative funded by National Institute of Drug Abuse, and sustain partial hospital services, medication-assisted therapy, and our EMPOWER program for mothers and newborns affected by opioid use disorder. • Continuity: We are educating the next generation of physicians for Western Massachusetts. In 2018, we will welcome the second class of

medical students at UMass Medical School-Baystate, our region’s first-ever medical school campus. Leveraging the intellectual capital of Baystate Health’s academic medical center – with opportunities for learning at community hospitals – our collaborations with area colleges support the education of nurses and allied health professionals using an innovative curriculum designed for strengthening knowledge in urban and rural health. Quality and coordination of care fuels efficiency in healthcare. Baystate Health is one of the commonwealth’s lowest-cost healthcare providers and we operate some of the

“Poverty. Addiction. Violence. Aging. Chronic illness. The human experience remains pretty much constant. But health care has grown more complex. While 21st century healthcare enables us to live better and longer, it’s often delivered in ways that can make it difficult to navigate.” MARK A. KEROACK, PRESIDENT AND CEO, BAYSTATE HEALTH

highest-quality programs and hospitals in Massachusetts and in the nation. The future of healthcare will emerge from the kind of innovation underway at Baystate Health, in collaboration with the people we serve. In 2018, we look forward to partnering with you to deliver healthcare that makes a positive difference in your life and for everyone we are privileged to serve in Western Massachusetts. Dr. Mark A. Keroack is president and CEO of Baystate Health. To learn more about Baystate Health, its services and programs, go online to baystatehealth.org.

OUTLOOK 2018

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | L3

AGRICULTURE

All abuzz about honey business Billy C’s Raw Honey offered in 41 Big Y supermarkets By Hope E. Tremblay

Special to The Republican

Holyoke Medical Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in June for its new emergency department and medical office building. This is the waiting room. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

HEALTH CARE

Holyoke Medical focuses on strength at home, together

N YEARS PAST, I HAVE addressed the issue of how small hospitals are treated given the unfairness of the existing system, which is skewed to benefit larger health care systems and to disadvantage smaller and efficient community hospitals. This year, in line with the theme for Outlook 2018, “Stronger Together,” I would like to focus on what Holyoke Medical Center is doing to remain strong despite the uphill battle to obtain fair payments from private insurers that continues unabated. While we are continuing to work with legislators to draft a strong and permanent solution, we are also actively working to make Holyoke Medical Center better, stronger and more efficient every day. Our efforts are focused on two fronts: “Strong at Home” and “Stronger Together.” On the first front, we continue to work tirelessly to rank at the very top of our

Spiros Hatiras class for quality, safety and patient satisfaction. This includes earning “A” grades from Leapfrog, earning top awards for our stroke program, having the best overall patient satisfaction score of any hospital in our region and completely upgrading our campus and patient experience. On the second front, “Stronger Together,” the options as the only remaining independent community hospital in the Pioneer Valley were not as straight-forward, at least until recently. Sure, we have made great strides

SEE HMC, PAGE L13

William Crawford III – known as Billy C – has turned a childhood hobby into a sweet career. The owner of New England Apiaries and Billy C’s Raw Honey, Crawford is a Westfield native who says he was always fascinated with insects. “I never outgrew my creepy, crawly stage,” he jokes. Crawford owns more than 1,000 bee colonies and tends to all the hives himself. The hives are kept throughout New England – mostly right in Western Massachusetts – and a few are in New York state. Crawford became interested in beekeeping in 2005 at age 15 when he took a course offered by a regional beekeepers’ club. He began keeping bees at Pignatare’s Farm on East Mountain Road, where he worked part-time, and, after a few years, he had about 40 colonies and was producing honey for sale at Pignatare’s. When his college plans took a detour, Crawford was given an opportunity to work with beekeepers in South Dakota, then with others in Pennsylvania and Ohio. His knowledge of beekeeping and honey grew, and he met his wife Elaine, while his father was tending to his hives back in Westfield. It was an important time in his life, Crawford recalls, but his hometown was calling him back, so he returned with his bride and devoted his time to building a business with honey. “This is home, and there was an open market here for raw honey,” Crawford explains. “There was a niche here I could fill.”

William Crawford III, owner of New England Apiaries and Billy C’s Raw Honey, bottles some of his honey. He says his company bottles up to four 55-gallon barrels of honey a day, with each barrel weighing over 600 pounds. Below is a display of Bill C’s Raw Honey. (HOPE E. TREMBLAY PHOTOS)

The Crawfords built the business together, as well as their family when they welcomed son William Crawford IV. Today, Elaine Crawford handles much of the honey bottling side of the business, while William Crawford is usually out in the field, work-

ing directly with the bees. And, yes, he does get stung. “I probably get stung 10 times a day,” he says. “I don’t even notice anymore.” Billy C’s Raw Honey is truly local to Western Massachusetts.

“I probably get stung 10 times a day. I don’t even notice anymore.” WILLIAM CRAWFORD III, OWNER OF NEW ENGLAND APIARIES AND BILLY C’S RAW HONEY

SEE HONEY, PAGE L8

Ernest Scruse, Jr. never had a heart attack or even experienced chest pains. But he was in heart failure.

He credits the award-winning heart and vascular team at Baystate Medical Center, and the cutting-edge procedure that saved his life. Visit baystatehealth.org/heart to learn more about the Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) technology that keeps Ernest’s heart beating

or call 413-794-2273.

THE TOP RANKED HOSPITAL IN OUR REGION #3 RANKED HOSPITAL IN THE STATE

L4 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“We don’t want to just sell jewelry. We want to build relationships and serve our customers for all their needs.” CAMILE HANNOUSH, HANNOUSH JEWELERS

This is one of the medical oncology infusion pods in the Sr. Caritas Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center in Springfield. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Mercy Medical Center delivers quality, safety 1 patient at a time

T About 30 members of the Hannoush family help staff their nearly 50 jewelry stores. Here, cousins Deanna (Hannoush) Syne and Abe Hannoush are seen in the family’s Holyoke store. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

RETAIL

Hannoush family lives the American dream Nearly 4 decades later, almost 50 stores, 500 employees

Engagement and wedding rings remain among the most popular purchases at Hannoush Jewelers. These are some diamond rings in the Holyoke store. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

By ELIZABETH LaFONDCOPPEZ

Special to The Republican

The Hannoush brothers, Elias, Joseph, Anthony, Norman, Peter, George, Camile and Nabil, had the classic American dream. They desired to own their own business.

Abe Hannoush helps customers at the Hannoush Jewelers store in Holyoke. The company has nearly 500 employees, about 30 of whom are family members. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

ding rings. Hannoush says customers are not buying the fancy fashion diamond jewelry that was once popular, so they offer jewelry from vendors like Pandora and Alex and Ani. “Jewelry is like fashion – always changing,” Hannoush says. “At one time we couldn’t keep up with the demand for tennis bracelets. But traditional diamond studs are always popular.” Hannoush Jewelers also continues to design, create and manufacture custom jewelry, all by using the latest technology. “Our customers can create their own ring and see 3-D imaging before it’s manufactured,” he explains. Hannoush Jewelers strives to be the jeweler that their customers can trust and go back to year after year. “We don’t want to just sell jewelry,” he says. “We want to build relationships and serve our customers for all their needs.”

Mark Fulco

“In addition to the investment in health care information technology, we are also investing in new clinical talent for the region.” Mark Fulco, president, Mercy Medical Center and its affiliates

effectively deployed at Riverbend Medical Group. With the installation of Epic at Mercy, patients will benefit from the seamless integration of medical records across the out-patient and hospital setting. This means immediate access to important patient information for physicians and clinicians resulting in faster and better care, less chance for medical errors, and improved efficiency in care delivery by eliminating unnecessary or redundant tests. Epic will eventually bring patients the added convenience of being able to check appointments, review medications, and access their personal health information from a computer, smart phone, or tablet. Converting a hospital computer system to a new platform is a costly undertaking. Mercy’s implementation of the Epic system is much more affordable as a result of our partnership with Trinity Health of New England and parent organization Trinity Health as well as the shared savings brought about by performance excellence on regional and national levels. This integration has helped reduce costs through the regionalization of several non-clinical areas, including the collective purchasing of goods and services. The

SEE MERCY, PAGE L8

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Their dream came true in 1980, when the first Hannoush Jewelers storefront opened in Chicopee. “Our dream was to have one store,” Camile Hannoush remembers. “That was it.” But one store led to opening another, and another and another after that. Today, Hannoush Jewelers has nearly 50 shops throughout New England, the Midwest, and as far south as Florida. They also own 15 Gift-ology stores that sell specialty gifts, home decor, accessories and jewelry. Hannoush employs around 500 people, with over 30 being members of the Hannoush family. The Hannoush brothers are all trained jewelers. “My older brothers apprenticed in Lebanon, and, one by one, we all fell in love with the trade,” Hannoush adds. As their business gained success, the Hannoush brothers thought it would be nice for each to have his own store. It took more than the Hannoush family to make this happen. “Since day one, our employees have given us the ability to create successful locations,” Hannoush says. “We put a lot of effort into developing and building a culture that creates great management and staff, who offer the best customer service out there. “Today, we’re focusing on growing our business from within,” he adds. “We’re continuing to train and further develop our customer service skills.” Even as the world of online shopping expands, Hannoush believes people will always enjoy going out to shop. “We’re a family business that our customers can trust, because jewelry is about trust and confidence,” he says. Hannoush Jewelers’ most popular jewelry continues to be engagement and wed-

Hannoush Jewelers feature many major brands of fine watches and jewelry, like the TAG Heuer watches for which Tom Brady is an ambassador. Hannoush is also known for its custom-designed jewelry, now with nearly 50 stores in the U.S. This is the store at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Hannoush Jewelers also continues to design, create and manufacture custom jewelry, all by using the latest technology.

HE PAST SEVERAL decades have brought tremendous change to health care – not only in the way care is delivered and financed, but also in the way greater patient expectations around service and convenience are managed. Mercy Medical Center is taking care transformation and performance improvement to new levels of people-centeredness and efficiency. At Mercy, we pride ourselves on being a high-reliability organization. This approach borrows many best practices from other industries, including manufacturing and aviation. As a high-reliability organization, we deploy lean and Six Sigma techniques that are focused on driving maximum value in both quality and cost of care. Mercy is unrelenting in our commitment to “Zero-One” – zero defects in quality and safety, one patient at a time. To help ensure we do our best to provide safe, high-quality care and the best care experience possible, the Mercy team starts every day with a leadership operations huddle (a people-centered timeout) to discuss care management, any identified safety issues, and patient satisfaction matters. Attended by department leaders from throughout the hospital, these daily meetings not only promote a better understanding and communication of hospital operations, they also provide a non-judgmental setting for problem solving around issues that arise. We are also laying the groundwork for a new stateof-the-art tool to help drive our high-reliability to even greater levels. Our electronic health records (EHR) will be upgraded to the Epic system, widely regarded as the best available EHR software solution. This system is designed to improve patient care and safety by allowing the efficient exchange of patient information across hospital departments and throughout our regional health ministry, Trinity Health of New England, as well as other health care facilities that use the Epic system. Epic is already

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | L5

Teamwork transforms housing opportunities

INCE 1972, WAY Finders has witnessed firsthand the transformative change that can be achieved when nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies join together to provide support to individuals and families in our communities. We are grateful for the commitment of many local

Peter Gagliardi

“We ARE stronger together, and, together, we will build a brighter future for families, neighborhoods, and communities in Western Massachusetts.” Peter Gagliardi, president, Way Finders

and regional businesses that support Way Finders’ services in Western Massachusetts. We could not do our work without the support of these

businesses who share in our vision for building stronger, more vibrant communities and providing opportunities for people to thrive.

Together, with our partners and collaborators, we help people acquire safe, secure housing for their families, provide access to skills

training and job placement services, financial education, first-time homebuyer classes and foreclosure prevention services. Additionally, our community engagement initiatives empower neighborhood residents in developing solutions to improve the overall health and well-being of their communities.

SEE HOUSING, PAGE L10

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Cooley Dickinson Health Care opened its new Massachusetts General Breast Center in Northampton at an open house on July 31. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Community collaborations are key for Cooley Dickinson

T COOLEY DICKinson Health Care, we’re committed to becoming one of the best community health care systems in the country – supported by the excellence of our employees, clinicians and providers, our affiliations and partnerships and our strong, inspiring community. We recognize that organizations can make a deeper impact on health when they work together to meet the needs of the community. In particular, our affiliation with Massachusetts General Hospital enables us to offer access to world-renowned research and medical experts. This is the future of health care – partnerships between academic medical centers and community hospitals

Joanne Marqusee that enable all patients to get the right care at the right time in the right place. From real-time video conferencing in our emergency room to visiting specialists, a new kidney transplant evaluation clinic and the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, we’re working to ensure this future

SEE COOLEY, PAGE L11

Sassy Mamas is sweet success story Bay Path grad, baker pursues cafe dream business By ELIZABETH LaFONDCOPPEZ

At right, Jennifer Remillard, owner and creator of Sassy Mamas’ Delectable Cupcakes, displays her signature “Cosmopolitan If “Jennifer Remillard” Cupcake” inside her licensed residential kitchen in Northampcould have a definition in ton. Above center, the “Cosmopolitan Cupcake” is made with Webster’s Dictionary, it would fresh cranberries soaked in orange liquor and vodka. Surroundbe: innovator, mother, achieving the Cosmo is the “Red Wine & Chocolate,” made with dark er, wife, go-getter, daughter, chocolate and red wine. (ELIZABETH LAFOND-COPPEZ PHOTOS) Special to The Republican

self-starter, friend, entrepreneur and baker extraordinaire. The creator and owner of Sassy Mamas’ Delectable Cupcakes, Remillard’s story of perseverance and grace are folded into each and every one of her delectable baked goods. Sassy Mamas’ Delectable Cupcakes is currently a catering business that Remillard operates from her licensed residential kitchen in Northampton, with a dream of having a bricks-and-mortar storefront very soon. “My interest in baking stems from my childhood,” Remi-

llard says. Her mother is one of 10 siblings, and homemade foods and sweets were always at every family gathering. “I grew up watching Julia Child on PBS.” Remillard has lived in the Greater Springfield area for most of her life, but spent her middle school and some high school years in Lexington, South Carolina, where she excelled in school and in the state champion marching band as a flute player. She graduated from Agawam High School and earned her associate’s degree in legal studies

and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Bay Path University. Sassy Mamas’ Delectable Cupcakes was born when her husband, a member of the Army National Guard, returned home from his second deployment. On a mini-vacation, the Food Network was the only channel on their television, airing “Cupcake Wars.” “I said, ‘I can do that! I love baking cupcakes,’” Remillard remembers. And so she did. Clients can order fresh,

made-to-order gourmet cupcakes, brownies, cookies and muffins. Remillard uses all non-GMO, local and organic ingredients whenever possible. She can make her creations for those with gluten sensitivities, too. What sets Sassy Mamas’ Delectable

SEE SASSY, PAGE L12

“I’ve baked for weddings, corporate events and birthday parties.” JENNIFER REMILLARD, CREATOR AND OWNER OF SASSY MAMAS’ DELECTABLE CUPCAKES

MercyCares.com

We’re connecting compassion with quality.

Together means more health care options for you today. But it also means a shared focus on making high quality health care more personal and accessible. We’re not just near you. We’re here for you.

Together for a Reason

L6 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Claire Morenon

Farms stay strong in face of challenges

HE PIONEER VALley is home to 2,161 farms, which generate $128 million in annual sales, steward 182,430 acres of land and employ 4,300 people. The survival of these farm businesses is dependent on strong local infrastructure to enable them to process and distribute their products, on the support of local businesses like restaurants and grocery stores, and on the ongoing support of local shoppers choosing to buy local. But while the work to sustain local agriculture

Angie M. Facey, Our Family Farms general manager, pets a cow at Breezy Knoll Farm in Leyden, where about 185 cows are milked. At right, milk is pumped into a truck at the farm. (CORI URBAN PHOTOS)

AGRICULTURE

From farm to table, co-op keeps milk local “People start to buy our milk because they want to support local farms. Then, they realize what a high quality it is.”

Our Family Farms works to preserve family dairy farms By CORI URBAN

ANGIE M. FACEY, OUR FAMILY FARMS COOPERATIVE

Special to The Republican

must happen at a local level, farmers in our region are affected by changes and pressures happening on a national and even global level. Studies demonstrate that choosing local food does have a real impact on the local economy. Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) maintains a local food impact calculator (online at buylocalfood. org) that shows how a shift of just $5 per week toward local produce in every household in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties, with no increase in spending, would generate over $8.1 million in local income and 234 local jobs. Financially viable farm businesses are a cornerstone of a strong local food system, but that is far from the whole picture. A truly resilient and vibrant local food system is manifested in sustainable use of environmental resources such as land and water, good working conditions and respect for agricultural workers, and healthy, culturally appropriate food being available to all members of our community. In 2017, we were reminded time and again that the

SEE LOCAL, PAGE L16

Angie M. Facey grew up on a dairy farm in Spencer, while her husband, Randy L. Facey, grew up on one in the northern Franklin County town of Leyden. After they were married in 2004, they bought her parents’ herd of 65 cows, expanding his family’s Bree-Z-Knoll Farm to about 135 milking cows. Today, they are milking 185 holsteins, brown Swiss and jersey cows as part of the Our Family Farms marketing co-operative of dairy farmers working together to offer fresh, locally produced milk with no added growth hormones to consumers in Western Massachusetts. “A group of farmers decided they needed to earn more for their efforts,” says Angie Facey, explaining how dairy farmers work 80- to 90-hour weeks. Facey serves as the general manager for the Our Family Farms co-op. Our Family Farms of Massachusetts, formally known as the Pioneer Valley Milk Marketing Cooperative, formed in

365 days a year. The farmers also work to preserve rural character and local jobs, use local goods and services, and are contributing citizens to the community. In addition, the farms keep open land from “turning into housing developments, parking lots and strip malls,” Cows’ breath is evident on a Facey says. cold day at Breezy Knoll Farm The profits from Our Family in Leyden. (CORI URBAN PHOTO) Farms go back to the member farms. 1997 “with the hope of keepEach farm must meet federing family farms operating for al and state quality standards and are inspected regularly. hundreds of years more.” “People start to buy our milk It is completing its 20th because they want to support anniversary year with four members, including Sunbrite Farm in Bernardston, BreeZ-Knoll Farm, Mapledge Farm in Shelburne and Gould Maple Farm in Shelburne. The farmers manage the farms using sustainable agricultural practices that help protect natural resources and preserve open spaces, and they care for their cows like they are members of their families, milking and feeding

Nicole M. Glabach, a member of the Breezy Knoll Farm team in Leyden, checks on “Gift,” one of the newest calves. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

REHAB INC. Specializing in Auto Injury Rehabilitation and Pain Management • Medical • Chiropractic • Physical Rehab • Acupuncture • Massage • Alcohol Testing • Laser Therapy • D.O.T. Physical Exams

(413) 781-8900 4 Maple Street, Springﬁeld, MA

sold by the gallon and half gallon – costs a little more than other brands. For example, a half gallon at Big Y is about SEE FARM, PAGE L16

Leading, Educating & Supporting the Community for more than 90 Years

Rachel’s Table • PJ Library • Israel Desk (413) 737-4343 | JEWISHWESTERNMASS.ORG | INFO@JEWISHWESTERNMASS.ORG

We’re Helping A Lot of ‘Joes’ Out There

hen meeting Joe, you see a cheerful family man, well adjusted to his surroundings with a solid career. You would never know Joe stole money and pain medication from his mother, who was suffering from cancer, in order to support his opioid addiction. And you would never know Joe lived under bridges and in abandoned warehouses for years, ensnared in the grip of heroin. Behavioral Health Network lent a hand at just the right time and place for Joe to pull himself up and out of a certain early death. Today Joe works at BHN helping others begin their journey toward recovery. Part of BHN’s work is to be there for all the ‘Joes’ in our communities needing a helping hand in recovery.

Hear and see Joe’s story in his own words at bhninc.org.

BHN is a regional provider of comprehensive behavioral health services for adults, children and families with life challenges due to mental illness, substance use or intellectual and developmental disabilities.

bhninc.org 03076954

mapleg ater e hab.com

local farms. Then, they realize what a high quality it is (and become loyal customers),” Facey says. Our Family Farms milk –

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | L7

Award-Winning Care is Closer Than You Think Your New Emergency Department is now open.

Recognized for excellence in safety and quality twice in 3 years. (The Leapfrog Group)

Baby-Friendly® First hospital in the Pioneer Valley recognized for the Gold Standard in maternity care. (Baby-Friendly® USA)

Superior Stroke Care 3 national and state awards including Get with the Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus

Weight Management Program Board-certiﬁed expertise helping hundreds in our community lead healthier lives.

Breast Imaging Center of Excellence Advanced diagnostics, personalized care to prevent, diagnose and treat disease.

(American Stroke Association)

(MBSAQIP)

(American College of Radiology)

03075071

HolyokeHealth.com

L8 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“We send bees to Maine to pollinate blueberries and to California to pollinate almond trees.” WILLIAM CRAWFORD III, OWNER, NEW ENGLAND APIARIES

Honey CONTINUED FROM PAGE L3

“A lot of honey products say ‘local’ on them, but they may not be truly local,” he says. “Mine is local.” Because of the high quality of his honey, Big Y Foods came calling to sell his products on the shelves of their supermarkets. “They called me,” he said. “I actually said, ‘No,’ a few times, but they kept pursuing me, and, now, we are in 41 Big Y stores,” Crawford says. “We’ve developed a really good partnership. I like that they’re working to bring local produce and raw honey to more people.” Billy C’s Raw Honey is available at other retailers throughout the area, including Pignatare’s Farm where his success story began. Genuinely local raw honey just tastes better, according to Crawford. He never puts other honey or additives in the mix – just honey from his own hives that’s been filtered and bottled in his facility. He offers several varieties, including sweet clover, Japanese Knotwood and goldenrod. Billy C’s is experiencing sweet success. Crawford says they bottle up to four 55-gallon barrels of honey a day, with each barrel weighing over 600 pounds. That could create a sticky situation, but the Crawfords have perfected the bottling process and produce honey in 12-, 16- and 32-ounce bottles. Being in the bee business is about more than just honey, and much of New England Apiaries business comes for pollinating crops, adds Crawford. “We rent our bees out to

Mercy Medical Center is a full-service, acute-care hospital in Springfield that is part of the Trinity Health of New England Regional Health Ministry. At left is a new CT Scan machine at the Sr. Caritas Cancer Center. At right, the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation Radiation Oncology Wing is part of the Sr. Caritas Cancer Center, shown below. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Mercy CONTINUED FROM PAGE L4

(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

ministry across the country. The cost savings are directly reinvested to deliver the best care and best care experience possible. In addition to the investment in health care information technology, we are also investing in new clinical talent for the region. Over the coming months, the community will be introduced to Mercy’s new neurosurgeon with sub-specialty expertise in minimally invasive spine surgery. Likewise, we have recruited top talent in orthopedics and primary care to help deliver even more great

“We have recruited top talent in orthopedics and primary care to help deliver even more great medicine to the people of Western Massachusetts.” Mark Fulco, president, Mercy Medical Center

medicine to the people of Western Massachusetts. For example, we will welcome a new orthopedics emergency room group to Mercy in April. The 2018 initiatives at Mercy Medical Center focused on transforming operations will help us deliver on the “triple aim” of better health, better

TechSpring

Managing director Christian Lagier speaks at a TechSpring event. The health care innovation center that is part of Baystate Health offers monthly events, Tap Into TechSpring, featuring hot topics and guest speakers on the second Thursday of each month. They are open to the public. (TECHSPRING PHOTO)

remote workers, health care professionals and investors. Lagier says TechSpring’s No. 1 priority is to help its members achieve personal productivity and achieve success in their work. “But we also all share a drive to make a difference for our region and for health care,” he adds.

Membership is $300 a month and includes full office services for companies, including a kitchen area. The center offers discounts for start-ups and students. The light-filled place overlooking historic Court Square was designed by Lagier to incorporate modern office amenities with a nod to the

Introducing

are done “over food, beer and good cheer,” Lagier says. Lagier believes Springfield has the potential to be a national innovator in the health care technology field, and that’s what TechSpring is all about. “I love Western Massachusetts, and I love Springfield,” he says. “I think sometimes we sell ourselves short. ”

BUSINESS NAME: Premier Source Credit Union ADDRESS: 232 N Main St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028 PHONE NUMBER: 413.525.2002 WEBSITE: www.bankatpremiersource.com NAME & TITLE: Bonnie J. Raymond, CEO HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER? I began my career in banking in 1979, ﬁrst as a teller for Country Bank for Savings and then later at Heritage Bank in lending operations. In 1993, I moved into the CEO position at Springﬁeld College Federal Credit Union.

WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION? As a not-for-proﬁt cooperative, PSCU gives as much as they can back to the membership by charging fewer and lower fees than other ﬁnancial institutions, as well as offering better loan and deposit rates.

WHAT DO YOU STRESS MOST TO YOUR STAFF? Members come ﬁrst. DESCRIBE YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: Premier Source Credit Union offers a full array of products and services: • Savings Products - Kasasa Rewards Checking with debit card, Money Market Accounts, Certiﬁcates of Deposits (CD), Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) and Club Accounts (Holiday, Vacation, Tax, Special)

For more than half a century, Mont Marie has provided the Holyoke area with the finest short-term and long-term care services.

• Lending Products - Vehicle, Personal, Shared Secured, Student Loans, Mortgage and Home Equity Loans and lines of credit as well as Visa Credit Cards.

Now Featuring

• FREE service for our Members - Premier Online Banking and Bill Pay, Premier Mobile Banking and Mobile Deposit, Premier Hot Line Telephone Banking, and Electronic Statements.

• Beautiful Patient Suites & Bathrooms

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS? Premier Source Credit Union started as a small employee group (SEG) based Credit Union in East Longmeadow then grew into a community chartered Credit Union. Having moved from the strictly SEG based membership, we continue to maintain those relationships that made the Credit Union into what it is today.

• State-of-the-Art Rehab Gym • Latest Therapy Equipment

WHY DO YOU ENJOY THIS BUSINESS? At Premier Source, our main focus is OUR Members and their local community. When the Credit Union is able to help a Member with their ﬁnancial needs as well as give back to the Community, it’s a Win-Win for ALL of US.

• Model ADL Apartment

A PROUD MEMBER OF MARQUIS HEALTH SERVICES

36 Lower Westfield Road, Holyoke, MA 01040

03075880

MontMarieRehab.com • (413) 538.6050

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN TODAY’S MARKETPLACE? Keeping up with ﬁnancial technological advances is key and can often be challenging. An organization must be able to serve members the way they want, when they want. Not everyone wants to come into a retail branch to conduct their banking business, they want the ﬂexibility to do so on their own time with services such as mobile banking with remote deposit and online banking with bill pay. 02666542

Call 413-538-6050 to schedule your PERSONAL TOUR!

In an effort to share the knowledge and promote discussion and brainstorming among health care innovators and providers, TechSpring holds monthly events called Tap Into TechSpring. The gatherings feature hot topics and guest speakers. The events are held on the second Thursday of every month, and the discussions

pollinate farms,” he explains. “We send bees to Maine to pollinate blueberries and to California to pollinate almond trees.” Bees live about six weeks, so Crawford’s queens are constantly laying eggs to keep the colonies thriving. The length of bee rentals depends on the crop. “It could be three weeks for pickles, and, for apples, it could be as short as four or five days up to two weeks,” Crawford says. In late fall, Crawford packs up his hives and transports them south for the winter. “All the colonies head south in November or December,” he said. “They pollinate in the south and California over the winter and get stronger in the warm weather, so we have strong colonies to bring back in April.” Crawford wants his taste of success to continue. “I want to get more accounts, I want more colonies,” he says, “and, I want to grow.” To learn more about this business, visit the website, newenglandapiaries.com.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? Premier Source Credit Union (formerly Kelko Credit Union) was founded in 1941 by the employees of Kellogg Envelope Company.

A Whole New Level of Post Acute Care Following extensive renovations and with a dynamic new management team in place, we are pleased to present the new and improved Mont Marie Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center.

Mark Fulco is president of Mercy Medical Center and its affiliates. To learn more about Mercy, go online to mercycares .com/springfield.

past. Conference rooms bear such names as Rolls Royce, Monkey Wrench, Goodyear and Cat-in-the-Hat. Two modern private phone booths have been dubbed Merriam & Webster. All of the conference rooms are available to members and easily booked online or via an iPad mounted at the door of each room.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE L2

penhagen and later worked in Paris, says Western Massachusetts is uniquely positioned for success with its mix of urban, suburban and rural communities, ethnic diversity and a range of income levels from low to high and middle class. Besides its role as an innovation center, “TechSpring is also a professional working space – a co-working space – that functions as a hub for all things technology and health care in the region, including projects and events,” Lagier says. “This is something that is available to anyone who works remotely in either health care or technology. We want to form an innovation community.” TechSpring’s 50-plus renters – known as members – include a number of businesses, entrepreneurs, developers, consultants,

care and lower costs for our patient population and be our community’s trusted health partner for life.

Proﬁles In Business

approach, also borrowed from the manufacturing industry, has led to development of a sophisticated and highly efficient supply chain system for the region and for Trinity Health nationally. As one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation, Trinity Health has significantly reduced the acquisition costs of the goods and services we need to provide high-quality care. This “buying power” allows Trinity Health to not only purchase many of our supplies in bulk (often directly from the manufacturer), but also have them created to our own clinical specifications. Although millions of dollars in cost savings have been achieved in the purchase of items such as exam gloves, we are now extending our buying power to areas such as information technology. Trinity Health’s clinically driven supply chain uses evidence-based selection criteria to identify the highest-quality products at the lowest possible cost. Since 2001, Trinity Health has saved more than $892 million due to its supply chain efforts – these savings are used to support the enterprise’s mission and healing

William Crawford III, owner of New England Apiaries and Billy C’s Raw Honey, displays a bottle of his locally produced honey. (HOPE E. TREMBLAY PHOTO)

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | L9

SMALL BUSINESS

Hooked on craftsmanship Greenfield company creates the ‘best handmade fly rods’ By CORI URBAN

Special to The Republican

A fly fishing rod crafted by Thomas & Thomas is “the rod you will eventually own.” That’s the slogan employed by the Greenfield-based company, and it’s a hook bound to catch both avid and new fly-fishing enthusiasts because of the quality of the bamboo, graphite and fiberglass rods. “Fly fishing is not just an art. It’s a lifestyle,” says Neville Orsmond, CEO of the company that was founded in 1969. He says the high-quality rods made by Thomas & Thomas with superior designs and materials almost make “magic happen.” They’re sought after throughout the world. President Ronald Reagan bought Thomas & Thomas bamboo rods as gifts for Prince Charles and Princess Diana. “The brand is doing great,” Orsmond says as the company approaches its 50th anniversary next year. While he won’t share specifics, sales have doubled every year since 2014 when he purchased the business, according to Orsmond. Established by legendary rod builders Tom Dorsey and Tom Maxwell, Thomas & Thomas rods grew from their pursuit of innovation, superior quality and uncompromising performance. In 1975 Thomas & Thomas bought “a building full of machinery and bamboo” from the shuttered Montague Rod

John S. Carpenter, a spokesperson for Thomas & Thomas, looks at some of the mandrels used in making fly fishing rods at the Greenfield company. At right, he checks dried guide wraps coated with epoxy. (CORI URBAN PHOTOS)

“Fly fishing is not just an art. It’s a lifestyle.” NEVILLE ORSMOND, CEO, THOMAS & THOMAS

and Reel Co. and eventually moved to Greenfield to a commercial property with a manmade pond perfect for testing rods, notes John S. Carpenter, company spokesperson. It is in that building that the rods are crafted – with only some use of machinery – and where research and development take place. Components are sourced from the United States, while the bamboo comes from China and the cork for grips from Portugal. Troy A. Jacques is one of the 15 full-time employees. “I love fly fishing. I love working with wood,” he said as he filed

SEE FLY RODS, PAGE L14

At left, Mark A. Spivey wraps a graphite rod at Thomas & Thomas in Greenfield. At right, rodmaker Troy A. Jacques files the husk off the bamboo for a bamboo fly rod. (CORI URBAN PHOTOS)

Michael J. Jenest, a rodmaker at Thomas & Thomas in Greenfield, rolls composite onto a mandrel and creates a rod shaft. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

Reveal your beauty within. Smile....

They’re sought after throughout the world. President Ronald Reagan bought Thomas & Thomas bamboo rods as gifts for Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

BUSINESS NAME: CRC SERVICES, LLC

Proﬁles In Business

ADDRESS: 813 Williams St., Suite 212, 2, Longmeadow, MA 01106 PHONE NUMBER: 413-567-5871 WEBSITE: www.crcservicesllc.com E-MAIL: david.soja@crc-s.com

HOURS OF OPERATION: 8 am - 5 pm Monday thru Friday (by appointment) ntment) YOUR NAME AND TITLE: David M. Soja, Owner HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER? Soon after graduating Springﬁeld College from the Graduate School of Rehabilitation Counseling in the late seventies I joined International Rehabilitation Associates as a vocational rehabilitation counselor assisting injured workers get back to work. In 1981 I founded CRC Services, LLC and expanded our business to assisting returning disabled war veterans, the general public, area employers and major insurance carriers with specialized vocational consultation services. Today we are the leading private vocational rehabilitation ﬁrm in southern New England. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? Since 1981

WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION? Thorough, meticulous, well informed and accessible. We focus on quality and highly specialized vocational services speciﬁc to the individual. WHAT DO YOU STRESS MOST TO YOUR STAFF? Encourage peer-discussion. Continuing education. Quality v quantity balance. Team spirit.

BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY WITH CRC SERVICES, LLC

DESCRIBE YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: We provide vocational case management and return to work assistance to injured workers and the general public as well as vocational assessments at the request of parents and the legal community for Special Needs Trusts and Transition Assessments. Our consultants also perform vocational assessments for veterans appealing their TDIU claim.

For your smile consultation, contact:

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L10 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“It’s fair to say, if opportunity is there and we can meet the need for the community, we’ll continue to grow.” STEVE PRYOR, ROOTS ATHLETIC CENTER, WESTFIELD

SUCCESS STORIES

‘Planting seeds for healthy bodies, minds’ Health, wellness, education are goals of Roots’ enterprises By ELIZABETH LaFONDCOPPEZ

Children participate in a group activity at the Roots Gymnastics Center in Westfield. To see a gallery of photos from the complex, go online to MassLive.com. (DAVE ROBACK/ THE REPUBLICAN)

Special to The Republican

On Root Road in Westfield, a still-growing business, now a decade in the making, offers children, families and adults a variety of activities in the name of health, wellness, competition and learning. Two families, Pam and Steve Pryor, and Kari and Frank DeMarinis, are listening carefully to their communities’ needs and together offering seemingly endless possibilities, from competitive gymnastics to adult league soccer, to swimming lessons and day care. In 2008, Kari and Frank DeMarinis opened Roots Gymnastics. DeMarinis remembers she had 50 students enrolled in gymnastics classes, with 12 students on the competitive team. One year later, they had 500 students enrolled, with 50 on the competitive team. “It happened quickly,” Kari DeMarinis says. During the opening of Roots Gymnastics, Steve Pryor and Kari DeMarinis reconnected. They had been collegiate gymnasts at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst during their undergraduate years. Eventually, Pryor and his wife became shareholders and part of the business plan. Today,

they own Roots Gymnastics. Kari and Frank DeMarinis, meanwhile, saw there was a need beyond gymnastics. Over the course of the past 10 years, the couple has opened and own Roots Learning Center (two locations), Roots Aquatics and Fitness Center and Roots Athletics Center. The Roots Aquatics and Fitness Center is growing in popularity, drawing members from around the region. Its Roots Swim School is dedicated to teaching children how to swim, from age 3 months up to advanced levels. “We have a zero entry design pool with 88 degree water,” Kari DeMarinis says. “Our school teaches technique and safety.” Roots Aquatics and Fitness Center offers over 60 large group training classes for adults ranging in all levels of intensity to calming yoga, state-of-the-art cardio equipment with fitness tracking, functional training and a freeweight area. Members also have access to the Child Watch room where trained employees keep an eye on children so their parents can enjoy working out. The Roots Athletic Center is

Above, the Roots Swim School is part of the Roots Aquatics & Fitness Center in Westfield. At left, from left, are Keri DeMarinis, general manager and owner of Roots Aquatics, Fitness, Learning and Athletic Center, with Pam and Steve Pryor, owners of Roots Gymnastics Center. (DAVE ROBACK/ THE REPUBLICAN)

Lacrosse is played on an indoor field at Roots Athletic Center in Westfield. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN)

also be opening in the athletics center, allowing families to gather after sporting events. an impressive part of the Roots of view,” Blunt adds. Com“It’s fair to say, if opportunity fortable padded bleachers are is there and we can meet the campus with two full-sized available, along with a snack Olympic turf fields, along need for the community, we’ll with three indoor fields. Jason bar for parents, grandparents continue to grow,” Pryor says. and friends watching sporting Blunt, program director of The Pryor and DeMarinis events. Roots Athletics, says football, families also offer special sumNew to Roots Fitness is Roots mer camps and school-week soccer and lacrosse are some vacation camps for kids. Cycle, which is located inside of the sports played there. There are unique classes, too, the Roots Athletics Center. “We also have an indoor like “Little Mermaids,” which “Our dedicated indoor cytrack suspended 20 feet from cling studio has 45 bikes, theis dance and swimming in one, the ceiling,” he says. “It’s an ater sound and a citylike vibe,” along with “Flippin’ Fishies,” extremely unique experience Kari DeMarinis says. “There is which blends gymnastics and for walking, jogging, serious nothing like this around. (It’s) swimming. running and small group inspired by music and perforThe Roots Learning Center, training. mance.” directed by Stephanie Ander“The entire facility was designed with the spectator point A new restaurant and bar will son, offers day care and pre-

Housing

business. The need in our region continues to grow each year and with the continued help of philanthropic businesses, Way

CONTINUED FROM PAGE L5

Western Massachusetts. Peter Gagliardi is president and CEO of Way Finders. To learn more about the agency, go online to wayfindersma.org.

26 - YEAR IMPACT (IN DOLLARS) Way Finders’ president and CEO Peter Gagliardi speaks at a press conference in December. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

the beneficiary of support from Citizens Bank, and recently, the bank has been able to increase their giving to Way Finders by utilizing the Massachusetts Community Investment Tax Credit program. The tax credit program is an innovative approach to funding that is designed to support high-impact community-led economic development initiatives through a strategic, market-based approach that leverages private contributions and builds strong local partnerships. In fiscal 2017, Citizens Bank staff assisted Way Finders in four events, including two firsttime homebuyer workshops, a mortgage product discussion for economic mobility program participants and a “Meet the Lender” event. Through our partnership with Citizens mortgage loan officers, 11 first-time homebuyers were able to achieve homeownership in fiscal 2017. Since July 1, an additional seven workshop graduates have achieved homeownership with financing through Citizens. Many of those buyers benefited from discounted interest rates through the Massachusetts Housing Partnership product, which offers a publicly funded subsidy to homebuyers and a loss reserve fund to the bank. Massachusetts Housing Part-

nership is a statewide public nonprofit affordable housing organization that works in concert with the governor and the state Department of Housing and Community Development to help increase the supply of affordable housing in Massachusetts. Massachusetts Housing Partnership was established in 1985 to increase the state’s overall rate of housing production, and they have provided innovative homeownership programs since 1991. These statistics demonstrate the recent impact of our work with Citizens Bank: In fiscal 2017, Citizens provided $1.5 million in private financing for Way Finders graduates, representing 11 homes total. Citizens used the state-backed Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s ONE program for nine of these homes. So far this fiscal year, Citizens Bank is assisting 30 percent of Way Finders’ homebuyers with mortgages. Citizens Bank has generated $1.37 million in private financing (nine homes total) for Way Finders graduates, and $957,000 in the Massachusetts Housing Partnership product (six homes). Citizens Bank further contributed to Way Finders when George Rosa joined our board of directors in fiscal 2017. Rosa, a regional manager, has years of experience with branch operations, lending and local

GIFTS RECEIVED:

188

MILLION

GRANTS MADE:

147

MILLION

CURRENT ASSETS:

132

MILLION

Giving Our All For 26 Years Helping advisors and their clients make lasting change in the Valley. Donor Advised Funds • Endowment Funds • Scholarship Funds

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Helping people find a place to call home has long been the core of our mission at Way Finders, and part of these efforts focus on education and support for community residents who are considering becoming homeowners for the first time. What we’ve learned through our years of service is that a significant number of area residents who approach homeownership are not financially prepared and are in need of long-term assistance from trusted resources. To meet these needs, Way Finders has increased its offering of financial capabilities and homeownership education services that are available to the general public in several ways. First, the Orientation to Homeownership, a free twohour workshop offered twice monthly, gives an overview of all Way Finders programs and ends with a self-assessment that generally encourages attendees to choose financial education before taking the FirstTime Homebuyers Workshop. In fiscal 2017, 324 individuals completed an orientation. Furthermore, Way Finders continues to offer rigorous case management services to rental voucher holders who are interested in economic mobility. In addition to building financial capabilities and continuous coaching, participants receive individual support to further education and employment goals. In fiscal 2017, enrollment increased by 54 percent and further increase is expected in fiscal 2018. One business relationship that has been instrumental to our success in supporting our financial education and economic mobility participants is with Citizens Bank. For over 12 years, Way Finders has been

Finders is ready to respond. We ARE stronger together, and, together, we will build a brighter future for families, neighborhoods, and communities in

school education programs. Children enrolled enjoy swimming and gymnastics, too. Roots has highly trained employees teaching students and inspiring adults. “We are providing opportunities that go back to our tag line – ‘planting seeds for healthy bodies and minds,’” Pryor said. “We hope to help create lifelong fitness fanatics.” You can learn more about the programs offered by the Roots centers on their websites, including Rootsaquatics. com, Rootsgymnastics.com, Rootsathleticcenter.com and Rootslearningcenter.com.

CommunityFoundation.org

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | L11

Three state grants totaling $215,000 received in the past two years have helped Northstar purchase equipment, add to the workforce and offer safety education and training to employees.

About 80 employees of Northstar Pulp & Paper process some 20,000 tons of scrap material every month. At left, a worker gets cardboard prepared for recycling inside the facility on Guion Street in Springfield. At center, chief operating officer Aaron Goodman stands with some of the baled and compressed materials. At right is the logistics center at Northstar Pulp & Paper where trucks delivering waste material for recycling are checked in and out. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

LEGACY BUSINESS

Recycler repurposes for the 21st century Company faces challenge in finding entry-level workers

kindergarten, her half-brother, Aaron Goodman, was old enough to work at the plant as a forklift operator, before he launched his college education and a career in commerBy JANICE BEETLE cial banking. Special to The Republican After making radical Thirty years ago, when professional moves in recent Lori Goodman Novak was a decades, the two siblings – teenager, she worked in the Novak is 49, and Goodman is office for the family business, 31 – have committed to Northstar. With their father David Northstar Pulp & Paper, answering the phone, weighing Goodman, they serve as the trucks on the scale and sorting key leaders of the now-moremail. than-century-old business. Nearly two decades later, These fourth- and fifth-genwhile Novak was teaching eration family members run

a recycling operation that was founded 119 years ago, in 1898, in Worcester by Hyman Goodman, David Goodman’s great-grandfather. “It’s a privilege,” Novak said, noting that one of her sons is a senior in high school and will be building pallets at Northstar for the first time this coming summer. Before he starts college, Sam Byrne will work alongside his grandfather, David Goodman, the CEO, his mother, the compa- Northstar Pulp & Paper is a fifth-generation, family-owned company at 89 Guion St. that specializes in recycling paper and plastic as well as offering consulting services to help businesses ny president, and his uncle, Aaron Goodman, who is chief better manage their waste. This is a view from inside the facility. To see a gallery of photos from SEE RECYCLE, PAGE L14 Northstar, go online to MassLive.com. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Cooley

forward to continuing and expanding our collaborations with community organizations across the Pioneer Valley. Joanne Marqusee, president and CEO, Cooley Dickinson Health Care We’ll also work to bring more specialized services from Mass encourage low-income Latina patterns and ability to identify General, including a congestive and lesbian and transgender and refer people with an opioid heart failure clinic, to Cooley women, who typically have use disorder to treatment – and Dickinson. Together, we can help people live their healthiest lower rates of screening, to be how we can partner with the screened for breast cancer. community. We are particular- lives and get the right care at ly pleased that, in partnership the right time in the right place. One of the areas on which with the HOPE coalition, we we’re particularly focused is Joanne Marqusee is president the opioid initiative. Launched will be training all of our emergency department providers and chief executive officer of two years ago, Cooley Dickinson’s initiative, supported Cooley Dickinson Health Care. to screen patients for opioid in part by Florence Bank, To learn more about Cooley dependence and ensure they looks both at what we can do Dickinson Health Care, go onare referred for treatment. line to cooleydickinson.org. internally – our prescribing In the coming year, we look

“One of the areas on which we’re particularly focused is the opioid initiative.”

becomes a reality. Our goal is to further integrate and coordinate care and to design our care and services around the needs of patients and their families. We’re expanding services, including a recently opened breast center, urgent care clinic and a walk-in orthopedic injury clinic. We’ve also implemented a new electronic health record, Partners eCare, to improve communication and coordination not only here at Cooley Dickinson but with providers that patients may see at Mass General or other partners hospitals. Test results, medical records, appointments, billing information and more – all are at our patients’ fingertips, whenever and wherever they need it. We’re also focused on how we partner with community organizations here in Western Massachusetts. Training nurses and other health care professionals is always of crucial importance. We have partnerships with a number of local educational institutions to help train the next generation of health care workers. We were particularly pleased this year to expand our partnership with Greenfield Community College and Smith Vocational High School in Northampton. The opportunity for students to begin training in high school – often as nurse’s

Robin Nally, right, radiology supervisor, chats with a visitor during an open house for the Breast Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton on July 31. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

aides or phlebotomists – and then have a career path with RN training at Greenfield Community and internship and employment opportunities at Cooley Dickinson is tremendous. In addition, we focus on community health issues. We conduct a formal community health needs assessment every three years and, based on findings, we identify areas where we can make a difference. We particularly focus our attention on the social determinants of health (housing, food security and transportation, among others) that impact an individual’s health status. For example, we partner with the Farm-to-School programs in Easthampton’s Maple, Center and Pepin elementary schools. This year, in addition

to whole-school farm distributions of kale, carrots and potatoes, 31 eligible families each received 10 weeks of farmfresh vegetables delivered to the schools from Mountain View Farm. We help fund the Grow Food Northampton red bag program, which provides food to eligible families with a child in an elementary school. We also support a transportation program for rural seniors, medical interpreter services at the soon to be open John P. Musante Health Center in Amherst, health navigation in partnership with Casa Latina, tobacco treatment for residents in Northampton low-income housing, and we have expanded LGBTQ services. We will soon launch an outreach program, in conjunction with our new Breast Center, to

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Proﬁles In Business

CONTINUED FROM PAGE L5

L12 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

Sassy

FOOD & AGRICULTURE

Keeping it cool

CONTINUED FROM PAGE L5

Cupcakes apart from other bakeries is her line of alcohol-infused cupcakes. Remillard’s “Sassy Cupcakes” include flavors like “Margarita,” “Old-Fashioned” and “Pink Champagne.” Most of the alcohol bakes out of the cupcakes, but they’re not for children to consume. “The alcohol gives a little pizazz to these desserts,” the creator explains. Sassy Mamas’ Delectable Cupcakes offers delivery for all orders. “I’ve baked for weddings, corporate events and birthday parties,” she says. When asked about her biggest business challenge, Remillard’s response is sweet (no pun intended). “One of my biggest difficulties is how to handle humidity and butter cream frosting,” she explains. But in true “Jennifer Remillard” fashion, she wanted to expand her knowledge base and become an expert for her business, so she earned a master’s degree in business administration in entrepreneurial thinking and innovative practices from Bay Path. “I chose to open my business slowly – at my pace,” Remillard says. “I wanted to get my MBA to be able to understand the

Expanded cold storage facility proves hot commodity By CORI URBAN

Special to The Republican

“Storage is an integral part of business. Now, businesses can grow into larger production because they have a place to store their products.” Joanna Benoit, food business development specialist, Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center

remainder is devoted to dry storage and a loading dock. The interior of the building is 25 feet high so it can accommodate three tiers of pallets reached with a special lift that came as part of the $834,000 expansion project. Funds for the project came from state and federal grants, a federal loan and donations from community members and regional foundations. A $20,000 rebate from Eversource for energy efficiencies assisted the project. Work began last May with the demolition of an old manufacturing building on the site with construction taking place from July through October. Fine tuning was completed in November, and the cold storage facility opened in December. “Storage is an integral part of business,” explains Joanna Benoit, food business development specialist for the food processing center. “Now,

Liz Buxton, left, Garth K. Shaneyfelt and Joanna Benoit are shown here in the new cold storage building at the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center in Greenfield. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

Above, Joanna Benoit, food business development specialist at the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center in Greenfield, stands at an entrance to the refrigerated area of the new cold storage building. At right, food is stored at the center. There’s high demand by area food producers to rent the space. (CORI URBAN PHOTOS)

businesses can grow into larger production because they have a place to store their products.” Clients are farmers as well as food producers from across Western Massachusetts, like the Bean Cake Company, of Sunderland, Real Pickles, of Greenfield, Shire City Herbals, of Pittsfield, and Herrells, of Northampton. Other clients come from as far away as Vermont and Connecticut. Many clients use produce from the region’s farms, “so our food producers will buy more from local farmers,” helping the local economy, Waite says. The cold storage

process of owning and starting my own business.” Despite urges from friends and strangers to hurry with her business and plan, Remillard is happy she believed in herself. “I was smart for not rushing, and I was more confident in my choices.” Although Remillard uses all the best ingredients for her baked goods, her secret ingredient is very special – it’s rooted in joy. “You can’t be sad when you’re holding a cupcake, she said. “Every time I mix one of my creations, I say aloud, ‘I’m sending you love and happiness.’” Remillard donates her creations to the community whenever possible, and offers a 10 percent discount to firefighters, military members, police officers and veterans. While reflecting on her business journey, Remillard is transported back in time to Court Square in downtown Springfield. There was a cafe that played jazz music next to a flower shop. “I was 18 years old, and I remember sitting there, saying to myself, ‘I want to open my own cafe.’ I had this dream when I was 18. I lost sight of it, but when I started baking it came full circle. Sassy Mamas’ Delectable Cupcakes is unique and different, giving the world a smile.”

Cupcakes become delectable, says Jennifer Remillard, when alcohol is infused into the flavors. (ELIZABETH LAFOND-COPPEZ PHOTO)

SEE COLD, PAGE L14

Western New England’s Largest Benefit Wine, Beer & Food Tasting Supporting n Public Televisio ir! with an Irish Fla

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Luis A. Feliciano, owner of Feliciano’s Puerto Rico Sofrito in Suffield, expects business to get hotter now that he has access to expanded cold storage at the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center. “There are times – like at the holidays – when orders blow up (with increased demand),” he says, and, without the expanded storage options, he would not be able to complete additional orders. “For all of our producers, storage is an issue,” explains John Waite, executive director of the Franklin County Community Development Corp., which operates the food processing center that debuted its expanded cold storage facility late last year. Currently, more than 20 clients rent freezer space while about two dozen rent refrigerated cooler space. And, thanks to the expansion there is room for more. Forty percent of the new 28,000-square-foot cold storage building, situated adjacent to the community development corporation’s Wells Street headquarters, is used for freezer space with another 40 percent used for refrigerated space. The

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

33RD ANNUAL

Wine & Food Lovers

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OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | L13

A cup of special coffee is ready to be served at The Farm Table restaurant on the campus of Kringle Candle in Bernardston. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

The entrance to The Farm Table restaurant in Bernardston leads the way to “a nice place for lunch while shopping as well as a destination for dinner,” said Robert J. Conlin, executive chef, shown at right at the bar. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

Kringle

According to the Kringle website, the ultra-fragrant Kringle Candle line unites CONTINUED FROM PAGE L1 the best of the traditional Franklin County town of and the new, with exciting Bernardston in 2010, but the candle products designed to Kringle campus has grown mesh with virtually any decor to also include the Country ...(and) the industry’s finest Barn specialty gift shop, perfumers (work to) select an The Farm Table restaurant array of robust, realistic canand the Chocolate Cottage, dle fragrances. The all-white featuring chocolates, fudge candles not only blend well and candies. Next up will be with all backdrops, they emit its first off-site location when the purest, brightest light the MGM Springfield casino possible.” opens this fall. Kringle is expanding brand The Kringle Candle offerings with the new Counproduction facility also is lo- try Candles and expanding cated in Bernardston, as is a into international markets. farm where some vegetables MGM Springfield anare grown for the restaurant nounced that Kringle Candle and where research and dewill be opening inside an velopment on candles takes historic church the casino place. company saved and will Though Kittredge, the son incorporate into its 14.5-acre of Yankee Candle creator campus. The Springfield Michael J. Kittredge Jr., has location will draw from diversified, the star at Kringle Kringle’s signature line of allis still the candle. white candles, eclectic gifts, “People love to look at keepsakes, chocolates and (the flame). It’s mesmerizcafe, according to MGM. ing, magical,” the younger “We are going to be workKittredge says. “It’s ambiing with MGM on a Farm ance. It’s a detail product that Table-Kringle concept,” said turns a house into a home.” Kittredge, explaining the

Kringle is expanding brand offerings with the new Country Candles and expanding into international markets. casino location will include retail and a cafe in one space. “It’s a great marketing opportunity for us to share who we are.” An important part of “who we are” is the focus on American-made materials for the candles and locally sourced food for the restaurant. According to Farm Table executive chef Robert J. Conlin, in-season ingredients for meals at the farm-to-table restaurant are procured from area farms as much as possible. And if local is not possible, “the most fresh and the best products” are used. The restaurant is a convenient stop for lunch or a cappuccino while shopping

A showroom at Kringle Candle in Bernardston features candles of various scents and sizes. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

or a destination for dinner from anywhere in New England, Conlin says. “You could drive to Boston or New York and also to Bernardston to get that unrivaled dining experience.” And what makes the restaurant special is not just the food or the décor or the ambience. It’s the experience. “Everything around the

campus is premium,” Conlin explains. “We go for a premium vibe and image in everything we produce and sell.” It’s that attention to detail in every aspect. In addition to the regular features of the Kringle campus, there have been a variety of events like fall festivals, arts and crafts summer fairs, concerts, charity

“We are going to be working with MGM on a Farm Table-Kringle concept. It’s a great marketing opportunity for us to share who we are.” MICHAEL J. “MICK” KITTREDGE III, FOUNDER, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF KRINGLE CANDLE

runs, visits from Santa and car shows. The Shoppes at Kringle Candle, 220 South St., Bernardston, are open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit the website, kringlecandle.com.

“We have also worked very collaboratively with neighboring hospitals.” SPIROS HATIRAS, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOLYOKE MEDICAL CENTER

HMC

the community, friends, volunteers, physicians and employees of Holyoke Medical Center raised over $2.5 million to benefit the new emergency room that opened in July. It is truly a spectacular building that matches the unparalleled Holyoke Medical Center held a ribbon-cutting service that our staff provides, and it wouldn’t have ceremony for its new emergency departbeen possible without the ment and medical office building on June tremendous support of our 19. At left, Spiro Hatiras, president and CEO, entire community. shakes hands with U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, So, stay tuned for more D-Springfield, after cutting the ribbon. From news about the exciting times left are Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse, Hatiahead and the collaborative ras, David Hobert, who is regional president efforts that we are engaged of People’s United Bank, Chicopee Mayor in. Until then, please allow Richard Kos, Neal, state Rep. Aaron Vega, me to wish you, your families D-Holyoke, and state Sen. Donald Humason, and your friends a very happy R-Westfield. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) and prosperous 2018!

CONTINUED FROM PAGE L3

and more information about projects and early wins, but I wanted to let all of you who support our community hospital know that we

remain active and vigilant, always looking for opportunities to find solutions and to maintain and improve this community asset.

Since the theme is “Stronger Together,” I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the amazing support we receive from our community and the

friends of the hospital. This is where being “Stronger Together” truly demonstrates what can be achieved. In a short one-year period,

Spiros Hatiras is president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center. To learn more about the medical center, visit the website, holyokehealth.com.

The Breast Center

at Cooley Dickinson Hospital Our Breast Center is ready to serve you with the high-quality, comprehensive breast health care you’ve come to expect from Cooley Dickinson.

COMPREHENSIVE MEETS CONVENIENT.

Patients have long appreciated our multidisciplinary approach to breast health, ZLWK FRPSDVVLRQDWH FDUH GHOLYHUHG E\ RXU KLJKO\ VNLOOHG PHGLFDO VWD̆ DQG WKH rapid evaluation and diagnosis made possible by our advanced imaging technologies.

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in partnering with many community-based organizations in our region, and we are an active and visible partner. We have also worked very collaboratively with neighboring hospitals. But an option to be truly “Stronger Together” didn’t present itself until this year. It occurred to the leaders of a number of smaller community hospitals, of which there are still quite a few in Massachusetts, that perhaps the solution would be to work together and through teamwork and collaboration, begin to make our voice stronger. And so, out of that effort, the Massachusetts Value Alliance or “MVA” was created. The MVA is a coalition of Massachusetts health care organizations working together collaboratively to share data and best practices, and to engage in collective purchasing to improve health care outcomes and lower health care costs for patients served by the health systems. Holyoke Medical Center joined as a full member and has been an active participant in many joint initiatives that are underway. While the coalition is a new organization, it has quickly grown in membership and is tracking to become one of the largest systems in Massachusetts, albeit, a “virtual” system. The benefits to Holyoke Medical Center and to our community are significant. Through the alliance, Holyoke Medical Center will be able to secure equipment and technology upgrades, efficiencies of scale, access to value-added services as well as participation in regional and statewide collaboratives that would be impossible to achieve as a single hospital. In turn, those efficiencies and improvements in technology and services will benefit the community we serve, our patients and their families. Soon there will be more news and announcements related to this new entity

L14 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“If we don’t have the material, we don’t have a business.” LORI GOODMAN NOVAK, NORTHSTAR PULP & PAPER

Recycle CONTINUED FROM PAGE L11

operating officer. Northstar Pulp & Paper is not your everyday recycling company. It processes and resells paper, metals and plastics and recently added repairing and selling wooden pallets to the reuse repertoire. The work – collecting, compressing, baling, grinding, and delivery – is done by roughly 80 employees who process 20,000 tons of scrap material every single month in two warehouses that together provide 300,000 square feet of working space in Springfield. Three state grants totaling $215,000 received in the past two years have helped Northstar purchase equipment, add to the workforce and offer safety education and training to employees. In announcing one of the most recent grants, roughly $90,000 for equipment, Gov. Charlie Baker noted that advancing opportunities to increase recycling protects the environment and supports the economy. Goodman said, “We’ve been very fortunate.” Hyman Goodman started his business on the streets of Worcester, where he walked with a wooden cart, ringing a bell and asking residents if they had rags to spare. He then sold the rags to paper mills as a source of fiber. Things have changed quite a bit over the years. Major transitions included the beginning of scrap metal recycling in the 20th century and moving to Springfield, under second-generation owner Harry Goodman, early on in that same era. Other changes have included making shifts as

Troy A. Jacques, left, and John S. Carpenter stand at a leather-covered workbench with bamboo stored below at Thomas & Thomas in Greenfield. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

Fly rods CONTINUED FROM PAGE L9

Sister and brother Lori Goodman Novak and Aaron Goodman, top photo, are today’s leaders of Northstar Pulp & Paper, a family-owned business in Springfield. Northstar specializes in recycling paper and plastic. Above, the work – collecting, compressing, baling, grinding and delivery – is done by roughly 80 employees who process 20,000 tons of scrap material every month in two warehouses (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

supplies have changed. For instance, Aaron Goodman explains, the paper Northstar processes was once of a higher quality. Envelopes and stationery, which have all but disappeared in the digital age, gave way to chipboard and corrugated paper from clients such as packaging plants. Today’s paper is sold to major paper mills in the United States and Canada for a variety of products, including corrugated boxes, cores for paper rolls, towels and tissue paper. Finding appropriate suppliers continues to be a key

focus point. “If we don’t have the material, we don’t have a business,” Novak said. Goodman said finding entry-level employees in Western Massachusetts is also a constant challenge, but that doesn’t make any of the family members feel compelled to pressure their children into a career at Northstar. Nevertheless, a painting of Abraham Neurick Goodman, Goodman’s and Novak’s grandfather, created by Goodman’s mother, hangs in the company office as a constant reminder of familial entrepreneurship.

Cold CONTINUED FROM PAGE L12

facility “has a direct financial benefit to local farms because they will sell more products.” Pioneer Valley Frozen Vegetables also uses the facility for produce the community development corporation buys from area farmers and freezes for off-season sale to schools and institutions like hospitals.

Before the new storage facility opened, food was frozen in Greenfield then trucked to storage in Westfield.

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Before the new storage facility opened, food was frozen in Greenfield then trucked to storage in Westfield. Waite expects the program to increase from 50,000 to 75,000 pounds of frozen vegetables annually to more than 200,000 pounds. Before the facility opened, the food processing center had one 8-foot square walkin freezer, a temporary cooler container and one temporary freezer container in the parking lot, each container holding only 20 pallets. The new facility holds 84 pallets each in the frozen and refrigerated sections, all easily accessible. Waite expects the new facility to be 90 percent full part of the year and 50 to 60 percent full at others. “We want more people to come and use it,” he says. Basic rent begins at $45 a month per 4-foot square by 5.5-foot tall pallet. A generator connected to the facility can run it for seven days in the event of a power outage. For more information about the Franklin County Community Development Corp., visit the website, fccdc.org.

John Waite, of the Franklin County Community Development Corporation, holds a gallon of Our Family Farms milk in the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

the husk off bamboo he was using to create a rod. He also loves the fact that the rods he creates will bring joy to others for years to come: “When I pass, people will still be using these rods.” Like most of the rod makers, Jacques learned his trade on the job. “It’s such a specialized craft,” Orsmond said in explaining how challenging it would be for Thomas & Thomas to find experienced workers. So when he considers Rod blanks are stored in tubes at Thomas & Thomas. Below, potential a Thomas & Thomas sign welcomes visitors to the factory in rod makers, Greenfield. The company was founded in 1969. (CORI URBAN PHOTOS) Orsmond says he looks at their math skills and understanding Neville of processes Orsmond and materials. “It takes a long time to train associates,” he said. From the Bahamas to Bozeman, Utah, Thomas & Thomas rods are sold by authorized dealers in places where fishing is more than a passing fancy and are also available online at thomasandthomas.com. Bamboo rods generally range in price from $2,000 to $5,000, while graphite and fiberglass ones sell from about $600 to $1,100. Custom orders are accepted. Thomas & Thomas offers freshwater and saltwater rods as well as two-handed rods. “Generally people admire our products for their quality and performance,” Carpenter says. Each comes with a lifeBamboo rods generally range in price time warranty. Orsmond welcomes fly-fishfrom $2,000 to $5,000, while graphite ing enthusiasts to visit the and fiberglass ones sell from about $600 Greenfield factory at 627 Barton Road but emphasizes the to $1,100. Custom orders are accepted. need to make an appointment.

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OUTLOOK 2018

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a heightened degree of politics in Holyoke. The politics and fractured nature in Holyoke basically resulted in a lot of work for us to do. ... It was not the most conducive to a business that wanted to add jobs to the city. â&#x20AC;? PETER KADENS, CEO, GTI MASSACHUSETTS, ON LOCATING A MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITY IN HOLYOKE

MARIJUANA

Medical pot facility ready for debut Old mill outfitted to grow, process, package products By MIKE PLAISANCE

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Green Thumb Industries has worked with officials in nearly a dozen cities in five states to operate or be close to opening medical marijuana facilities. The company had experience at the local level. Then came Holyoke. The company entered the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s permitting and regulatory process in late 2016. There began a marathon of hurdles in the form of hours of public hearings and meetings with municipal boards, repeated demands for information, calls for sit-downs with neighborhood groups and requests for pledges to devote jobs to residents of South Holyoke and the Paper Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Flats neighborhood. The City Council voted unanimously on May 2 to grant approval to the company for a medical marijuana cultivation and processing facility, and it is set to open at 28 Appleton St. later this month. Working through the approval process, though, turned out to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;very challenging,â&#x20AC;? says Peter Kadens, CEO of the Chicago-based company. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Benchmarking it versus other cities, it was very challenging,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a heightened degree of politics in Holyoke. The

politics and fractured nature in Holyoke basically resulted in a lot of work for us to do and resulted in a lot of legal bills and took a lot of time. And to be honest, it was not the most conducive to a business that wanted to add jobs to the city. To be honest, it was frustrating. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the good news is, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re through it. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re excited about the future. We think the futureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot brighter than the past,â&#x20AC;? Kadens added in a recent telephone interview. The company, commonly known as GTI â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the entity here is GTI Massachusetts NP Corp. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; has completed an $8 million conversion in an old paper mill at Appleton and Canal streets. On opening day the 45,000-square-foot facility will employ 20 to 30 people, with 100 to be hired over the next three years. Jobs will be full time with entry-level salaries of $14 an hour with benefits and room for advancement, GTI officials have said. Massachusetts voters in 2012 permitted medical marijuana facilities by approving a statewide ballot question, and state law prohibits a city or town from banning such facilities. Cities and towns can regulate where such facilities can be located and require the permit-holder to disclose security measures and discuss issues like hours of operation. Medical marijuana facilities are required to be nonprofits in terms of registering with the state, which means the build-

GTI Massachusetts will open its medical marijuana cultivation, processing and packaging facility in the old mill building at 28 Appleton St. in Holyoke, shown above. At left, Jon Thomforde, GTI head of cultivation, shows what will be one of the facilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work areas. The medical marijuana cultivation, processing and packaging operation is due to begin operations this month. (DAVE ROBACK/ THE REPUBLICAN)

certain banks out there, mostly state charter banks, that are willing to work with us ... We have to go through a lot of work to put $1 million into a bank account.â&#x20AC;? For its Holyoke operation, GTI plans to hire growers, (MIKE PLAISANCE / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) horticulturalists, manual laborers, chemists, laboratory ing and land are not subject had an ally in Morse, the only technicians, management, a building owned by W.B.C. to taxation but the equipment Realty Trust, which is headed mayor in Massachusetts who and security, construction and inside can be taxed. called for legalization of marengineering workers. Staff will by Cutting. The building also ijuana. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That spoke volumes Under a host-city agreement houses C & D Electronics. maintain the crops, dry, trim, for us. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a mayor who negotiated by Mayor Alex B. cure and process the plants, Hundreds of people attended stood up for what he believed Morse, GTI will pay $50,000 and package the finished a job fair the company held in in and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll stand up for us, to $100,000 a year to the city products. November. and issue $15,000 in grants to The facility will produce 150 Ward 2 Councilor Nelson R. too,â&#x20AC;? Kadens says. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gauging of community groups in neighto 200 pounds of marijuana Roman says the facilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benborhoods around the facility. efits to the city didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen the market has determined per week for shipment to Kadens is CEO of GTI Masby accident. The jobs and the that plenty of demand exists dispensaries like GTIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Amsachusetts, which registered herst, according to Jon Thom$15,000 in community grants for medical marijuana, adds forde, GTI head of cultivation. as a nonprofit corporation are tangible benefits for city Kadens, who says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a robust market.â&#x20AC;? The company plans to make with the state on July 2, 2015, residents that arose from the Rigorous as the Holyoke marijuana products that are according to state records. rigorous review, he says. review process was, GTI and smokable, edible and drinkThose records show Kadens, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It forced GTI to say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What able, as well as throat lozenges, with a Chicago address, listed are we doing for the communi- other medical marijuana ty, for the city?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Roman says. skin patches and suppositories. companies are familiar with as president and a director, The plan is for its dispensing When GTI seeks a location, government scrutiny, if not Benjamin Kovler, of Chicago, to stay close. Kadens says GTI obstacles. Many banks wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as treasurer, clerk and a direc- its representatives look for tor, and Anthony Georgiadis, urban areas hurt by the war finance the industry given that, is close to an agreement to buy of Tampa, Florida, Jessica Cris- on drugs, and places with high despite state approvals, federal a site at 130 Race St. where it po, of Northborough, David residential density and high law still prohibits marijuana and will build a $1 million dispensary that will employ another Gerzof Richard, of Brookline, unemployment, according to considers it a dangerous drug. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an issue for any 10 to 12 people. Construction and Mark Cutting, of Holyoke, Kadens. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And Holyoke certainly met that criteria,â&#x20AC;? he says. company in the industry,â&#x20AC;? should begin by the middle of as directors. The company also knew it Kadens says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are this year, he said. GTI will be renting space in

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OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“The cows really are our livelihood. We take care of them better than we take care of ourselves.”

In top photo, some of the 185 cows that are milked at Breezy Knoll Farm in Leyden are fed in a barn as temperatures plummet to near zero in December. Above, Our Family Farms milk cartons are lined up on a windowsill at the Greenfield office of the marketing cooperative of dairy farmers. At right, Angie M. Facey, general manager of Our Family Farms and an owner of Breezy Knoll Farm in Leyden, and other members of the farm team stand outside one of the farm buildings on a cold winter day. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

$3.19, while the store brand is about $2.79 to 2.99. “It’s not a lot of extra money to get the benefits of keeping local dairy farmers in business,” Facey says. The milk is available in whole, 2 percent (reduced fat), 1 percent (low fat) and skim (non fat) varieties. Our Family Farms sells more than 5,000 gallons of milk a week to about 62 sites, including grocery stores, coffee shops, convenience stores and institutions, mostly in Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties but also in a few places in the Boston area, according to Facey.

“It’s not a lot of extra money to get the benefits of keeping local dairy farmers in business.” Angie M. Facey

“I would love to sell more milk as Our Family Farms,” says Facey, who has a bachelor’s degree in dairy and animal science from Pennsylvania State University. To do that, however, would require “more time in the day,” she adds with a laugh, noting that a full-time salesperson would also be needed to help increase the cooperative’s sales

momentum. “The cows really are our livelihood. We take care of them better than we take care of ourselves,” Facey says. “If they are not healthy and comfortable, they won’t be productive.” For more information and locations to purchase Our Family Farms milk, visit its website, ourfamilyfarms. com.

Blueberries are among the produce grown across Western Massachusetts that the region’s farmers, fruit growers and orchards bring to market. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

munity Involved in Sustaining Agriculture will be focused on supporting the next generation of farmers through technical assistance geared toward those who have been farming for 10 years or less, a group that makes up 36 percent of the farms in CISA’s Local Hero membership. We’re coordinating with colleges and institutions to help them learn from each other’s experience and identify new opportunities for local sourcing. We’re committed to work with the Springfield Public Schools, Sodexo, the Springfield Food Policy Council and other partners to support the development of the culinary and school nutrition center in Springfield, which will serve multiple school districts with a commitment to local food. CISA and statewide partners are making local food more available to low-income households through the Healthy Incentives Program, which offers an instant rebate when customers use SNAP to purchase fruits and vegetables directly from local farms. The last year has shown the vital importance of this work, which can only happen in partnership with the region’s farm owners and workers, business leaders, activists and shoppers. And it has strengthened our resolve to build a resilient local food system that can withstand, and function as an antidote to, national and global inequities and challenges. Claire Morenon is communications manager for Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture. To learn more about the agency and its work, visit the website, buylocalfood.org.

BUSINESS NAME: CMD TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC. ADDRESS: PO Box 646 44 Baldwin Street East Longmeadow 01028

Proﬁles In Business

CONTINUED FROM PAGE L6

locally focused work toward this vision doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and that the forces that shape the world outside the Pioneer Valley “bubble” have real effects here, too. Over the last year, the Trump administration’s shift in federal policy regarding undocumented residents has created an atmosphere of fear in communities throughout the valley, including agricultural communities. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that 72 percent of all farmworkers nationwide are foreign-born, and 46 percent are undocumented. There’s not much data on the composition of the Massachusetts agricultural workforce, although we do know that much of our food is also grown by immigrant workers. In November, Immigration & Customs Enforcement detained three farmworkers on their way home from work on a Hatfield farm. Our local agricultural and labor advocate community has responded to this federal shift, and that work is still ongoing. In April, a group of 75 farm owners, advocates and lawmakers met to discuss immigration policy and the need for legal protections for farmworkers. The Pioneer Valley Workers Center has emerged as a leader in worker advocacy over the last year, raising up worker voices and coordinating community responses to threats to workers. In June, Amazon announced that it would be buying Whole Foods. This has the potential to change the grocery business for smaller retailers, and relationships between grocery stores and local farms, in serious and unknown ways. These examples illustrate we must be prepared to respond to changes that are well outside our local control. In 2018, CISA is celebrating 25 years of building local resilience by strengthening the connections between local farms and the community. And we’re not alone as 426 local farms and businesses have joined our Local Hero program. We also work in partnership with organizations throughout our region that are focused on interconnected issues, including hunger, food justice and more. Over the next year, Com-

ANGIE M. FACEY, GENERAL MANAGER, OUR FAMILY FARMS

Farm

Local

PHONE NUMBER: 413-525-0023 WEBSITE: www.cmdweb.com E-MAIL: sales1@cmdweb.com HOURS OF OPERATION: Ofﬁce Hours: 8AM-5:30PM, M-F YOUR NAME AND TITLE: Charlie Christianson, President HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER?: I started CMD shortly after graduating from WNEC in 1987. We began as a computer design and manufacturing company. During this time, we designed and direct marketed a number of hardware and software products. As CMD matured we sold that part of the business and began helping businesses with their IT needs and ultimately evolved into the IT solutions company that we are today.

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HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?: December 4, 1987, over 30 years ago.

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OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“As long as there are people in need, as long as we continue to provide a desperately needed service in this community, I will not stop.” BETTY MEDINA LICHTENSTEIN, ENLACE DE FAMILIAS

Familias CONTINUED FROM PAGE L1

“It’s about more than providing people with services. It’s about helping them make changes that dramatically alter the quality of their lives and their children’s lives,” says Betty Medina Lichtenstein, executive director of Enlace de Familias. For months Lichtenstein and the agency she oversees have been at the forefront of Western Massachusetts’ efforts to assist the hundreds of families coming here in the wake of Hurricane Maria’s devastation on Puerto Rico. She brings a voice of knowledge and respect to the table as municipal leaders, school systems and social service agencies have banded together to cope with the challenges presented by the relocation of hurricane evacuees here. Beyond finding them housing and helping get their children enrolled in school, Medina Lichtenstein has used every connection she has made over two decades to get evacuees even the most basic needs, particularly food. “I’ve known Betty since 1991 when I first started working in Holyoke. I immediately learned she was a fervent community leader and a force of nature,” says Andrew Morehouse, executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. “So, I jumped into action here at the food bank when Betty called seeking food assistance for Puerto Rican self-evacuees arriving at Enlace last October.” This is not the first time Enlace has had to deal with a major crisis. A year ago in January 2017, the organization responded when a New Year’s Day fire killed three tenants and left 49 without homes. “It was a horrific tragedy, but it also helped me see the kindness and generosity of complete strangers,” remembers Medina Lichtenstein. “I had people calling from all over the state, offering me beautiful furniture to give to victims of the fire for their new apartments. I learned how to drive a moving truck,

Executive director Betty Medina Lichtenstein talks to new arrivals from Puerto Rico, displaced after Hurricane Maria, during an orientation program in December. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN)

cord on everything from teen pregnancy, to child abuse, sexual abuse on children, we had the highest cases of cancer, it was A to Z,” Medina Lichtenstein says. For more than a decade before Enlace was established, Medina Lichtenstein had been on the front lines of social change in Holyoke, forging a way for Latinos, in particular, by taking a leading role in politics and community action. A New York native who moved to Holyoke in the 1970s to raise her family, Medina Lichtenstein quickly saw there was a lack of representation of Latinos and women in city politics. She was first elected to the Ward 2 seat on the Holyoke School Committee in November 1985, a position she held until she stepped down in

from housing and education to English classes, community activities for teens and more. “The initial idea was that each neighborhood who had a high concentration of poverty would have a center people could go to where they could get support, a place where they didn’t have to meet any criteria,” she said. “Of course, we could not have a center in every neighborhood, but we could have one location where all of those things could take place.” At the time Medina Lichtenstein worked for Nueva Esperanza. She was asked to apply for the position, and she got it. The state provided $185,000 to make the residents’ ideas a reality. “I was very blessed and honored to be given the opportunity to do this work,” she says.

Enlace de Familias on Main Street in Holyoke provides a wide range of services to the community. Here at the agency’s intake area are Liliana Cotto and Frankie Martinez. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN)

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child for running to the store to get a gallon of the milk? They were getting milk for the kids, but left them with a neighbor, they left the door open, a kid fell out the window, a fire started. You name it, (and) it has happened. It doesn’t mean they were bad people or they had bad intentions, it’s about not having resources,” she says. “Our job is to be able not only to do the networking with families and providers, but also offer training that changes the way we think, the way we act, and who we can count on.” As the Puerto Rican evacuEnlace de Familias has served as the welcome center for new ees continue to arrive by the arrivals from Puerto Rico who evacuated in the wake of Hurrihundreds Medina Lichtencane Maria in September. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN) stein and her staff spend their time offering daily orientations to help people get back on their feet, from filling out “Betty (Medina Lichtenstein) always said my dad taught her everything she needed Federal Emergency Manageto know about community organizing, which of course starts with door knocking, and ment Agency forms to getting you still see her doing that to this day, that’s her staple. Betty is always going to meet them gift cards to Big Y to sitting with them, listening people where they are.” and sometimes even crying Aaron Vega, state representative, Holyoke with them. “I have an incredible staff For the first few years Medi- the problems and more on the up and raise up their level of 1993. According to the Center that are so giving and so na Lichtenstein would work successes she sees every day. understanding of what is the for Puerto Rican Studies at willing to help that it makes from her car and meet people “I think it has gotten just Hunter College in New York it possible for me to take the baseline for how you need to time to listen to these families where they were. “I would a little bit better,” she said. City, she was the first Puertreat your children.” to Rican woman elected to tell me their stories when they meet them at Friendly’s or “When you question the Many of the people who public office in the state of McDonald’s, or there was a lit- ability of parents on how they come through the doors of En- come in looking for comfort tle restaurant that used to be lace every day are good people and help,” she said. “As long Massachusetts. are raising or treating their as there are people in need, as on High Street,” she recalls. State Rep. Aaron Vega, children they are always going living in difficult circumD-Holyoke, can rememVega said nothing has to get their backs up. What we stances, according to Medina long as we continue to provide ber being around Medina a desperately needed service changed in the way Medina try to do is look for grants that Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein when he was a in this community, I will not “How many mothers or Lichtenstein connects with help us provide skill sets for child being dragged to meet- those she helps. grandmothers have lost their stop.” the families to be able to rise ings with his father Carlos “Betty always said my dad Vega, a beloved social activist taught her everything she and community leader in needed to know about comHolyoke who died in 2012. He munity organizing, which of course starts with door knockknew Medina Lichtenstein BUSINESS NAME: FIT Staffing, Inc.c. ing, and you still see her doing as a community activist and ADDRESS: 25 Bremen Street,t, that to this day, that’s her School Committee member. nd Springfield MA 01108 and staple. Betty is always going to “My dad, Betty and a few 308 Enfield Street, Enfield CT 06082 others were the first to give a meet people where they are,” PHONE NUMBER: he says. voice to Puerto Ricans living 413-733-6466 After two years of making in Holyoke,” Vega says. WEBSITE: fitstaffingsolutions.com Years later when the Valley her car her office Medina E-MAIL: Lichtenstein found a small Opportunity Council, Provjfallon@fitstaffingsolutions.com space on High Street. A year This Oct. 8, 1985, photo shows idence Ministries, Nueva HOURSOF OPERATION: Esperanza and other service after that she found the space Betty Medina Lichtenstein Interviews by appointment only. providers were asked by on Main Street where Enlace after hearing results from YOUR NAME: Jackie Fallon the state to come together has now been for 21 years. the preliminary election for TITLE: President to discuss the high rates of The organization’s budget has the Ward 2 Holyoke School HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER: I started my career by working for IBM right child neglect and abuse, teen been cut down to $125,000 Committee she sought. She pregnancy and other issues over the years, but the need after graduating from WNEU. From there, I worked for an IBM Business Partner and founded FIT in 2004. won the seat that November, plaguing the city, Medina continues to grow. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS: 13 years becoming the first Puerto RiLichtenstein was part of the “I think what’s challenging can woman elected to public conversation. for her is that she has been office in the state of MassaMEET THE PROFESSIONALS “It was really unheard of to working diligently for so chusetts. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) AT FIT STAFFING, INC. have participants, residents long and a lot of things have who are living in a very diffichanged, but so much of it is WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION? cult environment every day, how to assemble furniture. the same,” Vega explains. We take a personal approach to staffing that includes meeting with each and every candidate in person and come together with providers In a way working under such One of Medina Lichtentalking with them in great detail about not only their technical skills but also what type of organization they’d stein’s sons, Roy Lichtenstein, to have conversation about extreme pressure at the time like to work for. It’s a critical component to making a good match for both the candidate and our clients. We the disconnect between a de- runs the Nurturing Fathers helped prepare us for the arrival of so many people from partment that does enforceprogram, a 15-week course focus in the Information Technology sector here in the region so we are very familiar with the local talent pool. ment and a community that Puerto Rico almost a year that works with fathers to WHAT DO YOU STRESS MOST TO YOUR STAFF: We have a small team that is seems to be disengaged from develop nurturing behavior later.” focused on making successful, long term placements that are a great fit for both our candidates and our Founded in 1994, Enlace the well-being of children,” toward their children and clients. It’s about quality – not quantity. is a coalition of families, she says. families. DESCRIBE YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: FIT Staffing connects qualified Medina Lichtenstein rerepresentatives for service “He comes to me sometimes professionals with local businesses looking to hire top talent. We provide a dynamic, personal approach members how difficult those providers, and other stakedistraught because a father to staffing, so we take the time to interview and understand both our candidates and our client companies. holders, focused on building conversations were at times. has left the program and he We have decades of collective expertise in creating successful connections in Western Massachusetts and a healthy and safe community “It can be incredibly painful tells me, ‘I lost them,’ and I Northern Connecticut. We place our candidates into professional positions on a full-time, permanent for children. The coalition’s to hear individuals speak always tell him that he hasn’t basis as well as on temporary and right-to-hire positions initial aim was to improve their own truth. We had single lost them,” she says. “Some WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS: We are the only staffing company in the public schools in Holyoke parents who suffered trauma people come here for a course Western MA that concentrates on Information Technology positions. We also take the time to walk our and encourage a 100 percent when they were young, some or a parent training and they graduation rate citywide. The had gone through the system may have come to one class or candidates into their first interview with a client company and make a personal introduction to our contact idea for the organization came themselves and had horrible they may have come to 20, but there. It puts the candidates at ease and it helps us build strong relationships with them. after the state applied for recollections of being in foster whatever time they were with WHY DO YOU ENJOY THIS BUSINESS: We love working with candidates and finding federal funding to work with homes,” she says. “There was you they listened. It might not positions they really enjoy. Similarly, we love working with our clients and providing resources that we communities that had the also a very real conversation show right now, it could be know will work out well for them. It is very gratifying to make that connection and know we are making highest rates of child abuse about the conditions in our in five years, but they walked a difference in people’s lives. and neglect. community, what poverty away with something which WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN TODAY’S MARKETPLACE? “What they wanted to do does to one.” at some point will better their You have to be in constant touch with people and really get to know their desires and aspirations. It was build a bridge between Out of those conversations relationships with the people doesn’t help anyone to put someone in a role that they are not going to enjoy. When dealing with clients, the department and these came the idea for Enlace, a they love.” you have to be honest, and provide true value. It works out the best when our clients consider us an communities and at the time place where residents could An optimist at heart Medina extension of their internal Human Resources department. Lichtenstein focuses less on Holyoke was breaking the re- go for help with everything

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | L19

Big Y

er to be more successful and more fulfilled. Career development and advancement opportunities at Big Y CONTINUED FROM PAGE L1 are additional examples of how we business in the spirit of collaboration collaborate. that remains at the center of our Our career planning process, leadership development training, group company’s vision today. Today, collaboration, cooperation problem-solving teams, manageand teamwork guide our Big Y family ment development workshops, our of over 11,000 employees. As my Chairman’s Challenge initiative and cousin Charlie, president and COO, our new Women LEAD Employee reminds us regularly, “We are better Resource Group are just a few examples of how we collaborate together together.” Being better together is to grow and contribute to the goal not just a tag line. It is how we work of continuous improvement. Career together each and every day in opportunities abound at Big Y, from our stores and in our communities various in-store departments such within a culture of caring to make our as bakery, food service, seafood and customers, our employees and our customer service, to our pharmaneighbors’ lives easier, more healthful cies, liquor stores and Little Y Kids and enjoyable. In our stores, our teams work Clubs, plus technical jobs in IRT and together to provide our customers facilities management, warehouse and their families with fresh, quality, and distribution, loss prevention and “better for you” food choices, convefinance, sales and marketing, operanient meals, and health and welltions and even gas and convenience ness options. From our Living Well stores. Advancement opportunities Eating Smart Natural and Organic are endless. As a member of the third generation offerings, our in-store pharmacies, of D’Amours in our family-owned monthly Inform and Inspire wellness and operated business, it has been my events and in-store dieticians, to our Nicole D’Amour Schneider, senior director of operations for Big Y Foods, third from left, front row, is seen here with honor to help perpetuate the legacy selection of sustainable seafood, members of the Big Y team at its Cooley Street store in Springfield, including, from left, front row, Kimi Malo, Methat began over 80 years ago. To cut-to-order meats, customized floral lissa Cunningham, store director Sam Chevalier, Natasha Dymnicki and Christi Masciadrelli, and second row, from work alongside my father, brothers arrangements, made-to-order pizza, left, Otto Hernandez, Brad Theriaque, Brian Coelho, Joseph Shea and Marc Barcomb. (BIG Y FOODS PHOTO) and cousins is a unique and humbling personalized cakes and engaging, experience. knowledgeable employees, our store even electric car charging stations that employees to be lifelong learners. My evolving wants and needs. It is not lost on us that as a family-run teams collaborate daily to deliver business, our leadership, deciIn addition, successful growth help us protect the environment and father Donald, chairman and CEO, world-class service and value. Our employee family contributes requires us to work together with our sion-making and ability to collaborate, conserve our natural resources. constantly reminds our workforce their time, talent and treasure in vendor partners to collaborate and de- directly impacts the lives of our 11,000 My great-grandmother, Marie, that it is our duty to “observe, question and challenge” each other and liver a personal shopping experience employees and their families, our vena variety of ways throughout the was a school teacher and instilled in to “guide, coach and encourage each that is unique and provides exception- dor partners, our customers and the communities we serve. Together, our my grandfather and uncle a love for al value. This philosophy is reflected communities we serve. We recognize other for the common good.” store teams donate money to local learning and an unwavering passion Our commitment to innovation and in our continued commitment to sup- and respect that it is our duty and privcharities, volunteer at local soup for continuous improvement and porting local farmers, food producilege to serve this great company that kitchens, senior centers and animal innovation. We continue to honor that continuous improvement is vitally ers, businesses and manufacturers, Paul and Gerry founded. important to how we approach our shelters, as well as support toy drives, passion today through our commit-

“It is not lost on us that as a family-run business, our leadership, decision-making and ability to collaborate, directly impacts the lives of our 11,000 employees and their families, our vendor partners, our customers and the communities we serve.” NICOLE D’AMOUR SCHNEIDER, BIG Y FOODS

town cleanup events, and neighbors in need. We collaborate with our customers to raise funds for disaster relief, local food banks, breast cancer support groups, and local schools, to name a few. Behind the scenes, we leverage business partnerships to execute our recycling programs, composting and energy savings initiatives, such as the use of solar arrays, LED lighting and

ment to supporting education in our communities. This commitment is highlighted by our Big Y Scholarship program, our Education Express program, Y-Aim partnership through the YMCA, precepting dozens of pharmacy students annually and, of course, simply being that first “job” for generations of high school students. Internally, we work together to encourage ourselves and our fellow

business. The supermarket business is ever-changing, and the competitive landscape is saturated to a level our founders could never have imagined. Our future success lies heavily on our ability to innovate, try new ideas, new concepts and new approaches and execute at the highest level. It demands that we listen to our customers and proactively respond to their

ensuring that these companies, our neighbors, stay healthy and profitable. Through our local partners we can bring the finest and freshest local produce and local products to our customers year-round. The supermarket business is a complex one, and we are challenged to always work together toward continuous improvement as a family of fellow employees who work togeth-

Loyalty, perseverance, hard work and, of course, collaboration are what guided Paul and Gerry through those early years. They are what has been shepherded forth by the second generation. They are what continue to direct the third generation. We are truly better together. Nicole D’Amour Schneider is senior director of operations for Big Y Foods. To learn more about Big Y, visit bigy.com.

We Support & Serve

Western MA! Senator Stan Rosenberg Hampshire, Franklin & Worcester District

StanRosenberg.com 617-722-1532 @SenStan

0 3 0 73 3 0 7

Working for shared prosperity, believing in shared leadership

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

REP. JOSEPH F. WAGNER CHAIRMAN-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

52 Court St, West�ield, MA 01085 (413) 572-3920 Paid for by the Committee to Elect John Velis

Joseph.Wagner@MAhouse.gov

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 9TH HAMPDEN DISTRICT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JOSE F. TOSADO

BUD L. WILLIAMS

STATE REPRESENTATIVE

STATE HOUSE ROOM 34 BOSTON, MA 02133 TEL (617) 722-2320

640 PAGE BLVD, SUITE 108 SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104 TEL (413) 788-0683

STATE REPRESENTATIVE 11TH HAMPDEN DISTRICT SPRINGFIELD STATE HOUSE ROOM 22 BOSTON, MA 02133

TEL: (617) 722-2140 Bud.Williams@MAhouse.gov

REP AARON VEGA FROM HOLYOKE IS EXCITED ABOUT UT

THE OUTLOOK FOR WESTERN MASS aaronvega.org

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1ST HAMPDEN DISTRICT

TODD M. SMOLA STATE REPRESENTATIVE RANKING MEMBER COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

STATE HOUSE ROOM 124 BOSTON, MA 02133-1054

TEL: (617) 722-2100 FAX: (617) 722- 2390

Todd.Smola@MAhouse.gov

03073285

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Jose.Tosado@MAhouse.gov

DISTRICT OFFICE 333 FRONT STREET, SUIT 3 CHICOPEE, MA 01013 TEL: 413-592-7857 FAX: 413-592-1354

03075342

State Representative

ROOM 42, STATE HOUSE BOSTON, MA 02133-1054 TEL: 617-722-2370 FAX: 671-722-2216

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

New England Orthopedic Surgeons specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. NEOS is the only comprehensive sub-specialized orthopedic practice in Western Massachusetts.

Meet our Experts. SPORTS MEDICINE SPECIALISTS John R. Corsetti, M.D.

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Joint Replacement Surgery, including total hip and total knee replacements, partial knee replacements, minimally invasive joint replacements, and Computer Navigated Joint Replacement

FOOT & ANKLE SPECIALISTS Craig R. Lareau, M.D.

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Board Certiﬁed in Orthopedic Surgery

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Nonsurgical and surgical treatment of all foot and ankle problems. Foot and ankle fracture care, total ankle replacement, sports related injuries, ankle arthroscopy, foot and ankle arthritis, tendon transfers, deformity correction, diabetic reconstructive surgery, and bunion and hammer toe correction

HAND, WRIST & ELBOW SPECIALISTS Louis M. Adler, M.D. Board Certiﬁed in Orthopedic Surgery

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Board Certiﬁed in Orthopedic Surgery

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Outlook2018 M

| SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

PRE-OWNED CARS FOR LESS Home Of 12 Month, 12,000 Mile on Every Car!

ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM

Thunderbirds score big time Out of survival mode, AHL team focuses on growth

Mary Kay Wydra

Good things keep happening in Western Mass

By Ron Chimelis

rchimelis@repub.com

n the first season under new, local ownership, the Springfield Thunderbirds managed a total of three capacity home crowds. That was in 2016-2017.

This season, the city’s American Hockey League franchise managed three MassMutual Center sellouts before Jan. 1. For team president Nathan Costa, the advantage of novelty has been replaced by the strength of sound promotion and planning, along with a surge of well-earned credibility in the Western Massachusetts market. “We’ve been pleased with this year for the most part. The second year creates a little more of a challenge than the first, but we are headed in the right direction,’’ Costa says. One challenge this season has been the AHL schedule. Springfield’s slate included seven more home games before the calendar turned to a new year. In every market, games before January are the toughest to sell.

SEE TBIRDS, PAGE M10

Springfield Thunderbirds left wing Dryden Hunt rejoices after scoring in the third period of the Dec. 22 5-2 victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the MassMutual Center. At left, Boston Red Sox legend David “Big Papi” Ortiz receives a key to the city of Springfield from Mayor Domenic J. Sarno with Springfield Thunderbirds president Nathan Costa at center ice in the MassMutual Center on Nov. 11. (CHRIS UNGER / SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

“We’ve been doing a lot to show we’re different. We want to sell tickets, of course, but we also want to have impact.’’

N THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, constant change is a predictable part of the landscape. This puts the strategic importance of building viable collaborations, partnerships and joint marketing campaigns at the very heart of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau’s mission. As a destination marketing organization and an affiliate of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts, we promote the region as a year-round destination for conventions, meetings, group tour, sports and leisure travel. Western Mass offers unique attractions and facilities, outstanding access and overall high value. These important factors help us keep the region among the leading destinations in New England for the market segments we most aggressively pursue. The bureau’s most important role is marketing, and we are excited to have several new tactical components to facilitate our work. Chief among them is a new “Western Mass” brand that will be highly visible in our promotional campaigns. We’ve also recently launched a new website, ExploreWesternMass.com, and our new 2018 SEE WYDRA, PAGE M16

NATHAN COSTA, PRESIDENT, SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

AUTOMOTIVE

Car, truck sales stay on a roll Demand for light trucks, SUVs helps drive sales growth By Keith O’Connor

Palate’s “Pollo en Fricase” is a slow-cooked chicken breast in a house sauce served with rice, beans and sweet plantains. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

LATINO BUSINESS

Latin cuisine flavors WMass dining scene Springfield’s Palate restaurant looks to open 2nd location By Elizabeth Roman

eroman@repub.com

For more than 20 years Jose Hernandez has had jobs in the food industry. From managing a fruit and vegetable stand in Puerto Rico when he was 20 years old to running a food truck several

years later, Hernandez loves Latin cooking. “There is something about the different flavor profiles that is very unique. A Spanish paella has certain spices and seasoning that make it taste the way it does, while a Puerto Rican bistec (beefsteak) has ingredients that give it a distinctive flavor, yet they are both Latin dishes,” says Hernandez, owner of Palate Restaurant on Boston Road in Springfield.

SEE LATIN, PAGE M4

WMass dining: ‘Holyoke girl’ keeps landmark thriving, Page M5; Satisfied customers keep restaurants cooking, Page M6

FEBRUARY 16-19

’S LARGEST NEW CAMPING & RV SHOW! ENGLAND’S LARGEST CAMPING & RV SHOW!

Special to The Republican

If you believe in predictions – think the weather – then 2018 is going to be a good year for car dealers. The National Automobile Dealers Association is predicting the sale of 16.7 million new cars and light CARS trucks in 2018, • Mercedes noting in a press Benz discovers release that the Springfield, forecast for a Page M8 “robust year” is • Marcotte “indicative of a Ford is all stable, healthy about family, market for new community, vehicles.” Page M9 “It means that, one, the market is stable, and two, that demand is still healthy,” said association chairman Mark Scarpelli. “And both factors are true in this case. We are looking at a stable market where demand – particularly for light SEE AUTO, PAGE M8

Todd Volk, left, president of Central Chevrolet in West Springfield, and sales manager Edward O’ Grady are in the showroom at the dealership on Memorial Avenue. Volk says the sales of light trucks and SUVs is helping drive what could be a banner year for automotive sales. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN)

“As my father Jerry is famous for saying, ‘It doesn’t cost any extra to be nice.’” GARY ROME, PRESIDENT, GARY ROME AUTO GROUP

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Greater Springfield really is ‘Great’

HAVE HAD THE PRIVIlege to have been born and to make my life in Greater Springfield. The very descriptive term “Greater Springfield” has such a pleasant ring to it. It is, after all, “Great.” Natives of every community often overlook or take for granted the quality of their surroundings, their proximity to regional assets, the availability of transportation, their community’s unique history, and so much else. In my professional roles in Greater Springfield over a long

those who spend any time in our region, they always comment on how lucky we are to be in such a wonderful place. I often convey the story of an economist with whom I worked several years ago, a young family man. He had a sterling education that took him from his native southern California roots to an Ivy Eugene Cassidy League school in Boston, then to London. He went on career I have always had the to work in London, then Paris, New York and Montreal. opportunity to be involved And, upon a short assignment with business professionals from around the country and to a client here in the Pioneer sometimes the world. And for Valley, he fell in love with

what most of us simply take for granted. We have it all. He told how he called his wife, who was expecting their second child, at their home in Chicago and told her that they could “be skiing in Vermont in no time, they’d be only an hour away from the shoreline of Connecticut, 90 minutes from Boston and two hours from Manhattan. There is an airport within a half hour.” As I listened to him, I thought to myself, “This guy sees what we natives often miss.” That young couple has

SEE CASSIDY, PAGE M17

“(MGM is) a corporate sponsor and will be for a number of years ahead. I don’t foresee much of an impact. Our subscribers are very loyal.” DANNY EATON, MAJESTIC THEATER

The 2017 run of the Eastern States Exposition broke a century of attendance records with 1,525,553 visitors. Here, a camel gets a treat at one of the petting zoos at the fair. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM

MassMutual Center will be MGM’s entertainment hub Movies, bowling, art shows, more on tap at casino complex By GEORGE LENKER

Special to The Republican

MGM Springfield says it plans to “continue to support the entertainment traditions that currently exist in Springfield,” including the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, seen here during a concert at Springfield Symphony Hall. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM

WMass stage is big enough for all Interest grows in other venues, MGM builds partnerships By GEORGE LENKER

Special to The Republican

The Western Massachusetts arts and entertainment scene remained strong in 2017, according to the industry’s movers and shakers. But no matter what the past has held, it will probably shift in various directions when a new casino, MGM Springfield, opens late this summer. The $960 million project complex that will occupy 14 acres within three downtown city blocks between Union Street, State Street, East Columbus Avenue and Main Street, will feature a casino, a hotel, retail, restaurants and a parking garage. Seen by some as a panacea to Springfield’s ills, others have fretted about the impact the casino may have on the surrounding area. Certain leaders in Northampton, the area’s current entertainment mecca, also worried about the casino’s impact to the point where the city commissioned a study to assess potential losses in recreational spending. Such fears didn’t dissuade Springfield voters from ap-

proving MGM’s application in July 2013. Some relief was offered to surrounding communities by the state Gaming Commission, which, for example, awarded Northampton $100,000 for developing a marketing plan to help attract casino visitors up to Northampton. For MGM’s part, the casino has vowed to work with the region’s entertainment entities. “We will continue to support the entertainment traditions that currently exist in Springfield such as the Bright Nights at Forest Park and Fourth of July Fireworks, Springfield Thunderbirds, as well as activities at local cultural centers,” says Saverio Mancini, director of communications for MGM Springfield. The MassMutual Center will serve as the entertainment hub for MGM Springfield, serving as the home for large-scale conventions and events. The hope is that MGM’s experience with attracting high-profile entertainment to its venues can be leveraged to bring SEE STAGE, PAGE M13

The legendary Patsy Cline came to life at Springfield’s CityStage in the national touring show of “Memories of Patsy, The Patsy Cline Tribute Show” in April. Courtney Shane, portraying Cline, sang many of the country singer’s hits backed by a five-piece band and added entertaining anecdotes about Cline’s life. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

HAVE YOU HEARD

THE NEWS?

TOP HOSPITAL IN OUR REGION

“If you build it, they will come.” A lot people are betting that the MGM Springfield casino will prove there is truth to the phrase made famous by the film “Field of Dreams.” MGM Springfield, the $960 million project that broke ground in March 2015, is on course to open late this summer and change the landscape of entertainment in Western Massachusetts. The complex will occupy 14 acres within three downtown city blocks: Union Street to State Street and East Columbus Avenue to Main Street, and provide approximately 2 million square feet of new development, including a hotel, retail, casino and parking garage. “On site, our entertainment square will offer additional entertainment amenities that will complement the resort, including retail space, food and beverage venues, a stateof-the-art movie theater with six screens, a luxury bowling facility and an outdoor plaza that will feature large dynamic video displays and outdoor areas for events, including expeditions, art shows and similar functions,” says Saverio Mancini, director of marketing for MGM Springfield. The MassMutual Center will serve as the entertainment hub for MGM Springfield, including the home for largescale conventions and events. Although the building itself remains owned by the state, the day-to-day operations will be overseen by MGM. “We (will) offer a broad and deep entertainment portfolio, including sporting events, concerts, comedy and family-style entertainment,” Mancini says of bringing the MassMutual Center under the MGM umbrella. MGM Resorts International will also leverage its pipeline of global relationships to attract top-tier events to Springfield, according to Mancini. MGM Springfield will also partner with other venues like CityStage and Symphony Hall to offer a broad range of entertainment. Talia Spera, executive director of arena operations for MGM Springfield, explains that MGM’s business model

is to leverage all the acts with which it works across the country to bring the best to each of its venues. It means Western Massachusetts residents can look forward to more shows at the center. “We plan to reflect the diverse population here and offer all sorts of shows, whether they are family shows, concerts, or comedy, or theater-type shows,” says Spera. One issue that has sometimes limited the range of entertainment at the MassMutual Center has been that

“MGM will continue to maintain a strong commitment to work with existing entertainment facilities throughout the region. We value partnerships with community partners that have the potential to grow the area’s tourism economy.” Saverio Mancini, marketing director, MGM Springfield

it only has 8,000 seats. This won’t pose a problem for MGM, according to Spera. “With the relationship we have with these artists, they want to stay within the MGM family, and they’re wanting to come to our venues,” she said. “Our campuses on the whole are intimate, so we actually see the size of this venue as a plus. It will allow our guests to see the shows in a more intimate atmosphere rather than being way up in seats far from the show.” The overall MGM venue itself will include 250 guest rooms and suites, a diverse food and beverage portfolio including specialty dining restaurants, a South End market off Main Street, as well as banquet and meeting rooms. Of course, this will surround the 125,000-squarefoot, smoke-free gaming floor with approximately 3,000

SEE MGM, PAGE M17

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

GRAND RE-OPENING OF THE TIP OFF PAVILION AT THE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

COMING JUNE 2018 In the summer of 2018, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will mark the Grand Re-Opening of the Tip Off Pavilion at The World’s Finest Sports Museum. Please join us as we celebrate the transformation of the Hall of Fame bringing together the latest technology and innovative new designs in fan-friendly experiences that are sure to impress the whole family!

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

• Olympic Deli: 232 Chestnut St., Springfield, Dominican, Puerto Rican, 413-732-1600 • Puerto Rico Market & Bakery: 2917 Main St., Puerto Rican, specializes in breads, sandwiches and pastries, 413827-7117 • Puerto Rico Restaurant & Bakery II: 214 Armory St., Springfield, Puerto Rican, 413732-0259

LATIN RESTAURANTS  Latinos make up nearly 40 percent of Springfield’s population and close to 50 percent in Holyoke with other Western Massachusetts cities and towns also seeing a growing number of Latino residents. As the population continues to grow so do small businesses owned and operated by Latino families. Restaurants offering “Spanish” (Latin American) dishes have been a staple in Western Massachusetts for decades, from Fernandez Family Restaurant, which has been a Holy• OLD SAN JUAN BAKERY oke institution for nearly 408 High St., Holyoke, Puerto Rican, 30 years, to Puerto Rico specializes in breads, pastries, Market & Bakery in 413-534-5555. Springfield’s North End, which now has two locations in the city. New restaurants offering everything from a fine dining experience at Palate restaurant on Boston Road in Springfield to the new Mesa Buffet, offering buffet-style home cooked Caribbean dishes at the Springfield Plaza, are adding to the restaurant scene in the region. Here is a small sampling of Latin restaurants in Western Massachusetts worth checking out in 2018.

• PALATE RESTAURANT 1168 Boston Road, Springfield, Latin, 413-363-2354. Above, a colorful platter of Cubanitos, which is an eggroll-style play on the traditional Cuban sandwich, created by Palate restaurant.

• LA VERACRUZANA 63 South Pleasant St., Amherst, also, 31 Main St., Northampton, Mexican, 413-586-7181, 413-253-6900. Above, bean tacos on the menu.

• Borinquen y Quisqueya: 326 St. James Ave., Springfield, Puerto Rican and Dominican cuisine, 413-736-3940 • De Todo Un Poco Bakery & Spanish Cuisine: 152 Rifle St., Springfield, Puerto Rican, 413-317-7105 • El Chicharron: 494 Central St., Springfield, Puerto Rican, 413-205-2188 • El Morro Restaurant & Bakery: 599 Page Blvd., Springfield, 413-737-14418 • El Salvador Restaurant: 231 Hancock St., Springfield, 413781-5707 • Felix’s Breakfast & Sandwich Shop: 67 Liberty St., Springfield, American, Latin, 413-306-6010 • Latino’s Kitchen: 2895 Main St., Springfield, Dominican, Puerto Rican, 413-737-2142 • Mesa Buffet: 1301 Liberty St., Springfield Plaza, Springfield, Latin, 413-417-6855 • Mi Antojito Bakery: 126 Walnut St., Springfield, Puerto Rican, 413-781-2201 • Santiago’s Family Restaurant: 34 Franklin St., Westfield, Puerto Rican, 413-562-0210

• MOCTEZUMA’S 684 Belmont Ave., Springfield, Mexican, 413-317-7977

• Raices Restaurant: 1021 Main St., Springfield, Puerto Rican, 413-733-5618 • Salsas: 403 Dickinson St., Springfield, Mexican, 413-7464456

• CAMINITO ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE 7 Old South St., Northampton, 413-387-6387 An order of “Brochette de Lomo,” filet mignon and vegetable skewers, ready to leave the kitchen.

• Fernandez Family Restaurant: 16 High St., Holyoke, Puerto Rican, 413532-1139 • Orgullo Latino: 2260 Westfield St., West Springfield, Dominican, Puerto Rican, 413-209-8862 • MI TIERRA 48 Russell St., Hadley, Mexican, 413-587-9820. At right is a steak burrito plated and ready to leave the kitchen.

(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN PHOTOS)

“Of course I want Puerto Ricans and other Latinos to come and enjoy the food, but part of my goal has always been for people of different cultures to experience Latin dishes in a new way.” JOSE HERNANDEZ, PALATE RESTAURANT OWNER

From Cuban sandwiches served in a fried egg roll instead of traditional bread to passion fruit mojitos at the bar, Springfield’s Palate restaurant offers Latin cuisine in a fine-dining setting. Above left is “Asopao de Pollo,” or chicken soup. At top right is owner Jose Hernandez. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

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a second location in the city soon,” he says. “The restaurant scene in Springfield is growing. There are a lot of options for people looking to eat great food from different cultures and I am happy to be a part of that.”

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part of my goal has always been for people of different cultures to experience Latin dishes in a new way,” he says. As for his outlook for 2018, Hernandez wants to keep growing. “I am looking at opening

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ant as flavor to Hernandez, who offers up beautiful dishes with large portions and colorful, CONTINUED FROM PAGE M1 delicate garnish. The restaurant and cocktail From Cuban sandwiches served in a fried egg roll lounge opened over two years ago, and business is good, Her- instead of traditional bread to nandez says. passion fruit mojitos at the bar, “I have been very blessed Hernandez hopes to keep the here. I think people are excited menu interesting. about seeing Latin cuisine preWhile Hernandez wants to sented in a fine dining atmoattract city residents, he has sphere,” adds Hernandez, who been most excited to see cusdoes much of the cooking him- tomers from across the region self along with several other and even Connecticut visit the cooks. “I am constantly coming restaurant. up with different recipes and “Of course I want Puerto new takes on classic dishes.” Ricans and other Latinos to Presentation is just as import- come and enjoy the food, but

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | M5

“We consider ourselves a landmark in this community, and we will continue the legacy my parents started.” ADA FERNANDEZ, FERNANDEZ FAMILY RESTAURANT, HOLYOKE

LATINO BUSINESS

‘Holyoke girl’ keeps landmark thriving Fernandez family marks 30 years in business Jacqueline and Ada Fernandez, daughters of Rafael and Ada Fernandez, oversee the operations of the Fernandez Family Restaurant in Holyoke. The restaurant has a loyal following of customers, including many who first frequented it when their parents opened in 1988.

By ELIZABETH LaFOND-COPPEZ

Special to The Republican

(DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN)

gether with Cariana’s Design & Coordination to offer event planning, flowers and decor for events. “We ensure our customers don’t have to worry about any details,” she says. “We give 200 percent with everything we do!” On March 3, Fernandez Family Restaurant will host an open house and tasting event for future brides and Quinceaneras to see decorations and centerpieces and try dishes, including menu items ranging from chicken piccata to lobster tails. Rafael and Ada Fernandez, who came to Holyoke from Puerto “We have regular customers Rico in the 1970s, started the Fernandez Family Restaurant 30 who started with my parents years ago. Today, two of their daughters, Ada and Jacqueline in 1988,” Ada Fernandez says. own and manage the restaurant. Above, rice and beans, roast pork, ribs, cuajitos, tripe soup and many more Puerto Rican foods “They are very faithful and loyal to us!” are among their offerings. To see a gallery of photos of the curFernandez Family Restaurent restaurant at 161 High St., go online to MassLive.com. rant has become a true gather(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN) ing place for homecomings, celebrations or “just because” “On busy days, we can sell day.” 60 to 70 of our specialty pork Customers can also hire Fer- occasions. But the Fernandez nandez Family Restaurant for family does more than serve dishes, Ada Fernandez says. catering jobs large and small. special, home cooked meals. “Everything we cook here is “My parents are very humble fresh. Nothing is ever frozen. “We cater simple lunches to high-end weddings,” says Ada and generous people,” Ada We’ve learned and studied Fernandez says, explaining our clients so we know exactly Fernandez. SEE FERNANDEZ, PAGE M6 The restaurant works towhat we need to cook each

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In 1971, Rafael Fernandez left his home in Puerto Rico in hopes of securing a better future for his family. He came to Holyoke, but never imagined what would transpire. Fernandez found a job at American Pad & Paper, one of Holyoke’s many paper mills, and found an apartment in the city’s Flats neighborhood. His wife, Ada, left Puerto Rico to join him, and they had three daughters, Ada, Jacqueline and Evelis. Unexpectedly, Fernandez got hurt while on the job at Ampad, and fate stepped in. He met a gentleman who was selling a restaurant. “After a family meeting, my mom and dad opened Fernandez Family Restaurant. I was a freshman at Holyoke High School,” remembers Rafael’s daughter Ada Fernandez. Fernandez Family Restaurant began serving customers in 1988 on Suffolk Street. They moved to 111 High St. after their restaurant sustained water damage when the old Knights of Columbus building caught fire. They eventually moved to their current location, 161 High St. The parents transitioned most of the business responsibility to daughters, Ada, who psychiatry. is part owner, and Jacqueline, The restaurant is bright, who has a manager role. inviting and clean with fresh Evelis Fernandez is practicing flowers at every table. The

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Satisfied customers keep restaurants cooking Labor costs pose challenges for restaurateurs By KEITH O’CONNOR

Special to The Republican

The National Restaurant Association for 2018 predicts about the same moderate growth rate based on national employment levels and disposable personable income, which they say will continue to “edge up,” but only slightly. Closer to home, Stephen Clark, director of government affairs for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, says that when talking with some restaurant operators, he’s learned business was flat or slightly down last year. He sees that trend continuing in 2018 with most operators predicting similar sales in the next year. “Still, for the third consecutive year, we saw our meals tax collection up 4 percent for 2017 to $1.13 billion,” Clark says, a reflection that industry sales are up, while any increased revenue remains consumed by increased costs. While sales are flat, Clark said there is optimism in the industry. “I think there is a pent-up demand to go out to restaurants. In addition, consumer confidence remains high. These are optimistic factors,” he says. The major challenge for restaurant owners? “It’s the cost of labor, including the proposed $15 minimum wage hike, where all wages are indexed off of double-digit insurance

“Many of our customers over the years have been telling us that we do a good job. We try to do right by them and give them good value for their dollar. ” FEDERICO MENDIOLA, OWNER, FRONTERA GRILL, CHICOPEE

Frontera Grill will soon be opening a new location at the former Ruby Tuesday at 1411 Boston Road. Owner Federico Mendiola says he experienced such great success with his first restaurant on Memorial Drive in Chicopee that he will open soon at the new location. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

premium increases and other employer mandates. And, restaurant owners can’t raise menu prices enough to offset costs,” Clark says. Despite the challenges, Federico Mendiola, owner of Frontera Grill in Chicopee, remains confident in the restaurant business. He is opening a new location this month on Boston Road in Springfield in the building that once was home to Ruby Tuesdays. “Many of our customers over the years have been telling us that we do a good job. We try to do right by them and give them good value for their dollar. So, they see us as a great place to come and enjoy some food and drink,” Mendiola says. “But our customers aren’t just from Chicopee or nearby South Hadley. They’re from Northampton, Westfield, Springfield and all over, and many ask us when we are going to open a restaurant in their town. “Plus the economy has bounced back somewhat and after a couple of years we finally found the right spot – a premium location with a large enough building for us and plenty of parking,” Mendiola adds. While Mendiola didn’t bring up the cost of labor, he says he now has “many more” employees at his Chicopee restaurant than when they opened in 2012. “We want to be sure that we are catering to our customers’ every need,” he explains. “In our view, the most important factor in the restaurant business – along with our SEE RESTAURANTS, PAGE M19

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Rafael and Ada Fernandez, who came to Holyoke from Puerto Rico in the 1970s, started the Fernandez Family Restaurant 30 years ago. Today, two of their daughters, Ada and Jacqueline, own and manage the restaurant. The restaurant is joining forces with Carianas Design & Coordination to offer event planning, flowers and decor for events large and small. Above is the dining room area at the restaurant on High Street in Holyoke. See a photo gallery at MassLive.com. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Fernandez CONTINUED FROM PAGE M5

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how the family keeps a special closet at the restaurant, well stocked with items that can help in the community. “We see people’s lives go through changes, and for those who go from good to bad, we help. We have coats, hats, and a small food pantry.” Fernandez says her father has a collection of old, run-down bikes that he’s refurbishing, so he can donate them to the kids in the community. “My parents instilled these values in us,” she says. “(We try to) help people all yearround.” The family continues to donate food, water and supplies to Puerto Rico, as many on the island are still without fresh water and electricity since the aftermath of Hurricane Maria last September. “I’m a Holyoke girl,” Fernandez stresses. “I love this community, and I grew up here. My future plans are here. We consider ourselves a landmark in this community, and we will continue the legacy my parents started. We’re very honored to be able to serve such an amazing city!”

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | M7

ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM

East Mountain marks 55 years as ‘everyday man’ golf course Perez family earns chamber lifetime achievement honor

The Perez children – Ted Jr., Mark, James and Brenda – have all played a big role in keeping the course running for more than 50 years. Ted Perez purchased the By HOPE E. TREMBLAY land almost by accident. Special to The Republican He had a verbal deal to buy When Theodore F. “Ted” another 100 acres of land Perez was a young man, he to develop into a golf course dreamed of doing something but, when he went to sign big. He just didn’t know what the contract, he was told it that would be at the time. wasn’t going to happen. In the 1950s, he was in “He was literally driving his 20s and a toolmaker. He home from that meeting worked hard to overcome when he saw a farmer hammering a sign into the ground an underprivileged life. He on East Mountain Road that purchased some land off Shaker Road in Westfield and said ‘100 acres for sale’,” his son says. “He pulled over and cleared it himself with the made a deal.” dream of creating a neighborhood. Ted Perez continued to “He started out using an work as a toolmaker while ax,” recalls his son, Theodore he built the golf course. One F. Perez Jr. “His brother even- day, though, he came home tually loaned him the money and told Maria he had just to buy a chainsaw, and he cleared all the trees himself.” The elder Perez, who died in 2013 at age 81, had a dream to develop that land, but he wasn’t a builder. He made a deal with Louis Scarfo, an up-and-coming builder at the time. “Scarfo wanted to build the homes, but couldn’t afford to pay my dad for the lots,” Ted Perez Jr. explains. “So, they agreed that he would build the homes and pay my father after they sold. They shook on it, gave their word and my dad always told me that there is nothing more important in life than your word.” That development stands today as Glenwood Heights, where the family matriarch, Maria Perez, still lives. The couple was married for 58 years when Ted Perez died. From Shaker Road, the elder Perez set his sights on quit his job to focus on the some land off Pontoosic Road building. that he also began developing “I thought he was completely crazy,” Maria Perez as the Knollwood neighborhood, all with a vision for the recalls. “I was pregnant with future. Mark and already had Ted “He and his brothers were and Jimmy.” golfing one day and were “I had faith in him, and he treated badly,” Ted Perez didn’t go to church, but he Jr. says. “My dad told his had faith in God. He told me brother, Paul, that he wanted Paul said he could do it, and to open his own golf course he was going to do it,” said where people were all treated Maria. “I believe that Paul well. Paul told him to do it.” was always looking out for When Paul Perez died sud- Ted.” denly not long after that day Along with being a visionof golfing, Ted Perez remem- ary, Ted Perez was also perbered his words of encoursistent, according to his wife.

age 14, each began working at the course. Some worked on the greens, others in the snack shop and some delved into the business. Later in life, each took different career paths for a while, but all ended up back at East Mountain. Today, Ted Perez Jr. runs the country club along with Mark and Maria, while chef Brenda Perez Coggin and her daughter run the kitchen. The banquet part of the business is what has kept them in business the past few years. “Golf ’s not what it was,” Maria Perez says, “but we’re here and we’re staying as long as we can.” The banquet facility was built in the 1980s with wood from trees cleared from the property. His first chef was Pat Coggin, the man who would marry Brenda Perez. She’s using skills she learned at his side to carry on the banquet business. The family has added comedy shows, trivia nights and live music to the mix of offerings to keep the country club busy in the off-season. As much as family has driven the business, it’s been The photo from 2001 shows Theodore F. “Ted” Perez, the loyal players who help it founder and longtime owner of the East Mountain Country continue to thrive. Club in Westfield. Perez died in 2013 at the age of 81. His widLongtime golfers Ernest ow, Maria Perez, and their family continue to run the 18-hole Despault, of Chicopee, and golf course and banquet facility on East Mountain Road, now in Mel Johnson, of Easthampits 55th year. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) ton, began playing at the course in 1963 when it When he needed a loan, he agement. “My dad felt his opened. They became walked into Westfield Bank brother was the only person friends at East Mountain and and didn’t leave until he had have golfed together three who ever thought he could make something of himself,” the money he needed. times a week at East Mountain for over 30 years. “He promised that when says Ted Perez Jr. With his brother’s words “This was supposed to be (East Mountain Country in mind, Ted Perez went on for the average golfer, and Club) opened, he would to build that golf course. It it’s a good course,” says give them something every opened in 1963, and today Despault. “And you can’t month, and he did,” Maria East Mountain Country Club Perez says. beat the Perez family.” is one of his legacies. The “Everyone is nice and All four Perez children other is his family. there’s camaraderie and grew up at the club, and at

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Westfield’s East Mountain Country Club is set on 100 acres off East Mountain Road, still run by the family of builder Theodore F. “Ted” Perez 55 years after it was built in 1963. At left, the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce honored the Perez family and East Mountain Country Club with its Lifetime Achievement Award in November. Here, from left, are Kate Perez, Kim Perez, Brenda Coggin, Mark Perez, Maria Perez, Ted Perez Jr. and Kate Phelon, executive director of the chamber. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

“Golf’s not what it was, but we’re here and we’re staying as long as we can.” MARIA PEREZ, EAST MOUNTAIN COUNTY CLUB OWNER (MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN)

the price is good, too,” adds Johnson. Maria Perez says they’re following her husband’s vision. “We keep it the way Ted built it,” she says. “He want-

ed it for the everyday man. My husband never changed, even during the times when we had money. He came from nothing, and he wanted to show that a Perez could do something, and he did.”

In November, East Mountain Country Club and the Perez family were honored by the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce with a lifetime achievement award.

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AUTOMOTIVE

Mercedes-Benz discovers Springfield New dealership brings luxury cars to WMass market By NATASHA ZENA

Special to The Republican

Michelle Wirth could never have predicted the impact Mercedes-Benz would have on her life. Hired straight out of her graduation from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania 17 years ago, her unconventional start with the company has led her and her husband, Peter, to their new chapter as co-owners of Mercedes-Benz of Springfield. “I had a mechanical engineering degree. I got recruited right out of school. It was a rarity,” Michelle Wirth says. “They only came on campus to recruit for two years. Normally, Mercedes only hired experienced engineers.” She started out at the Mercedes-Benz USA headquarters as an environmental and safety engineer who focused on emissions regulations and certifications. Two-and-a-half years later, she was tapped by the company’s marketing department to handle public relations. By 2012, Wirth was running the marketing and communications department. “Mercedes – and (our parent company) Daimler – is just a really great place to work,” she says today. “They

Mercedes-Benz of Springfield held a ribbon-cutting celebration on Nov. 1 to mark the opening of its dealership on Burnett Road in Chicopee. Speaking is Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

believe in promoting from within first. They believe in multidisciplinary upbringing in the company. It’s encouraged to learn different aspects of the business. You have to recognize this as an opportunity and go for it.” As her career blossomed, so did love. A native of Germany, Peter

Auto

1 in our franchise and is 50 percent of our business both new and used,” Volk adds. CONTINUED FROM PAGE M1 What’s also big for Rome trucks, SUVs and crossovers – and some other dealers right continues to be very healthy.” now is leasing. At least two of Western “Leasing is very hot. The Massachusetts’ leading dealshort version is that you can ers are hoping the prediction drive a vehicle off the lot with will hold true. very little money out-of-pock“The year 2016 was one of et, compared to what you the best years we ever had in might have to put down when the business, but we were off purchasing a new car,” says a little last year,” says Todd Rome. “Leasing interest rates Volk, president of Central are also lower than purchase Chevrolet in West Springfield. interest rates. Then, three “Overall, we were down years down the road when slightly,” adds Gary Rome, you might need some major president of the Gary Rome maintenance, you can turn it Auto Group that includes in for another new car with Hyundai and Kia dealerships. all the latest and greatest Volk anticipates 2018 will technology.” be Central’s biggest used car Both Rome and Volk acknowledge how customers sales year ever, saying, “We have tons off-lease, late-mod- differ today and how they el, low-mileage cars coming are dealing with customers’ back into the market.” demands. As for the popularity of light “There is no such thing as trucks, SUVs and crossovers window shopping anymore,” that Scarpelli mentions, says Rome. “It’s all about time Rome and Volk are in agreemanagement. Families have ment. soccer or hockey, or whatever “People are definitely shydemands on their time, and ing away from the once very they want to get in and out popular four-door sedans. and use their time efficiently.” Their sales are down and SUV “No one has time to waste and CUV crossovers are way today. At one time people up,” says Rome. would visit 10 different “What is hot is our small dealers on a weekend and get and mid-sized sport utility confused. Now, after looking vehicles such as the new online, they know the exact Equinox and Traverse, which car they want from color to is hot as a pistol and goes out every detail and option,” adds as soon as it comes in, and Volk. that’s fun to see as a dealer,” To meet those time demands, both dealers have Volk said. Volk isn’t counting the established call centers that sedans completely out. “We work to manage incoming have to do a better job at preinquiries from customers senting them to the customer about a particular vehicle and and looking at inventive and to set up appointments so the different ways to sell them, in- car will be ready to test drive cluding lower lease payments when customers arrive on the and new incentives,” he says. lot. And, it is not just the SUVs As for the future of the and crossover models that are industry, Rome believes it hot at Central. “The Silverado all boils down to customer full-size pickup truck is No. service.

We have a tent for your event... and so much more.

Wirth also grew up in the Daimler-Mercedes family and met his future wife through the company. After a long-distance courtship, he relocated to the U.S. Today the married couple are parents to three sons and an infant daughter. When Mercedes-Benz USA decided

“While pricing is certainly important, I believe even more important is the relationship a dealer builds with their customers and the service they provide,” he says. “We excel in customer service and place in the top 15 among 802 Hyundai dealers nationwide for customer satisfaction. As my father Jerry is famous for saying, ‘It doesn’t cost any extra to be nice.’” Whether in good times or bad, both dealers place their confidence in the marketplace and the communities they serve. Rome broke ground in 2015 and invested $10 million into his Hyundai dealership, which opened in August 2016 on Whiting Farms Road. As for Central Chevrolet, Volk says, “We’ve been in business for 52 years, and we’re on a roll.”

to relocate its Montvale, New Jersey, headquarters to Atlanta in 2015, the Wirths decided it wasn’t the right move for them. “He had been working in retail for eight years, and I decided I had done tier 1, tier 2 and I had managed tier

MICHELLE WIRTH, MERCEDES-BENZ OF SPRINGFIELD

SEE MERCEDES, PAGE M9

Service advisers work at Gary Rome Kia in Enfield. Says owner Gary Rome, “While pricing is certainly important, I believe even more important is the relationship a dealer builds with their customers and the service they provide.” (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Holyoke -

Amazing Things Are Happening

...has a Business Community investing in growth and prosperity through the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. Our Corporate Leaders make greatness look easy. They go way beyond the call of duty to support Economic and Community Development.

For their support, we proudly salute: Silver Sponsors bankESB Dowd Insurance Holyoke Community College Holyoke Medical Center Marcotte Ford United Bank

Partners Ferriter Law Goss & McLain Insurance Health New England Holyoke Mall Loomis Communities Mountain View Landscapes Northeast IT Systems, Inc. United Personnel

“Where Business And Success Meet”

03075878

Visit us on... 03076238

177 High Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 413.534.3376 • www.holyokechamber.com

02666627

Platinum Sponsors PeoplesBank Gold Sponsors Holyoke Gas & Electric The Log Cabin-Delaney House The Republican

Resnic, Beauregard, Waite & Driscoll

1221 South Main St., | Palmer MA, 01069 413-589-7385 www.michaelspartyrentals.com

“For us as a family it’s really an exciting time. We have a brandnew business. We’re making brand-new friends, whether it’s customers or people who just transplanted to Western Massachusetts.”

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“It’s great to expand in Holyoke. My father’s been planning many of our renovation details since I was in high school. He’s always been a visionary.”

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | M9

At left, Mike Filomeno, left, general manager, and Michael Marcotte, president of Marcotte Ford, are seen in the dealership’s temporary showroom on Main Street in Holyoke. Marcotte Ford broke ground in October for an $8-million, 40,000-square-foot building that is due to open this summer. Above, Matt Boyington and Tim Johnson, both senior master technicians, look over a truck in the Marcotte Ford Truck Center service area in Holyoke. (MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN)

MICHAEL MARCOTTE,

MARCOTTE FORD

AUTOMOTIVE

Marcotte Ford is all about family, community $8-million, state-of-art dealership in progress By ELIZABETH LaFOND-COPPEZ

Special to The Republican

At Marcotte Ford in Holyoke, family and community are at the heart of the business. Today, Marcotte Ford employs nearly 150 workers who serve customers in the Greater Holyoke area and beyond, offering new and used vehicles, a full rental departWATCH ment, service, THE VIDEO parts, and a To see commercial Mark M. vehicle sales Murray’s video and service about Marcotte center. Ford in Holyoke, Michael Margo online to cotte, thirdMassLive.com generation owner of Marcotte Ford, says the family is proud to be doing business in Holyoke. “The community is great, and we’re excited to grow and keep the culture we have at the dealership,” he says. Marcotte Ford began its business journey in 1961 when Al Marcotte, Michael’s grandfather, opened his Ford dealership. In 1967, the business moved to 1025 Main St., where it’s remained and grown.

Mercedes CONTINUED FROM PAGE M8

3 from above. I wanted to be on the retail side,” Michelle Wirth recalls. “I started doing all the marketing for Mercedes Nanuet in New York and when (general manager Rich Hesse) approached us with the opportunity for Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, how could you not?”

Work is continuing this winter on a new Marcotte Ford dealership on Main Street in Holyoke. It will reflect the latest in Ford Motor Co. design and branding, and include a 24-bay service department. Above is an artist’s rendering of what the new dealership will look like.

Michael’s father, Bryan Marcotte, ran the business from 1985 to 2015, proudly passing the leadership reins to his son in 2015. Marcotte Ford continues to remain state-of-the-art in the competitive market of vehicle sales. The dealership is currently undergoing a very large renovation, scheduled to be complete by the summer of 2018. The service area will have more bays for repairing vehicles, and customers will enjoy a new on-site restaurant for breakfast and lunch, called the “LugNutz Café.” Marcotte also plans to add over 10 new employment opportunities. In 2015, they opened the Marcotte

(MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN)

SEE MARCOTTE, PAGE M18

Chicopee at the junction of Interstate 291 and the Massachusetts Turnpike that interested them. “We went to look at it again,” Wirth remembers. “It serves 169 ZIP codes – from Southern New Hampshire to Somers, Connecticut. We needed it to be easy to get to. It’s perfectly located near the Springfield exit end of Interstate 291. But Mercedes said, ‘OK, if you want (that location), (you still have to) call it Mercedes-Benz of Springfield.’”

For The Event Of The Season, We’re Bringing In The Event Planner To The Stars

LINK TO LIBRARIES 2018 Featuring Special Guest Speaker Colin Cowie

APRIL 10 | 5:30PM | $50 PER PERSON All proceeds to benefit Link To Libraries. Includes Colin’s presentation, food and beverages.

A Link To Libraries fundraiser is always a night to remember. This year, we’ve outdone ourselves by bringing in world-famous event planner Colin Cowie. Do you want to experience an amazing event and learn the secrets to creating your own? Colin’s presentation will offer inspiration and insight. There will also be a meet and greet where you can speak with him personally. Technician Eric Fontes works on a car in the service area at Mercedes-Benz of Chicopee. The new $12-million, 37,000-square-foot dealership opened this fall at 295 Burnett Road in Chicopee. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Much research and time went into choosing the location of the Western Massachusetts dealership, according to Michelle Wirth. While sights were set on a locale in Greater Springfield, ultimately the new $12-million, 37,000-squarefoot dealership opened on Oct. 16 at 295 Burnett Road in Chicopee. “We did our due diligence. We came up, drove around,” she explains. “There’s a lot of opportunity that is brimming in the area. Mercedes has pretty strict rules. They wanted to be located in Springfield. We looked for property, and we could not find anything according to their standards.” They did find property in

The community has been very welcoming since the day the doors opened, and the dealership has steadily been busy, according to Wirth. In its opening few weeks, it was selling virtually a car a day, and the service department was seeing 10 to 15 customers each day. “For us as a family it’s really an exciting time. We have a brand-new business. We’re making brand-new friends, whether it’s customers or people who just transplanted to Western Massachusetts,” Wirth says. “We’re excited to just explore the new geography, excited to tour the Berkshires. There’s so much to learn and so much to do, and that part’s really exciting.”

As always, the Log Cabin will be transformed into a spectacular showplace for this signature event. Join us for an unforgettable night for a great cause.

COLIN COWIE

Party Planner For Celebrities Including Oprah Winfrey, Ryan Seacrest And More

FOR TICKETS GO TO: LINKTOLIBRARIES.ORG LOG CABIN • 500 EASTHAMPTON RD • HOLYOKE, MA

M10 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

OUTLOOK 2018

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

At left, David “Big Papi” Ortiz scored big with the crowds at the MassMutual Center on Nov. 11 during a special event hosted by the Springfield Thunderbirds. Below, spectators wave to the Stormtroopers as part of Star Wars Night with the Springfield Thunderbirds on Dec. 23 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Visitors were treated to a meet-and-greet prior to the game against the Providence Bruins. (FREDERICK GORE PHOTO / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Above, WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan, center, poses for a photo with Barbara Martell and her son Joseph Hager, both of Windsor Locks, when Bryan visited the Springfield Thunderbirds on Dec. 29 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Below, The Springfield Thunderbirds hit January with an average home attendance of 4,596 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. (FREDERICK GORE PHOTO / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Tbirds

“The second year creates a little more of a challenge than the first, but we are headed in the right direction.”

Taking a page from other AHL clubs, they worked with local school systems and greeted CONTINUED FROM PAGE M1 nearly 3,000 elementary Yet Springfield hit January school students for a game NATHAN COSTA, PRESIDENT, SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS with an average home attenthat began on a weekday dance of 4,596. In a league because many of them had morning. on the ice, though, does not that features several very large never been able to see it – even change the franchise’s biggest It was an experience Costa metropolitan areas (Chicago, won’t forget. The thank you though they live here – let victory of all: a change in the San Diego, Milwaukee, San alone come to a pro sporting cards from children are kept narrative surrounding the Antonio and Toronto among event like ours.” nearby in his office, a re80-plus year tradition of pro minder of what this franchise them), the Thunderbirds That experience epitomizes hockey in Springfield. means to the community – and what the Thunderbirds strive ranked 20th out of 30 teams. No longer does the discusWhen a cadre of local what it has to offer. to represent in the communi- sion revolve around survival owners completed a near-mi“That event took some plan- ty. Costa hopes to expand the raculous purchase of what ning. The school officials want presentation of live music at had been a Portland, Maine, a field trip like this to provide the games, as one example. franchise and brought it to some form of educational ex“You can’t do just one thing perience, so we put together a and get to everybody you Springfield in the spring of workbook for the kids and di- want. We want to be topical,’’ 2017, they were replacing a rected them to follow along,’’ Costa says. Falcons franchise that had he says. “One teacher pulled moved to Arizona after it As this second season looks finished last among 30 teams me aside and told me it was an toward the stretch run, team incredible experience. When in attendance. officials are hoping a playCurrent T-Birds crowds are the bus drove by the (Naismith off run adds enthusiasm to 50 percent above the Falcons’ Memorial) basketball hall of the promotions planned in final numbers, on pace or fame, they started cheering advance. Whatever happens slightly ahead of last year’s inaugural season (a remarkable feat considering the high number of early-season games) and 1,500 fans per game more than drawn in Hartford, their AHL neighbor 30 miles to the south. The Thunderbirds’ response to the early glut of 9 exhibitions through 2018 home games was to package some irresistible early-season attractions. Foremost among them was David Ortiz Night, which drew a full house to the MassMutual Center on Veterans Day in November. “It wasn’t the usual such appearance, where the star shows up and signs some autographs,” Costa explains. “David wasn’t interested in that, and neither were we. Instead, we wanted to incorporate him into our hockey night experience. We wanted a signature event for us, right out of the gate, and we got just that.” Ortiz’ first-ever appearance in Western Massachusetts was more than a night to remember. It was a statement by the Thunderbirds that the team - NOW ON VIEW will bring first-rate promotions to its fans, appropriate The Fantastical Art of Tony DiTerlizzi for an organization that is (co-author of Spiderwick Chronicles) earning a first-class reputaSupported in part by The Keator Group, LLC and The Pittsﬁeld Cooperative Bank. tion. Costa is just as proud of - THIS SUMMER/FALL other promotions. A week before Ortiz Night, the T-Birds Parrish, Wyeth, Rockwell welcomed 82-year-old hockey pioneer Willie O’Ree as the and The Narrative Tradition honored guest for “Hockey is for Everyone Night.” O’Ree was the first black player in nrm.org both AHL and NHL history. His AHL debut was a brief Stockbridge, MA stop in Springfield in 1958. A 413.298.4100 large crowd gave him a warm welcome back. open daily The T-Birds also turned a potentially lackluster Wednesday game into a special event. Triple Self Portrait © SEPS 1960, Norman Rockwell Museum Collections.

Always something new to see!

in the market. Now it’s about growth. That’s a huge step forward, for which Costa is quick to credit the ownership consortium that has been willing to invest in the franchise to build a foundation that broadens its market.

“We’ve been doing a lot to show we’re different. We want to sell tickets, of course, but we also want to have impact,’’ Costa says. “We’re really excited about the final weeks of the season. We have a lot of good things lined up.’’

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Realtors face challenges ahead

017 WAS A GOOD year for the Pioneer Valley real estate industry and the members of the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley. Not a banner year by any means, but despite many challenges to the industry, sales were up as were median single-family home values, all a move in the right direction. Some of the challenges have yet to be resolved, including energy scoring, flood insurance, broadband issues in the hilltowns, zoning and planning concerns, affordable housing and the implications of tax reform. Hopefully, many of these challenges will be addressed or resolved in 2018. To better understand where the industry may be moving in 2018 it is prudent to retrospectively look at 2017, a year that bode well for sellers in what was described as a seller’s market. A seller’s market is generally defined as a market in which available properties are absorbed (sold) in less than 180 days. The shorter the days on market, the stronger the seller’s position. To make matters more complex, there was generally a shortage of quality inventory, further bolstering the seller’s position. Combined, these two factors helped raise the median home prices in the Pioneer Valley. To some extent the real estate market follows the basic principles of supply and demand. Year-over-year sales from November 2016 to November 2017 show Pioneer Valley sales of single-family homes up 0.6 percent with a median price up 13.5 percent from $188,100 to $213,500. Note that individual county information varies. While sales figures are up, inventory of available properties declined 29.6 percent with supply of homes dropping from 4.4 months of supply in 2016 to 3 months of supply in 2017. Average days on market decreased 13.9 percent from 91 days to 78 days year over year. Considering year-to-date data through November, 5,534 single-family homes had sold, a 2.6 percent increase over 2016 with a median price increase of 4.5 percent from $199,000 to $208,000. Days

Pent-up buyer demand from 2017 should bode well for the spring sales market for Realtors, says Edward Alford, president of the Realtor Association of the Pioneer Valley. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

new construction, inability of household incomes to keep pace with rising home prices, tax reform and student loan debt. During 2018, mortgage rates are expected to average around 4.3 percent and gradually increase to 5 percent by the end of 2018. He also sees home prices rising as much Edward Alford as 5 percent during 2018. Depending on the final disposition, tax reform may boost or Working as a team, your Realtor, lender compromise home sales. What is the bottom line? and counsel can Now is a particularly good time for sellers to list their assure a wouldhomes in order to maximize be buyer’s best gain on the sale with one interests will be met. caveat: Make sure future housing has been secured as on market fell 25.2 percent an inventory shortage is likely from 104 to 78. New listings to continue for some time. For remained relatively flat with a buyers, interest rates remain modest 0.1 percent decrease quite low and favorable but and were still not enough to buyers should be prepared to meet current demand. All this pay the entry price and expect data suggest a continuation little room for negotiation. of a seller’s market, further Nevertheless, it is still a good tightening of inventory, and time to buy as home prices are increasing prices. It should expected to continue to rise. be noted mortgage rates have It is important to use a remained constant over this Realtor to navigate this chaltime period, affording access lenging market. Working as a team, your Realtor, lender and to capital to qualified applicants. counsel can assure a wouldSo what is the outlook for be buyer’s best interests will 2018 and what do these num- be met. Whether one is a bers and issues portend? buyer or seller it should be First, there is still pent-up underscored that a sound and buyer demand from 2017 robust housing market is one that should bode well for the of the key underpinnings of spring sales market albeit a healthy U.S. economy, creating both economic growth with some inventory constraints. Lawrence Yun, chief and jobs. economist for the National Association of Realtors, sees Edward Alford is president of this trend continuing nathe Realtor Association of the tionally for the next two to Pioneer Valley. To learn more three years caused by several about the association, visit the factors, including not enough website, rapv.com.

Special to The Republican

SLEEP IN.

“In my opinion, what we do is build relationships and through those relationships we are then trusted with helping our clients to buy and sell real estate.” LOU MAYO, REAL LIVING REALTY PROFESSIONALS

the Realtor by embodying the knowledge, character and wisdom of a top professional. Through my work and service, I seek to bring excellence to both my clients and fellow Realtors and, ultimately, improve the lives of all those I touch.” His secret to success isn’t that secret. “Honestly, I just do what needs to be done,” Mayo says.

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No matter what the housing market looks like at any given time, Lou Mayo, office manager with Real Living Realty Professionals in Wilbraham, says there should be no “good or bad times” for Realtors. “Honestly, if agents really look at what it is they actually do for their clients, they will not have bad times,” he says. “In my opinion, what we do is build relationships and through those relationships we are then trusted with helping our clients to buy and sell real estate.” A Realtor since 1997, Mayo, who was named the 2017 Realtor of the Year by the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley, says it all begins by asking plenty of questions. “For instance, how many bathrooms do you want? Some will answer, ‘Two or more.’ So, I will say to them if a house has one-and-a-half baths, but has everything else they are looking for, ‘Do you not want to see it?’ They always say that they want to see it. So, it’s not always in what you ask, but being able to apply my years of experience in helping them to make a great move,” Mayo explains. As for going the “extra

mile” for a client, Mayo’s philosophy is, “There isn’t an extra mile.” “For me the level of service that I provide all my clients is the same,” he says. “I look at what I do as helping people negotiate the most expensive thing they will ever buy or sell. I take this very seriously. I do my best to take the stress away from them so the process is as smooth as possible.” At the end of the day, it’s not just about building relationships with clients, but creating smiles, Mayo notes. “I love everything about being a Realtor, from working with first-time home buyers to find that perfect first home to helping sellers negotiate a complicated sale successfully and with as little stress as possible. There’s nothing like seeing the face of a new buyer at the closing table and knowing that you had a part in that. It’s awesome,” he says. As the highest honor given to a member, the Realtor of the Year award is bestowed upon the person who has shown outstanding service and devotion to the 1,650-member organization in the areas of Realtor activity, community service and business activity. “I believe strongly in the code of ethics and strive daily to achieve its highest ideals as a Realtor,” says Mayo. “In both my personal and professional life, I desire to uplift the image of

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A G R E AT N I G H T ’ S S L E E P AT D. H OT E L & S U I T E S

For Realtor of Year, there is no ‘extra mile’ By KEITH O’CONNOR

DIG IN. A D E L I C I O U S D I N N E R AT DELANEY’S GRILL OR THE MICK

REAL ESTATE

Real Living agent says job is building lasting relationships

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | M11

M12 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Home builders partner with community, consumers

HE HOME BUILDers & Remodelers’ Association of Western Massachusetts has served as a regional resource promoting professionalism and quality in the residential construction industry in Western Massachusetts since 1939. We are the industry focal point for information on housing and home construction and an advocate for quality, affordable housing for the citizens of Western Massachusetts. We also serve as an educational resource for contractor training, skill development and mandatory continuing education, including license preparation courses, continuing education credits for license renewal both online and in classroom training. And, we serve as a networking hub for builders and the entire industry. We consider our association the “source” for services and information for the general public and consumers of residential construction and remodeling services. We can provide consumers with referrals to industry professionals for every

Andrew Crane aspect of the residential construction process and, as a consumer resource center, provide ideas and important information. We have a qualified, trained staff, capable of answering questions and solving problems. The educational programming we provide was developed for the residential construction market to keep builders and remodelers abreast of all the updates in the ever-changing rules and regulations covering the construction industry. Our training is aimed at increasing technical expertise and creating a better consumer. We host programs and produce publications that provide ease of access to the industry and its members, including an annual Home SEE CRANE, PAGE M14

Vincent Walsh is the vice president and managing broker at Coldwell Banker in Longmeadow. He says 2017 marked a good year for the region’s Realtors and the market remains a strong one for sellers. (MARK M. MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN)

REAL ESTATE

Sales, prices up, mortgage rates down 2017 was among best years in past decade for Realtors By KEITH O’CONNOR

Special to The Republican

SEE REALTORS, PAGE M14

FOOD & DINING

Catering rolls in revenue for restaurateur Log Rolling marks decade with consistent success By KEITH O’CONNOR

Special to The Republican

When did restaurants become something more than a nice place to visit, oftentimes to relax with friends, and enjoy a good meal? Visit the websites of many casual to, yes, even fine dining restaurants, and you will see the words “to go,” and more and more saying “catering,” all as a way to expand their brand. “We’re in a business where we all work on tight margins and catering is just another revenue avenue to pursue to continue to have a viable business,” explains Peter Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, the Delaney House, Delaney’s Market and D. Hotel & Suites. The restaurateur notes they introduced catering a decade ago. “It was during the recession of 2008, which hit our business hard,” he says. “We began looking at things to compensate and had always dabbled in catering. So, we made the decision to get serious in that side of the business and sought out Darby O’Brien (Advertising & Public Relations) to come up with a catchy brand name that would work for us and make it clear that we were serious about entering the catering business. That name was Log Rolling. “People are more inventive today, and it’s not just about holding an event in a building,” Rosskothen adds. “The sky is the limit. Whether it’s in the back of a parking lot or in the middle of a beautiful field, we have two rolling kitchens – food trucks – with ovens and refrigerators, which gives us the ability to prepare and cook fresh food right on site instead of transporting prepared meals there and keeping them warm.” Log Rolling also has dedicated event planners to help when needed. “If you’re holding something outdoors in a field, it’s not that simple. You just don’t put a tent up with tables and chairs. What if it rains? Where do people go to the bathroom? Where is the kitchen? How are you going to serve the food? People don’t realize how complicated it can be,” Rosskothen says. Rosskothen notes the “drop and go” limited service option is a popular trend within the catering industry today, whether it is for an informal occasion at home, office meeting or luncheon, or other purpose. “I see this portion of the business growing leaps and bounds because we are all so busy in our daily lives today. Let’s say you are having a group of friends over to the

house, but you really don’t have the time to go shopping and prepare the food. We can drop off a pan or two or three of food, either hot or cold for you to warm when it’s time,” he says. Another trend is “themes.” “We are seeing more and more theme-driven events.

yourself from the others, Rosskothen noted, and Log Rolling is able to do that in another way as one of only several area caterers with a full liquor license. “It’s a very good asset to have, but quite a difficult process to go through and the reason why so many caterers

order to stock their own bar.” The restaurant owner says Log Rolling remains a consistent post-recession vehicle for his business. “As people become more creative in selecting locations for their events, our catering business gives us an opportunity to be there if they want

“As people become more creative in selecting locations for their events, our catering business gives us an opportunity to be there if they want us.” PETER ROSSKOTHEN, OWNER, LOG CABIN, DELANEY HOUSE

One nice couple we recently worked with wanted a 100 percent vegetarian meal, and we also did a vegan wedding,” Rosskothen says. It’s all about distinguishing

don’t bother to apply,” Rosskothen says. “Our having a liquor license takes a lot of issues away for our clients to worry about, from liability to simply knowing how much to

us. Today, I would say it is around 20 to 25 percent of our business,” Rosskothen says. “Like many other facilities, it is a good chunk but not the majority of our business.

The Springfield Regional Chamber Presents

OUTLOOK 2018

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR CHARLIE BAKER And Eric Rosengren, President, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

March 9, 2018 MassMutual Center, Springfield 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Tickets are $60 for Chamber members; $80, general admission. Reservations must be made by February 28, 2018. No walk-ins. Tables of 10 available. Reservations online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSORS

03076739

More people in 2017 turned “a house into a home” with existing home sales edging up 1.1 percent, making it the best year for sales in 11 years, according to the National Association of Realtors. The increase in sales – including single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – led to a 5.51 million sales pace and surpassed 2016 (5.45 million) as the best since 2006 (6.48 million). The National Association of Realtors chief economic strategist, Lawrence Yun, says existing sales concluded the year on a softer note, but were guided higher the past 12 months by a multi-year streak of exceptional job growth, which ignited buyer demand. “At the same time, market conditions were far from perfect. New listings struggled to keep up with what was sold very quickly, and buying became less affordable in a large swath of the country. These two factors ultimately muted what should have been a strong sales pace,” he says. Closer to home, Ben Scranton, chief executive officer of

the Realtors Association of Pioneer Valley, notes it was also a “good” year in Western Massachusetts, offering the following key points on Pioneer Valley single-family home sales: • Sales rose 1.7 percent from 5,901 in 2016 to 5,999 in 2017; • Median price rose 4.5 percent from $199,000 in 2016 to $208,000 in 2017; • Days on market average was down 24.5 percent from 104 days in 2016 to 78 days in 2017; • Pending sales listings (under agreement to sell) are up 4.3 percent from 5,912 in 2016 to 6,167 in 2017; and • Mortgage rates averaged 3.99 percent for a 30-year fixed-rate loan for the week ending Dec. 29, down from 4.32 percent the previous year at that time. As for 2018, Yun says rising wages and the expanding economy should lay the foundation for 2018 being the turning point toward an uptick in sales to first-time buyers. “However, if inventory conditions fail to improve, higher mortgage rates and prices will further eat into affordability and prevent many renters from becoming homeowners,” he adds. Mortgage giant Freddie Mac notes home sales are expected to increase slightly in 2018, with prices expected to rise 3.2 percent, a slower

Judy Braese, of Ellington, Conn., takes a vanilla cupcake with butter-cream frosting and peanut brittle served by Sarah Fontaine, from Log Rolling Catering, during the Springfield Museums Culture & Cocktails gala at the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts in Springfield in February 2017. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | M13

“Of course, MGM will bring more excitement, so we expect to see additional events and even more great entertainment after they open.” TINA D’AGOSTINO, CITYSTAGE & SYMPHONY HALL

Stage CONTINUED FROM PAGE M2

world-class acts and sporting events to Springfield, including concerts, comedy and family-style entertainment. The president of CityStage and Symphony Hall, Tina D’Agostino, says that while 2017 was a good year, she is excited to see what 2018 brings with the casino as a new neighbor. “Our goal (in 2017) was to increase ticket sales and attendance, and we were up 10 percent at the end of our 2016-2017 season,” she said. “The start of our 20th anniversary season was more challenging this past fall, but the shows have been phenomenal and ticket sales are up overall.” D’Agostino expects more people coming to shows at both venues in 2018 and says there is definitely more interest from promoters for producing events at Symphony Hall. “Of course, MGM will bring more excitement, so we expect to see additional events and even more great entertainment after they open,” she said. Across the river at the Majestic Theatre in West Springfield, director Danny Eaton says 2017 was a very good year business-wise and he doesn’t expect any problems from MGM’s presence in the market. “We negotiated a deal with them, and they are a corporate sponsor and will be for a number of years ahead,” he said. “I don’t foresee much of an impact. Our subscribers are very loyal. We may see some impact in our summer concerts, but not enough to be overly concerned.” Eaton says the success of the Majestic always has to do with the selection of shows.

“So, last year we opened the season with ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ and closed with ‘La Cage Aux Folles.’ Both shows were hugely popular and drew many new audience members to the Majestic,” he said. “I think, because of the overall

and is now regularly booking acts that previously would play in Northampton. Co-owner Lori Divine-Hudson says 2017 was an exciting year for the venue. “We now have a state-ofthe-art venue and terrific food and bar,” she said.

In this photo from 2017, maestro Kevin Rhodes conducts the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s grand finale of the past season at Springfield Symphony Hall on April 29. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra has been part of the cultural landscape of the Pioneer Valley since 1944, and performs a series of classical music concerts and special events at Springfield Symphony Hall. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

The Majestic Theater staged an encore run of “Million Dollar Quartet” in June in West Springfield as it proved one of the community theater’s most popular productions. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

the show we just announced with Julien Baker on April 16. We are working hard to bring more great shows to all these venues in 2018.” Last but not least, the Northampton Arts Council maintained its programming of popular events throughout the year, including the Northampton Summer Concert Series, Transperformance, Retro-Faire open air market and others, all while taking on its new duty of putting on First Night Northampton. Arts Council director Brian Foote thinks 2018 will bring more of the same “We look forward to another great year of captivating events in Northampton,” he said.

“Folks are really excited “One of our main goals is to great venues,” Sanders said. have very happy audiences With shows already booked about Valerie June, I’m With Her, Robin Trower and I’m and artists. We are looking into this year at the Acadereally looking forward to forward to more growth and my of Music, Sanders adds, creativity in 2018.” One of the reasons Gateway City Arts has emerged is a new face on the booking scene, Dan Smalls Presents, has made inroads into the Western Massachusetts arts scene. While the promoter has mainly focused on the Academy of Music in Northampton, it has also put on shows at Gateway City Arts and the Shea Theater in LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE OUT OF THE ORDINARY Franklin County. Partner and talent buyer FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT OR MEETING? John Sanders says 2017 was an exciting year for Dan Springﬁeld Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management is proud Smalls Presents in Western Massachusetts. to share these unique venues right in the heart of Springﬁeld. “In addition to our slate of shows at the Academy of Music, whose highlights Whether you’re looking for an inspiring included Laura Marling, David Crosby, St. Paul & the location to host a private special event Broken Bones and Amos Lee, or a corporate meeting or retreat, we also expanded to a slew of we offer 3 unique venues. new venues in the area. We had two beautiful summer nights under the stars at the Immerse your guests in old world elegance Pines Theatre at Look Park brought to life by the Carriage House at the with Gillian Welch and Old Barney Estate, surrounded by the natural Crow Medicine show,” Sanders said “We also brought beauty of Forest Park. five shows to John M. Greene THE CARRIAGE HOUSE AT THE BARNEY ESTATE Hall at Smith College.” The agency’s new collabStay focused on the moment amidst the oration with Gateway City Arts resulted in sold-out rustic, historic charm of Emma’s Place on shows featuring Rusted Wilder Pond, a homey atmosphere with Root, Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Big Thief, among breathtaking treetop and aquatic views. others. “Overall, the response Or, breathe in the outdoor splendor from local music fans has Tony Danza entertains the audience with storytelling and of King Philip’s Stockade Pavilions, an music during a performance at CityStage on Nov. 12. President been tremendous and has Tina D’Agostino says ticket sales for CityStage are up thanks to really inspired us to continue outdoor venue, surrounded by winding to bring more music to these some “phenomenal” shows. (FREDERICK GORE PHOTO) success of the year, we saw an increase in our subscriber base going into this year. The biggest challenge for this year is keeping our audience base happy so that they’ll return.” An emerging venue has also started to gain traction in Holyoke. Gateway City Arts has slowly expanded

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Kevin Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, speaks to the annual meeting of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council in May at the Springfield Sheraton. Dillon says the authority is very confident about the Aer Lingus service offered at Bradley but says the state will be “very cautious” as it moves forward in adding additional international service. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks likely will see about 6 million passengers in 2018. That’s 6 percent growth from 2015. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

“The airlines see a lot of opportunities. What holds airlines back is availability of aircraft.” KEVIN DILLON, CONNECTICUT AIRPORT AUTHORITY

TRANSPORTATION

‘We could be a 10-million passenger airport’ Bradley looks to add destinations, increase flights

Crane

ongoing support for all the region’s vocational schools, with funding and material for CONTINUED FROM PAGE M12 projects, technical expertise, Show – the “Original” Westextra-curricular training and ern Massachusetts Home direct student scholarships. and Garden Show, the anOur members also particinual Consumer Guide to the pate with community-based Home Building Industry and groups such as the Amerian up-to-the-minute website, can Red Cross Hometown Heroes, the Shriners Hoshbrawm.com. The individuals and mem- pital for Children, Rebuild ber companies of the Home Together Springfield, the Builders & Remodelers’ American Cancer Society, Association of Western Mas- Harmony House, Greater sachusetts support commuSpringfield Habitat for Hunity services and work hard manity and many others. to make the region a better The Home Builders & place to live and work. We Remodelers Association of and our members provide Western Massachusetts has

a firm commitment to the citizens of the region and works hard to help them realize the greatest element of the “American Dream” – a home of their own which is within their means, reflecting their own personal tastes and preferences. Visit or call us to learn more about our organization, its benefits and its services. Andrew Crane is the executive director of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Western Massachusetts. To learn more about the association and its work, go online to hbrawm.com.

“Buyers should really have good credit before they enter the market and clean up any debt beforehand if it is possible to do so.” BEN SCRANTON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, REALTOR ASSOCIATION OF THE PIONEER VALLEY

Realtors

BUSINESS NAME: ATC Audio Video Lighting ADDRESS: 89 Myron Street, West Springfield 01089 PHONE NUMBER: 413-781-2327 WEBSITE: www.atcaudio.com E-MAIL ADDRESS: tcaliento@atcaudio.com HOURS OF OPERATION: Mon. & Tues. noon - 6pm, Weds. – Fri. 10am - 6pm, Sat. 10am – 3pm COMPANY: Anthony Caliento - President of Company tcaliento@atcaudio.com Wayne Krupa - Installation Manager wkrupa@atcaudio.com Cara Merriam - Office Manager cmerriam@atcaudio.com Kyle Douglas - Purchasing Manager, Installation Tech, Sales, Production Tech kdouglas@atcaudio.com Keith Kruser - Install Tech and Repair Tech kkruser@atcaudio.com Thomas Schneeloch – Installation Tech and Production Tech tschneeloch@atcaudio.com Shaun Anderson – Sales Sanderson@atcaudio.com Mathew Jugenheimer - Production Manager, Installation Tech mjugenheimer@atcaudio.com Joshua Saulenas – Production Tech, Sales, Repair Tech, Installation Tech Jsaulenas@atcaudio.com Sean Buenaventura – Installation Tech, Production Tech and Shipping/Receiving Dept. sbueno@atcaudio.com John Losito – Installation Tech jlosito@atcaudio.com HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? 31 years WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION? Our broad range of knowledge and willingness to learn more and stay relevant in this constant change in technology of this business. We want to make our customers happy, and we do whatever we can to achieve that. DESCRIBE YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: Every type of commercial & professional audio and visual equipment, backed by our sales, design and installation team. Our Client base - college, corporate, casinos, technology centers, houses of worship, theater, sport facilities and any organization that utilizes A/V technology. We also have a retail sales showroom open to the public, and a large inventory of Rental equipment; microphones, mixers, amplifiers, AV cables and anything you can think of for professional audio video & lighting equipment. WHY DO YOU ENJOY THIS BUSINESS? All of us at ATC love the challenge of making it all come together, seeing the finished product of all our hard work and having the customer satisfied!! WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN TODAY’S MARKETPLACE? Self -motivation to get better at what you do. Nothing good comes easy unless you work for it. TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE YOUR SUCCESS? My employees. ATC Audio Video and Lighting would not be where we are today with out them. We are a strong team here with the same goals in mind.

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goes hand in hand with lower your search within homes you inventory right now. Anything are qualified to purchase.” priced right is selling – ownAs for sellers, he recomCONTINUED FROM PAGE M12 er-occupied single-family, mends being realistic: “Price rate of increase, which will al- multi-family and condos.” your home to sell, and be sure low for home sales to pick up. Adds Walsh, “In a seller’s it is in the best possible conThey also predict that existing market, the impact on buyers dition and that it looks good home sale will rise 2.5 percent is that there are fewer proper- from the outside, we call that ties to look at, and there may curb appeal.” as the trend in low inventory be multiple offers on a home With a tight inventory, sellbegins a turnaround. There is also speculation ers want to make sure they are they are bidding on.” UDIO VIDEO & LIGHTING BRICK that more millennials will beFor those buying homes this also prepared to buy before come homeowners this year. selling their house and being year, Scranton says, “Buyers “The current market is should really have good credit forced out of their home with active,” says Vincent Walsh, nowhere to go, according to before they enter the market vice president and managing and clean up any debt before- Scranton. hand if it is possible to do so.” broker for Coldwell Banker “The bottom line is that While something bigger and Residential Brokerage in purchasing a home is a good better may be tempting, he Longmeadow. “(It’s) still a investment and allows owners strongly suggests “keeping to build equity,” says Walsh. good seller’s market which

03076396

Proﬁles In Business

Additional international service and an expansion of existing routes by domestic airlines is on the table for 2018 at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

complish in 2018 is continued route development, adding Bradley International Airport added the following routes in more destination cities and 2016 and 2017: adding more frequent flights to cities it already serves. The Norwegian Air Express: The low-cost airline began airport also hopes to build flights from Bradley to Edinburgh, Scotland, in June, with By JIM KINNEY on its international services. introductory fares as low as $65 one way; the service will jkinney@repub.com Aer Lingus is now the only cease in March. Bradley International Airinternational service remainAer Lingus: Flights to Dublin began in September 2016, marking the return of transatlantic service to Bradley for port – Springfield’s gateway to ing as Norwegian is ending the first time since Northwest scrapped its Amsterdam the world – competes for pasits service to Edinburgh, flights in 2008. sengers with neighbors like Scotland. OneJet: Began weekday nonstop service to Pittsburgh LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy, And work will continue in International Airport in May. The regional carrier uses Newark, Rhode Island’s T.F. 2018 on road improvements leased corporate jets. Green and Boston’s Logan necessary to pave the way United Airlines: Began nonstop service to Denver in May international airports. for construction of a ground with Airbus 319 with 128 seats; runs seasonal service to It also competes for aircraft transportation hub. San Francisco International Airport from June to SeptemBradley likely will see about with literally every airport in ber. 6 million passengers in 2018. the country, all clamoring to American Airlines: Began nonstop flights to Los Angeles That’s 6 percent growth from add more flights in a marketin June 2016, using 150-seat Boeing 737 aircraft. place where there are just too 2015. Spirit Airlines: Began nonstop service to Tampa and While healthy, Dillon points few jetliners. That’s accordFort Myers in Florida on seasonal basis from November ing to Kevin Dillon, executive out that 6 million is still less through mid-April. director of the Connecticut than the record 7.2 million Airport Authority, which people who traveled through owns and manages Bradley seats generate airline passen- Bradley in 2006. The airport where they can make the gers and airline passengers and five general aviation air- most money, according to has never recovered to that ports in the Nutmeg State. generate revenue for the pre-recession high, he says. Dillon. Airports like Bradley work on both sides of “The airlines see a lot of airport,” he said. “We could be a 10-million-passenger airport,” the equation, he says. They opportunities,” Dillon says. You could be the cheapest Dillon maintains. charge as low a gate fee “What holds airlines back is airport in the country, but if In the first 10 months of as possible and they try to availability of aircraft.” no one wants to fly in or out, 2017, Aer Lingus accounted attract as many fliers as So the game airlines play Dillon says, “What have you for 37,000 of those passenpossible. is constantly shifting those accomplished?” SEE BRADLEY, PAGE M18 “The reality is that airline scarce aircraft into routes What Bradley wants to ac-

FLYING HIGH AT BRADLEY

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | M15

FOOD & DINING

Craft brews tap into unquenchable thirst 2017 set national record for microbreweries By GEORGE LENKER

Special to The Republican

A famous phrase in selling real estate is “location, location, location.” For craft beer these days the phrase should be “local, local, local.” Craft beer continues to be big business here in Western Massachusetts, with numerous small breweries opening their doors in 2017 to a public with a seemingly unquenchable thirst. And, it seems like those in the business don’t see things slowing down in the coming year. “Will this bubble pop? Will we hit market saturation? I honestly don’t think so,” says Jeffrey Goulet, beer liaison at Smith’s Billiards and an organizer of the Worthy Craft Beer Showcase in Springfield. “People are really pushing away from the mass producers and opting for a local with so many fresh options. Breweries like Sierra Nevada, Dogfish, and Ballast Point will continue to have harder and harder times, and not because their beers aren’t great by any means. “There is something a lot more special heading down to the tap room at Iron Duke, Abandoned Building, New City or Fort Hill, chatting with friends and leaving with a growler and a six pack. Local package store for a sixpack vs. fresh beer, friends, food trucks, live entertainment. It’s hard to compete against a such complete package,” adds Goulet. This buy-local angle was also noted by Sally Noble, one of the owners of the Foundry, a craft beer bar in Northampton. “In 2016 and 2017, we saw a surge in local breweries here in Western Massachusetts,” she says. “Many have been making their mark with their own specialty hoppy

At right, Mike Rodrigues and Josh Britton opened Vanished Valley Brewing Co. microbrewery in Ludlow in 2017 behind the Europa Restaurant that Rodrigues also owns. In their first two months, they faced long lines of customers craving their brews. Below, Iron Duke Brewing in Ludlow is among the area craft brewers who have tap rooms where visitors can savor their beers and buy some to take home. A full list of current offerings is available at irondukebrewing. com. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTOS)

Above, quality control is paramount on the production line at the Spencer Brewery. These underfilled bottles are about to be poured down the drain by Brother Jonah Pociadlo. Below, White Lion Brewery president and general manager Raymond Berry raises a toast in May at the introduction of White Lion’s new beer, “Legendary Union,” in honor of the reopening of Springfield’s Union Station. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno stands behind him. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

“There is something a lot more special heading down to the tap room at Iron Duke, Abandoned Building, New City or Fort Hill, chatting with friends and leaving with a growler and a six pack.” JEFFREY GOULET, ORGANIZER, WORTHY CRAFT BEER SHOWCASE

Foundry’s third annual Firkin Face-off, and everything I have tasted from them has been uniquely delicious. Although no longer a newbie in Western Massachusetts, Honest Weight Artisan Beer (in Orange) is well worth the trip.”

ity. One of the most satisfying elements of the festival is the homebrew contest, he said. And these winners often go on to opening their own breweries. “It’s been especially fun for me running the Worthy Brewfest each year, which

Noble also looks west, saying she hopes to soon explore Shire Breu-Hous in Dalton. “They seem to be making interesting styles such as best bitters and Berliner-style Weisse, and the photos of their tasting room look stunning,” she explains Of course, the growth isn’t just local: 2017 set a record for the most microbreweries all across the United States. While as recent at five years ago there were approximately 2,000 microbreweries, today there are more than 5,000. Despite this overall growth, Goulet says he enjoys the intimate nature of the Worthy Craft Beer Showcase, which keeps a limit on the number of breweries in order to maintain its charm and qual-

with a Peach Saison made with peaches grown on the grounds of their abbey. Watch for some great fruitbased creativity coming from Amherst Brewery as well.”

Join Today and Market Your Business to its Full Potential! Don’t miss WRC upcoming major events for 2018! • March Business Breakfast • June Annual Meeting • August Annual Golf Tournament • October Food Fest West Register online today! www.westoftheriverchamber.com For more information contact the WRC at 413-426-3880 or info@westoftheriverchamber.com

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beer, namely with a New England IPA.” Noble can easily tick off a list of newer breweries whose products she has enjoyed, including the hop-forward ales from Vanished Valley in Ludlow and Brick & Feather Brewery in Turners Falls, as well as Two Weeks Notice (Westfield), which launched in the summer during Western Massachusetts Beer Week, which Noble runs. But, even though hoppy beers are all the rage locally, Noble likes to sample a wide variety of styles. “Newcomer Bear & Bramble Brewing (in Florence) specializes in boutique farmhouse styles that are not to be missed,” she says. “They brewed and blended an awesome cask for the

notice,” he says. “IPAs are great, but every now and again you just need a real crisp, clean, easy-drinking beer. Fruit will also see a nice bump in ’18. Spencer Brewery is coming out

03075217

Sally Noble, one of the owners of the Foundry craft beer bar in Northampton, says the region’s craft breweries, while growing in significant numbers, are turning out varied products for all tastes in beer. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

has a homebrew competition component,” he said. “I get to meet these brewers, many of whom have high future expectations. Vanished Valley and Drunken Rabbit were both previous winners, (and) now have full-fledged breweries of their own. Significant growth plans (are) in the works for Vanished Valley in ’18.” Others that have blossomed from the homebrew contest include the aforementioned Two Weeks Notice, Rustic in Indian Orchard, and Alan Bukowinski, previously from Buck Wild Brewing, partnering with a friend and fellow homebrewer opening up Problem Solved not far past the Connecticut state line in East Windsor. “It’s a real charge for me to see the growth and natural progression from homebrewers to brewery owner,” Goulet says. Goulet adds that although hoppy IPAs will still hold sway in the coming year, he expects to see growth in the lager and pilsner categories. “Jack’s Abby House Lager and Post Shift Pilsners are so successful, they have to be catching competition’s

M16 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

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The new Joker ride made its debut at Six Flags New England in Agawam in the spring of 2017. Below, the amusement park held its first Holiday in the Park event in December, featuring lights, music, attractions and favorite characters decked out in holiday outfits. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTOS)

“Our strategy to showcase Western Mass is based on ‘selling the quilt,’ referring to the region’s remarkable combination of attractions, lodging, dining, retail, arts, culture and events, all woven together by proximity and partnerships.”

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Work is underway on a major $15 million renovation to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Lobby and theater work began recently, and renovations to the exhibit areas should begin in 2020. Above, 9-year-old Yadier Quiles, from Puerto Rico, visits the hoop hall one recent afternoon. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

With so much growth within have developed new curricing in Western Mass, and, ula, including culinary arts, our visitor infrastructure, through a host of programs a new casino training school another challenge arises: aimed to boost collaboration, and other initiatives. Finding sufficient qualicooperation and mutual benefied workers. To respond to fit, the many players comIn a related realm, the bureau’s 23-year-old recognition prising our region’s tourism this fast-growing need, the program, the Howdy Awards industry are, without quesfrom July 16 through 22. The Greater Springfield Convention, stronger together. for Hospitality Excellence, Insurance Agents and Brokers tion & Visitors Bureau has will continue to honor frontof America, otherwise known been involved in workforce Mary Kay Wydra is president development. Working with line service providers and as “The Big I”, will hold its of the Greater Springfield Conour local community colleges, showcase the vital role that fall leadership conference vention and Visitors Bureau. here Aug. 22 through 26 with we convened meetings among superior customer service restaurateurs, hoteliers and plays in bringing visitors back To learn more about the bureau hundreds of attendees and and its work, go online to Exothers to determine staffing to our region time and again. an estimated $1 million in ploreWesternMass.com. Good things are happeneconomic impact. Finally, the needs. In turn, the schools American Rabbit Breeders’ Association national meeting Dr. Seuss Museum officially will be held Oct. 27 through opened in 2017, garnering im- 31. The expected 1,500 mense media attention that attendees will utilize almost continues to increase atten6,000 room-nights in 15 CONTINUED FROM PAGE M1 dance in a dramatic way. The different hotels. The impact Visitors Guide will be ready in Springfield Museums team is on the regional economy the spring, just in time to help looking forward to an ongoing will total approximately $3.3 many make summer travel swell of visitors in 2018 based million. As visitors continue to pour plans. on the strength of the well-deOur strategy to showcase served initial hoopla. into Western Mass, it follows Western Mass is based on The MassMutual Center that hotel developers also see “selling the quilt,” referring and Eastern States Exposition heightened opportunity. A new to the region’s remarkable continue to play a key role in 95-room Fairfield Inn & Suites combination of attractions, attracting major conventions opened in Holyoke in 2017 and lodging, dining, retail, arts, and spending. In 2018 we later this year we’ll welcome a culture and events, all woven will welcome the InternaCourtyard by Marriott in West tional Jugglers Association’s together by proximity and Springfield and a Tru by Hilton annual festival to Springfield partnerships. Again, coopHotel in Chicopee. erative and joint marketing ventures with the commonwealth, fellow regional tourism councils and, of course, our 250-plus Greater Springfield Convention & Mass Mentoring Partnership would like to thank the United Way of Pioneer Valley for their support of Visitors Bureau members are our work in Western Massachusetts. This has allowed us to work with the Greater Westfield Chamber of paramount. Commerce and Westfield Public Schools on a mentoring program to support youth. The goal of the While competition from neighboring states, especialWestfield Education2Business Mentoring Program is to improve student attendance and performance, ly New York, is fierce, 2018 increase student retention, impact students’ character, and engage the business community with their looks to be a true waterfuture workforce. Thank you for helping strengthen communities across the region! shed year for openings and upgrades in Western Mass. To learn more about the benefits of mentoring in your community, please email Melany Mendoza at Most visible of course will be MGM Springfield, scheduled mmendoza@massmentors.org or visit massmentors.org. for a late summer debut. As western New England’s only major gaming establishment, JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT MIRANDA AUTO BODY FERRARA SPRING the new casino and entertainment complex is projected OF WESTERN & USED CAR SALES WORKS INC. to attract 8 million visitors MASSACHUSETTS 289 Mill St., Springfield 3 Amboy Court annually. The direct spending of these visitors will grow the 1500 Main St., Suite 217 413-736-2288 Springfield, MA 01105 $754 million already injected 413.785.1357 PO Box 15167, Springfield mirandaautobody.com into the regional economy by tourism. 413-747-7670 www.ferrarasprings.com Other top attractions are jawm.org stepping up their games, too. One of the biggest, Six Flags New England, already rolled out an expanded holiCOUNTRY BANK day-themed season to widespread acclaim. The theme 75 Main St., Ware PRIDE STORES park has not yet released (800) 322-8233 & MARKETS what’s new for 2018, but with MAPLEGATE REHAB, INC. www.countrybank.com its heralded track record of “Real Food, Really Good” 4 Maple St., Springfield growth and innovation, we 413-737-6992 413-781-8900 can most likely count on something big. www.PrideStores.com maplegaterehab.com The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is poised for renovation and THE REPUBLICAN has begun the first of a tiered approach to internal and 1860 Main Street external upgrades. Guests to Springfield the hall are being asked to FREEDOM CREDIT UNION BRESNAHAN INSURANCE navigate a new entry path as 413-788-1000 10 Branches Throughout the AGENCY, INC. they access the shrine. The hall is currently undergoPioneer Valley 100 Whiting Farms Rd. ing upgrades to the theater, 800-821-0160 Holyoke which will soon show a visitor introductory signature film, www.freedom.coop 413-536-0536 as well as enhancements to 231 Triangle St., Amherst the admission area and the addition of engaging “public 413-549-1100 art” exhibits in the concourse area. Phase two will take place in 2020 and will include enhanced displays and feature new interactive content. The new Amazing World of MARY KAY WYDRA, PRESIDENT, GREATER SPRINGFIELD CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | M17

“Together, we can have an impact. We can challenge ourselves to make an effort to be a catalyst for change and growth in our region.” EUGENE J. CASSIDY, PRESIDENT, EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION

Cassidy CONTINUED FROM PAGE M2

Three of the Eastern States Exposition founders, from left, Horace A. Moses, Joshua L. Brooks and C.A. Nash, were among the businessmen who joined forces to turn Brooks’ dream of an exposition into reality a century ago. (EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION PHOTO)

“We plan to reflect the diverse population here and offer all sorts of shows, whether they are family shows, concerts, or comedy, or theater-type shows.”

MGM CONTINUED FROM PAGE M2

slot machines, 100 gaming tables (with blackjack, craps, roulette and baccarat), a poker room and a high-limit VIP gaming area. Guests will also be able to avail themselves of a worldclass spa and 8,000-squarefoot pool within a terraced rooftop garden. The luxury cinema will have six screens,

made their home here in Greater Springfield ever since. The Republican’s annual Outlook section gives us a chance to gain insight from others, to read what people are thinking about, to consider the new year and to prognosticate about the near- and longterm future. And, for those of us in Western Massachusetts, we have an enviable outlook to be sure. Billions of dollars in development is expanding our economy. In our region we have a history of Work on the Coliseum at the Eastern States Exposition began in 1916, collaboration, where every walk preparing it for the debut of the first exposition in 1917. This postcard view of life, manufacturing and service industries, health care, education, shows the Coliseum as it appeared in the early days of the Big E. (EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION PHOTO) nonprofits and cultural organizations have always coalesced to help boost each other and the region as We can challenge ourselves to take stock of what we’re used to and pay it a little more attention, to a whole. make an effort to be a catalyst for stand and be proud of our region, At Eastern States Exposition we change and growth in our region. to welcome and support the new can attest to the theme “Stronger It is this very community that Together.” It was more than 100 drives attendance at the Big E, and, while taking stock in all we’ve takyears ago that local and regional because of your involvement, com- en for granted. mitment and support, the fair has business people gathered together, pooled their resources and grown, topping 1.5 million visitors Eugene J. Cassidy is president and ideas, and gave a boost to what has in 2017 for the very first time in 101 CEO of the Eastern States Exposition. To learn more about the exposibecome one of the biggest public years. tion, its work and events, go online to events in North America, the Big E. The year of 2018 brings other thebige.com. Together, we can have an impact. opportunities to gather round. To

TALIA SPERA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ARENA OPERATIONS, MGM SPRINGFIELD

and a bowling complex will feature 10 lanes. Seasonal offerings will feature an outdoor entertainment plaza, including a skating rink and marketplace. Mancini also notes that

MGM Springfield wants to partner with existing venues to bolster traditions that already exist within the city. “We will continue to support the entertainment traditions that currently exist

in Springfield such as the Bright Nights at Forest Park and Fourth of July fireworks, Springfield Thunderbirds, as well as activities at local cultural centers,” he said. “MGM will continue to maintain a

strong commitment to work with existing entertainment facilities throughout the region. We value partnerships with community partners that have the potential to grow the area’s tourism economy.”

A U TO PAG E

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Driving Hazards Winter can be a beautiful time of year, particularly when freshly fallen snow blankets the landscape. However, winter is also a time fraught with potential peril. The same winter weather that makes landscapes so pristine can make roads and walkways - and even being outside - dangerous.

Winter Driving

Exercise extra caution when driving on roadways during the winter, as they may contain ice or snow. All it takes is a small coating of precipitation on roadways to make driving treacherous. Wet-looking roadways may be wet, or they may be covered by ice, and it’s difficult to tell the difference with the naked eye. Always slow down and assume you are driving on ice. Check windshield washer fluid levels and ensure windshield blades are in good working order.

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Bradley

long? On the ground, workers will spend the rest of this year CONTINUED FROM PAGE M14 preparing the way for a $225 gers. Norwegian, which will million ground transportation discontinue its Bradley service hub that will be built starting in March, flew 8,000 pasin 2019. The prep work will sengers from June, when the move access roads and surface flights began, through Octostreets to make way, Dillon ber. October is the most recent said. The main entrance to the month for which statistics are airport will be transformed available. into a rotary. The Aer Lingus service The main beneficiaries of to Dublin does well in the the new transportation center summer, when there are lots will be the rental car companies and their customers. No of people taking European more shuttle buses taking vacations. In July alone it carried 5,000 passengers. The travelers to off-airport rental car agencies as the cars will be challenge is getting enough awaiting at the transportation business travelers to use the center. The project is funded flights in the off-season to with a surcharge on rental make the reduced winter cars. schedule profitable for the Inside, Bradley plans to add Irish airline. “We feel very good about more food and beverage prothat route Aer Lingus is flyviders. But most new offerings ing,” Dillon says. will be inside the security New destination cities for perimeter, where studies show Bradley might include Seattle, visitors to Bradley spend most which shares an aerospace of their time. industry cluster with Connecticut, as well as Austin, Milwaukee, Jacksonville and New Orleans. Dillon says the airport authority and the state of Connecticut are in constant conversations with airlines about new cities. “On an international level, I think we have to be very cautious about adding more service,” he explains. Bradley needs to add more frequent service to places it serves, like Los Angeles or Dallas-Fort Worth, because many travelers choose an airport based on the availability of back-up flights, he adds. If there is one flight in and one flight out a day, what does a traveler do if a meeting runs

Work is continuing on road improvements and other groundwork being laid for the construction of a new ground transportation hub at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks. The planned construction of a $225 million ground transportation hub will move now off-airport rental car agencies under one roof on the airport grounds. At left is the shuttle bus area at Terminal A at the airport. The airport likely will see about 6 million passengers in 2018. That’s 6 percent growth from 2015. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

“The reality is that airline seats generate airline passengers and airline passengers generate revenue for the airport.” KEVIN DILLON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CONNECTICUT AIRPORT AUTHORITY

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Services Marcotte Ford has been doing business in Holyoke for 55 years. The dealership is operating out of a temporary showroom on Main Street in Holyoke while an $8-million state-ofthe-art facility is being built by Forish Construction. (MARK M. MURRAY/THE REPUBLICAN)

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you’re doing. They make you feel like you’re part of their family, too.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE M9 Marcotte Ford works to set Commercial Truck Center that itself apart from other dealerships by building relationships handles all commercial fleet with customers, according to needs. Marcotte. “It’s great to expand in “It’s all about our customHolyoke,” Marcotte says. “My father’s been planning many of ers,” he says. “Buying a vehicle is a huge purchase, and servicour renovation details since I was in high school. He’s always ing a vehicle is very important. We aim to serve our customers been a visionary.” well through the longevity of Marcotte Ford is not only their vehicles.” focused on its customers, but Marcotte has over 300 on its employees, too. “If our new vehicles on its lot. And employees aren’t happy, our the commercial sales area is customers won’t be happy,” special. “Our commercial sales Marcotte added. team will bring the test drive Tim Johnson, a senior master technician who repairs to you,” Marcotte said. “We vehicles at the Marcotte Com- know how precious time is, mercial Truck Center, says and we want to make purchasMarcotte Ford makes you feel ing and servicing a vehicle as convenient as possible. like you’re part of a team. “We are proud we’ve been in “There’s a sense of pride Holyoke for over 50 years and working for Marcotte Ford,” are excited about expanding Johnson said. “The Marcotte our campus on Main Street,” family comes around to say, Marcotte adds. ‘Hi,’ and check up on how

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Restaurants CONTINUED FROM PAGE M6

quality, freshly made recipes – is the quality of service you provide. How long did they have to wait to be seated? How long did it take for them to get their drinks? We are continuously improving our customer service and working on becoming fast and more efficient, and, of course, polite.” For five years running, Frontera Grill has been chosen as Best Mexican Restaurant in The Republican’s annual Reader Raves. “That tells us we are doing something right from the food that comes out of our kitchen to our customer service, to good value for the dollar. And, at the end of the day, that is what is most important to people,” Mendiola says. Across the state line in Enfield, restaurateur Ernesto Nolasco, owner of Figaro Italian Restaurant, has never stopped believing in the restaurant business – for 42 years. He first opened Figaro in the Enfield Square Mall back in 1976 before moving to the current location in a freestanding building outside the mall in 1988. “I came to Connecticut from Italy as a young boy at the age of 16. My first job was at a restaurant where I was a busboy. Over the years I became a waiter, then eventually a cook before opening my own restaurant,” Nolasco says. While admitting it is a tough business, Nolasco has nothing but good things to say about his livelihood. “I’m not a complainer. Sure, there are challenges, but you’ve got to like what you do, and I love what I do,” he says. “It comes easy to me, and I enjoy people. That’s what makes it easy.” Figaro, like other restaurants, has had to change with the times.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 | M19

“We do a lot of parties, banquets and catering that years ago we were just too busy to do taking care of an always full dining room,” Nolasco explains. “You’ve definitely got to pay more attention to the business today,” adds Cheryl Montalto, the restaurant’s manager and bookkeeper, who has been working for the Nolasco family for years. “Run more specials, keep up on social media and advertise. Life is a lot more expensive today and, in this Figaro Ristorante at 90 Elm St. in Enfield has introduced a variety of special events, including mystery dinners, to complement its traditional Italian dining. Parties, banquets and catering have also helped expand the restaurant’s business. Offering more specials helps Figaro Ristorante make dining out more affordable for customers, says manager Cheryl Montalto. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

“I’m not a complainer. Sure, there are challenges, but you’ve got to like what you do, and I love what I do.” ERNESTO NOLASCO, OWNER, FIGARO RESTAURANT, ENFIELD

day and age, there is not as much expendable income as there was at one time, so you have to make the experience more affordable for your customers.”

Figaro has also introduced entertainment into the mix with mystery dinners for an additional charge and other events such as their upcoming “River of Dreams – Trib-

ute to the Piano Man Billy Joel” on March 25. “Even though we are an Italian restaurant, we try to offer our customers what they want, such as intro-

ducing Lenten specials such as various fish dishes and corned beef and cabbage around St. Patrick’s Day,” Montalto says. “And we try to redo our menu once a year to keep things fresh for our many returning customers.” In addition to Frontera Grill opening in Springfield, Chris Russell, executive director of the Business Improvement District in Springfield, says those looking for new dining experiences will find several restaurants opening soon on Worthington Street, including Arte Pizza and Pub and Pretzel, as well as the Ground

Up Café on Bridge Street. “We are also in the process of finalizing through our restaurant loan program at the BID another restaurant looking to open on Worthington Street,” Russell adds. “And we are presently marketing with MassDevelopment the former Skyplex nightclub building in Stearns Square and expect a minimum of three restaurant proposals coming in over the next month.” Still to come – at least two restaurants expected at the MGM Springfield casino when it opens later this year.

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