Outlook 2019 by repubnews

Outlook J

| SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

LEARNING FROM THE PAST. INNOVATING FOR THE FUTURE.

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS THE

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rom a car dealership to an engineering firm, banks dating back to the 1800s and a contracting firm that installed the first electric lighting systems in Springfield, Western Massachusetts is home to businesses which have grown and thrived over a century or more. Entrepreneurs of today are introducing everything from reusable wraps for sandwiches to innovative ways to keep water supplies free of contaminants. Valley Venture Mentors and a growing stream of angel investors are looking for entrepreneurs of the future. It’s all happening right here in cities and towns across Western Massachusetts as longtime businesses regularly reinvent themselves to meet the challenges of the 21st century economy and emerging entrepreneurs choose this region to begin their businesses.

INSIDE

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MassMutual  Springfield Museums  Economic Development Council  MGM Springfield  Legislators’ columns  Manufacturing  Pioneer Valley Planning Commission  Union Station  Marijuana industry Banking & finance  Insurance  Education & workforce training  Energy  Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts  Entrepreneurship  Health Building & construction  Retail  Agriculture  Hospitals & health care  Big Y  Education & workforce training  Small business  Nonprofits  Manufacturing  Entrepreneurs Food & dining  Philanthropy  Real estate  Tourism  Automotive  Legacy business  Entertainment  Success stories  Transportation

J2 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Education drives strength of WMass economy

HEN BUSINESSes are asked, “What is the biggest barrier to growth in the region,” they universally answer that the number one issue for growing and expanding businesses is workforce. Can they find the workers they need to fill the available jobs? Can they develop the necessary talent? And, can they retain the talent once the jobs are filled? Western Massachusetts is fortunate to be home to some of the best colleges and universities, strong public and private secondary schools and technical programs in the country. Therefore, as a region, we are in position to meet the current and future needs of the business community. The 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, make getting a degree more affordable and, in some cases, quicker than in

security. Bay Path, in partnership with Paragus, our regional MassHire boards, STCC, Tech Foundry and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts, recently received a cyber assessment grant from the Mass Tech Collaborative to conduct cyber assessments for small businesses, particRichard Sullivan ularly manufacturers. These assessments will allow the previous generations. students to gain meaningful Elms College and Greenwork experience and allow field Community College, for small companies to address example, have developed a increasing cyber security requirements of customers and program that allows students primary contractors. to achieve degrees in business MGM Springfield has been management, early child care working closely with HCC or education. to create a state-of-the-art American International culinary and hospitality curCollege, together with Holyoke and Springfield Technical riculum, and, with STCC and community colleges, created MGM Springfield has been working closely with Springfield Technical Community and CamCambridge College, around the Direct Connect Scholbridge colleges to provide training for prospective casino workers in the field of gaming. These gaming. arship that guarantees a schol- are students at the Massachusetts Casino Career Training Institute located at 95 State St., CRRC Massachusetts has arship with an associate’s collaborated with STCC, Springfield. Richard K. Sullivan Jr., president of the Economic Development Council, cites the degree with certain academic program as an example of how partners in education are working with business and industry Putnam Vocational and the conditions. regional trade unions, hiring across the region to provide a skilled workforce to meet current demands. Western New England many of its graduates and (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) University guarantees an acamembers. demic scholarship to Greenapplied exercise science pro- closely with Westfield TechHolyoke College and Smith Many local manufacturers field Community College gram with junior standing. nical Academy and Westfield College to create cutting-edge and the National Tooling and graduates. Private industry has begun State University to create a programs in data science, Machining Association are Berkshire Community Col- working directly with our new aviation-related curriccybersecurity and women in working hand-in-hand with lege and Springfield College ulum. public schools to create the data science programs. our technical and vocational have entered into an acaMassMutual has invested curriculum that students must Bay Path University contin- schools to educate and attract demic agreement that allows learn in order to fill the jobs ues to hold full-day seminars the needed workforce. more than $17 million with qualified Berkshire Commuon cybersecurity, highlighting The economic developavailable today and will be in the University of Massachunity physical fitness graduates demand in the years to come. setts at Amherst Springfield ment council has partnered Baypath’s and the region’s SEE ECONOMY, PAGE J5 to transfer to Springfield’s satellite campus, Mount leadership position in cyberGulfstream has worked

The economic development council has partnered with our region’s colleges and universities to highlight their leadership position in new sectors, sectors poised for growth: Bay Path in cyber security; UMass in water innovation, clean energy, aviation and air traffic control and building technologies; STCC in water and wastewater licenses; and Elms in business and management. These sectors can become centers of excellence for the schools and the regional economy.

MassMutual announced plans in February 2018 to invest $300 million to bring its operations together in Massachusetts over the next several years, adding 1,500 jobs in Springfield and renovating its State Street headquarters, shown at left. On Dec. 18, the MassMutual Foundation announced the pilot of its Live Mutual project in Springfield. Above right is Dennis Duquette, MassMutual head of community responsibility and foundation president, speaking at the event held at the Community Music School. MassMutual will break ground this year on a new campus in the Boston Seaport that will include the 17-story commercial tower at 10 Fan Pier Blvd. shown at right. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTOS)

MassMutual looks to grow amid WMass’ ‘promising future’

(MASSMUTUAL DRAWING)

I Roger Crandall

“Springfield’s ongoing emergence is an inspiration to everyone who loves this region – and we look forward to many more years of playing an active role to help create a promising future for all.” ROGER CRANDALL, CEO, MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE CO.

F YOU LOOK AROUND Springfield today, it’s clear we are witnessing a renaissance. Startups are emerging and thriving. Higher education is attracting an influx of talented students. The completion of projects like MGM and Union Station have brought excitement, energy and enthusiasm to the City of Homes. All of this reflects the strengths that have helped our region thrive throughout history. Since the days of the Industrial Revolution, Western Massachusetts has succeeded by tapping into the talent and spirit of its people, while embracing innovation to find new opportunities in a changing world. At MassMutual, we’ve been long guided by a similar approach. We constantly seek to build on what made us successful in the past as we innovate and adapt for the future – all while strengthening our commitment to the place we’ve called home since 1851. Yet doing this in a world moving as fast as ours requires a constant evolution – whether it is how we serve our customers, attract and retain talent or serve our communities. This has been our ongoing focus to ensure we continue to grow and

play an important role in our region’s promising future. Of course, any discussion about the future starts with the need to operate in a world with more smartphones than people. One of MassMutual’s biggest priorities continues to be using technology to provide a seamless experience to our customers – however, wherever and whenever they want it. To do this, we are fortunate to have access to one of the commonwealth’s greatest assets: higher education. Over the past five years, we have partnered with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Smith College and Mount Holyoke College to advance research into data science and analytics and build a pipeline of talent. Working together, we’ve

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. workers in front of their Main and State street office in the early 1900s. Inset, a vintage postcard shows the “new business department” in the home office building of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. on State Street. (WOOD MUSEUM OF SPRINGFIELD HISTORY)

unlocked innovations that have allowed us to provide insurance protection in a fraction of the time, identify ways to prevent fraud, and help people make better, real-time decisions about their finances – all of which helps

our customers build a more confident future. But if Springfield’s revitalization tells us anything, it’s that it’s not enough simply to invest in innovation. The solutions we create are only as good as the people who

build them – and it’s our people who will determine our long-term success. We have long recognized that people who are at their best in their lives are also at their best in their work.

SEE MASSMUTUAL, PAGE J11

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

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OUTLOOK 2019

J4 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Past becomes the future at Union Station

Richard E. Neal

E’VE ALL heard the old adage, “What’s old is new again.” To see that come to life, residents of Western Massachusetts need to look no further than Springfield Union Station. After a 40-year hiatus, the sleeping giant laying between Main and Dwight streets in

the city’s North End has been reawakened. The intermodal transportation center has been open and operational for over a year now, and travelers up and down the valley are reaping its benefits. The $103 million renovation of this historic building has welcomed an average of 250,000 people per month

Currently, there are 25 trains arriving and departing Springfield Union Station during the weekday, 18 trains on Saturday and 20 on Sunday.

and 3 million per year. When you add in how many folks MGM Springfield is seeing come through its doors at the

Currently, there are 25 trains arriving and departing Springfield Union Station during the weekday, 18 trains on Saturday and 20 on Sunday. There are six dedicated Amtrak trains and the poother end of Main Street, that tential for more. I have been number rises to nearly 10.5 working with my colleague million people. This has been a U.S. Rep. John Larson, of SEE STATION, PAGE J7 game changer for Springfield.

ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM

Hoop hall stays relevant in 21st century Eric P. Lesser

Farms provide homegrown economic engine

With a recent $30 million capital campaign goal met, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield is pursuing new ventures that include exploring the vast market in China, where 300 million people play basketball. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

The ribbon is cut on May 23 to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 of a multi-million dollar renovation of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. To see a gallery of photos from the event, go online to MassLive.com. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Upgrades continue, $30M on capital campaign goal met By Ron Chimelis

rchimelis@repub.com

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame revealed its multi-million dollar renovations of the concourse and theater during an event in May, above. The orange jacket at left is emblematic of induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

ohn L. Doleva never forgets that history does not have to be old. “I like to tell people that basketball history happened as recently as last night,’’ says the president and chief executive officer of the Naismith Memorial Basketball John L. Doleva Hall of Fame. “We’re not just looking in the rear view mirror. We have to get our brand out in relevant ways.”

(THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTOS)

SEE BASKETBALL, PAGE J10

N A CLOUDLESS morning in October, I found myself on a ridge in Belchertown, deep in conversation about the looming trade war with China. The topic wasn’t the new CRRC Massachusetts rail car factory in Springfield or the spiking price of aluminum for our region’s precision manufacturers. Instead, we were talking about apples (Galas and Honeycrisps, not iPhones and iMacs). When driving by, Cold Spring Orchard in Belchertown appears to be like so many other orchards dotting Western Massachusetts: row upon row of neatly planted trees stretching up the hillside; a big red barn; jugs of fresh apple cider chilling in a rustic farmstand; and lots of young families enjoying the outdoors. But, behind the Norman Rockwell-esque scene is a key driver of our region’s agricultural economy. Cold Spring Orchard is part of the Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. A skunkworks project for apple growers, the orchard is a giant research and development facility, designed to dream up and share the latest apple-growing innovations with farmers around the world. During my visit, I was shown around by Jon Clements, a Belchertown resident and expert on tree fruits like apples, peaches and cherries, along with Joe Shoenfeld, of UMass-Amherst. Jon walked me through rows of trees where he was testing new methods for pest management, grafting, varietal breeding and orchard cultivation techniques that improve the quality, efficiency and even the taste of various

SEE FARMS, PAGE J6

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OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | J5

Keepers of past innovate for future generations

Kay Simpson

RENOWNED AS A unique cultural complex in the heart of downtown, the Springfield Museums have deep roots in the city’s history. However, the museums are not only keepers of the past, the museums are constantly evolving to reach new generations of visitors and ever-expanding audiences. As part of a progressive program of innovation and collaboration with partners near and far, the Springfield Museums are being transformed into an experience destination that enables children and adults to make memories as they explore our galleries.

Above left, Jack Megas, of the Springfield Science Museum, explains meteorites to a visitor after a press conference in August. The museum has received a $200,000 state grant from the Cultural Facilities Fund, to help with planned renovations. In the first full year of the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, shown above right, the Springfield Museums increased visitation by 110 percent and attracted media attention from across the country and around the world, according to museums president Kay Simpson. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTOS)

international tourists who traveled to Springfield to pay homage to Springfield-born icon of children’s literature, Theodor Seuss Geisel. In the first year alone, we increased our visitation by 110 percent and attracted media attention from across the country and around the world. The success of the Dr. Seuss Museum has built the foundation for this year’s exhibition

life-sized doll house. Visitors also encounter the world’s largest Etch-a-Sketch, Lincoln Logs and an inventive LEGO landscape. The exhibition is an appropriate tribute to the legacy of legendary entrepreneur Milton Bradley, whose board games and toys are featured in the museum. More importantly, Toytopia will set the stage for a celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the Wood Museum of Springfield “In the immortal words of Dr. Seuss’ History, which opened to the public on Oct. 10, 2009. mischievous protagonist the Cat in the Hat, Funded through a mix of ‘It is fun to have fun, but you have to know grants from local, state and how.’” national governmental agencies and private foundations, Kay Simpson, president and CEO of the Springfield Museums the full scope of the museum project was realized through In the immortal words of Dr. program. In January, Toytopia a major gift from philanSeuss’ mischievous protagoopened in the Wood Museum thropists Lyman and Merrie nist the Cat in the Hat, “It is Wood. To this day, the history of Springfield History. Even fun to have fun, but you have the Cat in the Hat would be museum is a shining example to know how.” of the power of public funding impressed by this immersive In June 2017, the museums and interactive extravaganza and private philanthropy in opened the long-awaited economic development and of toy-filled exhibitry. Amazing World of Dr. Seuss community building. In Toytopia, visitors of all Museum and made learning Other collaborative relaages discover a variety of tionships will play important fun for a record-breaking participatory displays, from SEE MUSEUMS, PAGE J12 number of national and working arcade games to a

We’re open for business and as “Uncle Sam” would say -

“WE WANT YOU!” You too can be part of the good economic development initiatives in Springfield. Let the Springfield pride, power and strength translate into your business prosperity needs. Respectfully, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno Office of Planning and Economic Development 70 Tapley Street Springfield, MA 01104 (413) 787-6020 Mon.-Fri. 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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.

Workers for the Chinese-owned rail company CRRC Massachusetts Corp. work at the production facility in East Springfield on a rail car for the MBTA. CRRC has collaborated with Springfield Technical Community College, Putnam Vocational Academy and the regional trade unions, hiring many of their graduates and members. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

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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. We also provide vocational expert witness services to litigants, attorneys and insurance carriers in matters concerning employability, wage earning capacity and vocational rehabilitation mitigation. Legal venues include workers compensation, personal injury, employment law, medical malpractice and family law. WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS? The vocational expert witness side of our business is built upon our extensive knowledge working directly with physically and mentally impaired individuals in vocational rehabilitation planning and job placement. As a vocational firm we offer a broad base of professional vocational knowledge from certified, licensed, board certified vocational experts. WHY DO YOU ENJOY THIS BUSINESS? Every case and situation is different. We all learn from each other. It’s rewarding to see your challenging cases achieve closure.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN TODAY’S MARKETPLACE? Word of mouth referrals and repeat customers.

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and undergraduate students. These companies are increasingly looking to grow their partnerships with specific schools and programs. We need to recognize the importance of the great schools, programs of studies and talent in the region and leverage this strength to grow the Western Massachusetts economy. 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.

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At this moment in time, the business of education, the needs of the business CONTINUED FROM PAGE J2 community and economic dewith our region’s colleges velopment are in alignment. and universities to highlight Colleges and universities their leadership position in need to attract students, and new sectors, sectors poised the quality of life in the region for growth: Bay Path in cyber and the availability of a career security; UMass in water become important factors in innovation, clean energy, a student’s decision on which aviation and air traffic control school to attend. Businesses and building technologies; seek talent, and that talent is STCC in water and wastewa- sitting in the classrooms of ter licenses; and Elms in busi- our schools. ness and management. These Businesses also need to be sectors can become centers of connected to the cutting-edge excellence for the schools and research that is done by the the regional economy. professors, staffs, graduate

WHAT DO YOU STRESS MOST TO YOUR STAFF? Encourage peer-discussion. Continuing education. Quality v quantity balance. Team spirit.

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J6 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

TRANSPORTATION

Union Station looks to grow while driving development

Peter Pan Bus Lines Chairman Peter A. Picknelly and Way Finders President Peter Gagliardi speak in November. After Peter Pan moved to Union Station, the bus line’s former terminal on Main Street in Springfield was demolished to make way for Way Finders’ new headquarters.

Richard Lord

Still needed: Skilled workforce

(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Peter Pan move makes room for Way Finders HQ

By Jim Kinney

jkinney@repub.com

pringfield Union Station will need to go to the City Council again later this year for more money to close a funding gap, according to Kevin Kennedy, the city’s chief development officer.

Meanwhile, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority says it’s working to attract more tenants and make ends meet, and that the station is already paying for itself by encouraging more development in its neighborhood just north of downtown. Peter Pan Bus Lines moved its headquarters into Union Station in 2018, clearing the way for it to sell 1776 Main St., the site of its old terminal, to housing agency Way Finders, which is building its new headquarters there.

Passengers wait in Springfield Union Station’s main concourse in December. (HOANG “LEON” NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Still, however, there likely will be a gap this year between what Union Station earns and the cost of running the facility. “Transportation facilities of this type are integral to the success of any city that has them,” Kennedy

says, adding that most around the country need some subsidy. “The trick is to keep that as low as possible.” Union Station can do that by keeping the building leased. It is 71 percent occupied now with offices and ticket

counters for Amtrak, Peter Pan, Greyhound, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, the upstairs PVTA offices, and the offices of Dietz & Co. Architects. There is a Subway sandwich shop and a Dunkin’ Donuts.

Last week Union Station debuted a 950-square-foot conference center on the second floor with room for 50 people and a 93-inch monitor for presentations. It will be the site of North End C-3

SEE STATION, PAGE J18

“Transportation facilities of this type are integral to the success of any city that has them. ... The trick is to keep (the subsidy) as low as possible.” KEVIN KENNEDY, SPRINGFIELD CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

HERE ARE APPROXimately 7 million job openings throughout the United States this morning. There are also 6.2 million unemployed people looking for work. Our ability to reconcile those two numbers – not to mention our willingness to address the structural shortfall of 800,000 people needed to fill all the jobs – will define the economic future of Massachusetts and the nation. It’s no wonder that hiring skilled employees remains one of the central economic challenges outlined in the Blueprint for the Next Century 3.0, the latest revision of Associated Industries of Massachusetts’ long-term economic plan for Massachusetts. AIM asked the opinions of more than a thousand Massachusetts employers in compiling the Blueprint, and almost all of them expressed some level of concern about finding people with the skills and work ethic to fuel company growth in an increasingly competitive global economy. The causes of the labor crisis are complex: • A strong economy – Massachusetts employers continue to add 65,000 jobs per year SEE WORKFORCE, PAGE J16

Farms CONTINUED FROM PAGE J4

OUTLOOK 2019

Belchertown, the enthusiasm among farmers, advocates, nonprofit leaders and policy experts was palpable. We discussed new initiatives like the Healthy Incentives Program, launched in 2017, which provides a dollar-for-dollar match for low-income families to use SNAP benefits to purchase fresh food at farmstands and farmers’ markets. This provides nutritious food to those in need while pumping millions of dollars into nearly 200 Massachusetts farms. There are plenty more food security issues we will need to tackle in the next legislative term, from closing food deserts to expanding innovative programs like Breakfast After the Bell to ensure students have access to a nutritious diet. At the heart of each of these efforts is our own homegrown economic engine: our farms. State Sen. Eric P. Lesser, D-Longmeadow, represents the 1st Hampden & Hampshire District. He is co-chair of the Joint Committee on Emerging Technologies and Co-Chair of the Food Policy Caucus.

11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M. MassMutual Center Springfield FEATURING

State Sen. Eric P. Lesser, D-Longmeadow, center, visited the Cold Spring Orchard in Belchertown in October to learn about its research and development work for apple growers. The orchard is part of the Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. At left is Jon Clements, an expert on tree fruits who is an educator with the Center for Agriculture, and at right is Joseph Shoenfeld, associate director for operations and communications at the center. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Massachusetts is home to nearly 8,000 farms covering half a million acres. Our state is home to more farmers’ markets than software companies. Asparagus from Hadley and cranberries from Cape Cod are key exports, along with semi-conductors, medical devices and university graduates. And, the vast majority of farms in Massachusetts are still family-owned, so the money we spend buying apples, asparagus, beef and other products from our region’s farms remains in our communities. Western Massachusetts, in particular, is undergoing an agricultural renaissance. With support from community partners like the Grinspoon Foundation and Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, interest in local agriculture has never been higher. Once small farmstands, like Randall’s in Ludlow, Rice’s in Wilbraham and Red Fire Farm in Granby, have grown into well-established businesses with customers far beyond Western Massachusetts. At a recent food security roundtable I hosted in

MARCH 4

Congressman Richard E. Neal

KEYNOTE SPEAKER MARGARET CARLSON

Mass Secretary of Housing & Economic Development Michael Kennealy

VIEW FROM THE CAPITOL: MARGARET CARLSON COLUMNIST, THE DAILY BEAST

TICKETS AT SPRINGFIELDREGIONALCHAMBER.COM

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apple crops. The scene was bucolic, but it’s also big business. There are more than 7,500 apple farms in the United States. In a typical year, more than 33 billion apples are harvested, netting $4 billion in orchard sales and $15 billion in related commerce. The only country producing more apples than the United States is China. Around the time I visited last fall, apple growers across the country were concerned about getting swept up in recent trade tensions. Roughly a quarter of American-grown apples are exported overseas, including a large portion to both Mexico and China. Recent studies place the cost of tariffs on the U.S. fruit, vegetable and tree nut industry at more than $2.6 billion. Competition around the world is fierce. To protect and expand our market share, American farmers must continue innovating. That’s why Cold Spring Orchard and the UMass team are so vital. Apple cultivation has a long history in Western Massachusetts. America’s most famous apple researcher, Johnny Appleseed (his real name was John Chapman), was born in Leominster, lived and married in Longmeadow and worked on a family orchard in Springfield. The Johnny Appleseed Park in Springfield’s Six Corners neighborhood, the Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center in Lancaste, and the Johnny Appleseed trail along Route 2 are just a few examples of the mark he left on Central and Western Massachusetts. While higher education, health care and manufacturing receive well-deserved attention as drivers of the Western Mass economy, agriculture has also been a major economic engine and job creator, from Johnny Appleseed’s era to the present.

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | J7

Station CONTINUED FROM PAGE J4

Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District, to ask Amtrak to add more cars to their trains as ridership has been so high that many trains are selling out. Former Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy has been instrumental in reestablishing Springfield’s foothold as the crossroads of New England. He saw the potential for train travel connecting New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, and invested resources to ensure that the rail between Hartford and Springfield was updated. It is in large part due to his foresight that Springfield Union Station can welcome so many of these trains per day and why there is the need for more cars. But Springfield Union Station isn’t just home to trains. To get travelers where they need to go across the city and beyond, individuals can rent a car from Sixt, hop on a Peter Pan or Greyhound bus, or rely on the great service provided by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, all under one roof. One great addition to these options that started in August was the Loop bus service. The free offering runs Wednesdays through Sundays and allows riders to get on and off at some of the city’s most notable attractions, including the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the MassMutual Center, Quadrangle, MGM Springfield, and area hotels. The Loop’s ridership has been tremendous from the get-go. From its first day at the end of August through November, the shuttle service had an impressive 5,334 passengers. When folks exit Springfield Union Station or step off the Loop bus at one of its drop-off locations, they will be able to find new map displays of downtown Springfield that have been installed throughout the city. The station has also be-

In this file photo from August, representatives from MGM Springfield, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority and the city of Springfield unveiled the new Loop bus, funded by MGM, that provides free transportation to visitors to downtown sites. The bus was introduced at a Union Station press event before taking guests along the route. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) A northbound train pulls into the Hartford Union Station in Connecticut to pick up passengers to Springfield as part of the new CTrail Hartford Line. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

come the new home to local businesses, including Dunkin’ Donuts, Subway and Commuter’s Variety Store. Recently, Westfield Bank installed an ATM for added convenience. The upper levels of the building house Dietz & Company Architects, Peter Pan’s corporate offices, and is 71 percent occupied. After just 19 months, that is a great accomplishment. As an incentive for more people to use the trains for commuting purposes, the Springfield Parking Authority offers a flat rate of just $5 in the Union Station parking lot for a 24-hour period. While the physical structure may be complete, the potential for Springfield Union Station keeps expanding. The economic boom that it has brought to downtown Springfield is encouraging and the development of storefronts and businesses around the station give me great hope that the station will continue

to help the community grow and thrive. The rehabilitation of Springfield Union Station has garnered national attention, as well. Shortly after opening, Springfield Union Station was awarded the Phoenix Award for best Brownfields redevelopment project in the country at the National Brownfields Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Preservation Massachusetts also recognized the project and bestowed it with the illustrious Paul and Niki Tsongas Award for the best “Then and Now” accomplishment. This project truly encompasses Outlook 2019’s theme of “The Western Massachusetts Way: Learning from the Past, Innovating for the Future.” Springfield Union Station is a treasure to the entire region and everyone in it – including me. Even now, when I pass through the station’s grand concourse on my way to catch a train to a

“In these changing times, the noise of a clattering train still has a hold on our collective nostalgia. And that sound of progress will continue to ring true with renewed frequency in the Pioneer Valley for many years to come.” U.S. REP. RICHARD E. NEAL

meeting or to visit family, I am reminded of the remarkable transformation that took place. In these changing times, the noise of a clattering train still has a hold on our collective nostalgia. And that sound of progress will continue to ring true with renewed frequency in the Pioneer Valley for many years to come. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, is the congressman from the 1st Congressional District of Massachusetts, who currently chairs the House Ways & Means Committee. 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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Multi Day Tours 2019 Fri Feb 22-24 ..... Foxwood’s Casino and much more! Great bonus (3 Days) $299 p/p do* Sat Mar 2-3 ....... Philadelphia Flower Show & more! (2 Days) $319 p/p do* Sat Apr 6-7 ........ Brooklyn Botanical Garden and Brooklyn Museum (2 Days) $299 p/p do* Fri Apr 12-14 ..... New York City with accommodations in the city! (3 Days) $499 p/p do Fri Apr 26-29 ..... Washington, DC (4 Days) $689 p/p do* Thu May 16-19 .. Quebec City (4 Days) $749 p/p do* Sat May 25-27 ... Niagara Falls Holiday Weekend (3 Days) $509 p/p do SPECIAL GROUP RATES FOR PARTIES OF 10+ ON ONE OF THESE PRESCHEDULED TOURS! A –Adult C –Child 12 and under • Tours marked with a * Meal included (*) includes a meal or meals p/p do - Per person double occup. ^^^meet at the airport Convenient pick up locations for more of our tours! W. Spﬂd. * So. Deerﬁeld * Gill * Brattleboro

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Serving the Community Since 1936! Today, Big Y has grown to over 70 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. We are excited to expand our Springfield, MA Distribution Center in order to better serve our customers and supply our stores.

We carry 4,000 local products from over 175 local partners.

“ e’re proud to call Springfield our home and look forward to continuing to support our local communities and local partners.” Big Y President and CEO, Charles L. D’Amour

www.bigy.com 03104952

J8 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

MGMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; revels in Springfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comeback â&#x20AC;&#x153;Opening our doors to the world was a heart-pounding privilege, as it immediately enlivened Main Street and ushered in a new day for Springfield.â&#x20AC;?

Michael Mathis

MICHAEL MATHIS, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF MGM SPRINGFIELD

Clockwise from top photo, the Budweiser Clydesdales participate in MGM Springfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grand opening parade on Aug. 24; Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan officially opens the MGM Springfield skating rink on Nov. 23; members of the dance group Jabbawockeez perform at the casinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grand opening; and Trailer Trash performs on the South Armory Stage for the second annual Springfield Jam Fest on Sept. 8.

Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan officially opened our skating rink on Nov. 23, and the rink will remain open until March 3. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;New Old-Fashioned Wayâ&#x20AC;? was created with families in mind. We welcome families to come down to our Plaza for some winter fun, which includes sweet and

SEE MGM, PAGE J12

(THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTOS)

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03105506

LITTLE LESS THAN five years ago, Springfield was featured by a popular news program as a city past its prime. Fast forward to Aug. 24, 2018, when Springfield was once again in the national spotlight â&#x20AC;&#x201C; although under more positive circumstances. On that day, media from across the country flocked to the city to report that MGM Resorts International, the leading international hospitality company in the world, would soon open the doors of its $960 million resort in the heart of downtown Springfield. That same Main Street that was once seen in decline, was now filled with thousands of revelers cheering at a vintage Rolls Royceled precession featuring the University of Massachusetts marching band, Cirque du Soleil performers and the commonwealthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first casino resort employees, more than a third of whom were Springfield residents. That journey started six years ago when MGMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chairman and CEO, Jim Murren, carefully and personally selected Springfield as the location for the largest private capital investment in Western Massachusetts history. It was the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s storied past, resilient spirit and passionate community leaders that convinced him to plant the MGM flag in Springfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s South End. He saw the possibilities, was a believer from day one and made believers out of thousands of others along the way â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including me. So when the curtain went up on â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Showâ&#x20AC;? on Aug. 24, it was a momentous day for our company, as we brought a first to the commonwealth, to Springfield and to the industry. Opening our doors to the world was a heart-pounding privilege, as it immediately enlivened Main Street and ushered in a new day for Springfield. I am so proud of how our team performed on that day and every day that has followed. During the opening days and over the last several months we have been in the spotlight, celebrating milestones, and making exciting announcements and adjustments to ensure success. We have done this while always acknowledging that MGM Springfield is more than a casino-resort, it continues to be the catalyst for economic opportunity and an epic comeback. As part as our opening celebration, we brought â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Showâ&#x20AC;? back to downtown with one of the most beloved and decorated entertainers in the world, Stevie Wonder. We will build off that momentum when a true icon of stage and screen, Cher, visits the MassMutual Center in April. We have complemented these giant acts with crowd-pleasing events and regular entertainment offerings that provide a steady cadence of activity and curiosity to downtown, including weekly concerts showcasing local artists and farmers markets featuring regional fare. By design our offerings are unexpected, diverse and in every corner of our property: lobby bartenders who double as entertainers; attention-grabbing original works of art; sleek furniture made from upcycled materials; finishes with a touch of Dr. Seuss whimsy; and a weekly comedy performance that brings laughter back to the Armory. Currently, we are in the midst of our winter season programming, which kicked off just before the holidays under the theme the â&#x20AC;&#x153;New Old-Fashioned Way.â&#x20AC;? Famed

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | J9

Will MGM Springfield be a force for business change? What will be the impact of the opening of the Encore Boston Harbor casino, expected this summer?

Patrons visit a gaming table at MGM Springfield during a black-tie gala held the night before the casino’s grand opening in August, left. At right, patrons play the slot machines on opening day. The $1 billion MGM Springfield opened in the city’s South End on Aug. 24. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTOS)

ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM

Casino faces challenges, competition Boston Harbor casino opening looms this summer

to the third-quarter earnings report released by parent company MGM Resorts International. That revenue resulted in earnings of $7.6 million. MGM reported $31.6 million in startup, pre-opening expenses recorded just in the third quarter. MGM Resorts’ next quarterly earnings report comes out later this week. In January, MGM Resorts told investors it planned major cutbacks company-wide that could impact Springfield, although no one in MGM’s management was saying much initially. MGM Resorts International plans to cut $100 million in U.S. payroll over the next two years. Overall, MGM Resorts International plans to increase its cash flow by $200 million by the end of 2020 and an additional $100 million by the end of 2021. The impact is expected to be across the company. The moves will happen, according to a press release, as a result of MGM’s efforts to consolidate business functions at its Las Vegas headquarters. The remaining savings will be made up from efficiencies in sourcing goods and services MGM plans to cut 3 percent of what it spends on its workforce, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to a cut of 3 percent in headcount. In Everett, near Boston,

construction continues on the $2.4 billion Encore Boston Harbor. But Encore is still mired in ongoing litigation concerning the application of its founder, Steve Wynn, and whether he should have disclosed payments he made to settle sexual harassment claims. Meanwhile, a casino proposed for East Windsor, Connecticut, doesn’t appear to be making much progress. Developers have yet to apply for a building permit despite getting site plan approval in 2018. The Native American tribes that own Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun are planning a casino at the 13-acre former Showcase Cinema site off Interstate 91 just 13 miles south of Springfield. But the Trump administration wouldn’t recognize the site as part of a Native reservation, stopping casino plans. Litigation designed to force the Trump administration to reconsider failed in October.

RELATIONSHIPS Peter Pan Bus Lines Terminal Springﬁeld, MA Circa 1969

Peter Pan Executive Offices Springﬁeld, MA, 2019

BUILT TO ENDURE 50 years ago, Caolo & Bieniek Associates worked with Peter Pan Bus Lines to design their new ŨŬĤŅęƱăĺû ŹăŬłĤŅØĺ̖ §ĠĤŰ ŨØŰŹ ƛăØŬ̐ ƕă ĴŎĤŅăû together again to create their new ăƚăõƀŹĤƔă ŎƬõăŰ ØŹ ®ŅĤŎŅ ŹØŹĤŎŅ̖

Peter Pan and CBA Architects !ŎłłĤŹŹăû ŹŎ ŨŬĤŅęƱăĺû

CBAarchitects.net

Business Name: AMERICAN RUG

Proﬁles In Business

Address: 1594 Dwight StHolyoke, MA 01040 Phone number: 413-533-3000 Website: American-rug.com E-mail: info@americanrug.net Hours of operation: Tues-Sat 9-5

How long have you been in business? 114 years – Bill Radner is

the 3rd generation of his family owned & n operated business that began in 1905 in Holyoke.

About Owner: William Radner started arted tions in in the business during school vacations 1966 washing rugs and completing a course in carpet knowledge by Dupont in 1967. In 1989 Bills’ father retired leaving Bill and his wife Lisa to take over the full operation of the business. Bill has been on the advisory board of the Western Mass BBB, a Rotarian and long standing member of the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce.

What is unique about your business: Besides being the 2nd oldest family owned ﬂoor covering business in New England, American Rug has a superlative selection of ﬂooring for residential and commercial use represented by more than 50 manufacturers from all over the world. Fashion and products change frequently which is why Bill attends the national Surfaces trade show to keep up with the latest developments and technologies in the industry.

AMERICAN RUG MUCH MORE THAN RUGS

Located in Western Massachusetts, Lexington Group Inc. has been your premier source for quality new, refurbished and preowned ofﬁce furniture since 1989.

American Rug is a Stainmaster Showcase retailer which allows for additional value provided to the consumer such as Stainmaster’s Love It or Replace It 60 Day Assurance warranty.

Our 165,000 square foot warehouse features a huge selection of new and preowned desks, seating, workstations, ﬁling and interior design solutions.

How are you different than your competition?

Installation is done by competent crews trained as needed to do the work correctly whether residential or commercial. Our sales staff, including Scott Brunette who has been a part of American Rug for over 15 years, has over 65 years combined experience which helps the consumer get the right product for their needs. Our knowledge is way beyond what a box store or average dealer can provide. You don’t have to know about ﬂoor covering because we do!

Describe products and services: 02666542

Hardwood, Luxury Vinyl Tile, Marmoleum, Laminate, Vinyl, Bamboo, Cork, Ceramic, Rubber Flooring, Waterproof Plank and Carpet, Wool Carpet, Machine Made Area Rugs, Hand Woven Oriental Rugs, wool & nylon remnants, an extensive runner collection and more – All materials professionally installed in your home or business.

03104540

face challenges to its own business model, perhaps from a new Connecticut casino? Will it maintain the jobs it promised in order to get that coveted gaming legislation By Jim Kinney and that license? jkinney@repub.com For one thing, MGM Springfield doesn’t plan on letting GM the place look stale. SpringWahlburgers, the fast-casual burger chain run by the field famous Wahlburg family, will opened open later this year. Actor, restaurateur and in AuDorchester native Mark gust to great fanfare. Wahlberg was in Springfield The gala black-tie back in June to scope out the then under-construction opening was the culMGM Springfield site, and he mination of decades of announced the new location effort, first to make Las in August on MGM’s opening The Wahlbugers Vegas-style gambling weekend. will be at the old Dave’s furnilegal in Massachusetts ture site on Main Street. So far, the numbers at MGM and then to attract a have been consistent, if uncasino to Springfield, spectacular. In a report to the state get it licensed and get Gaming Commission, MGM it built. said its December gambling revenues were nearly As of the latest count, MGM $21.6 million, an increase of Springfield, a $1 billion invest- $335,311 from the previous ment by its parent company month. The December total MGM Resorts International, included $14.3 million from has 2,865 employees. slot machines and $7.4 million But now what? from table games. MGM’s Will MGM Springfield be gambling revenue was about a force for business change? $21.2 million in October and What will be the impact of the again in November. opening of the Encore Boston The Springfield casino Harbor casino, expected this brought in $42.5 million in summer? net revenue over its first five How will MGM Springfield weeks of operation, according

LEXINGTON GROUP

380 UNION STREET, WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA

413-746-3064 • LEXINGTONGROUPINC.COM

J10 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“Our finances are very stable. We’re involved with great events throughout the world. When the refinishing of our building is done, we will be able to offer an entirely new experience.” JOHN L. DOLEVA, PRESIDENT, NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s multi-million dollar renovation project, celebrated in May, included this upgraded theater where the hoop hall debuted a new signature film that is the first thing guests experience during visits to the sport’s shrine. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Basketball

In this Sept. 6 photo, John L. Doleva, president of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame presents inductee Ray Allen with his jacket. (HOANG “LEON” NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

The name on the hall of fame building salutes Dr. James Naismith, whose relatively simple invention of a winter indoor physical education activity has grown into a sport played in every corner of the globe. Steve Nash, right, a member of the 2018 class of inductees to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, shakes hands with coach Charles “Lefty” Driesell on stage during the press conference at which the honorees were presented their official jackets. Hall of fame president John L. Doleva says the induction in September was the hoop hall’s second-best ever, after the 2009 induction of a class that included Michael Jordan. (HOANG “LEON” NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Ring of Honor for inducted members and a movie theater with a signature, inhouse film, an element of all modern halls of fame. “By 2020, the museum will be 100 percent renovated. We’ve been able to remain open during this transition with only minor gallery clos-

ings,” Doleva said. The 21st century began with storm clouds hovering over the hall of fame. Debt was a major problem. The basketball world was skeptical that Springfield could serve as its hub. Downtown development was supposed to surround

the hall of fame with other growth sectors. When that did not materialize, the museum languished as essentially a cultural island unto itself. Even the enshrined hall of famers stayed away, mostly because the hall had never reached out to welcome them. Under Doleva’s stewardship, that all changed. Springfield’s current downtown renaissance only brightens the picture. Major events include the Spalding Hoophall Classic for star high-school play-

ers every January. The hall of fame added a similar tournament in Arizona this season, but Doleva calls that only an adjunct to the Springfield event, which many analysts and scouts consider the premier event of its kind in the United States. “Some teams will want to play in both, but this (Springfield tournament) is the one. It will always be here,’’ Doleva says. With the most modern technology at its museum, and a global reach, Springfield represents not only the origin for basketball, but its central gathering spot today. “Our 2018 enshrinement was our second-best ever, after the year Michael Jordan came in (2009),” Doleva says. “The sport’s history validates us. Without that, we’re nothing special. “But we keep an eye on the future, too, and for ways to honor every aspect of the sport – men and women, college and pro, national and international. That’s what will always make us different.”

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts

Phone number: 413.308.3300 Web address: encompasshealth.com/ westernmassrehab Visiting hours: Every day, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Your name: John Hunt, MA, CCC-SLP Title: Chief Executive Officer Tell us about your educational/professional background: I am a speech-language pathologist by background. I’ve been working in the rehabilitation industry for about 30 years in many roles. How long has Encompass Health Western Massachusetts been in business: Encompass Health Western Massachusetts has had a presence here in Ludlow since the early 1990s, but it was known as HealthSouth Western Massachusetts until January of this year.

John Hunt, MA, CCC-SLP

Business Name: The Jewish Federation ion of Western Massachusetts Address: 1160 Dickinson Street, Springﬁeld, MA 01108

Phone number: 413.737.4313 Website: jewishwesternmass.org E-mail: sbromberg@jewishwesternmass.org Hours of operation: M-Th 9am-5pm; Friday 9am-3pm Name: Stewart L. Bromberg, CFRE Title: CEO

Proﬁles In Business

Address: 222 State Street, Ludlow, MA 01056

How did you begin your career? I began my work in the Jewish

Tell us about the change to Encompass Health Western Massachusetts Nothing has really changed other than our name and brand, but the decision to rebrand reflects much more than a name change. It emphasizes our commitment to working with patients and their families across the entire post-acute care continuum. The name has changed, but our commitment to incredible patient care, outcomes and satisfaction has not. Describe the services of Encompass Health Western Massachusetts: We provide intensive physical, occupational and speech-language therapies along with rehabilitation nursing and physician* oversight in an acute hospital setting for patients who have survived stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, hip fractures, neurological disorders and other impairments that impact day-to-day functioning. What is unique about Encompass Health Western Massachusetts and the services you provide? Because we are an acute rehabilitation hospital level of care as opposed to sub-acute, our focus is to get patients back to a higher level of function as quickly as possible. With our intensive team approach to patient care, fueled with knowledge, compassion and empathy, we can help our patients return to their communities at the most optimal level of independence and work to restore confidence in the meantime. We also provide our patients and their families with a lot of education because it is so important for patients to feel comfortable with their ability to live life to the fullest. Our patients work very hard to get back to the life they had prior to an injury or illness. It’s our job to help them do that and we do it very well. We’re very proud of what we do here at Encompass Health Western Massachusetts. * The hospital provides access to independent physicians.

community as a Strategic Marketing Director at the Levinthal-Sidman JCC in Newton, MA.

How long have you been in the organization? I’ve been working with the Jewish Community Since 1990. The Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts was established in 1926. What makes your organization stand out from others? In addition to being conveners of the Jewish community, we also provide programs and services designed to meet the needs of the community.

What do you stress most to your staff? The importance of being

a team. To quote Simon Sinek “A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.”

Describe your services: The Federation manages endowment funds

and provides grants to care for Jews in need and to create vibrant Jewish life in Western Massachusetts, Israel and around the globe.

What is unique about your organization? The Federation has been around for nearly 100 years, helping to create and nurture a Jewish community with deep roots. Why do you enjoy this organization? I enjoy working with the

Jewish community because it affords me the chance to have a positive impact in peoples’ lives every day. 02666542

Proﬁles in Health Care

connection there,’’ Doleva explains. Throughout Doleva’s 18 CONTINUED FROM PAGE J4 years at the hall of fame, he Springfield’s place as the has remained steadfast on birthplace of basketball has two basic premises: that the been well documented. The hall of fame would need to name on the hall of fame expand its reach far beyond building salutes Dr. James Springfield to survive, but Naismith, whose relatively that the institution itself simple invention of a winter and its core functions would indoor physical education never leave the city. activity has grown into a The revenue streams cresport played in every corner ated by this outreach assures that will never change, he of the globe. Cementing Springfield’s maintains. place as not just the link to “Only 16 percent of our basketball past, but to its revenue comes from admissions to the hall of fame. All future, has not been easy. of our revenue from outside But at last, the hall of fame events comes back here,’’ has staked its place as the undisputed mecca for fans of Doleva says. “We also have more hall of famers engaged the game and tourists from throughout the United States with us around the country. That helps, too.” and the world. The Springfield museum Early in the 2000s, estiis simply the most modern mates of realistic admissions institution of its kind – anylevels were found to be where. overstated. It taught Doleva “Our $30 million capital a precious lesson: relying campaign goal has been only on tickets sold to museum visitors would never be reached. It actually started out as $20 million,’’ Doleva enough to subsidize a firstsays. “Our finances are very class hall of fame, and the Naismith hall needed to be stable. We’re involved with great events throughout the first-class, or it would never world. When the refinishing survive. Today, every endeavor of our building is done, we is launched with quality in will be able to offer an entirely new experience.” mind. The physical appearThe hoop hall’s latest ven- ance of the hall of fame tures include exploring the has undergone massive vast market in China, where upgrades to make it a more 300 million people play bas- interactive, fan-friendly faketball. “We’ve been talking cility. Those renovations are to groups in the Far East. in the final stages and will We have to find the right include a more spectacular

What does it take to be successful in today’s marketplace? Dedication and passion.

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | J11

MassMutual CONTINUED FROM PAGE J2

That’s why we recently enhanced and modernized our benefits to give employees more choice and flexibility, as well as more time to become a new parent, care for or grieve the loss of a loved one, or volunteer in their community. These benefits, combined with other offerings, such as our generous tuition reimbursement, wellness and mindfulness programs and on-site amenities, are helping us to attract and retain the workforce needed to move our company forward. Along with investing in our people, we are also enhancing our workplace to give our people the environment where they can collaborate and succeed. This has led us to invest nearly $300 million to bring our operations together in Massachusetts over the next several years, adding 1,500 jobs in Springfield and renovating our facility to give our employees a modern, vibrant workspace. At the same time, we also plan to break ground this year on a new campus in the Boston Seaport, giving us the ability to tap into the incredible talent on both sides of our state so we can create a better company for our employees and customers for generations to come. These investments in our people and our buildings go beyond the walls of our offices, too – because when our communities prosper, it lifts us all up. We are proud of our longstanding commitment to making our region a better

place to live and work and are excited to find new ways to make a lasting, meaningful impact. Whether it’s through well-established programs like FutureSmart, which has provided free financial and life lessons to thousands of area students and more than a million nationally, or our newly launched Live Mutual project in Springfield that addresses barriers which prevent residents from achieving financial security, our goal is the same – to help build a thriving, inclusive community where we can all flourish. MassMutual’s investments in technology, our employees and our communities are just some of the ways we are working to grow along with

This vintage postcard shows the dining hall in the home office building of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. on State Street. (WOOD MUSEUM OF SPRINGFIELD HISTORY)

the city where our 31 founders established our company nearly 168 years ago. Springfield’s ongoing

Established with a capital stock of $100,000 by an act of the Massachusetts Legislature on May 15, 1851, the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., now referred to as MassMutual, managed over $450 billion in assets by the end of 2006. The five-story building at 413 Main St., built in 1866-1867, was a step up from the insurance company’s first home, Room 8 in the Foot’s block, at the corner of State and Main. (KING HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD)

an active role to help create a emergence is an inspiration to everyone who loves this re- promising future for all. gion – and we look forward to many more years of playing Roger Crandall is chief exec-

utive officer of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. To learn more about MassMutual, go online to MassMutual.com.

“These investments in our people and our buildings go beyond the walls of our offices, too – because when our communities prosper, it lifts us all up. We are proud of our longstanding commitment to making our region a better place to live and work and are excited to find new ways to make a lasting, meaningful impact.” ROGER CRANDALL, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE CO.

hat you see differs from how you see. When experience enables recognition of details others may miss, you gain a perspective that could reshape some of your thinking.

Experience provides a perspective.

So with another view, you focus on details that could make a difference. The difference need not be a monumental one. Or even small. It’s more about examining choices that make the most sense for you. Our history—our longevity if you will—is founded on a disciplined, conservative approach that has stood the test of time. We’ve heard chapter and verse about markets sinking, inflation about to bust loose and on the inevitably of a recession. Have a conversation with us and understand the perspective and details that you may not otherwise see and hear elsewhere.

Attaining focus can deliver the difference. You have choices. You do have options. We should be one of them.sm

1500 Main Street Springfield, MA 01115 413-733-5111

800-443-7624 stgermaininvestments.com

Member SEC, FINRA, SiPC

J12 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

MARIJUANA

Industry launched but far from mature

By Shira Schoenberg

sschoenberg@repub.com

fter years of preparation and debate, legal marijuana is now a reality in Massachusetts. Any adult can walk into a store, pay cash and walk out with a joint, which they can smoke, legally, in their home. But the roll-out of the first marijuana stores is only the beginning. In the coming year, marijuana entrepreneurs and regulators will face a host of challenges, from enabling small businesses to enter the market to writing regulations for marijuana cafes to figuring out how to address drugged driving. Cannabis Control Commission chairman Steven Hoffman says he does not anticipate a fully developed industry even by the end of this year. “We’re obviously going to have many more stores and many more types of establishments,” Hoffman said. “I think it will be a much bigger industry, but not yet mature and stable by the end of the year.” The first state-sanctioned recreational marijuana stores opened in Northampton and Leicester on Nov. 20, two years after Massachusetts voters passed a ballot initiative legalizing recreational marijuana. Since then, the Cannabis Control

Questions linger around equality, enforcement

Employees of New England Treatment Access in Northampton make test purchases before the start of business on the first day of legal recreational marijuana sales in November. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

“As much as they’re trying to bring down the barrier of entry, it’s still a high barrier to get into this industry.” KAMANI JEFFERSON, MASSACHUSETTS RECREATIONAL CONSUMER COUNCIL

SEE POT, PAGE J16

Museums

MGM will always be a company of big ideas and firsts.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE J5

roles in the ongoing evolution of the Springfield Museums. This year, our MassMutual Foundation-funded partnership with the Smithsonian Institution brought the dynamic exhibition, Pop! Icons of American Culture, to the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibition enables visitors to view objects they never dreamed they would actually see in person, including the Superman and Lois Lane costumes worn by Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder, Eddie Van Halen’s guitar and an original drawing of the Peanuts cartoon by Charles Schulz. Later this year, the Smithsonian’s Spark!Lab will open in the Science Museum. A dynamic learning space where children and families can create, innovate, problem solve and invent, Spark!Lab

MGM Springfield held its grand opening parade and opened to the public on Aug. 24. Here, MGM employees participate in the parade. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Visitors of all ages can discover a variety of participatory displays such as this giant floor piano modeled after the one in the movie “Big,” at the “Toytopia” exhibit at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History at the Springfield Museums. To see a gallery of photos about the new exhibit, go online to MassLive.com. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

“We are especially excited that this summer, the D’Amour Museum will serve as the premier East Coast venue for Van Gogh for All, an interactive and multi-media exhibition that enables visitors to explore Van Gogh’s creative genius through threedimensional environments that bring his unparalleled paintings to life.” Kay Simpson, president and CEO, Springfield Museums

activities incorporate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art and history. Not only will Spark!Lab position us as a regional center for informal STEM learning, it will launch a multi-year initiative to reinvent the museum for 21st century audiences. In addition, we will launch a series of exhibitions and programs through our new partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and cohort art museums throughout New England. On a more local level, a collaboration with Make-It Springfield has resulted in an array of wonderful artisan-crafted merchandise that is now available in our newly launched online store. We are especially excited that this summer, the D’Amour Museum will serve as the premier East Coast venue for Van Gogh for All, an interactive and multi-media exhibition that enables visitors to explore Van Gogh’s creative genius through

Commission has been approving licenses at a steady pace. As of Jan. 20, there were eight stores selling marijuana to the general adult market. Collectively, they had conducted $23.8 million worth of marijuana sales in the first nine weeks. “It’s taken too long, but I’m happy to see it finally happen,” said Will Luzier, political director of the Marijuana Policy Project of Massachusetts, who led the fight to legalize marijuana in Massachusetts. All of the first licenses were given to existing medical marijuana dispensaries, and most of the first recreational shops are in the same locations where medical marijuana was already being sold. The roll-out has not been easy for many entrepreneurs. One of the biggest bumps has been the need to find a location. Many cities and towns implemented moratoriums, and some instituted outright bans, on marijuana businesses. The moratoriums, which were meant to give towns time to write planning and zoning regulations, mostly expired at the end of 2018, which could open up many more potential opportunities. “One hundred thirty-five cities and towns that were sitting on the sidelines for the first year of operation are now coming off the sidelines,” Hoffman said. But a continuing challenge has been the host community agreements that marijuana businesses must negotiate with municipalities. Although state law caps the “community impact fees” that cities can

three-dimensional environments that bring his unparalleled paintings to life. The work of the Springfield Museums is supported by a strong coalition of community partners, funders, governmental agencies and public officials. We are grateful to state Sens. Eric Lesser and Jim Welch and the entire regional legislative delegation for enabling us to secure state funding for the expansion of bilingual interpretation in the Dr. Seuss Museum. U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal and Mayor Dominic J. Sarno continue to advocate for the museums on the national and local levels. As we move ahead with their help, the museums’ seriousness of purpose will also be balanced by advice from our own beloved Dr. Seuss, who continues to entertain generations of young readers. A visit to the museums will educate and enlighten but will also be filled with “lots of good fun that is funny.”

The “Toytopia” exhibit is open through April 28 at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. Students from the Milton Bradley School were on hand for the opening, including Arielle Alil, 8, and Cabria Martin, 9. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Leagrey Dimond, step-daughter of Thedor S. Geisel, Dr. Seuss, tours the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum with Springfield Museums president Kay Simpson in May. Dimond was on hand for a press conference to open the exhibit, “The Baby’s Biography: Theodor Seuss Geisel.” (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Kay Simpson is president and CEO of the Springfield Museums, home of The Amazing

World of Dr. Seuss Museum. To lean more about the museums, visit springfieldmuseums.org.

MGM CONTINUED FROM PAGE J8

savory treats! Every level of dining was imagined for MGM Springfield and our food and beverage team is constantly working to keep things seasonal, delicious and interesting. Too cold on the Plaza? Catch a movie, reserve a bowling lane or Top Golf suite, or do some shopping at our fun retail experiences. In the coming year you will see more growth, and have more options along Main Street, as we celebrate the opening of Wahlburgers and welcome new neighbors outside the footprint of our property. A new 100-room Hilton Inn has been announced for across the street from the resort, joining the Holiday Inn Express that opened just weeks before the resort. More investment is on the horizon. Since MGM Springfield’s opening, downtown hotels are seeing higher occupancy and higher daily rates, and area restaurants are extending their hours and expanding their operations. These new investments and economic development opportunities are helping to create a buzz downtown and open up new possibilities for Springfield. We’re looking forward to seeing what Davenport Companies has in store for the Davenport Square project at the corner of Main and Union streets. It will be a welcome complement to the opening last year of the Holiday Inn Express on State Street. Of course, “The Show”

doesn’t go on without a great cast and crew, and that is why employment and community partnerships have been and continue to be a sharp focus for us. Our 3,000 employees are vital to this 24 hour a day, seven day a week, 365 day a year operation. I couldn’t be more proud of how each and every one of our team members rose to the challenge of the high-profile opening, and how they maintain the enthusiasm daily. Our employees are on the front lines, engaging with guests and delivering feedback and suggestions that have already improved our customer and employee experience. Through the eyes of many employees I see a renewed sense of pride, connectivity and purpose. It is their passion for, and commitment to a new way of life in Springfield that fuels me every day and inspires constant improvements and new ideas from our entire team. MGM will always be a company of big ideas and firsts. We reinvent, recreate and reimagine. As you know, MGM Springfield itself is a reimagined casino-resort, and in 2018 this big idea became a reality and proud member of the greater Springfield community. As we enter 2019, be on the lookout for more firsts from us and the same strong commitment to play our part in this epic comeback story. Michael Mathis is president and chief operating officer of MGM Springfield. To learn more about MGM Springfield, visit the website, mgmspring field.com.

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | J13

“We’ve been through untold recessions and always managed to survive. We’re always innovating.” PAUL D. ENGEL, PRESIDENT, QUABBIN WIRE & CABLE CO.

More than 40 years ago, with a background in computer systems and electrical engineering, Paul D. Engel took a risk, borrowed $15,000 and launched Quabbin Wire & Cable Co. in Ware. At right, Bob Zemojtel gets ready to add another spool to the machine (DAVE ROBACK PHOTOS)

MANUFACTURING

Quabbin Wire is ‘always in growth mode’ whether we can get in front of that, so to speak, and try to come up with products that are going to beat the competition.” The maker of data communications cable has approximately 100 employees and operates out of a 140,000-square-foot former textile mill at 10 Maple St. All By LORI STABILE of the company’s manufacturSpecial to The Republican ing is done in Ware, and the he year was firm is known as a worldwide leader in developing and 1975, and manufacturing thermoplasPaul D. En- tic shielded and unshielded cables for high-speed data gel seized transmission and various electronic applications. It was an opporfeatured on the Discovery tunity. With a backChannel in a segment three ground in computer years ago about its cable prodsystems and electrical ucts and how they are made in America. engineering, Engel It has come a long way since it had just four employees and recognized the need in a 600-square-foot for cable products and operated space with a small loading borrowed $15,000 in dock. The company launched family money to start a $1 million expansion project in 1993 to allow for the conQuabbin Wire & Cable struction of Quabbin’s second factory, known as the DataCo., a business that Max factory. he says “is always in a Engel says the company has “hundreds of customers” and growth mode.” ships its harsh environment “We’ve been through cable, commercial data cable, untold recessions and always digital AV and lighting control managed to ... survive,” Engel, cable, and general purpose the company’s president wire and cable all over North and owner, shares. “We’re America. always innovating. We see Michael P. LaPlaca, vice where technology is going and president of sales, says the

The maker of data communications cable has approximately 100 employees and operates out of a 140,000-square-foot former textile mill at 10 Maple St. in Ware.

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Inspector Ken Auclair works in the company lab at Quabbin Wire & Cable Co. in Ware. (DAVE ROBACK / SPECIAL TO THE REPUBLICAN)

company’s annual revenue is more than $25 million and is projected to grow at an average annualized growth rate of 6 to 8 percent. That growth is happening despite increased competition in the industry, particularly competition from imported products. Engel says Asia, specifically China, is the company’s biggest competitor. His company’s edge is custom work, he adds. Says Stacy Gilmour, vice president of human resources, “We’re really capitalizing on the things that the competition cannot provide well:

SEE WIRE, PAGE J18

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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, Julia, Sophia, and William Collins CHEF: Manfredy Carballo HOW DID THE RESTAURANT BEGIN?: The Restaurant was opened in 2014 By Bill Collins and Mike Sakey. Bill had partnered with Mike to open the restaurant after over a decade of opening restaurants for Claudio Guerra in and around Northampton. Bill and Mike both had experience in the East Longmeadow market and knew it a restaurant could thrive with the right concept. HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?: Five WHAT MAKES YOUR RESTAURANT STAND OUT FROM OTHERS: We believe in providing top quality food and service and really getting to know our customers. We write seasonal menus and guests can feel comfortable coming for a $10 steak on Monday Nights or a Special occasion with Champagne and Oysters. We have an incredible wine list Curated by Bill with over 300 selections and wines dating back to the late 60’s. We also offer two private dining rooms for events and can also cater your events offsite. 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. 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. 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 wit hanges, 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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OUTLOOK 2019

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CRRC MA employs approximately 213. The plant in Springfield employs 126, including 71 union production workers, and the workforce on the floor is growing.

Pioneer Valley Transit Authority includes electric buses in its regional bus service, using a charging station established as part of the renovated Springfield Union Station to serve the fleet. Pioneer Valley Planning Commission executive director Tim Brennan says it’s a good example of how the region is addressing ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Next up: Capping 3.6 degrees of separation

I Chinese-owned CRRC MA Corp. is producing Orange Line and Red Line cars for the Boston subway system at its East Springfield plant. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE)

MANUFACTURING

Rail cars rolling off assembly line LA, Philadelphia in line for orders from CRRC MA

By Jim Kinney

jkinney@repub.com

fficials from Los Angeles and Philadelphia were there in December when Gov. Charlie Baker and representatives from the MBTA came to Springfield to celebrate completion of the first Orange Line cars at CRRC MA’s factory.

by a trade war instigated by the Trump administration, a tit-for-tat battle with China of import taxes called tariffs. In July the Trump administration placed retaliatory tariffs on $16 billion in Chinese imports that could add 25 percent to the cost of the rail car components CRRC imports from China and assembles in Springfield. CRRC MA brings in unfin-

ished car shells. Workers here install all the hardware and equipment including motors, lights, heat, air conditioning and wiring. Of the parts and material used, 60 percent is American-made. Trade talks between the U.S. and China are ongoing. With support of local elected officials, CRRC is asking the U.S. government for

SEE CRRC, PAGE J18

Tim Brennan ing the treatment process. With a creditable action plan in place to regain “Class B” fishable, swimmable water quality in the Connecticut, it was clear we’d need a broad coalition of partners to transition from a planning to doing if there was to be real progress implementing this ambitious cleanup agenda. Soon after came the establishment of the Connecticut River Cleanup Committee, comprised of key officials from the affected communities, engaged federal and state legislators, an expanding “navy” of volunteers,

SEE PVPC, PAGE J16

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The transit systems in those two cities are CRRC’s next customers. Los Angeles has ordered 64 subway cars at a cost of $178.4 million, with an option for 218 more beginning in 2021. CRRC will build 45 double-decker passenger cars for SEPTA, Greater Philadelphia’s transit system, for $137.5 million. SEPTA has an option to purchase 10 additional cars after that. That’s in addition to the cars CRRC is building for the T in Boston. In 2014, CRRC received a $566 million contract from the MBTA to build 152 Orange Line cars and 252 Red Line cars at its Page Boulevard site in East Springfield. In 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. Production began on the first Orange Line cars in April, and CRRC started shipping them to the MBTA in Boston in December. In January, the MBTA announced that the Orange Line cars would enter passenger service in the spring. The rollout was delayed from January because MBTA had difficulty testing train control equipment made by French company Alstom. Production on the initial MBTA Red Line cars begins this spring and will ramp up through 2019. When the factory is fully ramped up in 2021, it’ll be making four distinct cars for the three cities. At 204,000 square feet, the $95 million CRRC factory is big enough for three and a half football fields and represents the largest industrial investment in Springfield in generations. But it was

overshadowed in 2018 by the opening of the $1 billion MGM Springfield resort casino across town. CRRC MA employs approximately 213. The plant in Springfield employs 126, including 71 union production workers, and the workforce on the floor is growing. It’s all business that could be imperiled, or just made more expensive and difficult,

N THE 1980S, THE PIOneer Valley Planning Commission took on the formidable challenge of cleaning up severe pollution in the Pioneer Valley’s premiere natural resource, the Connecticut River. A catalyst for action was the relatively new federal water quality standards laid out in the 1972 Clean Water Act but also a New York Times article that branded the Connecticut as the “best landscaped sewer in the country.” Advocacy led to the commonwealth committing funds to undertake a detailed assessment of the Connecticut River’s water quality problems that confirmed the source as Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs). Hundreds of CSOs were discharging millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Connecticut River during periods of precipitation or snow melt when the sewage treatment plants lacked sufficient capacity to handle it bypass-

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | J15

MANUFACTURING

Data analytics drives start-up’s success Monitoring software helps increase productivity

By LORI STABILE

Special to The Republican

icture the scene: A factory floor buzzing with machinery, cranking out parts efficiently and quickly. Suddenly, everything grinds to a halt. The machines stop working. Supervisors scurry to figure out the problem. But imagine having the technology that could predict when errors would arise, when machines would fail. That’s where MachineMetrics, an “industrial Internet of things” start-up that specializes in predictive analytics for manufacturers, enters the picture. “We can notify a customer if something is going to happen,” says CEO William M. Bither. “We’ve detected a half hour before an actual tool was going to fail that there was going to be a failure. We’re seeing that happen more and more.” Bither is a co-founder of the company, along with Eric Fogg and Jacob Lauzier. It is headquartered in Northampton. The company’s goal is to help manufacturers automate and improve performance on the factory floor. Its platform allows customers to extract information from any industrial machine in real

time so manufacturers can gain insights to operate more efficiently, explains Bither. The technology, which customers can install themselves, features patent-pending predictive notifications that can detect anomalies in the operation, reducing costly, unplanned outages, he says. The technology also allows for remote diagnosis, decreasing on-site service visits by as much as 20 percent, according to the company. The 5-year-old start-up is working with more than 100 manufacturers around the country and globally, including several in the Pioneer Valley, such as VSS CNC Inc. in Greenfield and Marox Corp. in Holyoke. Bither says his customers have seen a 10 to 20 percent increase in manufacturing efficiency within their first month using the

LEARN MORE Business: MachineMetrics Product: Machine monitoring software Where: 47 Pleasant St., Northampton For more info: Online, machine metrics.com

MachineMetrics earned the 2018 Smart Manufacturing Solution of the Year award from IoT Breakthrough. (MACHINEMETRICS PHOTO)

Customers say MachineMetrics’ machine-monitoring software is a “game-changer” to help analyze and improve productivity. The Northampton start-up recently raised $11.3 million in venture capital funding. (MACHINEMETRICS PHOTOS)

MachineMetrics platform. Data is displayed on a dashboard in a facility. If performance lags, notifications are sent, he said. There also is

valuable historical data that can be tapped and benchmarks that manufacturers can view to see how they stack up against their peers – a way to

help manufacturers stay competitive in a global market, he says. MachineMetrics recently raised $11.3 million in

funding that will help it boost its workforce and focus on global sales. This year alone, it plans to double its workforce

SEE SOFTWARE, PAGE J18

“We can notify a customer if something is going to happen. We’ve detected a half hour before an actual tool was going to fail that there was going to be a failure. We’re seeing that happen more and more.” WILLIAM M. BITHER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MACHINEMETRICS

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OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Workforce CONTINUED FROM PAGE J6

A cultivation associate waters plants at INSA’s medical marijuana facility in Easthampton. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Pot CONTINUED FROM PAGE J12

charge at 3 percent of sales, it does not explicitly preclude municipalities from requiring donations to nonprofits or charities or imposing additional fees. Practically, almost all the host agreements so far require marijuana businesses to pay more than 3 percent of sales. That is in addition to state and local taxes. The Cannabis Control Commission has asked the Legislature for authority to regulate host community agreements. It will be up to lawmakers whether to pass a legislative fix. In the meantime, an advocacy group representing marijuana growers is expected to take the commission to court. The growers say the commission already has authority to regulate these agreements.

Marijuana is packaged at New England Treatment Access in Northampton on the first day of legal recreational sales in November. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

“If there were half a dozen CEOs who were black, Latino, women or veterans ... it would build a pipeline to put diversity in the industry in a good place five years down the road.” DANIEL DELANEY, DELANEY POLICE GROUP

a decade into the economic recovery. The state unemployment rate has remained below 4 percent since April of 2016 and now stands at 3.5 percent; • Changing job requirements – Since January 2013, approximately 10.6 million jobs have been added to the U.S. economy. Of these, 71 percent have gone to individuals with a college degree compared with only 15 percent to individuals with some college but no degree and 14 percent to those with a high school diploma or less; • Demographics – If current trends continue, the Massachusetts labor force will stop growing in 10 years. That development has significant implications for economic sectors such as manufacturing, where employers are set to confront more than 100,000 job vacancies in the next decade because more than half of the manufacturing work force is 45 years of age or older and headed toward retirement; and • Lagging Productivity – The amount of output per hour of work has been weak throughout the current recovery and that has placed additional pressure on hiring. Over the past decade, productivity has been up at an average annual rate of 1.3 percent, just about half the 2.1 percent gains seen in the seven decades starting in 1947. Slow productivity growth increases the need for workers. The skilled labor shortage is affecting companies all over the world. According to the latest Manpower “Talent Shortage Survey,” 44 percent of employers across the globe report they cannot find the skills they need. The German Economic Institute recently calculated that the lack of skilled labor is costing the German economy 30 billion euros a year in GDP growth. So, what are the solutions to the work-force challenge? Don’t expect a silver bullet. The breadth and complexity of the issue means that business and government must employ a variety of approaches to bridging the skills gap. That means: • Overhauling the workforce development system to ensure that people of all ages are being taught the skills that employers demand. That overhaul is well underway in Massachusetts; • Ensuring that the public schools provide the basic skills that allow students to compete for jobs that were not even envisioned 20 years ago. Just 37 percent of Massachusetts students who finished ninth-grade in 2009 went on to complete the post-secondary credential required for most new

Since January 2013, approximately 10.6 million jobs have been added to the U.S. economy. Of these, 71 percent have gone to individuals with a college degree compared with only 15 percent to individuals with some college but no degree and 14 percent to those with a high school diploma or less. jobs. Evaluate Massachusetts public schools based not only upon college attendance rates but also on the ability of students to achieve gainful employment upon graduation; • Supporting and expanding vocational education; • Resolving the immigration issue that has cast uncertainty upon Massachusetts and other education and technology driven economies. • Expanding opportunity to the full diversity of the Massachusetts population. The unemployment rate among people of color in Massachusetts is 4.1 percent and among Latinos is 5.8 percent, versus 3.0 percent for whites. The demographic reality is that Massachusetts cannot afford to leave anyone behind; and • Encouraging collaboration among employers, schools, community colleges, universities and training providers to establish a consistent and logical path from learning to employment. Those collaborations might look something like Tech Foundry, which continues to graduate students with desperately needed information technology skills. It may look like the culinary and gaming programs that Springfield Technical Community College and Holyoke Community College developed in collaboration with MGM Springfield. It may look like the longstanding partnership between the region’s metal-machining companies and schools like Westfield Technical Academy. The demographic and technological underpinnings of the labor shortage mean the issue will transcend short-term economic cycles. The economy has bumped up against the proverbial labor wall, and it will take creativity and determination to ensure that the Massachusetts prosperity engine does not run out of gas.

enter the industry. The question will be whether those programs are enough in an industry that also includes multistate marijuana conglomerates. Kamani Jefferson, president of the Massachusetts Recreational Consumer Council, said it is difficult for small business owners to get the initial money needed to pay for things like legal fees and acquiring land. Only a small number of banks accept marijuana business, since marijuana is still illegal at the federal level. Those banks that do accept marijuana business charge high fees. “As much as they’re trying to bring down the barrier of entry, it’s still a high barrier to get into this industry,” Jefferson said. Daniel Delaney, owner of Delaney Policy Group, who lobbies on behalf of medical and recreational marijuana companies, said he would like to see the focus on social equity expanded beyond just ownership to look at who holds management and career-track positions in marijuana companies. “Part of what the Legislature said, that there has to be meaningful participation in the industry, has become shorthand for how come there are not more black and brown peo-

ple having licenses,” Delaney said. “If we look at that in a more sophisticated or nuanced way, it might create some entry opportunities. ... If there were half a dozen CEOs who were black, Latino, women or veterans ... it would build a pipeline to put diversity in the industry in a good place five years down the road.” One section of the industry that could provide additional opportunities for all types of entrepreneurs is the launch of social consumption and home delivery licenses. By summer, the Cannabis Control Commission plans to write rules to start licensing home delivery services as well as “social consumption” establishments, which could mean anything from marijuana-infused restaurants or pot bars to yoga studios or movie theaters that sell marijuana. Questions that need to be answered include how municipalities can regulate or ban these businesses, whether serving sizes will be limited, and what checks will need to be instituted to ensure minors cannot get marijuana. Another focus this year will be on enforcement. In addition to ensuring that marijuana growers and retailers follow state law, state regulators are

already grappling with how to address a potential increase in drugged driving. Gov. Charlie Baker introduced a bill that would implement the recommendations of a special committee charged with addressing drugged driving. These recommendations include applying the state’s open container law to marijuana and automatically suspending the license of a driver who is stopped and refuses a drug test. These attempts at regulation raise legal and scientific questions, since there is no single scientifically proven test that is fully accurate in testing for impairment from cannabis. Despite the challenges of a new, highly regulated industry, marijuana advocates note that the consumption of marijuana is nothing new in Massachusetts. “It’s a huge market, but it’s not a market that the licensed companies are creating,” said Karen Munkacy, CEO of the medical marijuana company Garden Remedies, which is working to open recreational stores. “It’s just we’re taking products that are being sold by criminals and are untested and can be unsafe and providing product that its tested, safe and taxed.”

Although cleaning up the Connecticut has often felt like the most consequential CONTINUED FROM PAGE J14 environmental challenge our environmental advocates and, region could face, along came ultimately, the public at large. a chorus of scientists warning This coalition, which of the potentially devastating remains active, has doggedly impacts of global warming pursued achieving the manand convincingly pointed dated federal water quality to greenhouse gas air pollution as the primary source. standards laid out back in 1972. The results, which span Tombs of research revealed that without major reductions nearly 30 years, are real and of these same greenhouse impressive. Water pollution levels in gases, the increase in annual the Connecticut have been average temperature relative reduced by over 50 percent. to pre-industrial times could Class B water quality is not rise 9 degrees by the end of the the norm on the Connecticut century – an intolerable temperature spike that a consensus north of the Holyoke Dam, agreed needed to be capped and the number of CSO-affected communities along the at no more than a 3.6 degrees Connecticut has shrunk to increase over preindustrial three — Springfield, Chicopee levels. and Holyoke. Once again, an environmenNevertheless, there’s still tal imperative had emerged substantial clean-up work but one that was global, rather to be done carrying a $300 than regional, in scope plus million price tag. That said, one enormously complicated to solve. However, failure the Connecticut River has been reclaimed as a vital asset to rein in greenhouse gases would ensure that major and it’s actually conceivable to think that by 2040, Class B adverse impacts on nations, water quality on the Connecti- world commerce, food syscut will become the norm tems, infrastructure, weather after decades of neglect and patterns and people were misuse as a waste receptacle. definitely in our future.

Within the last year, the warnings have become even more pointed and shrill with the authors of the recently released Fourth National Climate Assessment Report arguing that “climate change impacts and associated economic damages in the United States can be substantially reduced over the course of the 21st century through global-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions though the magnitude and timing of available risks vary by sector and region.” The report goes on to urge action is needed now since deep and lasting greenhouse gas emission reductions must be realized by 2050 if the desired beneficial effects are to be seen in the U.S. and elsewhere. Fortunately, there is a long and growing list of programs, projects and initiatives that our region has already put in place, or plans to, that can further reduce the Pioneer Valley’s greenhouse gas emissions. These include rail passenger and freight improvements, a wide array of energy conservation programs, an expanding portfolio of renewable energy investments, the first phase of

bringing it to the top of the region’s collective work agenda will require a 21st century form of Yankee ingenuity and the kind of grit that only true “pioneers” can muster. The solutions we devise will need to be bold and encompass three core categories: • Placing a price on greenhouse gas emissions; • Using responsible regulations to govern how much greenhouse gas air pollution can be legally emitted; and • Investing public and private sector dollars to advance The ValleyBike bike share program is one of the efforts already clean-energy research, develunderway in the Pioneer Valley to help reduce greenhouse gas opment and investments. emissions in the region, says Tim Brennan, executive director Using the example of the of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. Here, ValleyBike Connecticut River, history bicycles are enjoyed in Springfield’s South End neighborhood. demonstrates that when (HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) the region comes together tremendous progress can be the ValleyBike bike share pro- worldwide greenhouse gas realized. We now must learn gram, a toolbox of innovative emissions. Correspondingly, to multitask as we also turn zoning and smart growth land it’s the only reliable way to our attention to beyond the use measures, and ongoing ef- protect the Pioneer Valley’s Connecticut River to tackle forts to boost, rather than cut, economy, environment, health the ominous threats posed public transit services while and quality of life from enter- by climate change and steel electric buses are added to the ing a extended period of steep ourselves for the long game. decline. These efforts will PVTA’s bus fleet. Tim Brennan is executive surely be difficult, expensive Beyond these measures, director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. To learn and fraught with obstacles there are many more our more about the commission and and setbacks, but they must region will need to pursue to its work, visit the website, pvpc. be done. ensure it is fully accountable for its fair share of slashing Tackling climate change and org.

New players The host community debate is one part of a larger issue, which is the challenges facing “equity” applicants. State law requires the Cannabis Control Commission to ensure that communities disproportionately affected by enforcement of marijuana laws — often black and Latino communities and urban cities — are able to reap the benefits of the legal industry. The commission gave priority status to some “economic empowerment” applicants, but so far none have opened businesses. The commission is also starting a “social equity” program, which will offer training, technical assistance and guidance to people who have drug records or are from communities disproportionately affected by marijuana enforcement who are trying to

PVPC

Richard C. Lord is president and CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts. To learn more about the organization, go online to aimnet.org.

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OUTLOOK 2019

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Station

Software

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community policing meetings and other community events. There is office space available and the redevelopment authority shows it regularly, according to executive director Christopher J. Moskal. Three possible operators have expressed interest in the first-floor restaurant space, including Andy Yee and Peter Picknelly, who have proposed a quick-serve version of the Fort there. Yee says negotiations with the redevelopment authority hinge on who will pay for renovations to proposed banquet space in the station and just how that space must look and how it would be managed. The City Council in May approved $145,606 in supplemental funds for Union Station’s operational budget to prevent a deficit in the station’s first year of operation. Kennedy emphasizes that folks need to look at what Union Station and the $103 million renovation there means for the neighborhood and the city. “I can point to $300,000 in city tax revenue,” he says. That includes Way Finders and investments the SilverBrick Lofts and SilverBrick Square apartments, the planned renovation of the former Willys-Overland building and the planned retail center at the old Registry of Motor Vehicles location on Liberty Street. Way Finders expects to have its new 33,000-square-foot housing center and corporate offices completed in early 2020. It’s a $16 million project that includes the $9 million in construction and the $2.75 million Way Finders paid Peter Pan for the property. Way Finders needs the new space to grow its programs, according to president and CEO Peter Gagliardi. Building at the former bus station site makes Way Finders accessible to bus riders who take PVTA to Union Station, as well as to highway travelers. Way Finders sold its current

to more than 50 employees, Bither says. The company will focus on growing its data science and product development teams. “We’re always looking for talent,” he says, adding the growth plan is part of the company’s mission to bring business back to the Connecticut River valley. Bither, a former mechanical engineer for United Technologies in Connecticut, recognizes there was a “huge amount of data being generated by machines,” but that data was not being used to make them more efficient. That’s where he got the idea for his business. “This is one of those spaces that’s been elusive to manufacturing,” he says. The company’s growth necessitated a move into a new office in Northampton at 47 Pleasant St., and it also recently opened a second office in Cambridge. Seattle-based Tola Capital led the Series A venture capital round, with participation from Boston area-based firms Hyperplane Venture Capital, Long River Ventures, Mass Ventures, Hub Angels and Firebolt Ventures. “Now is the Internet moment for manufacturing,” Bither said in a statement. “Because we’re pulling data from thousands of machines, we’re able to gain a unique understanding of their problems. These insights are delivered back to our customers so they can take action to gain a competitive edge.” Mike Mugno, vice president of Tsugami-Rem Sales in Windsor, Connecticut, is among customers who call MachineMetrics’ service a “game-changer.” “We can now provide faster, better service because we’re collecting data that really didn’t exist before,” Mugno says.

Passengers wait in Springfield Union Station’s main concourse in December. (HOANG “LEON” NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

location in the South End to Balise Motor Sales. Gagliardi said he hopes Way Finders’ presence can bring more development, especially to the old Kittredge Restaurant Equipment and Supplies building at the end of Liberty Street. Union Station is on track to see 3.1 million visitors in 2019 if passengers on the trains, intercity buses and PVTA buses are all taken into account, Kennedy said. PVTA uses Union Station as a hub, and many people change buses there, although they need not go into the building if they are not buying another ticket or a pass. In 2018, the Connecticut Department of Transportation started running its CTrail commuter train service with Springfield Union Station as the northern terminus. There are now 24 daily weekday trips between Hartford and Springfield, including a new one added in November. Weekend service also was enhanced with 22 trips on

setts Department of Transportation begins offering north-south train service from Springfield to Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield with CTrail equipment under contract with the state of Connecticut. Starting this summer, there will be four trains, one northbound and one southbound in the morning and again in the afternoon. Between now and then, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission will work to drum up support and ridership. It is a demonstration project. So, if riders don’t respond and buy Crews work on train tracks outside Springfield Union Station tickets, the state won’t continue in December. (HOANG “LEON” NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN) the service past the first year. Massachusetts is also studytrains up to modern safety weekend days. and handicapped accessibility ing the possibility of increased Also in 2018, work began standards. The project will be east-west passenger rail from on $8.2 million in improvements to Platform C at Union open to the public in June. Boston to Worcester and Station, which will bring the It’ll give Union Station more Springfield and possibly as far place where people board capacity when the Massachu- as Pittsfield.

Building at the former bus station site makes Way Finders accessible to bus riders who take PVTA to Union Station, as well as to highway travelers.

MachineMetrics’ machine analytics software helps manufacturers track data that can be used to help predict when errors would occur or machines would fail. (MACHINEMETRICS PHOTO)

CRRC CONTINUED FROM PAGE J14

Quabbin Wire & Cable Co. has “hundreds of customers” and ships its harsh environment cable, commercial data cable, digital AV and lighting control cable, and general purpose wire and cable all over North America. Here are some of the wires and cables produced by the company. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

Wire CONTINUED FROM PAGE J13

innovation, new products and good service.” James F. Rivernider Jr., chief technology officer, says the company started out in the data business, catering to office spaces. In the last five to 10 years, similar cable to what is being used in offices also is being used on the factory floor, but that cable has to be tougher as it is exposed to solvents, chemicals and continuous movement. That’s the harsh environment cable product line, which he explains is the most lucrative. Applications for this type of cable include automotive manufacturing, oil and gas, robotic control, food and beverage, military, transportation and solar, along with natural resource exploration.

Quabbin Wire & Cable Co., the maker of data communications Cable, has approximately 100 employees and operates out of a 140,000-square-foot former textile mill at 10 Maple St. in Ware. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

Paul D. Engel borrowed $15,000 back in 1975 to start Quabbin Wire & Cable Co. Today, the manufacturing plant for the business is situated in a former textile mill in Ware, generating annual revenue of about $25 million. To view a gallery of photos about the business, go online to MassLive.com. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

Its DataMax cables for commercial data use are used in data centers, commercial buildings, and sectors including education, finance, government and health care, as well as residential, wireless

and telecommunications. “As we say, there’s a lot of wire in wireless,” Rivernider notes. Rivernider says the company is “fairly diverse” in its markets and customers,

something company officials believe is critical to its longterm success. And, Engel notes the company “very carefully” recruits employees, as they want the “best people we can find.” “Employees are the most valuable asset in any company,” according to Engel. Engel says he’s had “hundreds, if not thousands, of offers” from competitors to buy his company and consolidate. But he’s committed to the company and in it for the

long haul. “Our almost 45-year history is proof that we can survive and thrive,” he says. “We have the internal talent and experience to do what it takes to meet economic challenges, and every year we’ve built financial strength that enables us to weather tougher times. We closely monitor pricing and continually work to reduce product costs while retaining the quality and reliability that our customers have grown to expect.”

“Our almost 45-year history is proof that we can survive and thrive.” PAUL D. ENGEL, OWNER AND PRESIDENT, QUABBIN WIRE & CABLE CO.

exemptions from the tariffs. As of early 2019, CRRC had not heard back on those exemptions. CRRC has a powerful ally in U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield. Neal is now chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, including tariffs. Neal has said he’s working to stop bills proposed in both the House and the Senate in 2018 that would have banned the use of federal money on transit equipment from China. Lawmakers behind those bills say CRRC, the largest maker of railroad rolling stock in the world, is using subsidies from the Chinese government to dump product into the U.S. market at below cost and put competitors out of business. CRRC came to Springfield because the state, under then-Gov. Deval Patrick, went without federal money for the Red and Orange Line orders so it could force bidders to set up shop somewhere in the state. That set off a bidding war with various manufacturers staking out different locations. There are no domestic players in the transit car industry.

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BUSINESS MONDAY: DevelopSpringfield powers forward, tomorrow in Section D

Outlook K

| SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

MANUFACTURING

Experience helps brush off competition James Hagan

Drive to improve, innovate is part of Westfield Bank culture

Above, Mark N. Borsari is the president of Palmer-based Sanderson MacLeod Inc., which employs 120 people in its factory that produces twisted-wire brush products. At right, Andri Laizer, production personnel manager, stands on the manufacturing floor. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTOS)

“We want to continuously be pushing the borders of what we can do with our products.” MARK BORSARI, CEO, SANDERSON MACLEOD INC., PALMER

Sanderson-MacLeod powers survival with innovation

W By Lori Stabile

Special to The Republican

hen Hollywood came calling, Sanderson MacLeod Inc. didn’t give the request the brush-off.

The year was 1958. A makeup artist who wanted a better way to apply mascara to the eyes of his movie star clients contacted the brush maker.

At the time, mascara was applied using something akin to a wood screw. With three employees and a few machines, company founders Ken Sanderson and Bruce MacLeod invented the first twisted-wire mascara brush, creating an industry standard that was widely developed by major cosmetic companies. More than 60 years later, Sanderson MacLeod is still going strong, with approximately 120 employees at its South Main Street location in Palmer. Cosmetic brushes remain one of its four major brush markets,

SEE BRUSH, PAGE K16

Palmer’s Sanderson MacLeod is one of the last remaining dedicated twisted-wire brush manufacturers in the world. (SANDERSON MACLEOD PHOTO)

T HAS BEEN SAID THAT change is the only constant. It’s true for people, it’s true for communities and it’s true for Westfield Bank. Over the course of our own lives, we see advances in technology and systems that can seem routine at the time, but when we step back and take the long view, it’s incredible how far we have come – and how much potential we have as we move forward. In the 166 years of our existence, Westfield Bank has seen an enormous amount of change. When the original “Westfield Savings Bank” made its debut in 1853 with a single office in downtown Westfield, it promised customers a better way to secure their money – and it delivered on that promise, year after year, with straightforward savings and lending products, with all transactions done in person. Back then, Westfield was a manufacturing hub for a wide variety of items like cigars, bicycles, pipe organs and, significantly, horse whips. But as horse travel SEE HAGAN, PAGE K13

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING

Tiny learners, huge impact $14M Educare Springfield takes shape in Old Hill The Springfield Innovation Center at 270 Bridge St. is nearing completion in downtown Springfield. The new, 10,000-squarefoot center, overseen by Valley Venture Mentors, is among several co-working and incubator spaces offered up and down the Pioneer Valley. See a gallery of photos online at MassLive.com. (HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

Entrepreneurship alive, thriving all across Western Mass.

Kristin Leutz

S WE LOOK TO THE future, we can be certain that entrepreneurs will change our lives. We have already seen this happen with the rise of wearable technology, the sharing economy, and on-demand entertainment and shopping. We no longer get information, watch a movie, buy socks, or take a ride to the airport in SEE LEUTZ, PAGE K10

By Carolyn Robbins

Special to The Republican

The biggest development in education in Western Massachusetts this year is aimed at the tiniest learners – children from birth to 5 years old. Educare Springfield – a $14 million, nationally recognized early childhood center under construction in INSIDE the Old Hill neighborhood, Higher ed partone of the poorest in the city ners for innova– will open this fall, serving tion, Page K8 141 children and their families who will be selected from the region’s Head Start program. The Davis Foundation, an early childhood education advocate, is the lead partner in pushing for the new center, which will be one of 25 Educare centers

At the Sept. 17 groundbreaking, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno stand at the construction site of the new Educare Springfield early childhood center. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

SEE EDUCARE, PAGE K15

Educare Springfield — a $14 million, nationally recognized early childhood center under construction in the Old Hill neighborhood, one of the poorest in the city — will open this fall, serving 141 children and their families who will be selected from the region’s Head Start program. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Rethinking plastic wrap, 1 Z Wrap at a time DIY afternoon evolves into growing business

own these wraps and give them as gifts,” she says. “I thought, ‘Let’s go BY ELIZABETH LaFOND-COPPEZ for it!” Special to The Republican All Z Wraps Growing up in a family of creators, are colorful and it’s no surprise that Michelle Zimora bright with artwork designed by is where she is today, selling a very Susy Pilgrim Waunique product across the country. Only in business since January 2018, ters, of Boston. Z Wraps – reusable wraps for food – “It took a while are being sold in 180 stores nationally, to find a designer and online through its website. to work with us Michelle Zimora, owner Z Wraps, made of cotton, organic in the beginning, and creator of Z Wraps, beeswax, organic jojoba oil and tree as we were very based in Easthampton, resin, are created and packaged in the small and just displays three Z Wrap deEastworks building in Easthampton. starting out,” signs inside her studio at “Our goal is to save 17 million rolls Zimora says. the Eastworks building. of plastic wrap from going into our Her “Farmer’s Above, a Z Wrap is folded environment,” Zimora says. Market” design is into a small bag to hold Zimora suggests simply starting the most popular, pretzel treats for on-thewith one thing to help reduce the use and Zimora found go snacking. Z Wraps are of plastic. You can use Z Wraps for that sketch buried made of cotton, organic wrapping cheese, vegetables or bread in Pilgrim Water’s beeswax, organic jojoba as well as for covering a casserole dish Instagram feed. oil and tree resin. (ELIZABETH and placing it in the refrigerator. “When I saw the LAFOND-COPPEZ PHOTOS) “It’s a heart hug,” she says. “And, it radish, I knew feels good when you don’t reach for gland Made Trade Show in Portland, that was it!” that zip-lock bag drawer.” Maine, in March of 2018. I opened 40 Z Wraps were first sold online at The Z Wrap story begins during accounts that weekend, and I knew it Etsy.com, but Zimora says it proved a simple do-it-yourself afternoon. was time to get serious about this.” difficult for them to be noticed. Zimora, a former outdoor educator, Locally, Zimora has received “I started bringing my Z Wraps to noticed her friend’s blog had a post kitchenware stores, and we got a great substantial support from businesses about how to make reusable wraps. like the Baker’s Pin in Northampton, response,” she explains.

Easthampton’s Eastworks Building,” she adds. Z Wraps are sold in various sizes, and they last six to 12 months. Gently wash and air dry Z Wraps after each use, and they can be used over and over again. Looking back, Zimora says the most amazing part of her entrepreneur experience is the people who have helped her along the way. “You really can go from outdoor education teacher to startup business entrepreMICHELLE ZIMORA, FOUNDER, Z WRAPS neur with no experience and make it Since her mother taught her to sew, Zimora then went to Valley Venture along with River Valley Co-op, Provi- happen,” she says. For all the entrepreneurs out there, she went to work, using her collection Mentors and was accepted into the ac- sions and the Cedar Chest in Thorne’s celerator program for entrepreneurs. Market, all in Northampton. Zimora suggests checking out Valley of fabric and a block of beeswax. Receiving many comments about “I endured a high learning curve, but “All of our labels are printed by Venture Mentors. Also helpful, she how her wrap looked, Zimora’s busiI loved it and soaked it up,” she says. Hadley Printing, and we work really says, is to listen to the NPR series, ness concept was settled. “To me, our business really kicked hard on sourcing locally and support- “How I Built This.” “I realized people would be proud to off when we attended the New Ening local businesses. We love being in Zimora hopes her product’s success

“You really can go from outdoor education teacher to startup business entrepreneur with no experience and make it happen.”

LEARN MORE Business: Z Wraps Product: Reusable wraps for food Where: Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St., Easthampton For more info: Online, Myzwraps. com

will inspire many to make baby steps toward preserving our environment. “We need to take responsibility, and it’s nice that there can be easier solutions and to start off slow. And, it’s nice to have a beautiful option, too!” You can find Z Wraps online at myzwraps.com. You can see Zimora in the PeoplesBank Innovation Series on YouTube at bankatpeoples.com/ home/community/innovation

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Sharing the cookie love Passion, tenacity helped deliver sweet success By ELIZABETH LaFOND-COPPEZ

Special to The Republican

Rafael Rivera, owner of RNS Multi-Cleaning Service, credits the SPARK EforAll Holyoke program with helping his small business grow and prosper. “It’s like a dream. It’s a great program, and they put me in the right direction,” he says. (ELIZABETH LAFOND-COPPEZ PHOTO)

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Holyoke effort sparks small business growth 57 businesses have graduated from courses launched in ’15 By ELIZABETH LaFOND-COPPEZ

Special to The Republican

Business ideas are becoming reality thanks to SPARK EforAll Holyoke, an innovative collaboration helping entrepreneurs across Massachusetts. The Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce SPARK program began in 2015, and, as its three-year grant came to a close, SPARK joined forces with EforAll (Entrepreneurs for All), a nonprofit based in Lowell. Director Tessa Murphy-Romboletti says EforAll started a few years before SPARK. “We modeled SPARK after EforAll – the goal is to help residents in gateway cities like Holyoke find success in their business endeavors.” According to its website, EforAll believes the best way to revitalize mid-sized cities that suffer high rates of poverty and unemployment is to fuel entrepreneur dreams, as their ideas and solutions have the potential to make their city prosper again. Anyone in Holyoke with a business idea, or a current business that needs growth, can

“Holyoke has been an amazing place to grow our business,” says John Grossman, co-owner of Holyoke Hummus Co. with his wife, Dawn Cordeiro. Cordeiro is a graduate of the original Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce SPARK program and now volunteers as a guest speaker and teacher with SPARK EforAll Holyoke. (ELIZABETH LAFOND-COPPEZ PHOTO)

apply for and attend SPARK EforAll’s 12-week course. The course is offered twice a year – winter and summer. “The 12-week course is really intensive,” Murphy-Romboletti says. “It meets twice a week, and, in addition to those two classes, students meet with a team of mentors as well.” SPARK EforAll Holyoke has a large team of volunteers helping to turn ideas into reality. “We’ve had about 107 graduates in three years. That

SEE SPARKS, PAGE K9

Sheila Coon experienced a journey of hurdles, but her passion and tenacity brought her sweet success. Hot Oven Cookies, which recently opened at 1597 Main St. in downtown Springfield, is owned and operated by Coon and her husband, David. Fresh, decadent cookies are available individually, by the dozen or for large events. Customers can also indulge in their famous Cookie Cup Sundae, cold brew or hot coffee, Italian sodas or ice-cold milk. Coon says she’s a very humble person to tell her story. “My story is about faith in God and in humanity,” she shares. “To be where we are today is insane.” Coon has many fond memories of her grandmother cooking in front of the stove with a bottomless pot of savory food. “My grandmother was not a trained chef, but she was a spectacular cook,” she remembers. Coon’s mother found passion in baking and started her own business, selling peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies. “I couldn’t figure out whose joy was the largest – my mother’s for baking, or for the customer as they received a bag of fresh cookies,” Coon says. “That’s a memory that stuck with me for a long time.” Coon certainly had her family’s talent for cooking and baking, but it took many years for her to embrace her inner baker. At 15, Coon had her first son. Her grandfather hoped Coon would become a lawyer. So Coon earned her GED at age 16, and at age 17, she enrolled at Springfield Technical Community College. “I would take three PVTA buses from Easthampton to get to my classes

Sheila Coon, left, founder and owner of Hot Oven Cookies, recently opened her first brickand-mortar store in downtown Springfield. Hot Oven Cookies offers fresh-baked, gourmet cookies with a changing menu, all made from scratch. The business has grown from a delivery service to a food cart to a storefront. (ELIZABETH LAFOND-COPPEZ PHOTOS)

LEARN MORE Business: Hot Oven Cookies Product: Freshbaked, gourmet cookies Where: 1597 Main St., Springfield For more info: Online, hot ovencookies. com

in Springfield, and bring my son with me,” she remembers. Coon then transferred to Elms College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies. “At this time, I had four children under the age of 5, and it was sweet chaos,” she remembers. “But I graduated and made dean’s list every semester.” Coon immediately got a job as a paralegal, but she realized it wasn’t what she expected. She enrolled in the culi-

nary program at Holyoke Community College, and it was there that she had an epiphany. “Sitting in that classroom with my shiny new shoes and chef hat made me so happy,” she remembers. But Coon could not finish her culinary program at Holyoke Community College. “Things at home unraveled,” she explains. Coon’s husband at the time fell into addiction, and they became homeless

SEE COOKIE, PAGE K6

“You won’t find cookies like mine anywhere else. The cookie flavor ideas came from my mind and the minds of my children, and our journey is folded into the business and into the cookie dough.” Sheila Coon, Hot Oven Cookies

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | K3

Inspiring change for WMass women, girls

OR OVER 20 YEARS, THE country and beyond. Women’s Fund of Western Our community investments are Massachusetts has been creat- made with an eye toward bringing ing opportunities for women new, needed initiatives to the region, and girls across the four westernmost amplifying what is already working counties. in our region, strengthening the nonWhat formulated as an idea on a trip profits that serve women and girls, to the United Nations Fourth World and giving women and girls the tools Conference on Women in Beijing, to disrupt systems that have kept China, has become women and girls a transformative from realizing their organization that full potential. pools the resources These investments of women and allies result in real change to create access and for women, girls and opportunities for the organizations women and girls. that serve them. We What have we see leaders throughlearned from our out our region like past? Northampton Police We have come Chief Jody Kasper Donna Haghighat to appreciate that and Pittsfield Mayor we must be agile to Linda Tyer, both of respond to the dywhom honed their namic needs of women and girls in a leadership skills in our Leadership region that is changing. To best invest Institute for Public and Political in our communities we need to be a Impact (LIPPI), and women like part of the communities and listen to Chelsea Kline and Tahirah Amital our community. As founding execuWahdud, who gained the courage to tive director Kristi Nelson has taught run for elective office thanks, in part, us, every woman has needs and every to LIPPI. woman has resources. We have also Shirley Edgerton, who has been learned that those closest to the pain doing transformative work with are closest to the solution and that our young women of color in Pittsfield, is values should be reflected within our able to focus on these young women organization. thanks to a fiscal sponsorship with Like a philanthropic mutual fund the women’s fund. To date, we are dithat focuses on women and girls, we rectly changing the lives of 39 young make community investments that women through our Young Women’s are informed by up-to-date data on Initiative, young women like Ramona, who got to speak on the national the challenges and opportunities faced by women and girls in Western stage at last year’s United State of Women Summit immediately before Massachusetts, as well as by innovative approaches we learn about from Michelle Obama took the stage. our peer women’s funds across the As the only foundation focused on

pact is stepping into their leadership through a dozen day-long sessions led by our former executive director, Carla Oleska, and Daisy Hernandez, herself a LIPPI alumna. As we innovate for the future and work toward a world where women and girls can realize their full potential and enjoy equal access to opportunities, we do so knowing that many such opportunities do not yet exist. At our Mentor Match event which pairs women from the community with our program participants, we encourage the young women in our Young Women’s Initiative for instance, to learn about careers they don’t think they are interested in now Founding members of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts gather because what they often discover is that most women have crossed secin 1998, including, from left, Kristi Nelson, the first executive director, Dianne Fuller Doherty, Joan Hastings and Sally Livingston. Livingston died at tors within their professional life and that many are working in professions the age of 71 in Washington on Oct. 4 after a long battle with brain cancer. All will be honored on March 18 at an event marking the 20th anniversary of that didn’t exist when they were in high school. The takeaway for our the organization. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE) young women isn’t as much about women and girls, we share timely, the actual profession as it is about comprehensive information about learning how others have pivoted in IF YOU GO women and girls in Western Massatheir careers. Event: Vivid Vocal Visionary, honchusetts. In the past year alone, we At the Women’s Fund of Western oring the founders of the Women’s have given the tools to “own their Massachusetts we know that a more Fund of Western Massachusetts expertise” and provide salary negotijust and equitable society where When: March 18, 5-8 p.m. ation skills. everyone can prosper is possible and Where: Tower Square Hotel, 2 We will hold a convening of nonThe way forward is through women Boland Way, Springfield profits serving women and girls and and girls. We have seen firsthand that Cost: $125 when we invest in women and girls tailor the convening around the chalFor more info: Online, mywomensfund.org lenges and opportunities they face. they, in turn, create changes needed We have brought the transformato make our vision a reality. tive Young Women’s Initiative to Springfield, a program that centers Donna Haghighat is CEO of the to learn about public policy, philanthropy, financial literacy and grantaround the barriers that girls and Women’s Fund of Western Massamaking, all while receiving a stipend chusetts, 1350 Main St., Suite 1006, young women of color in particular, for their participation. Springfield. To learn more about the and particularly those identifying as Our ninth cohort of our Leadership women’s fund and its work, go online to LGBTQI face and provide these girls Mywomensfund.org. and young women with the education Institute for Political and Public Imand tools for them

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Looking to ignite a women-led economy for Western Mass. Angel investment, mentoring group backs entrepreneurs By NATASHA ZENA

Special to The Republican

As Springfield continues its entrepreneurial renaissance, Women Innovators & Trailblazers is making sure women entrepreneurs don’t get left behind. Co-founders Ann Burke, of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts, and Liz Roberts, angel investor and former Valley Venture Mentors CEO, wanted to spark a women-led economy. They started brainstorming by organizing a group of heavy-hitting women business leaders, including former MassLive president Allison Werder and Golden Seeds managing director Katherine Putnam. The first meeting attracted a handful of women. By the third meeting, more than 20 women, representing universities, start-ups and business incubators, gathered to bring the effort’s vision into focus. One of the most pressing problems facing women entrepreneurs is lack of access to capital, they say. While Women Innovators & Trailblazers, known by the acronym WIT, offers women community, education and mentoring, Roberts and Putnam focus on the funding arm and strategized on the best way to raise $1 million to create a fund to invest in high-growth, women-led companies in the region. Only 7 percent of venture capital goes to women and the funding gap is abysmal

when you take into account the difference in the number of deals and the average deal size by gender, according to Roberts. “Everyone’s looking for money or seed capital. We started with an established, equity-based model and an ambitious $1 million goal for the fund,” Roberts says. “Yet, we soon realized a $1 million fund has many of the same complexities and operational needs as a $100 million fund.” They reached nearly $400,000 in commitments, “but we needed to hit $500,000 to trigger the paperwork to make the fund viable,” she explains. When creating a new fund, it’s often a chicken-and-egg scenario. You have to have an area ripe for investment in order to lure investment

years ago. In 2016, Title III Crowdfunding was legalized which allows non-accredited investors with less than $1 million in net worth to invest in businesses online and gain equity shares in companies. WIT could essentially use an online platform like MainVest to raise funds or steer away from equity-based funding altogether, opting for a debt payment structure, the organizers believe. Roberts and Putnam have been traveling to research how gateway cities are creatively fundraising. The group is also interested in potentially bringing Golden Seeds, a national angel group with active chapters in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston and Dallas, to Western Massachusetts women who have

“Everyone’s looking for money or seed capital. We started with an established, equity-based model and an ambitious $1 million goal for the fund.” Liz Roberts, co-founder, Women Innovators & Trailblazers

dollars, but you also have to have rich investment opportunities to entice entrepreneurs to stay put and not relocate to larger cities with more fundraising opportunities, Roberts explains. To nurture cities like Springfield that have investment potential, you need seasoned mentors to help business owners become investment-ready, according to Putnam. WIT has options that others looking to fundraise didn’t have just three

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expressed interest in angel investment. An introductory course on angel investing was scheduled last week in Springfield with the support of Valley Venture Mentors. “If there’s a message for 2019 business outlook, it’s more that funding vehicles are evolving and changing and WIT is committed to doing this in an approach that is supportive,” Putnam says. To learn more about Women Innovators & Trailblazers, go online to the website, witrocks.org.

Get started now at bankatpeoples.com

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K4 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

“We have to have those products and they have to be robust. There is an expectation that your technology is state of the art.” MATTHEW S. SOSIK, BANKESB

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Insurance agents account for 9,000 jobs, $1 billion impact

W Florence Bank held a celebratory ribbon-cutting for its Sixteen Acres branch at 1444 Allen St. in Springfield on Jan. 16. Bank president CEO John F. Heaps Jr., left, joined with Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, vice president and branch manager Nikki Gleason, state Rep. Angelo Puppolo, D-Springfield, and Springfield City Councilor Michael Fenton to mark the occasion. (HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

BANKING & FINANCE

Banks grow by getting smaller Technology spurs new approaches, closings, mergers By Jim Kinney

jkinney@repub.com

Fewer people make fewer trips to the bank these days, so banks are building branches with fewer teller lines. But they are still building branches. “You need that presence,” said John F. Heaps Jr., president and CEO of Florence Bank, as he showed off the new branch at 1444 Allen St. in Springfield’s Sixteen Acres neighborhood. “If we are going to grow organically, then we need to have these offices.” The branch, which opened in December, is highly visible and a great complement to Florence Bank’s growth and helps it build business deposits, Heap said. The new office is Florence Bank’s first in Springfield and its second in Hampden County, following one that opened at 1010 Union St. in West Springfield in September 2017. Like the West Springfield location, the Allen Street branch has just two teller stations staffed by employees who can do more customer service functions, like open new accounts, than a traditional teller. Branch managers and assistant managers can originate mortgages and business loans. Staffers at Florence Bank locations can also demonstrate technology, Heaps said. “Our branch layout is conducive to consultations. Smaller footprint is working as expected,” he said. Florence Bank will add one or two new branches in the next few years, Heaps said. The locations are not public yet. With high employment and low interest rates — especially long-term rates for

New Valley Bank & Trust Co. recently opened its headquarters in Monarch Place in downtown Springfield. (HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

mortgages — bankers are optimistic that business will be good in 2019. A group of industry veterans is starting a new bank from scratch in 2019. That’s something that hasn’t happened in Springfield in a dozen years. New Valley Bank & Trust Co. has preliminary OKs from state and federal regulators and plans to open offices in early 2019. Before that, New Valley Bank & Trust must raise $25 million to $30 million in capital, money it will use to make loans as it begins business, said Jeff Sullivan, New Valley’s proposed president and CEO. New Valley has contacted about 500 potential investors. Its focus will be on business lending with local decision makers and providing household accounts to folks that have been shut out of the banking system due to past missteps. When it comes to those household accounts and home mortgages, the market here is not growing because the population is not growing very fast. And

market forces favor larger banks with big customer bases to cover fixed costs like technology and regulatory compliance. Those forces lead to mergers and fewer banks, not more banks. Every bank, no matter how small, must provide the same technology — online and mobile banking, remote deposit — as national competitors, said Matthew S. Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB and the Hometown Financial Group in Easthampton. “We have to have those products and they have to be robust,” he said. “There is an expectation that your technology is state of the art.” Easthampton Savings Bank, now called bankESB, merged holding companies with Hometown Community Bancorp in 2015. In 2018, the merged holding company bought out Pilgrim Bank in Cohasset, a transaction that will be finalized in early 2019.

The staff of the Polish National Credit Union stands on the red carpet in October at the Reader Raves 2019 honorees celebration at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Polish National was honored as the Best Credit Union. President and CEO James Kelly says it’s been Polish National’s mission to “focus seamlessly on the needs of our members.” (HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

Credit union changes with times

NCE UPON A TIME, the Polish National Credit Union invited members – and potential members – to simply “Click, Call, or Come In” for reliable financial products and services designed with them in mind. It was basically a “Pick One” choice. Times change. Today, Polish National Credit Union delivers that same promise to members through an omni-channel environment that provides a high level of blended service no matter what approach they use. We have positioned ourselves to meet today’s challenges. We are able to focus seamlessly on the needs of our members no matter how they interact with us at any particular time – by computer or tablet, mobile,

changed, and we’ve changed, too. No matter when, where, or how our members interact with us, we’re able to provide them with a seamless approach that meets their needs across any channel. We’ve focused squarely on our members, and on providing the personal and business products and services most James Kelly meaningful to them. A long, successful history ATM, or in person. has brought us to where we They can glide across Polish are today. But, time doesn’t National Credit Union’s contact stand still, and neither have we. touchpoints simply, seamlessly, We’re proud to have kept pace and consistently. with the needs, expectations, By focusing on member and comfort level of our memneeds and expectations rather bers, no matter what banking than their own, we have turned channel they use. A commitment to putting the tables. members first reflects the past, Today’s banking isn’t yesSEE KELLY, PAGE K9 terday’s banking. Times have

SEE BANKS, PAGE K10

E LIVE IN A insurance agencies across the world of choices. commonwealth, including From the cereal over 170 right here in Westaisle at the grocery ern Massachusetts. These small and medium-sized store, to the TV channels available through our stream- local businesses employ over ing services, we are free to 9,000 workers and contribute choose the products that work approximately $1.022 billion best for us. In most cases, this annually to the Massachusetts freedom is wonderful. When economy. Our agencies offer predominantly property and it comes to breakfast cereal, casualty inwe know what surance to we like and a consumers and bad choice has businesses, as no lasting consequences. But well as life and health prodwhat about picking a product ucts. where the wrong Our association goes decision can be above and devastating? beyond in our I am talking commitment about insurance. Nick Fyntrilakis to consumers. Your home and We advocate auto purchases for policies that make the will be some of the largest financial decisions you’ll ever insurance industry more make. Sure, you can spend 15 transparent, more competitive, and fairer for all. Our minutes, click a few buttons on a website, and scratch efforts in the last legislative “insurance” off your to-do session included a bill to end list. But can you trust that the bait-and-switch tactics of you made the right choices to online auto insurance quotprotect your investments if the ing, a bill to remove outdated and burdensome application unthinkable happens? requirements, and a bill to Peace of mind is one of the streamline business-to-busimany reasons residents and ness commercial transactions business owners across the – among others. commonwealth turn to independent insurance agencies Independent agencies have to buy their insurance. When been serving their communiyou work with an independent ties for decades. A recent study agent in your community, you found that 11 percent of local agencies have been doing busiare building a personal and ness in Massachusetts for over ongoing relationship. Your 100 years! But independent agent is a licensed professional who gets to know you, agencies also embrace the grows with you, and guides newest ways to provide excepyou through the impenetrable tional service, integrating conthicket of available coverages sumer-friendly technologies that allow them to engage with from various insurance providers. It is literally their job you online as easily as they do to help you to make the right on Main Street. Working with an indepenchoices – regardless of provider – and get the appropriate dent insurance agency gives protection for the best value. you the best of both worlds: a Independent agents untradition of exceptional, local derstand their clients so well service alongside innovative because they are deeply emofferings that help you make bedded in their communities. informed choices for some of Your independent agent may the biggest and most important investments of your life. also be your neighbor, your child’s Little League coach, or To find your nearest local a volunteer firefighter. In 2017, agent, visit the website, inde Massachusetts Association of pendentagentfinder.com, today. Insurance Agents members contributed $8.6 million to Nick Fyntrilakis is president charity and did countless and CEO of the Massachusetts hours of volunteer work with Association of Insurance Agents. local civic, cultural and religious organizations. To learn more about the association and its work, go online to The association represents massagent.com. over 1,200 independent

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BANKING & FINANCE

PeoplesBank holds strong to Holyoke roots additions made during its evolution as a dining venue structurally sound. It’s meant updating heating and plumbing systems, added reinforcing steel beams where needed and By CYNTHIA G. SIMISON preparing what’s being kept csimison@repub.com from its past for the future. PeoplesBank president and “We are a Holyoke bank, CEO Thomas Senecal says we were founded in Holyoke there are four pillars that drive and still view ourselves as a the bank’s mission. They go by Holyoke bank,” says Senecal the acronym ICEE. in explaining why the Pedlar Innovation. project has evolved as a major Community. Employees. Environment. When PeoplesBank’s transformation of the former site of the landmark Yankee Pedlar restaurant on Route 5 in Holyoke is complete later this year, you’ll find each of those pillars represented there, Senecal says. While the original Hildreth house that was the centerpiece of the Pedlar looms large over the worksite these days, Senecal says there’s been much work done that isn’t outwardly visible to passersby along one of the most heavily traveled intersections in the Paper City. And there is still much work to be accomplished. The house was once the undertaking for PeoplesBank, home of John Hildreth, who both financially and philosophically. “We are rooted was a treasurer and board in this community and view member of PeoplesBank, Holyoke as our number one which was founded in 1885. When the project is complete, community.”

grow, compete and survive,” says Senecal. PeoplesBank already had a significant commercial customer base south of the state line, he explains, so “it made all the sense in the world to push there.” The Suffield purchase brought four branches with it, and there are plans to add two more branches, one in Enfield and the other in East Granby, Connecticut, according to Senecal. Construction of both will begin in late spring or by summer, he says. “We continue to look south of us (for growth). We definitely have a lot on our plate for 2019 without losing focus on our Holyoke market,” Senecal At left, the house of John Hildreth, a treasurer and board memsays. The bank president says ber of PeoplesBank in Holyoke, which was most recently the he is most proud of his emYankee Pedlar restaurant, will serve as a community center as ployees for their work on each part of the new PeoplesBank banking center being developed new challenge and venture. on Route 5. This photo dates to about 1948. Western Builders “Since I became president is the lead contractor for PeoplesBank’s creation on the propin 2016, we’ve probably put erty. Above, this rendering shows the project that includes a more on their plates in the 4,600-square-foot building, three drive-through lanes and access points for cars and pedestrians on Beech and Northampton past year than in previous years in terms of projects and streets. (PEOPLESBANK PHOTO) focusing on accomplishing things to move this bank forward and improve the cusATMS for those not up-to-date the project. As it does with all tomer experience,” Senecal new construction, the bank in banking lingo), in which (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) customers in the drive-up lane says. “They have done a phewill look to have the Pedlar nomenal job of taking on so will be able to see and interact project LEED (Leadership in many tasks and handling with Pedlar property presented Energy and Environmental via monitors with real people itself at a time the bank could situated at the Whitney AveDesign) certified. “This is not efficiency, satisfaction and no disruption at all.” nue headquarters. take on the project, serve its going to look anything like So excited about the project, some of our newer branches,” customers well and keep the employees are clamoring to legacy of the building and its he stresses. “(This project) history alive in some form for take positions at the new bank- will retain the character of the Pedlar and the Hildreth house, while, at the same time, we’re trying to make it fit into the HOLYOKE COMMUNITY environment.” CHARTER SCHOOL The Pedlar project is being 2200 Northampton Street Holyoke, MA • 413-533-0111 completed in the same year Attention Parents that PeoplesBank is expanding Lottery for Student Placement southward into Connecticut. It Applications will be received up to Monday, March 4, 2019 at 12noon closed on its acquisition of the Pick-up your application at the First National Bank of Suffield School or download at www.hccs-sabis.net THOMAS SENECAL, CEO, PEOPLESBANK on Nov. 30 and anticipates it Lottery will happen on will complete its migration of Tuesday, March 5, 2019 • 4:00pm Atención Padres ing center because it will be “The birth of the (Yankee it will provide a community the future, he explains. accounts later this month to Lotería para Ubicación de Estudiantes the most technologically effiPedlar project) really came out room – bearing some of the “It ended up being the perwhat will be known as First Aplicaciones serán recibidas hasta el Lunes, 4 de marzo del 2019 a las 12:00pm cient of PeoplesBank’s branch- Suffield Bank, a division of of the changing market condi- fect location for us,” Senecal original oak woodwork and Recoja su solicitud en la Escuela o imprima tions of banking,” he says. es, according to Senecal. says. other pieces of the historic PeoplesBank. en www.hccs-sabis.net The property sits amid Likewise, the environment Central, of course, will be the home – within the 21st century The move into Connecticut Lotería Martes, 5 de marzo, 2019 • 4:00pm Dr. Sonia Correa Pope neighborhoods where two of is also a central component of comes out of a “necessity to community mission by using banking center, according to the bank’s oldest branches, the Hildreth house as a place Senecal. “What you don’t see from one in the Elmwood section, where community groups, the outside is that the house and the other in the Highland especially nonprofits that do has been rebuilt on the inside,” neighborhood, have been good works for Holyoke and Senecal explains. There’s serving customers for 45 and the surrounding area, can been a “huge amount” of 50 years. gather for meetings, Senecal infrastructure work completed As the bank makes moves to says. to make the house that had, be both relevant and conYou’ll see innovation play venient for its customers of over the course of decades, out with ITMs, or interactive been carved up and had many today, the availability of the teller machines (21st century

Yankee Pedlar project melds old with 21st century

“We are rooted in this community and view Holyoke as our number one community. The birth of the (Yankee Pedlar project) really came out of the changing market conditions of banking.”

Online Programs launching in Spring 2019

Hot Oven Cookies founder Sheila Coon, second from left, listens on Aug. 31 as Jay Ash, then the state’s secretary of housing and economic development, speaks at a gathering at Valley Venture Mentors in Springfield. Left of Coon are Will Colon and Katie Taccone, of startup Open Pixel Studios. Ash delivered two grants, one to Valley Venture Mentors, which helped Open Pixel, and the other to the SPARK program of Holyoke, to help entrepreneurs.

Bachelor of Science in Human Services Master of Business Administration

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(JIM KINNEY/ THE REPUBLICAN)

Cookie CONTINUED FROM PAGE K2

To watch a PeoplesBank Innovation Series video with Sheila Coon, founder of Hot Oven Cookies, go online to MassLive.com or Bankatpeoples.com/ home/community/innovation

they missed her cookies. Today, Coon is the recipient of funding from a federal Community Development Block Grant from the city of Springfield and a grant from Lease it Local, a MassDevelopment program that will pay half her rent for up to a year, which helped her establish her first bricks-and-mortar store. Coon’s children inspire her repertoire of cookie flavors that is up to 100 different varieties. “You won’t find cookies like mine anywhere else,” Coon says. “The cookie flavor ideas came from my mind and the

minds of my children, and our journey is folded into the business and into the cookie dough.” Her most popular cookies, mudslide, dark chocolate and sea salt, blueberry doughnut chip and guava cheesecake are always on the menu. Other flavors, like carrot cake oatties, nutty piggy, pumpkin spice and cream, apple moonshine snickerdoodles and more, rotate each week. Coon’s storefront is now the hub of her operation. Apart from selling by delivery, catering and through the food truck, Coon hopes to start a wholesale business. She also wants to launch an online store with national shipping so customers can buy uncooked frozen dough and bake her cookies at their convenience. Coon’s motto is “Share the Cookie Love,” and she’s grateful she can each day. Hot Oven Cookies is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

03102408

several times. Coon even opened a bakery in Chicopee with her grandfather’s help, but that sadly had to close. Coon was then faced with leaving her husband and taking care of their seven children. She refused to give up, and continued to bake cookies. Coon completed learning modules from entrepreneurial programs offered by Valley Venture Mentors and SPARK EforAll Holyoke. She also met her current husband, who also had a dream to open a business. Her cookie delivery service graduated into a food truck. Coon knew she had something special when her food truck constantly sold out of the cookies. When she was unable to attend one of Holyoke’s farmers’ markets, customers were messaging Coon because

WATCH THE VIDEO

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Higher ed partners for innovation

NNOVATION IS EVERYone’s business. We’ve recently seen a culture of innovation through new businesses and partnerships entering or created in our region. This culture stimulates growth by providing our community members a vision of possibilities. There is a perception that higher education institutions are slow to adopt new ideas, that they largely operate at a 19th-century pace trying to keep up with 21st-century demands, and that innovation is too trendy for the ivory towers of academia. But, innovation is as old as the academy itself. The infusion of entrepreneurship in many academic programs turns dreams into growing businesses and ultimately improves lives and communities. Tradition meets progress. I often use this phrase at Springfield College to articulate how the college sees its position in the world. Tradition provides a firm, dependable and comforting footing of our past successes. We know who we are, but, a historical definition based on tradition alone limits potential. The past certainly informs the present, but it should not narrowly dictate the future. That is where trust and innovation are partners in progress. When Springfield College

This adaptive baseball field at Springfield College is the result of a partnership between the college and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. (DON TREEGER / THE

Mary-Beth A. Cooper football coach Amos Alonzo Stagg went to trusted friend and faculty member James Naismith with a problem, Naismith had an idea, an idea that would help his community engage, play, and learn together. That idea turned into the invention of basketball at Springfield College in 1891. It was a vital decision for the college at the time, as the problem involved finding new indoor activities for people, including student athletes, during Western Massachusetts winters. Not all of the ideas generated out of that Stagg-Naismith partnership were good ones – such as the decision to call the first football team at Springfield the “Stubby Christians” – but they nonetheless involved two partners who trusted and respected each other. In my five years as president, the best partnerships I have seen Springfield College develop are ones where the

REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

National Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., right, joined Springfield College President Mary-Beth A. Cooper in 2017 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the one-of-a-kind Intercollegiate and Adaptive Baseball Field at the college. The field is the result of a partnership between Springfield College and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. Here, Ripken and Cooper get help from 9-year-old Molly Fitzell, of Holyoke, and 7-year-old Abigail Hamberg, of Agawam, as they cut the ribbon for the new adaptive field. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

partners choose each other based on shared traditions, trust, and similar goals. Our focused passion for developing youth, access, and service to others is the common thread for our partnerships at Springfield College. Great partnerships are clear on the why, trust in the who, and create the what that brings it all together successfully for both entities and the communi-

Delcie Bean, left, CEO of Paragus Stategic IT in Hadley, and members of his team, Austin Hatch, center, and Jillian Morgan are working with Bay Path University, with the help of a state grant, to provide training internships for cybersecurity students in the master’s and bachelor’s degree programs. (CAROLYN ROBBINS PHOTO)

ties they serve. Springfield College partnered with the Cal S. Ripken Sr. Foundation to create and build a baseball field on campus – but not just any field. Trusting in the strengths of the traditions of both organizations, both with similar visions and missions, the end result was the creation of the first baseball field in the country to have an all-ability field located in right

field, giving everyone, regardless of disability, access to play ball in a NCAA collegiate ballpark. After reading statistics about the high prevalence of obesity and other health-related illnesses in women in the Springfield area, Springfield College professor of exercise science and sport studies Sue Guyer wanted to create more educational programs and learning

opportunities for women and children in our community. Through partnering and learning from city officials and organizations, who had the tradition, knowledge, and information on specific needs of residents, her idea became a reality by sparking ongoing collaborative and innovative health initiatives to improve the overall health of citizens of Western Massachusetts. Being innovative in today’s world requires a willingness to find solutions to problems using an expansive mindset where traditional thinking is challenged and partners are empowered to lead change in their entire community, not just between those directly involved in the partnership. These examples, ultimately, are about higher education institutions and community businesses and groups coming together under full transpar-

SEE COOPER, PAGE K9

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING

Agawam High introduces manufacturing technology Program pitches basic skills, looks to inspire kids By Hope E. Tremblay

began creating a Makerspace at the high school. Agawam High School is “Three years ago, I was a math bringing vocational learning to teacher and the head of the the traditional high school set- Math Department. I had formed ting with its advanced manua (Personal Learning Comfacturing technology program. mittee) to investigate, develop With funding from the and install a Makerspace,” he school’s existing technology recalled. “At the same time, one education budget and a $1,000 of the tech ed teachers retired, grant from Peerless Precision, and I was encouraged by my technology education instruccolleagues to transfer into that tor Christophe Huestis worked position. My principal at the with an advisory board to bring time then became the superinthe program to life. Huestis tendent (Steve Lemanski) and stresses the program is not encouraged me to revamp the totally new to Agawam. tech ed program.”

there is no special designation for the program,” he says. Similar manufacturing programs are offered at other technical high schools, but Huestis says the Agawam High program is meant to enhance those, not vie for students. “We are not looking to compete with (the Lower Pioneer Valley Career and Technical Education Center), but instead get students interested to possibly increase the numbers that sign up for their program,” he says. “Our program is an introductory one. Students will achieve basic skills and learn about potential careers, but will not necessarily have any credentials for manufacturing or machining specifically. They would need to go to Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative or Springfield Technical Community College or an apprenticeship program.” The school’s manufacturing partners have told him the increase in students with the experience will be beneficial, Huestis says. The program is gaining attention not only from area manufacturers, but also from students looking for career options. There were 14 students enrolled in the 3D printing and additive manufacturing class, and 13 students enrolled in computer integrated machining course, he notes. While the future of similar programs at Agawam High is uncertain, it is promising, according to Huerstis. “Right now, the program is very much in its infancy,” he says. “We hope that, through course offerings and the Agawam High School is bringing vocational learning to the traditional high school setting with its advanced manufacturing availability of ‘Maker’ capabilities, more students will technology program. With funding from the school’s existing want to learn how to create. technology education budget and a $1,000 grant from Peerless As students learn about the Precision, technology education instructor Christophe Huestis worked with an advisory board to bring the program to life. He is potential careers available right here in the valley, there will seen here with students in the program. (AGAWAM HIGH SCHOOL PHOTO) be an increase in demand for Huestis says Lemanski programming.” “This is a renewal of a pushed for the improvements Huestis believes this effort program that existed a long is only the beginning. “From and wanted to include more time ago,” he says. “For this the students’ point of view, it iteration, we brought together a manufacturing and hands-on is a couple of cool courses to manufacturing advisory board career training. “From there, take,” he says. “As we progwe contacted (Regional Em(several local manufacturer ployment Board chairman) Da- ress, find more funding, and and company leaders, educabuild up awareness about the tional leaders, tech ed teacher, vid Cruise and the West of the jobs available, it will grow. River Chamber of Commerce parents, and a student repreThe number of students sentative) last year. We created to start creating the advisory signing up for tech ed classes board,” Huestis says. several new courses and then on a whole has increased 50 Students can take one class, made presentations to the stupercent from last year. The the entire suite of offerings or dents during class sign-ups.” It all started when Huestis just a few classes. “Currently, enthusiasm is exciting.”

Special to The Republican

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING

Bay Path, Paragus IT unite to train cyber sleuths State grant helps provide students on-the-job training

uate degree in the field a few years later, Bay Path’s cyber sleuths have landed jobs at companies like Liberty Mutual, Baystate Health and Pratt & Whitney, Loper says. By Carolyn Robbins Bay Path’s pioneering efforts Special to The Republican in the cybersecurity field There are currently 9,000 recently helped the university unfilled positions in major land a $250,000 state grant companies looking for cyberthat will offer its students security experts – and Bay Path on-the-job experience University’s women graduates through a partnership with are uniquely well-qualified to Hadley-based Paragus Strahelp fill them, according to the tegic IT, a $7 million-a-year university’s associate provost. company that does security “Bay Path may be the first audits, among other services, school in the country – certain- for business clients. ly it’s the first women’s college A cybersecurity expert at – to offer a master’s (degree Paragus will help supervise

which has the potential to expand its business by working with 45 new business clients “to help them identify ways to use technology to strengthen their networks.” The other beneficiaries are the 45 companies that receive low-cost audits with the help of the state subsidy and the students who gain real-world experience, Bean says. The partnership and real-world experience will give Bay Path students an even greater advantage in the exploding marketplace for cybersecurity services, according to Loper. Bean agrees. “The project will help us refine and expand our business, and students will obtain hard-to-get, on-thejob experience and do really valuable work,” he says, adding that it’s “enormously helpful from a resume perspective.” Austin Hatch, the cybersecurity expert at Paragus who is the project’s point-man, says the advantage of the program DELCIE BEAN, PARAGUS IT for students is that “we will be giving them something real program) in cybersecurity 30 students, mostly from Bay – not a pretend assignment – management,” says Tom Lop- Path – and some from Springusing industry standards.” er, associate provost and dean field Technical Community Bay Path’s decision to invest of the school of arts, sciences College – as they conduct a in cybersecurity education has and management. series of security audits for 35 been a wise investment, not “The job market is enorsmall business clients new to only for the school, but for the mous,” adds Loper during an Paragus, according to Loper. expanded workplace opportuinterview at Bay Path’s flagship The 18-month project began in nities it provides women. campus in Longmeadow. “The January. There are 40 students in the 9,000 job openings in the field “We’ll select 45 companies, two-year master’s degree prodon’t even count the number and each of them will get gram and another 32 students of small businesses looking for money from the state to pay for majoring in cybersecurity in help in protecting their netthe audit using state-of-the-art the undergraduate program, works from cyber attacks.” software,” Loper says. according to Loper. Since the master’s program Delcie Bean, chief executive “That’s a very healthy in cybersecurity was estabofficer of Paragus, says there number for enrollment,” he lished eight years ago and with are three key beneficiaries of says. “And, there’s potential for SEE BAY PATH, PAGE K15 the project, including Paragus, the addition of an undergrad-

“The project will help us refine and expand our business, and students will obtain hard-to-get, on-the-job experience and do really valuable work.”

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Kelly

“Our goal is to strengthen Holyoke’s economy from within – we can improve our economy by giving our neighbors the opportunity to succeed.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE K4

TESSA MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI, SPARK EFORALL HOLYOKE

Sparks

employees, and he is looking to hire more in the near future. “Right now, I’m focusing CONTINUED FROM PAGE K2 on training my employees represents about 57 businessand maintaining our current es,” Murphy-Romboletti adds. accounts. I want to give my Rafael Rivera, of Holyoke, clients the best service and moved to the city when he best quality work.” was 21 years old and desired SPARK EforAll Holyoke to build himself a better life. recently signed a lease for a He’s married with two sons co-work space on High Street and decided to put his busifor graduates like Rivera, who ness idea to the test by joining can have mail sent there and SPARK. also meet with clients. “I went to SPARK, and it “I’m really excited to open really opened my mind,” he the co-work space,” Murphy-Romboletti. “It’s going says. Rivera owns RNS to bring more energy to High Multi-Cleaning Service. Street and create a space for Customers don’t have to hire entrepreneurs and business more than one company for members to interact.” work ranging from carpet John Grossman and his cleaning to stripping floors, wife, Dawn Cordeiro, own and window washing to office Holyoke Hummus Co., which cleaning – RNS Multi-Cleanis located at 285 High St., and ing Service can do it all. they, too, have ties to SPARK “I work at Holyoke Health EforAll Holyoke. Center, and I see the struggle Cordeiro is a graduate of the my boss goes through to hire SPARK program, and, today, different companies,” he says. she volunteers as a guest “I decided to open one comspeaker and teacher. pany to offer multiple services “Holyoke has been an at a better price. amazing place to grow our “I never would have made business,” Grossman says. it without Tessa and my “People are really hungry for teachers from SPARK,” Rivera new businesses and supportive of new businesses in Holyadds. “It’s like a dream. It’s a oke. It’s a lot of work, but the great program, and they put community is ready to reward me in the right direction.” Rivera currently has five you with their support.”

Cooper

A push for greater engagement between business community and higher education CONTINUED FROM PAGE K8 helps to reinforce the positive ency and harmony to create a economic effect of innovation better world. The best and most in our region – innovation that productive partnerships are changes the world. Look out for populated with a diverse and more exciting partnerships from innovative range of organizaSpringfield College in the future. tional actors and influencers. Mary-Beth A. Cooper is presTogether, seeking a greater ident of Springfield College. To understanding of the full catalogue of collective strengths, learn more about the college and we give voice and action to our its programs, go online to springfield.edu. broadest aspirations.

The future of SPARK EforAll Holyoke is looking bright. Murphy-Romboletti hopes to recruit more volunteers. “It’s a really meaningful way to interact with different people in our community. Our goal is to strengthen Holyoke’s economy from within – we can improve our economy by giv-

ing our neighbors the opportunity to succeed,” she says. For more information about SPARK EforAll Holyoke, visit the website, eforall.org, or contact Murphy-Romboletti by email to tessa@eforall. org, or Jona Ruiz by email to jona@eforall.org, or call 833336-7255, ext. 7017.

James Kelly is president and CEO of the Polish National Credit Union. To learn more about the credit union and the services it offers, go online to pncu.com.

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present, and future of Polish National Credit Union. It’s what we do. It’s who we are. That will never change. We are optimistic about the 2019 outlook for Western Massachusetts. We’re all in this together. If each of us does our part, we can make success happen. Serving local communities since 1921, it has been the credit union’s mission to grow lasting relationships with

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Manufacturers, workforce boards team for future

DVANCED MANUfacturing is a priority industry in the Pioneer Valley region. The member companies of the Western Massachusetts chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association are primarily small and mediumsized enterprises that are part of a supply chain engaged in producing precision mechanical parts, components, and sub-assemblies utilizing high technology equipment, lean manufacturing, and world-class innovation technology development. Rapid innovation in sensors, machine monitoring, and robotic technologies are requiring our member companies to identify and integrate the elements of innovation, prototyping, and manufacturing. In order to ensure that we are effectively responding to the rapidly evolving needs of our customers, partners and the manufacturing ecosystem, our member compa-

Kristin Carlson nies are laser-focused on using process innovations to achieve reliability, quality, on-time performance, sustainability and cost controls. Adopting technology innovation is an economic imperative that will strengthen the industry’s competitiveness, create opportunities for market expansion, drive job creation, and accelerate the economic development of the region and the state. At Peerless Precision, our innovation adoption in inspection software has allowed us

David M. Cruise to automatically convert our customers’ drawings into an inspection report and highlight all of the dimensions on the drawing, reducing our process time from between an hour to three days (down) to 30 minutes or less. Our machine monitoring system is wirelessly connected to all of our CNC machine tools, tracks productivity in all of our departments and ensures that our customers receive the qualAmanda Bouvier performs final inspections on parts made at Peerless Precision in Westfield. ity parts they need, when they need them and at a competitive Peerless is among area companies partnering with the newly rebranded MassHire Hamdpen cost. Innovation is our competi- County Workforce System and the region’s educational institutions to ensure that curriculum content is aligned with industry needs. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

SEE WORKFORCE, PAGE K16

Leutz

Banks

CONTINUED FROM PAGE K1

the same ways we did even a few years ago. Who will be the next innovator to change our world? I believe she or he might live right here in the Pioneer Valley. While we may think successful entrepreneurs hail from Silicon Valley, this has changed. In cities and rural areas across the country, a movement is growing to develop ecosystems, or coordinated networks of resources, that remove barriers to entrepreneurship and encourage startups to thrive in unexpected places. Here in Springfield, I work with wise and wonderful people who come together to form our local entrepreneurial ecosystem. We are in the business of helping start-ups be born, walk their first steps and, eventually, grow and start running toward success.

WATCH THE VIDEO

To watch a PeoplesBank Innovation Series video with Kristin Leutz, of Valley Venture Mentors, and two women entrepreneurs, go online to MassLive.com or Bankatpeoples.com/home/ community/innovation

My colleagues at Valley Venture Mentors (VVM), a volunteer-driven mentorship and acceleration program, have helped over 200 “infant” companies start their journey in Western Massachusetts. To date, these companies have grown and raised over $28 million in revenue, $23 million in investments, and created over 600 jobs last year. How does a quiet entrepreneurial revolution like this happen in a place like Western Massachusetts? It starts with recognizing that we have enough of the right raw materials to build an innovation economy that engages talented people in the risks and rewards of building innovative ventures. People are our most valuable resource. We rely on volunteer mentors and experts who give back to emerging entrepreneurs. Over 1,000 area residents have given their time and talent to educate and encourage dreamers and makers at places like VVM, Tech Spring, Make-it Springfield and Spark EforAll Holyoke. Our institutions of higher education are also a great strength. With the help of 14 colleges and universities in the region, we produce a large number of educated people, many of whom have strong technical knowledge. Student entrepreneurship thrives at these schools, with faculty at places like the Berthiaume Center, Western New England University, Smith and Hampshire colleges and more collaborating in a strong peer community led by the Harold Grinspoon Entrepreneurship Initiative. While we educate and

Western New England University professors Ronny Priefer, left, and Michael Rust are among alumni of Valley Venture Mentors who are reaping success with their startups. Priefer and Rust formed a startup company called New England Breath Technologies, which produces a handheld Breathalyzer-type medical device for checking blood glucose levels. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

encourage entrepreneurs, we know that access to capital is vital. Funding is more difficult to come by for start-ups beyond big cities or led by underestimated founders. While we do not rival New York or Silicon Valley, our ecosystem has stepped up to fund our start-ups, and used our networks to help them find funding beyond the Pioneer Valley. We now have investors like the Springfield Venture Fund, Launch 413, Alchemy and the Maroon Fund that have deep ties to the ecosystem and are supporting start-ups here. Personal relationships and connected networks are essential to entrepreneurs. Working side by side is an organic way to build these. We have several co-working and incubator spaces up and down the valley, including VVM’s new, 10,000-squarefoot innovation center in downtown Springfield. In these places, entrepreneurs connect in informal ways and support each other on their path. Our local entrepreneurs have a wealth of education, mentorship and a supportive peer community that rivals any other. And their results are strong. Hot Oven Cookies benefited from technical assistance from many aspects of our ecosystem, and they just opened a storefront on Main Street in Springfield as they work on scaling the business to “spread cookie love” as founder Sheila Coon likes to say. She joins VVM alumni like Aclarity and New England Breath Health which are tackling big problems like clean water and diabetes care. Another startup hailing from our region is Machine Metrics, who have attracted $11 million from national investors. I see great things on the horizon for the Western Massachusetts entrepreneurs, and I know that we all have a stake in their success. As more companies are born and raised right here, more jobs, life-changing technologies and money will flow freely to make this a better place to live and work for us all. I invite you to find out how your talent, connections, passion and hustle could help an emerging entrepreneur.

Look at the website of one of the ecosystem partners listed in this piece and plug into our innovation economy today!

Kristin Leutz is CEO of Valley Venture Mentors. To learn more about VVM, go online to valleyventurementors.org.

Also PeoplesBank plans to open its new financial services center at the CONTINUED FROM PAGE K4 former Yankee Pedlar site Sosik, who also opened on Northampton Street in bankESB’s first Holyoke Holyoke this summer. branch office in 2018, United Bank: United said he expects at least Bank closed three branches one more merger in 2019. in West Springfield, the The holding company will Indian Orchard section remain mutually owned by of Springfield and in East depositors, he said. Longmeadow in 2018 after Here is a rundown of buying nearby locations bank mergers, openings from Webster Bank of Waterbury, Connecticut. and closings in 2018: People’s United Bank: PeoplesBank: The This Connecticut bank mutually owned bank bought Farmington Bank, headquartered in Holyoke bought First Suffield Finan- founded in Farmington in cial Inc., parent company 1851. Farmington moved of the First National Bank into the Western Massachusetts market five of Suffield, Connecticut, years ago, opening a West for $60 million. It’s PeoplesBank’s first foray into Springfield branch in 2014 Connecticut. The bank is and one in East Longnow known as First Suffield meadow a year later. Those locations are now People’s Bank: A division of PeoplesBank. United locations.

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Marking 50 years united for public power

The former Mount Tom power plant, situated off Route 5 in Holyoke along the Connecticut River, is being transformed from a coal-burning power plant to a solar farm. ENGIE North America and Holyoke Gas & Electric unveiled the largest energy storage system in Massachusetts at the site last fall. (TIGHE & BOND PHOTO)

ENERGY

Holyoke powers up renewable energy Renewable sources provide 70 percent of utility’s energy

In this photo from 1975, Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, surrounded by legislators and the leaders of municipal utilities from across the state, signs the enabling legislation for the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co., Chapter 755 of the Acts of 1975. The legislation followed the incorporation of the company in 1969. (MMWEC PHOTO)

Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co., based in Ludlow, is marking its 50th anniversary of incorporation. At right is the Stony Brook Energy Center in Ludlow. (MMWEC PHOTO)

benefits of its solar array. The MMWEC electric vehicle program, launched in 2017, continued its growth in 2018. The South Hadley Electric Department is one of several municipal utilities supporting this initiative to encourage increased electric vehicle adoption by offering incentives to its customers on electric vehicles and chargers. The program is DeCurzio tailored to provide the options and choices that honor the local decision-making authority that is the foundation of the public power business model. The Chicopee utility recently joined Holyoke in offering fiber for high-speed internet to its commercial customers and will start rolling out high-speed internet to residential customers later this year. Meanwhile, South Hadley also is launching its new fiber optic program in 2019 and is one of two munic-

ipal utilities, along with Westfield, currently offering residential fiber to the home. In the spirit of joint action, employees at Holyoke Gas & Electric, who have experience providing fiber to its customers, are assisting the staff in Chicopee and South Hadley in rolling out their fiber programs. For its part, MMWEC has developed new peak load projection and remote dispatch services to assist its members in staying ahead of the curve with these emerging technologies. These forward-thinking programs use data, technology, infrastructure and staff expertise to help MMWEC members capture the benefits of emerging technologies by recognizing industry trends and responding to evolving customer desires. Today, Massachusetts

177 high street Holyoke, ma 01040

municipal utilities deliver the benefits of nonprofit operation, local control and independent decision-making – all traditional values upon which they were founded. Enlightened by these values over a century of serving their communities, municipal utilities today are finding innovative solutions to the challenges posed by evolving public policies, wholesale power market complexities and technologies of the future. MMWEC and its member utilities will continue to meet this challenge head-on, while delivering exceptional service at the lowest cost. 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.

info@holyokechamber.com Holyokechamber.com 413.534.3376

WE’RE GROWING. . . People do business with people they know. . . The GHCC is excited to be helping the greater Holyoke business community thrive and be the most successful that they can be! We are excited to be moving in a new direction that will further benefit our members and promote commerce in the area by offering a wide variety of networking opportunities, educational workshops, government relations advocacy and so much more! We hope that you will join us in 2019 for our best year yet! Thank You to our Corporate Leaders who generously support the Chamber each year: PeoplesBank bankESB

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electrical load and up to 20 percent of Holyoke’s peak demand during the summer months – and several hydro facilities at various locations along the Holyoke Dam and By KEITH O’CONNOR canal system, as well as some Special to The Republican wind. In with the new, out with “Despite the fact that we the old. have a lot of solar and hydro Holyoke Gas & Electric, in facilities, these resources collaboration with ENGIE don’t operate all of the time, North America, recently for example, when the sun opened the largest utility-scale isn’t shining for solar energy energy storage system in Mas- and we can’t recharge the batsachusetts at the Mount Tom teries. So, we can’t transition Solar Farm with the hopes of to a 100 percent renewable increasing the city’s renewable portfolio just yet, because we energy portfolio. don’t have enough storage and The old was ENGIE’s we are not at a point where it is Mount Tom Power Station, a economically viable,” Lavelle coal- and oil-fired generation said. facility that ceased operation He says the forward-thinking Holyoke Gas & Electric is on the property in 2014 after “ahead of the game” when it more than 50 years. The new is a state-of-thecomes to renewable energy. art battery storage system “Many areas across the – a 3-megawatt country are GridSynergy looking for “We are looking system – that is viable ways integrated into like ours to for an eightthe city’s solar expand energy to 10-year farm adjacent storage. It’s payback on to the power key to reducing station. our carbon the project. Massafootprint and, And, if we find chusetts is our team is pasthe program sionate about moving toward that,” Lavelle generating beneficial, said. “About 70 45.5 percent of especially for percent of our its electricity our customers, energy comes from renewable energy from renewable we will be by 2035 and resources such looking at our energy storage as solar, hydro other is playing an and wind, important role and over 90 solar in achieving percent of the sites this goal. electricity we “We had sell comes from in the been looking carbon-free city for a while at resources.” for energy storage “Depending and knew there on capacity deploying would be inprices, we are battery storage centives at the looking for an systems.” federal level eight- to 10to help make it year payback James M. Lavelle, more viable,” on the project. Holyoke Gas & Electric said James M. And, if we find Lavelle, manthe program ager of Holyoke beneficial, Gas & Electric, about moving especially for our customers, we will be looking at our forward with the project. The energy storage system other solar sites in the city will enhance the municipal for deploying battery storage utility’s electricity system and systems,” he added. help keep electric rates stable In addition to the utility’s by reducing rising capacity own efforts, they continue charges for the utility and its to provide assistance and customers. incentives to home or business It’s a matter of supply and owners who want to invest in demand. Energy rises during renewable solar technologies, winter, which is the peak resulting in a further load heating season, and in the reduction on the system. They summer, the peak cooling sea- also offer community solar, son, when air conditioners are which instead of installing usually running overtime. solar on your home or prop“When loads are the highest erty, allows a large group of on the grid, energy costs are customers to receive power for the highest, and running the a larger solar array. batteries during these times ENGIE North America of peak demand will put less manages a range of energy stress on the system and help businesses in the United stabilize and lower costs for States and Canada, including our customers,” Lavelle said. electricity generation and Holyoke Gas & Electric’s cogeneration, retail energy existing renewable energy sales, and comprehensive facilities in Holyoke include services to help customers 16 utility-scale solar facililike the HG&E run their ties – which provide sufficient facilities more efficiently electricity to meet about 6 and optimize energy use and expense. percent of Holyoke’s total

HE CONSUMERowned Massachusetts municipal utilities have a long and storied history of paving their own way when it comes to providing superior service at the lowest cost to their customers. For these utilities and their joint action agency, the Ludlow-based Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co., the past has helped set the stage for the future of public power in the region. The 40 municipal electric utilities in Massachusetts, of which 20 are members of Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co. (MMWEC) and 28 are project participants, operate under a not-for-profit business model based on local control over decisions affecting electric service, rates and resource choices. In Western Massachusetts, the communities of Chicopee, Holyoke, Westfield, South Hadley, Russell and Chester are served by these public power utilities. Despite the utilities’ establishment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it wasn’t until the early 1960s when developments in the industry forced municipal utilities in the state to begin asserting their rights to parRonald C. ticipate in the New England Power Pool and develop their own power supply. After several years of litigation came success for the municipals, but with it came the reality that many municipal utilities couldn’t do it alone. It was 50 years ago, in 1969, when MMWEC was incorporated as the agency to help municipal utilities develop and implement their visions through the concept of joint action. Today, joint action and the public power business model work hand-in-hand to continue bringing superior service at the lowest cost to municipal utility customers, all while supporting public policies intended to reduce carbon emissions. In 2018, MMWEC and its members developed several innovative projects, programs and services to that end. Through the end of 2018, MMWEC member utilities owned 58.2 megawatts of wind generation, 47.5 megawatts of solar and 17.5 of megawatts of energy storage, with an additional 8 megawatts of energy storage coming online this year. The trend continues in 2019. The Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative Corp., consisting of MMWEC and 16 of its members, will expand the existing Berkshire Wind power project located on Brodie Mountain in Hancock. Two turbines producing 4.6 megawatts of generating capacity are being constructed adjacent to the existing 10-turbine, 15 megawatt wind farm. The Chicopee Electric Light Department and the Russell Municipal Light Department are participating, along with others in the expansion project, which is expected to be completed this spring. Chicopee also will be joined by the municipal light departments in Russell and Westfield in a power purchase agreement for the Holiday Hill wind project under construction in Russell. This two-turbine, 5megawatt project is expected to reach commercial operation this year. Several municipal light departments have new or planned energy storage projects in their communities, including Holyoke Gas & Electric, which has constructed the state’s largest utility-scale energy storage system. The system will work in conjunction with the Mount Tom Solar Array, the largest community solar project in the state. Meanwhile, the West Boylston Municipal Light Plant has just completed installation of the first-of-its-kind in New England flywheel energy storage system to maximize the

%%SATFOL-%%3MONTH%%2DATE OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | K13

Hagan

Westfield Bank added an ATM in the main concourse at Union Station in Springfield in December. At the ribbon-cutting are, from left, Springfield Redevelopment Authority Director Chris Moskal, bank President James Hagan, U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, bank Executive Vice President Kevin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, Springfield Chief Development Officer Kevin Kennedy and Thomas Moore, of the Springfield Redevelopment Authority. To see a gallery of photos from the event, go online to MassLive.com.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE K1

gave way to automobiles, the importance of whips declined even as cars and then interstate highways began to transform how people lived and banked. The introduction of our first drive-up teller in 1961 addressed that change. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always adopted new technologies to better serve our customers, from our first computer in 1969, to ATMs, to our convenient online banking services and mobile banking app today. Banking is part of the fabric of peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our responsibility to innovate, not only keeping pace with changes that occur in the communities we serve, but also anticipating the future needs of our customers. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always challenging

(HOANG â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;LEONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

resources in our communities. Today, we cover Western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut with 22 branch offices, offering individuals and local businesses an array of products and services people might expect from larger banks. Local businesses of all

ourselves to work better, with each new opportunity and with each interaction. Better banking is about encouraging growth and embracing change. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also about collaboration. In 2016, we demonstrated our teamwork with the successful merger of Chicopee Savings Bank with and into Westfield Bank â&#x20AC;&#x201C; expanding our capabilities and our reach, while completing a truly local merger that reinforced our independence while keeping

sizes grow and prosper with help from our expert business banking team headquartered at Tower Square in Springfield who have tens of millions of dollars available to lend to area businesses. People are busier than ever before and they need banking to be a convenient, seamless part of their lives. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re constantly investing in new technologies such as mobile deposit, online account opening and loan applications, person-to-person pay-

ments in technology, listening to our customers, managing our growth, and continually learning, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re providing powerful, independent com-

munity banking that helps our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives get better every day. James C. Hagan is CEO of

Westfield Bank and Western New England Bancorp. To learn more about Westfield Bank and its services, go online to Westfieldbank.com.

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Westfield Bank President and CEO James Hagan admires the Olympic gold medal won by Kacey Bellamy. Bellamy, a Westfield native, is also a customer of Westfield Bank and has appeared in promotional advertising for the bank. Says Hagan, â&#x20AC;&#x153;While itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a privilege for us to serve Kacey, I think that her story exemplifies our own philosophy. Kacey has devoted her life to constantly getting better at her sport, never settling for mere excellence.â&#x20AC;? (WESTFIELD BANK PHOTO)

ments, Apple Pay, and more to make banking easier for everyone we serve. Westfield Bank is always there with you, even if you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been by your local branch in a while. But just as weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve incorporated useful technologies and managed our growth to become one of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most vibrant independent banks, Westfield Bank has stayed true to our roots as a community institution. Westfield Bank has been a part of this region for a long time. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re invested in the success of our communities far beyond how it benefits our bottom line. To us, reinvesting in the place we call home is a responsibility and a privilege. Westfield Bank serves hundreds of local businesses of all sizes, and thousands of individual customers. One of those customers is Westfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Kacey Bellamy, who earned a gold medal as a member of the U.S. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ice Hockey Team at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Westfield Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mobile banking app has made it easy for her to manage her money with her hometown bank as she travels the world. While itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a privilege for us to serve Kacey, I think that her story exemplifies our own philosophy. Kacey has devoted her life to constantly getting better at her sport, never settling for mere excellence. Even after attaining her sportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pinnacle, she was ready to get back to work and keep improving. I recognize that spirit because the same drive is deeply ingrained in our culture here at Westfield Bank. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always striving to be better, because our customers deserve no less. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we say this is â&#x20AC;&#x153;what better bankingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about.â&#x20AC;? By making smart invest-

" " !

TA X & F I N A N C I A L

Explaining financial plans and why you need one

The beginning of January serves as a great time to start preparing for tax season. While the deadline to file returns may be several months away, getting a head-start allows everyone the chance to organize their tax documents so they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t racing against a deadline come April. The following are a handful of ways to start preparing for your returns now. Âˇ Find last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return. You will need information from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return in order to file this year. Âˇ Gather dependentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; information. While you might know your own Social Security number by heart, if you have dependents, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to need their information as well.

Âˇ Gather your year-end financial statements. If you spent the last year investing, then you will have to pay taxes on any interest earned. Âˇ Speak with your mortgage lender. Homeowners should receive forms documenting their mortgage interest payments for the

last year, as the money paid in interest on your home or homes is tax deductible. Âˇ Make a list of your charitable contributions. Âˇ Book an appointment with your tax preparation specialist now. Tax season might not be right around the corner, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never too early to start preparing.

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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re stepping up our commitment to SpringďŹ eld. With two full-service branch offices (plus one just over the line on East Street in Chicopee), a commercial loan center, three 24/7 remote ATMs and a dedicated team of retail and business banking professionals, WestďŹ eld Bank is committed to better banking in the City of Homes. Stop by any of our SpringďŹ eld-area offices today or visit westďŹ eldbank.com/springďŹ eld. And see what better bankingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about. BRANCH OFFICES SpringďŹ eld Tower Square â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1500 Main Street 1342 Liberty Street

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WestďŹ eld Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SpringďŹ eld Banking Team (left to right) : Sherleen Crespo, Branch Manager, East Street; Sharon Czarnecki, Assistant Vice President, Commercial Lender; Janice Velez, Assistant Branch Manager, East Street; Roberta Lussier, Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager, Liberty Street; Betty Jalbert, Branch Manager, Tower Square; Rosa Alvarez, Assistant Branch Manager, Tower Square; Mike Vogel, Vice President, Business & Government Deposit Services; Michael Supple, Mortgage Loan Officer; Bryan Alvarado, Business Specialist, Liberty Street; and Brittney Kelleher, Vice President, Commercial Lender

K14 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING

Comp students get on-the-job banking experience Open since 2012, credit union branch is training ground By JEANETTE DeFORGE

jdeforge@repub.com

She still has several months until graduation, but Emilie Laizer already has a professional, full-time job lined up for the day after she accepts her high-school diploma. Her classmate Ben Laxton is planning to go away to college, but he knows he will have a job when he comes home for holiday breaks and summer vacations. The two have been working at Polish National Credit Union since the summer under an internship program that has been preparing students for college, careers or both. The program is one of the more non-traditional ways public schools are now using to educate students. In the seven years since the credit union teamed with the career center at Chicopee Comprehensive High School and opened a bank branch in the lobby of the school, two or three students a year have gone through the training program and several are still working at the credit union, says Ula Kulig, school banking officer for Polish National Credit Union. “It is a fantastic partnership. They have hired 30 students so far,” says Kara Blanchard, director of career development education for Chicopee Public Schools.

Ben Laxton, left, an intern at Polish National Credit Union, talks to Ula Kulig, school banking officer at the branch at Chicopee Comprehensive High School. (JEANETTE DEFORGE / THE REPUBLICAN)

“It is more serious than a normal after-school job because you are investing people’s money,” says Laxton. During the training this summer, which also included two Chicopee High students who work at bank branches part-time, Laxton and

three days a week, in the fall. On the other days they work on skills such as marketing and teaching financial literacy to their peers, Blanchard says. Kulig is always with the students when the branch is open, but Laxton and Laizer are the ones who open accounts for students and teachers, take applications for debit cards and handle financial transactions such as depositing checks, making withdrawals and accepting loan payments. The one thing the branch does not do is offer loans. “They have to do A to Z. I’m here to observe and help them,” Kulig Laizer also learned about customsays. er service, security and used play The hours are limited from late money to practice different scenarmorning to early afternoon and ios that would happen at the bank. the satellite office is only open to Once the behind-the-scenes training students and staff at Comprehenwas completed, they shadowed and sive High. Many teachers do their banking there now because it is conworked one-on-one with different venient and supports the students. bank employees to learn the skills Laxon and Laizer say they open a they would need, according to lot of accounts for students at the Lazier. school, which has an enrollment of The two started working at the nearly 1,400. branch in the school, which is open

On Saturdays, the students also work at regular branches of the credit union, doing a variety of jobs. It is a great benefit for the staff of Polish National Credit Union since they have extra trained staff to make it easier to open on weekends, Kulig says. “It is so helpful to have these students on Saturday,” she explains. “I sometimes call it the PNCU day care center because all the tellers are students.” When not working at the bank, the interns do a lot to teach their peers about financial literacy. They have a question of the day and hand out lollipops to classmates who get the answer right. They are also starting to visit middle schools to talk to younger students. “They need to learn how to save and sets goals for themselves. Even if it is just a couple of dollars a week,” Lazier says. During this past year, Lazier was quickly seeing many of her peers and younger students really don’t know much about even basic finance. Hence, the questions of the day. Through those she and Laxon have tackled subjects such

as credit ratings, loan interest rates and recently the question was “what is PIN.” For many who have one but don’t remember it’s an acronym for Personal Identification Number. “I think it is great. It is a real professional experience,” Laxon says. Already interested in accounting, Laxon said his experience at Polish National Credit Union confirmed the career path is right for him. He plans to study accounting in college with the goal of becoming a certified public accountant. He has not selected his college yet. And Laxon hopes to return to work at the bank for summers and holidays. “One of the things I learned was how important customer service really is. How you talk to people makes a difference when you are running a small businesses, because people can go to another bank,” he says. Lazier has been offered a full-time job at the credit union when she graduates. She also plans to study accounting at Western New England University in the fall. “I really love it. I really like working with the customers,” Lazier says. “I want to get as much experience as I can here.”

“It is more serious than a normal after-school job because you are investing people’s money.” BEN LAXTON

To be accepted students must pass Accounting 1 and have either taken or be enrolled in Accounting II, which is a challenging course, according to Blanchard. The internship starts in the summer with the two students working full-time at the credit union. The first three weeks are spent in intensive training where they learn federal regulations, FDIC rules, security procedures and many other things.

Emilie Laizer, left, an intern at Polish National Credit Union, works with Ula Kulig, school banking officer at the bank branch at Chicopee Comprehensive High School. (JEANETTE DEFORGE / THE REPUBLICAN)

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | K15

“What science was telling us is that there is a critical need for high-quality early childhood education. It takes more than a loving teacher to change the trajectory of a disadvantaged child.” MICHAEL BURKE, VICE PRESIDENT, BUFFETT EARLY CHILDHOOD FOUNDATION

Educare

mission in its quest to help ensure that city children are ready to read by fourth grade. operating in 15 states – plus one Currently, only 33 percent of in Washington, D.C., and ancity children read at grade level other in the Winnebago nation by fourth grade, compared to – supported by the Buffett Early peers in suburban schools, Davis said at a recent educational Childhood Fund. summit in Springfield sponEducare Springfield – rising sored by the Urban League. on Hickory Street adjacent to “Urban kids can perform at the Elias Brookings School on high levels, but we need to do land donated by Springfield a lot of work to get them there. College – was financed with a And we can do it,” Davis said. $9 million contribution from

CONTINUED FROM PAGE K1

is “the backbone for success,” Santos adds. When Susie Buffett, daughter of billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett, created the first Educare center in 2000, there was no vision for a national network to provide a higher-level education for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, according to Michael Burke, the Chicago-based vice president of the Buffett Early Childhood Foundation.

This artist’s rendering shows the $13.6-million Educare Springfield facility, which will serve 141 children from birth to age 5 and is a full-day, full-year program. The facility will be open in late 2019. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Bay Path CONTINUED FROM PAGE K8

“What science was telling us is that there is a critical need for high-quality early childhood education,” Burke said during a telephone interview. “It takes more than a loving teacher to change the trajectory of a disadvantaged child.” The 27,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Educare Springfield facility is being designed – like others in the network – to be a model for the high-impact educational practices aimed at preparing

(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

‘Wow, this is important.’” When visiting Springfield, Burke said he was impressed with the local collaboration and commitment to early childhood education. “We’re glad to be operating in Springfield, rather than Boston,” he said. In the next few weeks and months, Educare will be building a website and writing a job description for an executive director with a master’s degree, who will be an Educare employee, and a school director with a master’s degree, who will be a Head Start employee.

In addition to the benefits Educare will bring to children and families in need, it will also have a huge positive economic impact on the region and the neighborhood where it is located. The Educare site is in the Old Hill neighborhood that was severely impacted by the 2011 tornado. Investments in the neighborhood after the tornado included the construction of a $28 million dollar Brookings School, nearby parks and street improvements.

Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School Board of Trustees Accepting Applications

The PVCICS Board of Trustees is accepting applications to join our Board. Interested parties should submit (1) a cover letter outlininig your qualiﬁcations and reasons for applying, (2) a resume, and, (3) contact information (phone numbers and e-mail address) for three (3) individuals the recruitment committee may use to ﬁnd out more about you. Details about the school may be found at the school website: www.pvcics.org Please mail or email the application by February 28, 2019 to: PVCI Charter School Attn: Richard Alcorn 317 Russell St., Hadley, MA 01035 | info@pvcics.org PVCICS is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

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03105014

growth maybe to 100 a year in the next few years.” As a women’s college, Bay Path is always looking for ways to help women gain a foothold in careers that are often dominated by men and its cybersecurity program is an example of that mission. Kassandra Pepper, 29, of Agawam, who will graduate from Bay Path in the spring with an undergraduate degree in accounting and digital forensics, chose to study cybersecurity because she likes computers and recognizes that the discipline leads to jobs in up-and-coming fields. Pepper, who took a computer class at another area school where she was one of the few women in the class, transferred to Bay Path when she realized it offered a cybersecurity major. “I think it allows us to be a little more open in class and lead to different conversations,” she says. “I think women are often more shy around male students.” Bay Path’s undergraduate population is all women, and women comprise 80 percent of the students in its master’s cybersecurity program. The course work focuses on information assurance and digital forensics, Loper explains, using the analogy that information assurance is like the police and digital forensics is like the detectives. Information assessment software monitors systems and networks sets off alarms about threats like theft, terrorism. The alarm puts the cyber detectives to work to find out the cause of a breach. The detective work requires holistic thinking, something Loper believes women are better at than men. “This field offers women an opportunity to excel,” he says. Contrary to what people might think, Loper adds, there is no math component to the course of study. “All you need is to be computer literate,” he says, adding that the qualities needed for success in the major are “tenacity, grit and perseverance.”

Janis Santos, executive director of the Head Start, says the new center is a “dream come true.” Santos, who has spent her 45year career in early childhood education, says the Educare model recognizes that the ages from birth to 5 years old are the most critical to a child’s development and that early educators need to be well-trained and well-compensated. The new center also recognizes that parent involvement

Educare Springfield — rising on Hickory Street adjacent to the Elias Brookings School on land donated by Springfield College – was financed with a $9 million contribution from an anonymous out-of-state donor. Holyoke-Chicopee-Springfield Head Start, a federally funded program, will operate the new center.

03105558

an anonymous out-of-state donor. Holyoke-Chicopee-Springfield Head Start, a federally funded program, will operate the new center. The anonymous donation – which John Davis says made him believe in miracles – paved the way for Springfield to land the program that has been a model for best practices in early childhood development. The Davis Foundation has made advocacy for quality early childhood education its

children for long-term academic success. The goals of those practices are to improve kindergarten readiness, promote higher vocabulary skills, enrich social emotional skills, improve behavior, reduce high school drop-out rates and promote long-term career and college success. Educare will be a lab school, of sorts, sharing its resources with other early childhood educators about the best methods to help children become successful learners. There are four components to the continuous-improvement Educare model, Burke explained: the use of data to inform instruction, ongoing coaching of teachers, support for families whose children attend Educare and a series of professional development training sessions for teachers and staff. “We can’t build an Educare on every corner,” Burke said. “But the ones that we have can become real showrooms, a place where children, families and the staff walk in and say,

K16 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

%%SATFOL-%%3MONTH%%2DATE OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

HEALTH

Medical students Elisabeth McGovern and Alay Shah are among the first- and second-year students enrolled in the UMass Medical School branch in Springfield that is operated by Baystate Health. One of the long-term goals of the program is to attract doctors to choose Springfield as the place they will practice when they complete their studies. (CAROLYN ROBBINS PHOTO)

Learning to heal at home Baystate hopes med “It’s important for medical school grads will students to recognize potenpractice in WMass

tial biases they might have when treating diverse populations.”

By CAROLYN ROBBINS

Special to The Republican

Peerless Precision is among the region’s small and medium-sized machining shops. It produces parts like this one for thermal imaging systems, engines, and other applications. The region’s tooling and machining companies are working with the regional workforce boards to help respond to needs for skilled employees. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Workforce CONTINUED FROM PAGE K10

tive advantage. Noah Decker, vice president of Decker Machine Works, a rapidly growing, family-owned, American precision manufacturing company in Greenfield, summed it up best: “We thrive on challenge and innovation. Innovation is a lifestyle of continually looking for better solutions to tomorrows problems today. Innovation is not something that can be easily taught, but rather it comes from an ever-expanding learning experience, based off multiple exposures to different processes or technologies.” In order to remain competitive and maintain strong customer-supplier relationships, the innovation in research and development occurring in Massachusetts must increasingly lead to greater prototyping and manufacturing opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises across Massachusetts. The proximity of innovation to manufacturing is important. Co-location of innovation and manufacturing is a benefit and an attainable goal. Innovation drives the manufacturing process, and the manufacturing process informs and validates the innovation, allowing for change, refinement, improvement and, ultimately, a better and safer final product. Innovation also requires the availability of a technologically relevant incumbent workforce and a sustainable new pipeline of capable and committed employees. Over the next three years, the demand for new production employees in our region will exceed 1,400. Our member companies will continue their partnership with the newly branded MassHire Hamdpen County Workforce System and the region’s educational institutions to ensure that curriculum content is aligned with our industry needs, employability readiness skills are embedded into the curriculum, and career awareness initiatives that educate parents on the viability of advanced manufacturing as a personally and financially rewarding career pathway and profession are accelerated. The Western Massachusetts chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association, MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board and the One Stop Career Centers in Springfield and Holyoke will continue to collaborate to obtain appropriate federal, state, and private funding to conduct workforce training programs, develop and implement technology innovation initiatives, and increase the capacity of the regional education institutions to continue to be effective and valued partners in the work ahead. This column is co-authored by Kristin Maier Carlson and David M. Cruise. Carlson is president of Peerless Precision in Westfield and current president of the Western Massachusetts chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association. Cruise is president and CEO of MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board. To learn more about the tooling and machining association, go online to Wmntma. org. To learn more about the workforce board, go online to Masshirehcwb.com.

For almost two years now, Springfield has been the home of a thriving branch of the Worcester-based University of Massachusetts Medical School, one with the aptly named acronym PURCH. Forty-six first- and second-year medical students are now enrolled in Baystate Health’s PURCH program, which stands for Population-based Urban and Rural Community Health. The diverse group of students, including several from Springfield, came up with the name when the program was considering its niche, according to Dr. Kevin Hinchey, chief education officer at Baystate Health. There are lots of ways to play with the word, Hinchey explains. One is that the PURCH program offers the students a distinct vantage point – to understand not only good medicine, but what makes urban and rural communities tick. Baystate Health spent $2 million to build out the medical school space, renovating 6,300 square feet of the Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute at 3601 Main St. in the city’s North End neighborhood into a facility that includes a 50-seat classroom, a 25-seat classroom, seven interview rooms, a kitchen and food service area, restrooms and locker rooms and a quiet study area. The PURCH track is a patient-centered and team-based program aimed at narrowing health care disparities Rebecca in urban and Blanchard rural populations, according to assistant dean Rebecca Blanchard. “The students and their instructors have formed partnerships with organizations like

DR. KEVIN HINCHEY, CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER, BAYSTATE HEALTH

Students attend a lecture class at the UMass Medical School Population-based Urban and Rural Community Health program operated in Springfield by Baystate Health. (CAROLYN ROBBINS PHOTO)

Square One, the Martin Luther King Center, homeless shelters and the Hampden County Jail, among others,” Blanchard says. Community members – whether they are patients, family members, social workers and even high-school students who might not have medical school on their radar screens– can come to Baystate to meet with the students and program leaders in a “safe place” where they can share their stories and air their concerns, she says. “It’s important for medical students to recognize potential biases they might have when treating diverse populations,” Hinchey says. Those community conversations help make better doctors, Hinchey and Blanchard say. “They are pioneers,” Hinchey says of the PURCH participants, noting that some of the ideas they come up with have helped him improve his own practice of medicine. Blanchard, who holds a doctorate degree in nursing, says the students chosen to join the

PURCH track “bring a passion to their training – and the faculty is right there with them.” Second-year student Alay Shah, 24, says he was drawn to the PURCH program because of his experience with underprivileged communities when he was an undergraduate at Temple University in Philadelphia. “I have also been intrigued by how we treat social health, how health and wealth often go together,” Shah says. “I want to work with inner-city populations.” He notes that the PURCH program is designed to help students like him understand the problems low-income patients face. Elisabeth McGovern, 28, of Andover, waited four years after graduating from Notre Dame University before applying to UMass Medical School. She knew she wanted to become a doctor, but wanted some real-world experience in the workplace before starting her training. McGovern worked a special education English as a Second

Language teacher in an elementary charter school in Jamaica Plain, where she worked with immigrant families and later at Boston Medical Center in the newborn nursery where she developed relationships with patients facing depression and financial strains due to poverty. “I’ve learned how cultural experiences affects patients,” McGovern says, noting that through the PURCH program, she’s learned how to take a social history from an inmate at the Hampden County jail in Ludlow. When she completes her training, McGovern said she’s interested in treating children who have experienced trauma. Students applying for one of about 137 slots in the first-year class at UMass Medical School in Worcester are given the option of filling out a secondary application for one of 25 slots in the PURCH program. They are required to write an additional essay about why they want to work with underserved

Brush

LEARN MORE Business: Sanderson MacLeod Inc. Product: Twisted wire brushes Where: 1199 South Main St., Palmer For more info: Online, sandersonmacleod.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE K1

along with medical devices, firearm cleaning and original equipment manufacturers. “We’re one of the last remaining dedicated twisted-wire brushmakers in the world,” Sanderson MacLeod CEO and president Mark N. Borsari says. “We’re the only one in the United States dedicated to this type of brush technology.” The company has had significant growth in all four markets, according to Borsari. Founders Sanderson and MacLeod left their jobs at Better Brush to form Specialty Brush in 1956, the predecessor to the business that now holds their names. But the company dates back even further, to 1920, the year of the first Better Brush transaction for $4.30 – an order for a bath brush, crumb brush and cloth brush at the business on South Main Street. In the 1970s, the company entered the medical device market, becoming the largest medical brush maker in the country. The company’s experience making mascara brushes – the specifications are tight and must be exact – helped make it a better medical brush manufacturer, according to Borsari. Chris Breyare, plant manager, left, and Dave Tranta, mechanic, check out some of the brushes on the manufacturing line at Sanderson MacLeod. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

populations. PURCH students take the majority of their classes at the main medical school campus in Worcester, but they travel to Springfield weekly in their first year and every other week in their second year to get pre-clinical training in treating and understanding patients from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In their third year and fourth years, they are based at Baystate Health, where they do their clinical rotations under the supervision of physician specialists in fields from pediatrics to surgery. The long-term goal of the PURCH program is to interest newly minted doctors to choose Springfield as a good place to practice medicine, according to Hinchey. About a third of the PURCH students – whose ethnicity includes whites, African-Americans and Asians – are themselves from underrepresented populations. “It’s important for patients to see doctors who look like them,” Hinchey says, adding that he plans to bring medical students to area high schools to talk about medicine as a career, adding that the program hopes to increase diversity within the program. It is too early to know how many PURCH graduates will wind up practicing medicine in Springfield, says Blanchard, “but they are building roots here,” adding that students are developing close relationships with faculty mentors. “Springfield is like a second home to them,” she says. “The fact is they’re getting comfortable here.”

Irish Bartolomei is a machine operator at Sanderson MacLeod Inc. in Palmer, which manufactures twisted-wire brushes. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

It makes mascara brushes for many of the major cosmetic brands, he says, and the fiber technology used in mascara brushes changes every year. In the medical world, the company is known for its Z-Tip and ZTip+. The Z-Tip is its patented method of putting protective tips on endoscope cleaning brushes and cytology brushes. Lasers are used to create an inseparable ball at the end of the brush, Borsari says.

The ZTip+ features color-coated tips, he adds, noting that both models do not have separation risks associated with an inserted molded tip. Without the protective tips, the brushes can damage equipment or hurt a patient, he explains. “Separation is one of the things in the medical industry that everyone panics about,” Borsari says. A commitment to innovation is key, according to Borsari. The company has a Brush Innovation Center on-site at its 137,000-square-foot facility. The center, which made its debut approximately three years ago, allows for collaborative meetings where ideas can be shaped into prototypes. The center also features a “steampunk-style” conference table fashioned from long-retired brush making tools, automation equipment, and industrial revolution-era antiques found in the company’s warehouse and local flea markets, a project that Palmer Steampunk artist Bruce Rosenbaum helped coordinate. The company also is a “lean” operation, something it adopted in 2008, Borsari says. Sanderson MacLeod uses a combination of automation (to make products faster in-house), experience (some of the workers are fourth-generation employees) and innovation to stay competitive, according to the

president. The company also prides itself on a family-type atmosphere to help attract and keep quality employees, he says. Recently, it added a 1950s-style diner on the grounds and an appreciation patio for the employees, and also hosts barbecues in the summer. Borsari praises his senior management team and the dedication of his employees, keys to Sanderson’s continued success. About a year and a half ago, the company launched MIXCreative in New York City, a concept-to-launch marketing firm that is working on its CIMA line of integrated mascara assemblies. Borsari says the standalone company was created to keep the costs out of Sanderson MacLeod’s operation, so it could be run as creatively as possible. “We want to continuously be pushing the borders of what we can do with our products,” Borsari says. The company has been called upon for some unusual projects. Nine years ago, it received a request for medical brushes, but not for the medical industry. Instead, the brushes were to be used to clean lint buildup in Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. “We’re doing crazy projects nonstop,” Borsari says. They’re working on a brush-cleaning system for coffee makers and looking into creating brushes for different glassware used in the burgeoning cannabis market. Borsari estimates the company has approximately 200 customers and “hundreds of product launches” under its belt. While the private company does not disclose its annual sales, Borsari says it has been growing exponentially for the last three or four years. “I absolutely love the diversity of market and the clients that we work for,” he says.

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�� AUTO DEALERS/USED

HEARING AIDS

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KEN’S AUTO SALES, INC. 921 Main Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 (413)532-7476 www.kensautosales.com

BAYSTATE HEARING AIDS TESTING/FITTING/REPAIR W. Springfield (413)734-2886 Palmer (413)283-8491

UECHI-RYU KARATE ACADEMY 52 Gladdu Avenue (Memorial Dr.), Chicopee, MA 01020 (413)534-4740 www.uechi-ryukarateacademy.com

EASTERN ELECTRONICS & SECURITY, INC. 540 Main Street, W. Springfield, MA 01089 (413)736-5181 / (800)536-7328 www.ees-security.com

AUTO REPAIR/SERVICES

ON-SITE DOCUMENT HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING DESTRUCTION

JACKSON’S AUTO SALES & SERVICE, INC. 1307 Park Street (Rte. 20), O’CONNELL OIL Palmer, MA 01069 25 Texas Road, Northampton, MA 01060 (413)289-1016 413-568-6800 Oconnelloil.com SPARTAN AUTO CARE CENTER 631 State Street, Springfield, MA 01109 865 Memorial Avenue,W. Springfield, MA HEATING SERVICE CONTRACTORS 01089 (413)781-2480 / (413)739-2175 S.G. RACETTE PLUMBING, LLC Springfield, MA 01128 BUILDING MATERIAL (413)786-6764 www.sgracetteplumbing.com A. BOILARD SONS, INC. LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIALS THE HEAT DOCTOR, INC. 476 Oak Street, Indian Orchard, MA 01151 HEATING SPECIALISTS (413)543-4100 Agawam, MA 01001 (413)789-2416/www.heatdoctor.com

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PRECISION SHEET METAL INTERSTATE CUSTOM KITCHEN & BATH HEATING & AIR 558 Chicopee Street, Chicopee, MA 01013 CONDITIONING SERVICES FABRICATION CUSTOM (413) 532-2727 ALLIED HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING POWER COATING www.interstatekitchens.com 101 Circuit Avenue, W. Springfield, MA R.R. LEDUC CORPORATION 01089 100 Bobala Road, Holyoke, MA 01040 CARPENTRY (413)732-5599 (413)536-4329 PHILIP BEAULIEU & SON www.rrleduc.com HOME ADDITIONS/GARAGES HOME IMPROVEMENT 217 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020 H & R HOME REMODELING, INC. ROOFING (413)592-1498 2345 Boston Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095 (413)589-0553/(413)283-4444/(508)347-7002 CLASS GENERAL CONTRACTING 425 Union Street, W. Springfield, MA 01089 www.HandRHomes.com DRYWALL CONTRACTORS (413)736-2766 CHAMPAGNE DRYWALL, INC. www.classgeneralcontracting.com HOME HEALTH CARE 36 Russo Circle, Agawam, MA 01001 FINYL VINYL-SIDING-WINDOWS-ROOFING (413)786-4989 CARING SOLUTIONS, LLC 33 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020 Stay at home...We can help (413)592-2376 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS 131 Elm Street, W. Springfield, MA 01089 www.finyl-vinyl.com (413)733-5588 GALLERANI ELECTRIC CO., INC. www.Caring-Solutions.com H & R HOME REMODELING, INC. 451 Springfield Street, Wilbraham, MA 2345 Boston Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095 01095 (413)589-0553/ (413)283-4444/ HOME IMPROVEMENT (413)596-5766 (508)347-7002 PHILIP BEAULIEU & SON HOME www.HandRHomes.com IMPROVEMENT FLOOR COVERING 217 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020 NESCOR (413)592-1498 AMERICAN RUG 148 Doty Circle, W. Springfield, MA 01089 (413)739-4333 1594 Dwight Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 www.nescornow.com (413)533-3000 INSULATION american-rug.com PHILIP BEAULIEU & SON HOME NESCOR 148 Doty Circle, W. Springfield, MA 01089 IMPROVEMENT GENERAL CONTRACTORS 217 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020 (413)739-4333 (413)592-1498 www.nescornow.com H & R HOME REMODELING, INC.

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WINDOWS CLASS GENERAL CONTRACTING 425 Union Street, W. Springfield, MA 01089 (413)736-2766 www.classgeneralcontracting.com FINYL VINYL-SIDING-WINDOWS-ROOFING 33 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020 (413)592-2376 www.finyl-vinyl.com

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WINDOW WORLD OF WESTERN MASS., INC. Hampton Ponds Plaza, 1029 North Road, INTERSTATE CUSTOM KITCHEN & BATH 558 Chicopee Street, Chicopee, MA 01013 CLARK & SONS SEAMLESS GUTTERS, INC. Westfield, MA 01085 (413) 532-2727 Chicopee, MA 01020/Belchertown, MA 01007 (413)485-7335 www.WindowWorldofSpringfield.com www.interstatekitchens.com (413)732-3934

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If you are a member of the Better Business Bureau and would like to be listed on this page call (413) 788-1050.

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COMMUNITY DRIVEN. RESULTS ORIENTED. WE ARE PROUD TO ALIGN OURSELVES WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT THE GROWTH AND BETTERMENT OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS.

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Outlook L

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| SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

RETAIL

Nat Falk carries on tradition Men’s clothier is last original retail shop in Ware’s downtown WATCH THE VIDEO

To see Nat Falk’s video about the men’s clothing store in Ware, go online to MassLive.com.

Nat Falk

By Lori Stabile

Charles S. Lask says. It’s not uncommon for a man Nat Falk has been clothing the to walk into the store and say he men of Ware and beyond since needs something to wear to an 1936. event that night, according to The business, the last original Lask. retail shop on Main Street of “People come in and say, ‘I this old milltown in Hampshire have to go to a wedding tonight. County, has survived despite Fix me up,’” he says. “It happens threats from malls, mass retailall the time.” While the customer ers and the growing popularity of may have no concept of what online shopping. they want, “We can get them out “We offer very good customer the door in five minutes. I know SEE NAT FALK, PAGE L17 service, free alterations,” owner Special to The Republican

At left is Charles S. Lask, owner of Nat Falk men’s clothing store in Ware. Above, he is shown with his dad, Joseph Lask, the store’s previous owner. To see photos – past and present – at Nat Falk, visit MassLive. com. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION

Engineering success across the Northeast

Mark Keroack

Baystate learns from past, innovates for WMass’ future

Tighe & Bond builds solid reputation for excellence

By Cori Urban

Special to The Republican

ighe & Bond, one of the leading engineering and environmental consulting firms in the Northeast, focuses on bright ideas, green strategies and clear solutions, but it is a “people business at its core.”

Tighe & Bond engineers Miles Moffatt, left, and Peter Valinski discuss a project at the company headquarters in Westfield. Tighe & Bond is a 100 percent employee-owned company. Robert S. Belitz, left, took over on Jan. 1 as president and CEO of Tighe & Bond. He previously served as the engineering firm’s chief financial officer. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTOS)

N 1873, THERE WERE 173 acute care hospitals in the United States. One of them was situated right here in Springfield. Though it was named Springfield City Hospital back then, you may better recognize it as Baystate Medical Center. We’ve come a long way since our founding, yet what remains constant is that we remain true to our charitable mission – “to improve the health of the people in our communities every day, with quality and compassion.” This language describes what we do, and it has stood the test of time. I am mindful on a daily basis of the proud past of Springfield Hospital, as well as the 100-year history of caring and service by the community hospitals

That’s how David E. Pinsky, recently retired company president and CEO and current chairman of the board, sees the business that began in 1911 when James L. Tighe, an Irish immigrant who worked for the Holyoke Water Works as a hydraulic engineer, launched his own engineering practice in Holyoke. (Phillip E. Bond later joined Tighe.) Through the years, Tighe & Bond – with nine locations in New England and New York – has grown in size and stature with a solid reputation for engineering and environmental excellence; as the profession has evolved so has Tighe & Bond. “One of the keys to our success in the 1970s and 1980s was the expansion of our civil engineering practice into relatSEE ENGINEERING, PAGE L16

SEE BAYSTATE, PAGE L3

Big Y: 83 years young, and counting

Colin D’Amour

T CAN BE EASY TO walk into your local Big Y World Class Market and see innovation and technology everywhere. Our stores are equipped with the highest efficiency refrigeration systems, LED lighting, modern registers and, in some cases, roof-top solar panels and electric vehi-

cle charging stations. We use computer-assisted ordering and forecasting systems to ensure proper product assortment and availability while minimizing food waste. Additionally, we now have a digital app that helps engage and offer customer-specific savings throughout our stores. Technological tools like

these are important in today’s competitive environment, yet they would have seemed like science fiction if described to our company’s founders, Paul and Gerry D’Amour, in 1936 when Big Y first began. When they were opening their first 500-square-foot community market, things were, of

SEE BIG Y, PAGE L18

Today’s Big Y World Class Markets feature a pharmacy, bakery, deli, florist, coffee station and small dining area among the amenities. Here, a chef prepares a freshly made stir-fry meal at the Longmeadow store.

(HOANG “LEON” NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

“ A SPINAL CORD INJURY WILL NOT DEFINE ME.” BaystateHealth.org/Brenna

03103483

L2 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

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“We have a very strong group of dedicated employees that have been with us for years. Growth can translate into turnover when you are looking for the correct mix.” CLAYTON A. JARVIS, PRESIDENT, JARVIS SURGICAL

At left, Pete Most, a senior welder at Jarvis Surgical, inspects a device at the manufacturing company in Westfield. Jarvis Surgical components are used in knee, hip, spine and shoulder surgeries. The company also manufactures medical instruments. At center, Andy Yang is a machinist at Jarvis. The company has 90 full- and part-time employees. At right, Jeff Corless, an inspector for the company, holds a knee component. Jarvis implants are shipped primarily for use in the U.S., but the company’s products are used around the world. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTOS)

MANUFACTURING

Medical devices in demand, skilled workers needed Jarvis Surgical success makes labor a challenge By CORI URBAN

Special to The Republican

arvis Surgical is “struggling to keep up with demand” for its precision components for the orthopedic industry, and Clayton A. Jarvis, president, sees labor as the biggest challenge manufacturers in this region are facing.

“People need to become more educated in what a great profession machining and working in an industry like this can be,” he said. “In the last 20-plus years of medical manufacturing and the trade in general it has equated to good income, working conditions and stability.” The company has more than 90 full- and part-time employees. Its main factory is in Westfield, and there is a polishing facility in Bristol, Connecticut. Jarvis Surgical components are used in knee, hip, spine and shoulder surgeries. The company also manufactures medical instruments. These products are shipped mostly to customers in the United States, but “the implants will end up all over the world,” Jarvis says. In 1901, Charles L. Jarvis purchased the Ideal Manufacturing Co. in Hartford, a company that produced nutcrackers and nutpicks. There were a few businesses that split from the original. “The legacy was in watching the market and looking for opportunities to use our combined skill sets,”

LEARN MORE Business: Jarvis Surgical Inc. Product: Precision components for orthopedic industry Where: 53 Airport Road, Westfield For more info: Online, jarvis surgical.com

Jarvis explains. Jarvis Airfoil Inc., for example, was founded in Glastonbury, Connecticut, as a precision manufacturing company with a focus on manufacturing airfoils for gas-turbine engines. “In the early (1990s), the aerospace industry was in a heavy recession. At the time we were informed that the medical industry was looking for manufacturers that used the same size machines and similar quality requirement to the aerospace industry,” Clayton Jarvis recalls. “One stipulation was that the medical companies did not want to compete in a facility with other industries – like aerospace. This drove us to look for another location.”

Linda Ercolino holds a knee component at Jarvis Surgical, a manufacturing company in Westfield. Jarvis makes precision components and medical devices for the orthopedic industry. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

Jarvis Surgical Inc. has grown into a world-class supplier of orthopedic implants and instruments. Jarvis, whose great-great grandfather was Charles Jarvis, has two uncles who are currently in manufacturing with their children. One is a meat processing original equipment manufacturer and the other a cutting tool manufacturer OEM. The company has close relationships with casting, forging and coating sources that enable Jarvis Surgical to provide a “one-stop shopping” experience for customers. Original equipment manufacturers, organizations that make devices from component parts bought from other organizations, “like the idea of vertical integration,” Jarvis says. “We are not large enough to provide a com-

With state-of-the-art equipment and technology, Jarvis Surgical is on the forefront of engineering and development in the medical device industry. plete in-house vertical integration, so we will act as a general contractor for the process.” Recruiting and maintaining a skilled workforce is a priority for Jarvis Surgical. At times there is turnover when the employer is looking for the right mix of skills. “We have a very strong group of dedicated employees that have been with us for years. Growth can translate into turnover when you are looking for the correct mix,” Jarvis says. “Currently, we are concentrating on vocational schools and technical colleges to bring in some-

one with baseline skill, and we train from there.” With state-of-the-art equipment and technology, Jarvis Surgical is on the forefront of engineering and development in the medical device industry. The company is developing better longevity for the implants, and the devices are being put into more joints like the shoulder, ankle and other extremities, according to Jarvis. For more information about Jarvis Surgical Inc., 53 Airport Road in Westfield, call 413-562-6659 or visit the company website, jarvissurgical. com.

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING

UMass Center’s nursing effort helps meet critical needs Fast-track program’s 1st class gained 100 percent placement

cluding 33 percent representing underserved populations – began the 17-month nursing program in September 2017 and graduated Feb. 1. “We had 100 percent placeBy CAROLYN ROBBINS ment,” Howett says, adding Special to The Republican that the job market is very Atlanta native Maeve strong in the health care field, Howett studied French phiparticularly in nursing. losophy as an undergraduate. People who gravitate to a But after receiving her nursing career have somediploma from Emory Univertimes had experience working sity, the former candy-striper as patient care technicians quickly realized her passion or they have been introduced to work with patients would to the field when a family member was ill, according to Howett. Students who enroll Meghan Dillingham, 33, in the fast-track of Burlington, Vermont, and program must already Mike Bartolo, 27, of Springfield, two of the program’s hold a bachelor’s first graduates, say they were degree to apply. glad the fast-track training was available for them to The UMass Center at Springfield celebrated its expanded nursing laboratory in April. Demontake her down another path. achieve their goals. strating some of the new equipment are, from left, Dr. Heather Hamilton, director of the simSo she enrolled in an acBartolo, who graduated ulation lab, and nursing students Meghan Paugh and Mike Bartolo. The center’s accelerated celerated bachelor’s degree from American International bachelor’s degree program in nursing recently graduated its first class. program in nursing, which College with a degree in pub(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) lic health, called the accelerallowed her to transfer most ated program a “blessing.” of her undergraduate credits make a career shift to a field Students who enroll in says. All ages are represented While he prepares to take toward attaining a degree in in the program, including one his nursing boards, Bartolo the career she realized as her that is both rewarding and in the fast-track program must great demand. already hold a bachelor’s student who is over 60. has been working at Baystate calling. Howett, now 58, is the assis“People who choose to go degree to apply, according The program aims to attract Medical Center in inter-surtant dean of the accelerated into nursing long for that to Howett. Their previous more men to the field, Howett gery care, which is a unit bachelor’s degree program in patient connection,” she says. bachelor’s degrees run the where patients are sick, but says, noting that only 7 nursing at the UMass Center “They are highly motivated. gamut – from political science percent of people working as not sick enough to be in the at Springfield, where she is Intensive Care Unit. They have their eyes on the to journalism and from nurses today are male. SEE UMASS, PAGE L4 psychology to economics, she The first 83 students – inexcited about helping others prize.”

“There is so much value in having enough nurses to fill vacancies as nurses retire and health care becomes more complex.” MAEVE HOWETT, ASSISTANT DEAN, ACCELERATED BACHELOR’S DEGREE PROGRAM IN NURSING, UMASS CENTER AT SPRINGFIELD

OUTLOOK 2019

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With 1,000 hospital beds in four hospitals, a home health company, and 100 outpatient practices in over 60 locations, we served patients for 1.8 million outpatient visits, 50,000 hospital admissions, 35,000 surgeries, 200,000 emergency department visits, and delivered 4,300 babies in the past year.

Baystate CONTINUED FROM PAGE L1

(Franklin County, Wing, Noble and Mary Lane) that came together over the years to form the Baystate Health system. My father served as a physician at Springfield Hospital and later Baystate Medical Center from 1960 to 1990, while both my mother and my aunt were graduates of the Springfield Hospital School of Nursing in the 1940s and worked at the hospital after graduation. They and their colleagues set a standard of excellence we still adhere to today. Today, Baystate Health is a vast enterprise whose influence reaches across Western Massachusetts. We are setting a high standard in nearly 100 clinical areas, from specialized cardiac, cancer and trauma care to inner city primary care for the disadvantaged, to rural programs that bring Baystate Health quality to small-town environments. With 1,000 hospital beds in four hospitals, a home health company, and 100 outpatient practices in over 60 locations, we served patients for 1.8 million outpatient visits, 50,000 hospital admissions, 35,000 surgeries, 200,000 emergency department visits, and delivered 4,300 babies in the past year. True to our history as a teaching hospital, we maintain our academic mission, which fosters innovation, improvement and positive change throughout our health system – focused on clinical innovation and integration of care. All in all, there are 30 separate health professions that train at Baystate with partnership programs with eight colleges and universities. Our academic commitment to teaching and research allows us to recruit top talent, helps

On Sept. 14, Baystate Wing Hospital celebrated the opening of its new $17.2 million Emergency Department in Palmer. Here, Kim Davis, nurse manager for emergency service, left, and Lana Novia, assistant nurse manager, stand in front of a nurse station. The addition features state-of-the-art medical technology, including a CT scan and radiology service all located within the 17,800-square-foot expansion project. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

In this archival photo from more than a century ago, the Merrick Operating Room in Springfield Hospital had extra-large windows to maximize sunlight in a time when electrical lighting was primitive. The large windows would have faced north to take advantage of natural light while minimizing the solar heating encountered with south-facing windows. The operating room also featured an observance room for nursing students. William Merrick, treasurer of the Springfield Gas Light Co., left a bequest of over $98,000 to the hospital to provide, in part, for the erection of a surgical building. (BAYSTATE HEALTH PHOTO)

us to grow the next generation of caregivers for our area and brings new cures and state-ofthe-art approaches to care in our region. All that we do is made possible by the exceptional commitment of our 12,000 employees providing direct and indirect care, working together to form diverse, multi-disciplinary teams, dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our patients and community. Our Baystate team members contribute not only to the health of our patients, they contribute to the overall well-being and economic vibrancy of our region. As we strive to advance care and enhance lives of all we are privileged to serve, we recognize that the demograph-

ics of our area are a challenge and continuously evolve. The population of Western Massachusetts is not growing in size, but it is growing older and sicker. We also are the home to some of the most economically distressed areas of the state, within a region growing in diversity. Baystate Health has maintained its status as the lowest cost and lowest priced academic health system for inpatient care in the state. We innovate not only for new treatment options discovered through research and shared via teaching and clinical pathways, but also to make care more affordable. This means we try to keep patients healthy and care well-coordinated to avoid what

is unnecessary as much as possible, and benefit when quality measures are achieved and budgets for the cost of care are met. We support an unprecedented level of collaboration in addressing the social determinants of health (housing, transportation, nutrition, behavioral health and more) with innovative care models that have embedded behavioral health providers in our practices and case managers or community health workers who visit patients’ homes to do assessments related to compliance and other health risks. As we continue on our journey and learn from the past and innovate for the future, providing care to the place where people need it – wheth-

On June 14, Baystate Noble Hospital held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the $1.6 million new main entrance in Westfield. Shaking hands are Dr. Mark A. Keroack, Baystate Health president and CEO, and Westfield Mayor Brian P. Sullivan. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

er at home or in a clinical setting – we remain true to our mission. We will stimulate progress by pursuing the strategies to meet consumer and patient expectations in these changing times. We are committed to making a difference so the people we

care for can make a difference in their lives. 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.

A LEGACY OF

CARING

For nearly 150 years, this community has entrusted Baystate Health with its health and wellbeing. From our earliest beginnings at Springﬁeld Hospital, to the modern-day Baystate Medical Center, to today’s continually evolving integrated healthcare system, Baystate Health has grown alongside the many lives we serve. We are humbled by the privilege to care for generations of families and all who seek our help in a time of need. As we look to the future, we share our gratitude for the many dedicated Baystate Health employees, past and present, whose purpose and passion have made our legacy of advancing care and enhancing lives possible. CS10439

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OUTLOOK 2019

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UMass CONTINUED FROM PAGE L2

Nuclear medicine technologist Tony Graziano is seen with a PETCT scanner in the diagnostic imaging department at Holyoke Medical Center. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Spiros Hatiras

Holyoke Medical focuses culture on innovation

ROGRESS, INNOVAtion, advancement, development; whatever words we use to describe humanity’s march to an improved future state doesn’t happen without learning. Learning is the essential ingredient for progress and innovation. Health care is no different. In fact, in health care, progress and innovation are happening at an ever-accelerating pace. In 2018, Holyoke Medical Center marked its 125th year of continuous operation. It is a history very rich in experiences, lessons and advancement. Those years have afforded the medical center and the entire Valley Health Systems many opportunities to learn and to teach. We not only learn from our own past, we also learn from our peers and from the leaders and pioneers in our field. But learning is not an automatic process. It requires commitment, strong will and hard work. It has to be part of the culture of an organization, of its very fabric. It requires a thirst for knowledge and improvement. It requires resources. It also requires transparency and openness. One has to constantly ask: What can I do better? How can I improve? Is there a different way to do things? That is why at Valley Health Systems we have built into our culture the commitment to continuously strive to do better in everything we do and to scan our environment for new and innovative ways to deliver care. It is this culture that has allowed Holyoke Medical Center to achieve many firsts and milestones during our 125 years, such as these most recent examples: • To twice be named “Top Safety Hospital” by the Leapfrog Group in the last four years; • To be the only hospital in Massachusetts to have earned an ISO 9001 certification; • To be the first hospital in Western Massachusetts to be designated a “Baby Friendly” Hospital by the World Health Organization; • To be the first hospital to offer TMS (trans-cranial magnetic stimulation) to treat depression in Western Massachusetts; • To have the Holyoke Medical Center Weight Management Program become the only New England site for the clinical trial of the Elipse Balloon, a new, noninvasive, nonsurgical weight loss management treatment; and • To be the first hospital in

Holyoke Medical Center is part of Valley Health Systems, whose other affiliates includes Holyoke Visiting Nurse Association, Western Mass Physician Associates and River Valley Counseling Center. Its multi-building campus has undergone numerous renovations over the years. This is the main lobby.

Dillingham, who received her undergraduate degree in psychology, taught English in South Korea after graduating from college. She also worked as a crew leader with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps and as a behavior interventionist at a school. She has already secured a job contingent on her passing a nurse licensing exam. “I was always drawn to a career where I am helping others,” she says. “Initially, counseling and school guidance were my interest, but I realized later on that I wanted a more hands-on approach to care.” Howett says graduates of the accelerated program are well-prepared, not only for the licensing exams, but also for the rapid changes in health care. “Hospitals are so much more complex today,” Howett says. “Patients are sicker.” Last March, the UMass Center held an open house to celebrate the expansion of its nursing lab. The 26,000-square-foot space features 10 classrooms and clinical simulated space designed for training. Telehealth facilities allow students to practice high-tech

Maeve Howett is assistant dean of the accelerated bachelor’s degree program in nursing at the UMass Center at Springfield, a division of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. (CAROLYN ROBBINS PHOTO)

methods that are now common in health care. In simulation labs, students work with high-tech mannequins that stand in for live patients. “It’s a little disconcerting when students see the mannequins blink their eyes,” Howett notes. Students can look inside the mannequin’s ears and see eardrums, and some mannequins are designed so the students can learn how to deliver a baby, Howett says. She hopes to see more minority members consider applying to the program, adding that students with a second language are extremely

valuable in health care fields. Nurses who speak Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese are an asset in hospitals, she notes. Howett, who now holds both a master’s and a Ph.D. degrees in nursing, was recruited by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to help grow the accelerated program by adding more slots. The community at large is a beneficiary of the accelerated program, according to Howett. “There is so much value in having enough nurses to fill vacancies as nurses retire and health care becomes more complex,” she says.

(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

Massachusetts to offer nitrous oxide for labor pain management. While this list is by no means exhaustive of the achievements of even the last few years, it demonstrates the commitment for innovation at every level of the organization. We take pride and learn from our past, we are well rooted in our present and we always look to the future with an inquiring mind and a commitment to improve. So, for 2019 and for another 125 years to come, we commit to our patients, their families and our community that we will continue to learn and innovate. That we will continue to

invest in our people, our equipment, and facilities. That we will seek knowledge amongst our peer organizations and the innovators in our field. That we will teach what we have learned to others who follow us, to our colleagues and to other institutions, and that we will use all of our resources to deliver the best possible care to you, our patients. Have a happy and healthy new year. Spiros Hatiras is president and chief executive officer of Holyoke Medical Center & Valley Health Systems. To learn more about the medical center and Valley Health Systems, go online to holyoke health.com.

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University of Massachusetts nursing students in the UMass Center at Springfield accelerated bachelor’s degree program use simulation labs that have high-tech mannequins that stand in for patients. Students can look inside the mannequin’s ears and see eardrums, and some mannequins are designed so the students can learn how to deliver a baby. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT MAYOR DOMENIC J. SARNO OF City of Springfield WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS 36 Court Street, Room 214 1500 Main Street, Suite 217 Springfield, MA 01103 Springfield, MA 01115 413-787-6100 413-747-7670 www.springfield-ma.gov/cos jawm.org

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The Power of Care.

Fueled by Quality & Compassion. For all your health care needs, count on the community hospital that has set the standard in patient care for more than 125 years.

ISO Certiﬁcation

Superior Stroke Care

Expanding Service

Walk In Care

A quality Management System, reﬂecting our commitment to quality, transparency, and patient satisfaction. HMC is the ﬁrst and only hospital in Western Mass to obtain this prestigious accomplishment.

5 national and state awards including Get with the Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus

Each year we add more board certiﬁed physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certiﬁed nurse midwives, grow our patient navigator system, and increase medical specialties to meet the needs of our community.

Better access for all of your immediate health needs. Sore throat? Earache? Flu? X-Ray? Lab Draw? We have you covered. Comprehensive, quality health care services. No appointments necessary!

(American Stroke Association)

and Coverdell National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) Rate of 100 Percent Award (Massachusetts Department of Public Health)

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OUTLOOK 2019

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“I really want to attribute a lot of our success to (Valley Venture Mentors). (It) is really kind of the cornerstone of what the community really wants to be.” BARRETT MULLY, COO, ACLARITY

Joanne Marqusee

Advocacy for patients’ rights part of Cooley’s mission

Each fall season, West Parish Orchards in Westfield is among the vendors who use the weekly farmers’ market at the Church of the Atonement in Westfield to market their crops. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

OOLEY DICKINson’s mission is to serve our patients and communities with exceptional, compassionate and personalized care. For more than 100 years, we’ve been committed to serving residents of the Pioneer Valley, ensuring that they have access to high quality care with a personal touch.

Claire Morenon

25 years of growing Local Heroes

HIS PAST YEAR, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) celebrated 25 years of building connections between farms and the communities of Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties. This landmark presented us with an opportunity to reflect on the significant changes that local agriculture has undergone in the past quarter-century and to look ahead to the challenges and opportunities we will face together in the coming years. This reflection revealed that our region’s farmers have adapted to immense changes. Twenty-five years ago, the local agricultural land base and average farm income were falling. The regional wholesale markets that had carried the bulk of the crops, from apples to tobacco, had faltered and were being replaced by national and global wholesale chains. One way that farmers and their advocates responded to these challenges was to create CISA and our flagship marketing campaign, Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown. This effort, which uses mainstream media and marketing techniques to build broad community support for local farms, combined with the individual efforts of local farm businesses, changed the face of agriculture in the Pioneer Valley. The inflation-adjusted value of crops sold directly to shoppers at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and through farm shares more than doubled from $4.2 million in 1992 to $10.4 million in 2012. By CISA’s count, the number of farmers’ markets in our region grew from 10 in 2001 to 38 in 2018, and the number of farms offering farm shares grew from 19 in 2006 to 53 in 2018. As consumer interest in locally grown food has increased, many food-related businesses have emerged or adapted to meet the demand. Local farm businesses are selling their products to major grocery chains, big institutions and other large buyers, and there is still enormous potential to grow those relationships through consumer advocacy and direct support. Specialty foods companies make a wide range of products using local ingredients, ranging from pickles to salsa to beverages. Restaurants and grocery stores proudly label local products on their menus and shelves. Even as consumer demand has helped these local markets bloom, the fact remains SEE CISA, PAGE L19

Aclarity, formerly ElectroPure, is a start-up founded at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst by students who wanted to bring water purification technology processes to market. Co-founders Barrett Mully and Julie Bliss Mullen were helped in their entrepreneurial efforts by Valley Venture Mentors to take the next steps in business development. (ACLARITY WATER PHOTO)

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Pioneering a path to purifying water UMass-born start-up advances toward hitting market

By NATASHA ZENA

Special to The Republican

clarity is tackling the global water crisis by designing, testing and developing innovative water purification devices using electrochemical technology to remove pathogens, metals and other impurities from water. Developed by Julie Bliss Mullen, a civil and environmental engineering Ph.D. student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Barrett Mully, Aclarity was a result of Mullen’s work in the laboratory where she evaluated water treatment technologies.

It was during this time that Mullen, now her company’s CEO, became interested in novel water treatment devices that apply electricity to electrodes. “The technology itself is electrochemical advanced oxidation,” she explains. “What it really does is use electricity to purify water. It’s not a filter. “What happens is the water flows in, it’s like the contaminator is trapped in the device and then the water flows out. When you think of water treatment in the house, you think of a Brita filter. It’s a separation of contaminates,” Mullen adds. “Instead of separating, we destroy them.” Mullen and Mully met in an entrepreneurship class where he was a teaching fellow.

WATCH THE VIDEO

To watch a PeoplesBank Innovation Series video with the founders of Aclarity, go online to MassLive.com or Bankatpeoples.com/home/ community/innovation

ating a wonderful innovation hub and that Valley Venture Mentors plays a major part in it. “VVM was a huge validator,” Mully says, explaining that he and Mullen were able A patent is pending on the core technology, and the duo to take a deep dive in explorLEARN MORE ing who their customers will are negotiating a licensing Business: Aclarity be. “I really want to attribute deal with UMass. Product: Electrochemical a lot of our success to (Valley Aclarity graduated from water purification techVenture Mentors). (It) is Valley Venture Mentors’ nology really kind of the cornerstone 2018 Accelerator where it For more info: Online, won $27,500 in prize money of what the community really aclaritywater.com wants to be. for its start-up. Aclarity followed that up with a $65,000 “Western Massachusetts During a class pitch, Mullen grant from the Massachuhas a ton of manufacturing setts Clean Energy Center explained that she needed facilities here,” he says, citing for product development and Holyoke as an example, someone to come aboard to $225,000 from the National “and tons of educational help her commercialize her Science Foundation. product. They teamed up in institutions that are trying to Now, Mullen and Mully are be entrepreneurial-focused. early 2017 and shortly thereafter won the UMass Busilooking to raise $1.2 million All the parts are here. The ness Pitch Challenge. Today, to add to their technical one thing that we as a part of he’s Aclarity’s COO. team, aid in the piloting cer- Western Massachusetts need “We got our first seed fund- tification process and to get to figure out is how to make ing, which was $26,000. We their product to market by those connections because ended up incorporating unthe fourth quarter of 2020. we’re geographically not der Aclarity in May 2017, and Mully says he sees Western connected. I really believe we basically hit the ground Massachusetts as being situ- this part of the state can be a ated right on the cusp of cre- mecca for entrepreneurship.” running,” Mullen says.

“(We believe) public policy issues that impact the health of individuals and the health of our community cannot – and should not – be considered ‘out of scope’ for health care leaders.” Joanne Marqusee, president, CEO, Cooley Dickinson Health Care

In the past year, we have found ourselves advocating more and more for people whose rights are increasingly under threat in this country and speaking out on important public health issues. Doing so is core to the values we have as an organization: to uphold quality; demonstrate compassion; foster collaboration; show respect; and honor integrity. We want to assure the community that Cooley Dickinson Health Care welcomes and treats all patients without regard to what they look like, what they believe, who they love, where they come from, and how they got here. Guided by the needs of our patients and the talents of a diverse and inclusive workforce, Cooley is not only committed to delivering equitable health care in a culturally responsive, compassionate way in order to improve the health and well-being of the diverse communities we serve but to advocating for all our patients’ rights to equitable

SEE COOLEY, PAGE L18

Compassionate,

personal, local care

World-renowned

medical expertise

I choose both.

Right here in the Pioneer Valley, Cooley Dickinson is dedicated to caring for you with skill and compassion. That’s why we partner with one of the world’s most advanced health systems, enhancing the local, personal care we give you with access to world-class resources and specialists when you need them. Cooley Dickinson and Mass General—advancing your health together.

30 Locust Street, Northampton, MA | 413-582-2000 | cooleydickinson.org

ADVANCING YOUR HEALTH

OUTLOOK 2019

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | L7

AGRICULTURE

Chicken came first for farm, family yoked opportunities Diversification proved critical for Diemand Farm

By CORI URBAN

The 21st-century Diemand Farm in Wendell raises turkeys and beef cattle and sells cord wood and native lumber.

Special to The Republican

ack in 1936 Al Diemand purchased a 125-acre farm in the rural Franklin County town of Wendell, laying the foundation for a successful chicken – then egg – business. Some of his children now own the business and have yoked other endeavors under the Diemand Farm umbrella. Over the intervening 82 years the Diemands have diversified the family-run business, responding to changes in government regulation and customer needs. Several years ago, the federal Food & Drug Administration enacted rules for egg farms with more than 3,000 laying hens, and, because the Diemand Farm had a flock of 15,000, the decision was made to reduce the numbers rather than make the large investment necessary to meet demands of the regulations. To make up for that lost revenue, the farm – which now has about 200 acres – added a sawmill operation. That’s just one way members of the Diemand family have responded to the circumstances of the times through diversification. There’s been more, much more, done to keep the family farm functioning. Diemand Farm now raises turkeys and beef cattle and sells cord wood and native lumber. It has a catering business, offers various Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiatives and sells things like barbecued turkey legs and pulled turkey sandwiches at a limited number of festivals. It used to sell hay and maple syrup. Now a mainstay of the farm is its farm store and small commercial kitchen, located next to the farmhouse where members of the Diemand family still live. Patriarch Al Diemand and his wife, Elsie, are deceased. From baked goods to hormone and antibiotic-free meat to soups to prepared meals, the offerings are hearty and delicious. Pot pies are priced from $4.75 to $13.50. A dozen eggs costs $3.25, and sandwiches sell for about $5. “We have good food,” says Anne M. Diemand Bucci, a co-owner and vice president. She does much of the cooking herself, and she is showing her daughter, Tessa

(DIEMAND FARM PHOTO)

Diemand Farm in the Franklin County community of Wendell dates back to 1936 when patriarch Al Diemand bought a 125-acre spread and began his chicken farming operation. Diemand Farm continues as a family-run business that today includes a farm store and commercial kitchen with retail and wholesale operations. (DIEMAND FARM PHOTO)

R. White-Diemand – whom she calls “the future of the farm” – all aspects of the farm operation. When she was a child, White-Diemand used to get off the school bus in front of the farm to spend time there with her grandparents. She enjoyed having lots of room to play and roam, but she also helped with farm chores. “It taught me a good work ethic,” she says. And, when asked what she learned from her father, Bucci says Al Diemand also taught her a good work ethic: “When you finish a job, look around and see what else needs to be done. If I’m done with my job, help somebody else so we can all get done.” Her parents also taught her to take pride in what she does, and knowing her family name is on the farm products, “that’s huge to me,” she said. The farm sells products not only from its own store but also to other retail stores, restaurants and schools across Western Massachusetts. The Diemand Farm has two full-time and a half-dozen part-time employees. As she contemplates the future of the Diemand Farm, Bucci says she’s excited because there is a future. “Farming and life in general are not always easy,” she says. “But, with (my daughter) coming back (to work at the farm), I see some of the next generation is showing an interest, and that’s hopeful to me.” And she’s open to incubating other ideas for the farm, perhaps, for example, a greenhouse operation or Airbnb cabins. Bucci – one of Al and El-

LEARN MORE Business: Diemand Farm Product: Turkeys, chicken, eggs, grass-fed beef and related prepared foods Where: 126 Mormon Hollow Road, Wendell For more info: Online, Thediemandfarm.com

sie’s 12 children – recalled a conversation with a business associate of her father who told her Al and Elsie would be proud not only of the direction in which she and her siblings have taken the farm but because of who they have become as people. That gives her reason to crow.

Turkey pot pies are among the homestyle foods created at Diemand Farm in Wendell, using free-range chickens, turkeys and other local ingredients. The products are sold in a farm-based retail store and, in some cases, to other retailers in the region. (CORI URBAN PHOTO)

“Farming and life in general are not always easy. But, with (my daughter) coming back (to work at the farm), I see some of the next generation is showing an interest, and that’s hopeful to me.” ANNE M. DIEMAND BUCCI, VICE PRESIDENT, DIEMAND FARM

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OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“We see our space as a gateway because Greenfield isn’t New York City, and it’s small enough to be able to connect with business owners and elected officials.” JEREMY GOLDSHER, GREENSPACE COWORK, GREENFIELD

SMALL BUSINESS

Innovation, creativity spark coworking spaces Flexibility makes shared office space concept take off

Greenspace CoWork offers office and working space, along with a conference room, in downtown Greenfield. Its co-founders are Jeremy Goldsher, left, and Jeffrey Sauser. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

The Greenspace CoWork facility offers a variety of workspace options. A state Collaborative Workspace Program grant helped build out a second phase of the facility, including a conference room with AV capabilities that is available for rental. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

By NATASHA ZENA

Special to The Republican

ver the last two years, coworking has caught fire across the United States. Partly in response to more Americans working remotely, the idea of flexible, shared office space has become a blessing to both solopreneurs looking for a place to work away from home and commercial real estate owners looking for alternative ways to use vacant space.

Small Business Development Center, initially partnered with TechSpring, Baystate Health’s technology innovation center in downtown Springfield in 2015 before settling into her own digs the following year at the Scibelli Enterprise Center on Federal Street on the campus of Springfield Technical Community College. CoWork Western Massachusetts is no tiered offices. They were look- Springfield closed its doors in stranger to the global phenom- ing to downsize but keep their December. enon. Coworking spaces are headquarters local. While “We were too affordable to continuing to pop up along the they were downsizing, they the point we were not profInterstate 91 corridor. wanted to increase their work itable,” Hogan says. “How While larger cities with to happiness ratio,” Goldsher many coworking spaces can greater foot traffic, like New we support in this region? I said. York City and Austin, Texdon’t have the answer for it. The duo has grown their as, have thriving coworking I think that’s the reason why membership organically. spaces, those in smaller cities According to their research, 33 they are going to niche.” are finding innovative ways to percent of cowork members The coworking industry attract and retain tenants. is estimated to be worth $1 find their space through rec“We see our space as a gate- ommendation and 22 percent billion, and there are more way because Greenfield isn’t through the Internet. Which than 10,000 spaces around New York City, and it’s small begs the question, does West- the globe. Small Business ern Massachusetts have the enough to be able to connect Labs’ Global Coworking kind of demand that is needed Forecast predicts that smaller, with business owners and elected officials,” says Jeremy to run a thriving coworking niche-oriented spaces will space? Goldsher, co-founder of expand the coworking market. Samalid Hogan, founder of Franklin County’s Greenspace Springfield’s coworking CoWork. “The town frequent- CoWork Springfield, says the spaces, like Make-It Springly sends people our way who field on Worthington Street, owners of coworking spaces are looking to get implement- need to run their locations are finding success catering ed in the community.” to creatives while Dockit, like a real-estate business. Goldsher and Jeffrey Sauser, She learned firsthand how located at 75 Market Place, has an urban planning consultant, difficult it can be to figure out become a growing workspace opened Greenspace in the for attorneys. a profitable business model Hawks & Reed Performing AmherstWorks, situated in when you’re trying to keep Arts Center in January 2018. an old bank building in the affordability in mind. The building had previousHogan, who is now regional middle of Amherst’s downly been in bankruptcy, and director of the Massachusetts town, has used partnerships to Goldsher said they wanted to redevelop the space and open it up to the community to create nightlife and an economic upswing. Greenspace is situated at the heart of Greenfield’s revival in the downtown cultural district at the intersection of Main and Federal streets, a couple blocks away from the regional transit center and new parking garage. Greenspace now houses some employees from Australis Aquaculture, a leading producer and marketer of ocean-farmed barramundi, Greenspace CoWork is situated on third floor of the Hawks & founded in nearby Turner Reed Performing Arts Center in downtown Greenfield. Falls. “They have taken up a (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN) lot of our second and third-

its advantange. With upwards of 150 members, they’ve collaborated with Workbar, which has over 17 locations in New England, to create a floating membership similar to Planet Fitness’ business model where you can have access to multiple locations. Management coordinator Alex Laguerra Sierra says the goal of AmherstWorks was to attract and retain young entrepreneurs in Amherst. However, they started seeing a different demographics trend. “It’s a bigger mix than I thought it was going to be,”

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hone in on the ability to know people. It allows us to become more of a family and community.” Hogan says she would like to see more cities and towns use coworking spaces as a part of their economic engines. “Because we have so many small businesses, it’s good to have that available as a part of your (municipal) economic pitch,” she says. “It’s good to have the spaces open for future demand or attracting people, attracting leads and prospects. We should be a part of the strategy, a space where companies can start growing.”

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OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | L9

“Great fruit makes great pops. Mediocre fruit makes mediocre pops, so I only get fruit when it’s in season and at its best.”

Liesel de Boor, store manager, and Rochelle Prunty, general manager, stand in the produce section at the River Valley Co-op in Northampton. River Valley hopes to expand by adding a second store on Route 10 in Easthampton in the coming year.

JULIE TUMAN, CROOKED STICK POPS

(JANICE BEETLE PHOTO)

LEARN MORE Business: River Valley Market Product: Community-owned food cooperative Where: 330 N. King St., Northampton For more info: Online, rivervalley.coop

RETAIL

In her first year, Julie Tuman launched her Crooked Stick Pops business with a cart she took to fairs, festivals and farmers’ markets. (JANICE BEETLE PHOTO)

ENTREPRENEURS

Fruits of the valley help business pop Creative frozen pops prove popular treat in Pioneer Valley By JANICE BEETLE

Special to The Republican

Julie Tuman’s inspiration for her Crooked Stick Pops comes in part from her experience with mixing interesting cocktails as a pastime. Her sense of smell plays a big role as well. During the summer, she’s apt to be found walking around a farmers’ market, holding locally grown peaches in her hand while sniffing other vendors’ wares for the right companion flavor. This is how Tuman landed on her peach and goat cheese frozen fruit pop last summer. “I get bored easily. I can’t just do strawberry-lemonade,” Tuman said, noting that she uses a wide range of spices in her frozen treats, often incorporating clove, ginger and star anise, as well as herbs. Because she is creative – and her pairings work – Tuman says her customers have learned to trust her sensibilities. Tuman’s 3-year-old venture is mainly mobile spring through fall. She takes a cart to festivals, fairs and farmers’ markets. Ten months of the year, a shop in the Eastworks building in Easthampton – where Tuman also lives with her husband, William – supplements sales of Crooked Stick Pops, which contain ingredients from farms across Western Massachusetts. Flavors include Maple Pear, Blueberry Lavender, Strawberry Sriracha and Bourbon Caramel Peach. At 41, Tuman finds herself

Ten months of the year, a shop in the Eastworks building in Easthampton – where Tuman also lives with her husband, William – supplements sales of Crooked Stick Pops, which contain ingredients from farms across Western Massachusetts. in an entrepreneurial role that couldn’t be further from her academic studies or the first couple decades of her professional life. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Asian history from Appalachian State University in North Carolina and a master’s degree in Chinese from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Tuman previously worked for nonprofits that ensured compliance at overseas organizations. She was charged with ensuring these businesses were not violating human rights or labor laws. “The stakes were high,” she says. “If you made a mistake, a child could end up working in a fireworks factory.” She later marketed organizations that provide international education and studyabroad opportunities for college students. She traveled a great deal and was experiencing burn-out after several organizations where she worked went through mergers and buy-outs. In the fall of 2015, Tuman decided to launch her own

SEE POPS, PAGE L19

Co-op exceeds expectations River Valley looks to add 2nd store in Easthampton

By JANICE BEETLE

Special to The Republican

ranklin County-based Our Family Farms sold milk at the River Valley Co-op when the store first opened in Northampton in April 2008, a time when small businesses across the country were struggling as a result of the Great Recession. “One of the owners of the local dairy cooperative came to our 2009 annual meeting,” recalls Rochelle Prunty, who has been River Valley’s general manager since 2001. “They talked about how the economy hit them so hard.” Prunty tears up with emotion as she remembers the meeting, struggling to add, “But because the (River Valley) co-op opened, that’s what helped them get through it. They were able to keep their farm.” Prunty is incredibly grateful for this kind of success story and the fact that the natural foods co-op has helped launch – and sustain – many other farms across Western Massachusetts. The business, which sells local and organic products, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2018 with various events, including a birthday party last April and partial sponsorship of Easthampton’s Millpond. Live music series during the summer. Since it first incorporated in 1999 and began selling co-op ownership shares at $150 – the same one-time fee for the privilege today – the co-op has grown to 10,200 owners and 160 employees, over 90 percent of whom work full-time. It sees $28 million in annual sales, more than twice what was predicted by its founders. This is no small feat in a competitive market that has suffered from online

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“It’s never about making the sale or making the money. The food meets peoples’ needs. Supporting local farmers meets peoples’ values, and, in the process, we build community.” Rochelle Prunty, general manager, River Valley Co-op

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River Valley Co-op at 330 N. King St., Northampton, has been in business for 10 years. Today, the co-op has grown to 10,200 owners and 160 employees, over 90 percent of whom work full-time. (JANICE BEETLE PHOTO)

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OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Shiitake, chestnut and blue oyster mushooms are among the varieties grown at Mycoterra Farm. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

Yellow oyster mushrooms grow at Mycoterra Farm, where owner Julia Coffey says there is no “typical” customer. It distributes its produce at farmers’ markets across the state and also has its own farm store in Deerfield. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

AGRICULTURE

Fabulous

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growing among us

Jan Rolin works the conveyor belt in the bagging of sawdust used to grow mushrooms at Mycoterra Farm in Deerfield. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

Alvin Ford works on initializing some shiitake mushrooms at Mycoterra Farm in Deerfield. Begun as a home business in Westhampton, the farm now distributes exotic and gourmet mushrooms at farmers’ markets across the state, to fine dining restaurants in the Pioneer Valley and at its own farm store. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

Lion’s mane mushroom. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

Gourmet mushroom business grows fast following in WMass

Manager Alex Kent, left, works in the lab at Mycoterra Farm in Deerfield. Sterilization and sterile lab processes are an integral part of the mushroom growing business. Above center, Jonah Kaul takes items off the racks for cooling at the farm. Above right, Lacey Arnold, left, and Meghan Gallo work on bagging sawdust, which when mixed with grain is used to grow gourmet mushrooms at Mycoterra Farm. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTOS)

By GEORGE LENKER

Special to The Republican

ou’d never think the federal government shutdown would mushroom to the point where it was affecting, well, mushrooms. But that was the case for Julia Coffey, owner of Deerfield’s Mycoterra Farm. After receiving grants for a new walk-in cooler to improve food safety and for installing a solar array on a south-facing roof of their new building, she was in the process of getting reimbursement when the shutdown occurred.

LEARN MORE Business: Mycoterra Farm Product: Gourmet mushrooms Where: 75 Stillwater Road, Deerfield For more info: Online, mycoterrafarm.com

perhaps 20 pounds of mushrooms a week. Today, it is 500 pounds a week. “My partner Chris (Haskell) joined the farm in 20132014, and we expanded into Boston-area farmers markets and starting to pick up some restaurant clients,” she says. “Then, we hired more people to help with production and farmers markets, further expanding our market and restaurant reach.” The move to Deerfield increased Mycoterra’s production capacity, she says, “allowing us to expand our market through building relationships with distributors.” Coffey started the business when she was renting the Westhampton home next to her parents’ house in 2010. She then bought the house in “At first I didn’t think too 2012 and continued to operate much of it, but now three the business there up until she weeks into the shutdown, I bought the Deerfield property am concerned this political in 2016 and moved in late standoff will not be resolved 2017. in time to secure funding and The evolution of the business from its infancy in complete my projects within Westhampton was as drathe grant timelines,” Coffey shared in mid-January. “While matic as the latest expansion, according to Coffey. I am looking at other options “After operating the business (the Farm Service Agency) was out of the basement, garage, my best option.” It doesn’t mean the mushand seasonal outbuildings for room business will stop a couple of years, we constructed two 1,000-squareblooming for Coffey and foot greenhouses at the back Mycoterra. The business has experienced solid growth over of the (Westhampton) properthe past few years, prompting ty,” she explains. “While that seemed like a grand improvea lot of expansion. Initially, when Coffey operment when we began the projated the business by herself, ect, when we started operating she marketed directly to in the new space, we quickly customers at Western Masfilled it to capacity.” sachusetts farmers markets Coffey quit her day jobs in and through the River Valley 2014, and the business was Food Co-op in Northampton. utilizing every square foot Back then, she was harvesting possible in Westhampton by

that summer. “Demand outpaced our growth, and we had reached the capacity of our site in Westhampton,” she says. Thus, came the move to the former Stillwater Equestrian Center horse stable and arena that is Mycoterra’s home. Lion’s mane. Oyster. Chestnut. Shiitake. The farm grows a variety of gourmet and exotic mushrooms that are shared on the tables of many fine-dining restaurants in the Pioneer Valley as well as by home chefs who search them out at farmers markets across the region and state. The move to Deerfield also allowed Mycoterra to open its own farm store to share its produce with

“We market to a wide demographic. Income, age and ethnic backgrounds are all pretty diverse at our table.” Julia Coffey, Mycoterra Farm, Deerfield

the public. One interesting fun fungi perk that Mycoterra provides its customers is its “Mushroom Club Card,” which Coffey describes as “our alternative to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture farm shares). “Customers pay upfront for their card, which can be redeemed at farmers’ markets. A $10 discount is built into the $80 card, a $20 discount

is built into the $140 card,” she explains. “For us it has the same benefit of a CSA giving us upfront funds that go into production. For the customer, in addition to the discount, there is flexibility in redemption. They can redeem for any of our products, at any market without being tied to a CSA pick-up schedule.” There is no “typical” mushroom customer for Mycoterra,

according to Coffey. “We market to a wide demographic,” Coffey says. “Income, age and ethnic backgrounds are all pretty diverse at our table.” There does, though, seem to be agreement about people’s favorite type of mushrooms: Shiitake mushrooms, which have a great shelf life and are familiar to many people. It’s a choice with which Coffey agrees. “Shiitake is my favorite,” she says. “Known for the umami taste, shiitake is a natural flavor enhancer. It has a pleasant strong flavor, firm, pleasing texture and goes great with just about everything I cook.”

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OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | L11

Transformation drives Mercy’s innovation

Mark Fulco

REAT SERVICE. YOU know it when you get it. It feels right. At Mercy Medical Center, our focus is on having people feel good – feel good about their health and feel great about the health care service they receive. The team at Mercy continues to innovate so we can provide unparalleled health care quality and an unparalleled service experience. Mercy Medical Center’s Emergency Department (ED), with almost 80,000 patient visits every year, is among the busiest in Massachusetts. Despite the hectic pace, patients expect and deserve high-quality care delivered as quickly as possible. To meet that need, Mercy has instituted a “29 Minute Pledge” to assure patients they will be seen by a medical clinician within 29 minutes of their arrival in the ED. Of course, patients who arrive with life-threatening and more serious injuries and ailments are seen immediately and before those with non-life-threatening issues. This initiative will also help patients who need to be admitted get to their room quicker. You can use your computer,

Mercy Medical Center is a full-service acute-care hospital in Springfield that is part of the Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group. This is the main public lobby. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

ical excellence that supports the delivery of high-quality care, the use of cutting-edge technology and commitment to an inspiring patient experience. The creation of Trinity Health Of New England This is the lobby of the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation Radiation Oncology Wing in the Medical Group has improved Sister Mary Caritas Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN) efficiency in several areas, including the flow of patient tablet or smartphone to check cardiac care in the hospital. In accordance with govinformation and access to on the current ED wait time We have expanded our cardiac ernment regulations, Mercy next-day appointments. With by visiting mercycares.com/ telemetry unit for critically ill Medical Center posts a listing the adoption of Epic, health springfield. patients who need constant of prices for medical items care’s most reliable electronic Orthopedic services are now monitoring of their heart rate, and services on our webhealth record, the exchange available “24/7” through the blood pressure, breathing and site at mercycares.com/ of patient information across cms-price-transparency Mercy ED. To enhance our other vital signs. hospital departments and -springfield. This pricing services in this area, we added Mercy’s reputation as a throughout our regional health transparency underscores Mer- ministry is immediate and board-certified orthopedic high-reliability organization cy’s commitment to provide surgeon “hospitalists” so pais more important than ever seamless, allowing for better tients can receive immediate the best care at the best price. as payment methods and and faster care, fewer medical Because clinical integration errors, and the elimination of orthopedic care. We will soon reimbursement incentives is an important part of the open a dedicated orthopeare aligned with high quality unnecessary lab tests. dic operating suite as well to care, and health care consum- quality and cost equation, all At the same time, patients of ers have more “skin in the enhance both sports mediemployed physician practices the medical group can access cine and joint replacement game” with higher deductibles within our regional health their medical information services. and co-pays. These changes ministry have come togeththrough the MyChart patient er as Trinity Health Of New Mercy is also moving fordrive more “value-based portal and receive important ward with initiatives designed purchasing” as hospitals and England Medical Group. Our updates and communications to further enhance the excep- other health care providers patients in Massachusetts and from their health care protional care provided to pavider. If a patient of the group are selected because of quality Connecticut clearly benefit tients who require specialized markers and price points. needs emergency care, the pafrom a shared culture of clin-

tient’s medical record can be immediately accessed in the Mercy ED through EPICLink. The mission at Mercy Medical Center, deeply ingrained since our inception, calls us to serve the local community as a “transforming, healing presence.” As we move through 2019, we will continue to “transform” our services and find innovative ways to deliver care particularly in light of ongoing changes to the health care needs of our community and the continued evolution of payment reform. Mercy is already meeting these challenges by seizing opportunities for care and service expansion, strategically deploying current resources, and providing unwavering support to the patient care quality and service efforts of our dedicated team of colleagues. Mark Fulco is president of Mercy Medical Center and its affiliates. To learn more about Mercy, go online to mercy cares.com/springfield.

As we move through 2019, we will continue to ‘transform’ our services and find innovative ways to deliver care particularly in light of ongoing changes to the health care needs of our community and the continued evolution of payment reform. MARK FULCO, PRESIDENT, MERCY MEDICAL CENTER

Co-op CONTINUED FROM PAGE L9

we’re independent and community owned, we’re able to adapt and evolve as needed with the changing times.” Prunty, board president Andrea Stanley – also a farmer in Hadley and the owner of Valley Malt – and Natasha Latour, the co-op’s

marketing manager, agree River Valley’s overwhelming popularity and growth came because it meets the needs of the region’s residents. “It’s never about making the sale or making the money,” Prunty says. “The food meets peoples’ needs. Supporting local farmers meets peoples’ values, and, in the process, we build community.” “We’re set up to sell what people want to buy,” she adds. “Corpo-

rate supermarkets are set up to sell what big manufacturers want people to buy.” High volume at the co-op means the parking lot and the aisles are over-crowded. This has Prunty and the board looking to expand in Easthampton on property along Route 10 that was once home to the Fedor Pontiac Oldsmobile car dealership. The co-op already has 1,700 owners in Easthampton, and the

property, sitting on over four acres of buildable land, seems ideal. Co-op leaders are looking at the feasibility of building a roughly 20,000-square-foot grocery store, considering financing and building costs, according to Prunty. “We’re looking to break ground in July and open in July 2020,” she said, adding, “This is not yet a done deal. We expect to finalize our plans, fundraising, and secure financ-

ing for a final decision by June of 2019.” The projection is that the second location could bring in about $14 million in annual sales, Prunty says. “Easthampton is a community that supports local entrepreneurs. It’s incubating lots of different kinds of local businesses,” she notes. “That kind of thinking, and that kind of spirit has good synergy with what we do, and it feels like a good match.”

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L12 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Innovation mentor helped Viability reinvent itself NONPROFITS

Rethinking nonprofits with business approach

By NATASHA ZENA

Special to The Republican

ince Community Enterprises and Human Resources Unlimited merged in July 2017 to form Viability, the organization has hit the ground running to create a forward-thinking nonprofit that innovates like a start-up but holds true to its mission and long-standing Western Massachusetts roots.

LEARN MORE Business: Viability Inc. Product: Nonprofit provider of human services, including sheltered and community-based employment programs for the disabled Where: 60 Brookdale Drive, Springfield; additional locations in Western Massachusetts For more info: Online, viability.org

ships to create opportunities for their members, including day programs, employment and community living. In 2017, Valley Venture Mentors co-founder Paul Silva created the Innovation Accelerator to bring his experience in mentoring to nonprofits to help increase their financial “In the merger, we formed independence and impact bea business development cause nonprofits are often redepartment to really focus on liant on undependable grants being the best human service from the government, private foundations and donations agency we could by learning outside in the business from the general public. community and always being “Typically in nonprofits, you progressive,” says Carla Gaou- don’t treat changing services ette, senior vice president of or starting a service as a business. You look at it as a need. I business development. Headquartered in think it has to be both. It was a Northampton, Viability’s new concept for us,” Gaouette mission is to help build a says. “The accelerator has you world in which individuals do research to see what the with disabilities and other dis- market is and the need is and advantages realize their full if there is a need that could be potential. They leverage com- purchased and used. It took munity and employer partner- us to a new level of how to do

Carla Gaouette, senior vice president at Viability, a provider of human services, says the agency’s participation in the Innovation Accelerator program helped it find ways to bring start-up business practices to how it operates. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

“This is a nonprofit whose leadership and line employees aren’t afraid to reinvent how things have been done so they can increase their impact by 10 or even 100 times what it was before.” PAUL SILVA, INNOVATION ACCELERATOR

business and how to think of what we’re doing internally.” Besides business development, the Innovation Accelerator also proved to be a good tool for employee engagement, according to Gaouette. Viability invited staff members to participate in an “idea jam,” in which they brainstorm on everything from how Viability can im-

prove its residential programs to employment offerings. “From there we ask in a survey afterward, if an idea is picked, ‘Would you be interested in going to the Innovation Accelerator?’”Gaouette explains. “We also look into our evaluation and management piece to see who we’re looking to enhance skills for. Skills you can gain are

teams in the last cohort and one in the current cohort, how to use their organizations assets to create sources of unrestricted revenue has been a delight,” Silva says. “This is a nonprofit whose leadership and line employees aren’t afraid to reinvent how things have been done so they can increase their impact by 10 or even 100 times what it was before.” public speaking, research, He says the students “have PowerPoint. These teams are taken what they’ve learned in generally three or four people, the classroom and have apand we try to develop staff and plied it across Viability, which ultimately has changed their look at who has what skills and who might need develop- approach to innovation. Our ment in certain areas.” mentors continue to share Silva says the Innovation how inspired they are by this Accelerator’s effort to help group.” nonprofits has been a wonderFor more on the Innovation ful experience for him. Acclerator, visit the website, “Teaching Viability, two unrestrictedrevenue.com.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Start-up focuses on impact, not revenue FireGuide app looks to help save, improve lives

Lili Dwight, of Deerfield, is developing an app, called FireGuide, that will inspire and coach people with intellectual disabilities and young children in conducting fire drills in their homes. (JANICE BEETLE PHOTO)

trains the part of your brain that responds without thinking. For people with a cognitive impairment, it’s even more important.” By JANICE BEETLE Dwight’s business is Galactic Special to The Republican Smarties. It’s based in Deerfield, Lili Dwight has a background in where she lives. The product she IT, but she knows a lot about fire. has been working on since fall 2016 Dwight is developing an app that is called FireGuide. allows people with intellectual disFireGuide prompts young chilabilities and young children to run dren and people with disabilities through frequent fire drills in their to conduct fire drills in their homes own homes, so they are ready in an and also time each escape, track emergency. She’s had to learn how their progress over time and record to educate people on why they need feedback their parents can use to her product. refine future drills. “You have two minutes to get out Parents can schedule fire drills SEE FIREGUIDE, PAGE L16 in a fire,” says Dwight. “The app

The FireGuide app prompts young children and people with disabilities to conduct fire drills in their homes and also time each escape, track their progress over time and record feedback their parents can use to refine future drills. Here is a sample screen from the app. (JANICE BEETLE PHOTO)

The Roaring ‘20s Are Back… and You’re Invited! We’re throwing a gala for the ages and we want you to join us! ‘Don your fringe and dancing shoes as we step back in time to celebrate 100 years of inspiring young people to succeed.

Junior Achievement 100 th Anniversary Gala Saturday, May 4, 2019 | 5:30pm –10:00pm MGM Springﬁeld, ARIA Ballroom | One MGM Way, Springﬁeld, MA

Honor. Recognize. Celebrate. Sustain.

For more information, please call 413-747-7670 and ask for Berdie or email bthompson@jawm.org

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | L13

SMALL BUSINESS

Make-It, an idea that could ... and does Incubator looks to share skills, reshape city’s downtown

By NATASHA ZENA

Special to The Republican

wo-and-ahalf years after the Make-It Springfield pop-up shop turned into a full-fledged maker space, the idea that could is still growing with an eye on becoming sustainable. “The last year we really focused on strategic planning. We got some seed funding to take a step back to say, ‘We never planned on being around long-term,’” says Laura Masulis, MassDevelopment’s transformative fellow, whose work involves making the city’s downtown a destination for commerce. “And now, it looks like we’re going to be. Let’s make sure this organization is sustainable and that it can be around for the future.” Make-It’s current home at 168 Worthington St. in downtown Springfield is “busting at the seams” in terms of physical space, according to Masulis. It is situated in the midst of the several-block area designated as the city’s Transformative Development Initiative District. Part of the long-term vision for Make-It involves hiring staff and relocating to space that can better accommodate events and workshops for artisans, their equipment and guests. “Most (maker spaces) are in 10,000-square feet. We have 1,400-square feet,” Masulis explains. “We want to have break-out rooms for coinciding programming.” A site nearby is being eyed as the new site for Make-It Springfield. “We’re planning on moving just down the block. We heard

Make-It Springfield at 168 Worthington St. in downtown Springfield is a community incubator and workshop space for makers, artists, entrepreneurs, programmers, students and enthusiasts to make, create and share their skills and tools. At right, Laura Masulis is the MassDevelopment transformative development fellow overseeing Make-It Springfield. To see a gallery of photos about Make-It Springfield, go online to MassLive.com. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

from community members how it important it was to keep the location downtown,” she explains. “Part of our mission is so committed to the revitalization of the neighborhood. We wanted to stay close to where we’ve been but to have the opportunity to scale.” It’s been quite a year for the organization. In 2018, they comprised an advisory board that Masulis meets with every other week. In June, they filed for 501c(3) nonprofit status and recently added a retail level to their membership offerings. This new level allows

artisans to sell their work at the William C. Sullivan Regional Visitor Center and the Springfield Museums via an online store. There will be a registration fee for artisans and Make-It will collect a percentage of the sales. Make-It Springfield is working with both the visitors’ center and the museums to source local products that will sell well in the gift category, according to Masulis, including “food products, jewelry, accessories, that you would see in a gift shop and then we bring on makers as retail members.” Thus, Make-It becomes the

Sheldon Smith and his daughter, Nevaeh, look through some of the artwork created at Make-It Springfield on Worthington Street. Smith hosts regular workshops in arts and crafts at Make-It Springfield. He has been designing and producing art and clothing since 1994. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

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“go-between to make sure (members’) inventory is in the different retail outlets and make sure they’re up-to-date and make sure they can get some new attention.” For Masulis, the work at hand involves getting more people to know about MakeIt Springfield and growing both members and outlets for products.

“There are so many people who still have no idea we exist, in Springfield and the surrounding community,” Masulis says. “We’re going to make a bigger push in 2019 to reach both potential customers and participants in workshops.” She says becoming an affiliate of the Economic Development Council of Western

Massachusetts and the hiring soon of its first part-time employee are significant steps for Make-It Springfield. “(The) staff person will help coordinate day-to-day operations and grow our monthly membership base,” explains Masulis. “The sky is the limit.”

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 TD Bank AECOM/Tishman Const. Davis Foundation Gas Co Berkshire Westfield Bank CBS 3 Springfield News PeoplesBank Friendly’s Yankee Candle Massachusetts Mun. wholesale Mercy Medical Center National Grid CRRC MA Six Flags New England Verizon Monarch Enterprises Country Bank Easthampton Savings Bank Eastman Chemical, Inc. Bulkley Richardson and Gelinas Farmington Bank All States Material Group Key Bank Bacon Wilson PC Florence Savings Bank Balise Motor Sales MassLive Bradley Int’l Airport Cartamundi Holyoke Medical Center Community Foundation Holyoke Gas & Electric Freedom Credit Union Mount Holyoke College The Markens Group, Inc. Smith College N. E. Farm Workers Council Springfield College OMG Inc. STCC Peerless Precision, Inc. UMass Amherst Pride Stations & Stores United Personnel Service Sarat Ford Renaissance Advisory Services Sulco Warehousing CJC Development Advisors U.S. Tsubaki Western New England Univ Monson Savings Westfield Gas & Electric Universal Plastics Corp Westfield State Univ Peter Pan Bus Lines BayPath University Spherion Staffing Steve Roberts Maybury Material Handling A.L. Griggs Industries Chicopee Electric Light Dufault Vann & Co Eastern States Exposition For information call Greenfield Community College Rick Sullivan Greenfield Co-Op President & CEO Holyoke Community College (413) 755-1300

L14 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“As the career center started to process all of these evacuees who were coming to them for services, they found that there were a lot of nurses among them. We saw this as an opportunity to create a course that would serve a need that has existed for international nurses for many years.” KERMIT DUNKELBERG, HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Caring in a new language English instruction at HCC addresses nurse shortage

By Elizabeth RomÂn

In the photo at left, Habiba Atanane, left, who is originally from Morocco, participates in a group assignment with other classmates during an English language class for nurses at Holyoke Community College. In the photo at right, Dannys Solis, left, and Daliris Neifa converse in English during class. (HOANG “LEON” NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

eroman@repub.com

s students chatted about what they did over the weekend, Amy Pechukas, an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher at Holyoke Community College, walked around the room and listened in on their conversations.

Instructor Amy Pechukas helps Julianna Torres on a class assignment during a recent English language class for nurses at Holyoke Community College. (HOANG “LEON” NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

“It’s difficult sometimes because I see what the nurses are doing and I know I can do that too, and I’m ready.” Habiba Atanane, a registered nurse for more than five years in her native Morocco

are desperate for nurses.” After Hurricane Maria devastated the island of Puerto Rico in September of 2017, Springfield and Holyoke saw an influx of Puerto Ricans. “As the career center started to process all of these evacuees who were coming to them for services, they found that there were a lot of nurses among them,” Dunkelberg said. “We saw this as an opportunity to create a course that would serve a need that has existed for international nurses for many years.” The college is hoping to get as many students as possible to participate in the course before the $30,000 grant runs out in June. The grant pays the $240 nonrefundable fee for each student to take the test. The college teamed up with David Gadaire at MassHire, a career center in Holyoke, and the Bunker Hill Community College Welcome Back Center in Boston to establish the class here in Western Massachusetts. “The Welcome Back Center helps nurses trained in other countries with everything from having their nursing credentials evaluated to preparing for the English and nursing exams with the goal

a career development adviser at HCC. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Reyes knows what it’s like to learn a new language. “Many of the students get discouraged, especially when they hear about someone taking it and not passing and losing the money. That means they have to go through the whole process again,” he said. Reyes helps to keep the class organized, from taking attendance every week to checking in on students who may have missed a week or two and keeping an eye out for job opportunities in the medical field. “I try to keep them motivated and encourage them if they need it. I look for opportunities for them to work at hospitals or doctor’s offices, just to stay active in the field,” he said. During a recent class all of the students present were already working in the medical field in some capacity. Most are certified nursing assistants. “It’s difficult sometimes because I see what the nurses are doing and I know I can do that too, and I’m ready,” said Habiba Atanane, a registered nurse for more than five years in her native Morocco. She

her. “I feel as though if they can do it I can too. We encourage each other,” she said. Dannys Solis and Anaida Vazquez were also trying to study for the test on their own before discovering the group. “I want to do this for me, but more importantly for my children, so that they can see that I will never give up and I will pursue my goal of being a nurse,” Vazquez said. Her son’s teacher gave her a newspaper clipping announcing the classes at HCC. “When she sent this clipping home with him, I felt like an opportunity was presenting itself to me and I had to take advantage of it,” she said. “I tried to start the process on my own, but it was very difficult to navigate the system,” Solis said. Pechukas, a teacher and registered nurse, said the class focuses on teaching content knowledge and test-taking skills as well as building confidence. However, she said, being a nurse is about more than taking a test. “Nonverbal communication is a huge part of being a nurse,” she said. “Sometimes there is prejudice in the profession where people are judged because they might have an accent or imperfect

grammar, but actually they are excellent communicators and that is a huge part of

nursing.” tact Sheila Kelly at skelly@ Anyone interested in joining hcc.edu or 413-552-2027 for the study group should conmore information.

hE ve nt

1-844-VA CARES • www.centralwesternmass.va.gov

tre ac

has been in the United States for a year and three months and said she is ready to be a nurse again. Jelitza Rodriguez-Alicea, Daliris Neifa and Julianna Torres are all working as certified nursing assistants. They said having a designated study group to meet with weekly has made the process less stressful. “Here we can practice our English, but talking about things related to nursing, which you can’t really do when you’re at home with your friends and family,” said Torres. For Neifa, seeing other students sacrificing time with their family and spending hours studying has motivated

that they can obtain their nursing certification in the state,” Dunkelberg said. Before the class was established at HCC, hurricane evacuee Frank Martinez had set up a study group on his own. He earned his nursing degree in Puerto Rico, but is not able to work as a nurse in Massachusetts until he goes through the testing and certification process. By day Martinez is an employee at the career center. At night he is a phlebotomist at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton. He evacuated from Puerto Rico after the hurricane and came to Holyoke, where he had lived before and still has family. While registering people for services at the career center he noticed the number of registered nurses coming in. “We had about 30 in the beginning and we just kept getting more and more. We started with a little study group once a week at MassHire and when HCC got its funding we formalized the class,” he said. “I think it’s a bonding experience where you get to share your concerns, your struggles with people who are also in the same field as you.” Martinez is fluent in Spanish and English, but still found the English test to be daunting. He recently passed the exam and is now in the process of getting his credentials validated by the state. “The test is very challenging,” said Emmanuel Reyes,

Ve te ra n

“The more they speak it the more comfortable they will be with the spoken part of the test,” said Pechukas, referring to the International English Language Testing System, required in many licensed professions for employees whose native language is not English. The students meet every Tuesday night in the Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development to go over sample tests, but more importantly to socialize and speak English with one another. They may come from different backgrounds, but these students have several things in common — English is not their first language and they are all registered nurses in their native homelands. Passing the advanced English test is the first step in getting into the nursing field here. After they pass the test, students are required to submit their nursing certifications for approval by the state. Once their certification is approved, students go on to take the nursing exam for Massachusetts. “What we have found over the years is that this can be a very long, confusing process and people get discouraged,” said Kermit Dunkelberg, assistant vice president of Adult Basic Education and Workforce Development for the college. “We also know that there is a shortage of qualified nurses and hospitals

VA and Springfield Vet Center will be at these events to help America’s Veterans connect with the benefits they earned Springfield RV & Camping Show: FEB 15-18 | West Springfield

Valley Blue Sox Mil Appreciation: JUL 14 | Holyoke

Springfield Sportsmen’s Show: FEB 22-24 | West Springfield

3 County Fair Vet Appreciation: SEP 1 | Northampton

Mark’s Northeast Motorsports Expo: MAR 8-10 | West Springfield

The Big E Mil Appreciation: SEP 13 | West Springfield

Western Mass Home & Garden Show: MAR 28-31 | West Springfield

Western Mass Veterans Stand Down: OCT 4 | Springfield

Noho Pride Day: MAY 4 | Northampton

Veterans Picnic in the Park: OCT 5 | Wilbraham

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

OUTLOOK 2019

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | L15

FIREARMS

Gunmaker faces expansion, opposition Smith & Wesson continues to diversify

AOBC plans to open a $55 million center near Columbia, Missouri, to house distribution, engineering and prototyping efforts.

By Jim Kinney

jkinney@repub.com

merican Outdoor Brands Corp., the Springfield-based parent company of Smith & Wesson, hopes new products, creative promotions and bundling products from its firearms, camping and firearms accessories divisions can offset what’s seen as a soft market for firearms in 2019.

An employee assembles a gun at the Smith & Wesson plant in Springfield. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

week, to include: right to put an initiative on the share, compared with net profit • evidence of monitoring shareholder ballot, also forced of $3.2 million, or 6 cents per diluted share, in the same three of violent events associated Smith & Wesson competitor An employee assembles a revolver at the Smith & Wesson with products produced by the Sturm Ruger & Co. to write the months of the previous year. The company is also a poten- plant in Springfield. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) The entire firearms industry company; same report in 2018. tial buyer for Westfield-based • efforts underway to reDebney warned shareholders is seeing soft demand. Late last following the lead of Catholic search and produce safer guns in the corporation’s annual year, FBI background checks gunmaker Savage Arms. and prototyping efforts for its for firearm purchases were off Savage’s parent company, Vista nuns who successfully passed accessories division, the part of and gun products; and report that activists favoring • an assessment of the risks tighter gun control posed a risk 8.8 percent from the same time Outdoor, has announced plans a resolution calling for the the company that sells shooting period in 2017. Background company to write a report on its supplies, gunsmith tools and to corporate reputation and to sell. Industry insiders say to American Outdoor Brands checks for long guns were off gun-safety efforts. American Outdoor Brands, other outdoors equipment un- finances related to gun violence because their efforts could der a variety of brand names. 11.2 percent. The gun industry American Outdoor Brands in the U.S. which has less of a rifle hunting damage the company’s reputation and cause it to spend This is according to transcripts uses the background check last month bought Arizo“It appears the company business than Savage, might na-based LaserLyte, a maker of a December conference call plans to produce the requested money responding. data as a rough estimate of be interested in buying the of laser gun sights and training that CEO James Debney hosted report but this has not been According to numbers consumer demand. company. American Outdoor Brands aids for shooters and police released in early December with investors and reporters to confirmed,” wrote Sister Judy To counter that, Debney said faced pressure from gun officers. In a news release, announce quarterly earnings. American Outdoor Brands is Byron, a member of the Adrian for the three months that control activists in 2018, and it the company said it will move In a news release the compa- Dominican Sisters and director ended on Oct. 31, the comrelying on new products and ny said the distribution center of the Northwest Coalition for pany’s net sales for the most will only intensify this year. In LaserLyte’s operations to the designs for 2019 as well as recent quarter were $161.7 December, the Episcopal Dio- Crimson Trace factory in Wil- means 328 new jobs, including Responsible Investments in promotions that go across all cese of Western Massachusetts sonville, Oregon. 154 new jobs in the first three million compared with $148.4 its business lines. That means Seattle. bought 200 shares of stock, American Outdoor Brands years. million for the same time last it would include deals on American Outdoor Brands enough to place a question on plans to open a $55 million American Outdoor Brands camping and hunting gear or might not have heard the last of year. That’s an increase of 8.9 the ballot presented to sharedistribution center near has 1,600 employees at its percent. Net profit was $6.7 gun accessories along with a Byron. Her group, which buys holders at the corporation’s Columbia, Missouri, this Springfield Smith & Wesson million, or 12 cents per diluted firearm purchase. just enough shares to earn the annual meting. year. Executives have told plant. It is advertising for The diocese plans to open a investors that the new facility production and professional dialogue about gun control. It’s will also house engineering workers in Springfield and at a plastics plant in Deep River, Connecticut, in addition to the new warehouse in Missouri. This all comes as American Outdoor Brands and Smith & Wesson face increased scrutiny from gun control advocates seeking solutions to ongoing mass shootings. Those activists are angered by the company’s Board certiﬁed Nephrologists dedicated to the continued support of the hardhighest quality care for all aspects of kidney disease. line National Rifle Association. Gun control advocates repeatedly demonstrated outside the Smith & Wesson factory in Certiﬁed Hypertension Center Springfield last year. Among By the American Society of Hypertension them on one occasion was David Hogg, a survivor of the February 2018 shooting at MarExemplary Practice Award in 2017 jory Stoneman Douglas High From the Renal Physicians Association in Parkland, Florida. A gunman at the school used a Smith & Wesson rifle to kill 17 people. In September, stockholders approved a referendum requiring that executives write • Dialysis a comprehensive report on what they are doing to address • Hypertension Diagnosis gun violence. That measure was brought by a network of and Management Catholic nuns from across the • Kidney Disease country. The measure passed despite opposition from Deb• Renal Transplantation ney and corporate executives. Anti-gun-violence advocates protested outside Smith & WesThe nuns asked that the re• Renal Biopsy son headquarters several times in 2018, including this rally in port, requested for delivery last

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The Most Rev. Douglas John Fisher, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, speaks at a March 2018 anti-gun-violence rally outside Smith & Wesson in Springfield. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

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L16 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

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Recently retired Tighe & Bond president and CEO David E. Pinsky stands with a portrait of his grandfather, Edward J. Banyon, who also worked for the company. Pinsky says a key to the company’s success in the 1970s and 1980s was a move from civil engineering into fields involving environmental engineering. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

Engineering CONTINUED FROM PAGE L1

ed fields of environmental engineering with a focus on water, wastewater, solid waste and hazardous waste management,” Pinsky said. Over the past 20 years, that expansion continued into health and safety, renewable energy, regulatory compliance, environmental and land use planning and permitting, coastal engineering, GIS services, structural and mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering. In addition, the company has expanded its client base from primarily state and local government clients to other sectors, including industry, education, power utilities and real estate. The company has worked on myriad projects, including the Mount Tom energy storage system and Mount Tom solar farm in Holyoke, Chicopee water and sewer system upgrades, the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke, the University of Connecticut’s Henry Ruthven Monteith Building in Storrs and Springfield’s Union Station redevelopment. Comprised of approximately 370 employees, the Tighe & Bond staff provides engineering and environmental services to clients throughout the Northeast. Tighe & Bond is 100 percent employee owned, and employee-owners are well aligned in the vision of the organization. “While we continue to grow and expand, we have stayed true to our goal of being an employee-owned regional engineering and environmental services firm that differentiates itself through the high level of service we provide to clients, quality and attention to detail,” Pinsky said. According to Robert S. Belitz, former chief financial officer who on Jan. 1 became president and CEO, the transition plan had been well thought out, organized and communicated throughout the year. “As a result, we feel very good about our prospects

LEARN MORE Business: Tighe & Bond Product: Engineers, environmental specialists Where: 53 Southampton Road, Westfield For more info: Online, tighebond.com

for the upcoming year and continuing our long track record of success,” he says. Pinsky left with the company “in a great position,” according to Belitz. “We believe our brand and reputation in the marketplace have never been stronger,” he says. During his tenure, Pinsky strengthened the firm and its governance by adding both key leadership positions and outside directors to the board and left “a great legacy of Tighe & Bond giving back to the communities where we live and work,” Belitz says. Noting that the industry has benefited from a long period of economic prosperity, Belitz says dealing with an inevitable downturn is a challenge he is expecting at some point. To address this challenge, the company will continue to remain a diversified organization in terms of client base and services while continuing its “long history of running a good business, being a trusted adviser to our clients and making decisions on where to invest in alignment with our strategy.” As Pinsky looks to the future of the company, he hopes Tighe & Bond continues to

Westfield-based Tighe & Bond has more than a century of service in the field of engineering throughout New England. The company was founded in 1911 in Holyoke. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

Tighe & Bond staff engineer Jennifer Reynolds works at the company headquarters in Westfield. The staff numbers about 370 people working at nine office locations across New England and New York. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

be a strong employee-owned leader in the profession, providing outstanding service to clients, offering a great employee experience and remaining true to core values. “We owe that to James L. Tighe and all of the leaders who have followed him to help shape this company over the past 107 years,” he says.

The company has worked on myriad projects including the Mount Tom energy storage system and Mount Tom solar farm in Holyoke, Chicopee water and sewer system upgrades, the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke, the University of Connecticut’s Henry Ruthven Monteith Building in Storrs and Springfield’s Union Station redevelopment.

Live. Local. Listen. Reach our Growing Latino Community! We will help you get your message across.

Tighe & Bond moved to its headquarters at 53 Southampton Road in Westfield in 1989. The firm was founded in Holyoke in 1911. To see a gallery of photos about Tighe & Bond, visit MassLive.com. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

“While we continue to grow and expand, we have stayed true to our goal of being an employee-owned regional engineering and environmental services firm that differentiates itself through the high level of service we provide to clients, quality and attention to detail.” David E. Pinsky, retired company president and CEO, and current chairman of the board

tell the user where it is and the best route to safety. After she took part in the CONTINUED FROM PAGE L12 Valley Venture Mentors for the users and record a accelerator program in 2017, message that directs them, she learned that her target such as, “It’s time to do a audience would be better fire drill. Press the orange served by software that hand if you need more teaches children and people time.” Users can ask for a with disabilities how to five-minute delay or tell the escape. Her mentors led her app to postpone entirely. through the process of gathering feedback from customAfter a drill is completed, ers through interviews. the user records a message “I also learned how to tell for the parent, telling them the story of the value of what what did or did not go well during the drill; parents use I am doing,” Dwight adds. Dwight is now finalizing that feedback to further customize their pre-recorded her product. At age 62, she instructions. is living on her retirement Originally, Dwight intend- savings as she works to raise ed to develop a product that money to market FireGuide. would alert one to a fire and In the past year, she audi-

tioned for television shows such as “Shark Tank” and “HUBWeek” with no success. Thanks to two friends, she has raised $100,000 against future equity in the product. Fundraising has been the biggest challenge for Dwight. She believes that’s because her product is designed for social impact. “Most venture capitalists want a 100 percent return,” she explains. A subscription to use FireGuide will cost about $8 per month. For more information, visit the website, galacticsmarties.com. To sign up to test an early release of the app, go online to fireguide. us.

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | L17

“This is the type of store that was around 50 years ago. We’re just an oldschool customer service operation.” CHARLES S. LASK, OWNER, NAT FALK MEN’S CLOTHING STORE

Nat Falk CONTINUED FROM PAGE L1

what somebody’s size is by looking at them,” Lask adds. Nat Falk specializes in basic men’s clothing, selling everything from Levi jeans, Haggar pants and Carhartt apparel to Florsheim and Rockport shoes and Carolina work boots. It also has Boy Scout uniforms in stock. “I’m not New York. I’m not in on the latest fashion trends,” Lask explains. “We’re more of a working man’s clothing store. We have his work clothes, his dress clothes, whatever he needs. “This is the type of store that was around 50 years ago,” Lask adds. “We’re just an old-school customer service operation.” Some of Nat Falk’s regulars travel from an hour away. “We draw from a pretty large market,” Lask says. “Our best form of advertising is wordof-mouth.” Lask started working in the store in 1983, becoming its owner in 1989. He took over the business from his father Joseph Lask, a Holocaust sur-

Nat Falk opened his men’s clothing store on Main Street in Ware in 1936. Polish immigrant Joseph Lask began working there in 1949, became a partner in the 1960s and bought the store after Falk’s death in 1977. Today, Lask’s son, Charles S. Lask runs the store. The vintage photo at left from the 1940s or ’50s shows the main sales area at the Nat Falk clothing store in Ware. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

vivor who came to the United States at age 24. Originally from Poland, the elder Lask was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust and was imprisoned at Auschwitz. His father began working for Nat Falk in 1949, a year after he arrived in America. He settled in Ware because he had relatives there. Lask says his dad started off working in a

women’s shoe store, but didn’t care for it and went to work for Nat Falk, the store’s namesake, and the two men “clicked right away.” Lask did not always know he would follow in his father’s footsteps. When he was in his 20s, he was in a Top 40 band and had the opportunity to go on tour. In the end, he decided to stick around and focus on the family business. Lask is not completely out of the spotlight. He moonlights as a Neil Diamond tribute artist, singing classics like “I am ... I said,” “Holly Holy,” “Sweet Caroline” and “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show.” Something that has changed in the business, according to Lask, is the movement toward more casual work clothing. Years ago, he said, Nat Falk was primarily a dress clothes business. “We’ve transitioned more to a work clothes store,” Lask says. Nat Falk, a fixture in downtown Ware, sells men’s clothing. ForThe store still carries mal attire is one of the services at the store. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO) tuxedos and plenty of sport

LEARN MORE Business: Nat Falk Product: Retail men’s clothing store Where: 64 Main St., Ware For more info: Online, natfalkmensclothing.com

coats and suits. Prom season is one of the busiest times for the store. And, Lask does it all with just himself and one employee, Judy Fair. They can clothe shorter men, taller men, men of all sizes, “so they don’t have to go to a mall or a department store because they can get it here. I carry it all,” he says. “ We know what we’re doing. Judy has been here with me for 18 years.” And, if they don’t have what a customer needs or wants, Lask says they’ll gladly order it: “If we don’t have a specific thing that someone needs, we will get it.” While some people may prefer online shopping, Lask says Nat Falk still has many customers who appreciate

Not too nimble with tying a tie? Nat Falk offers already-tied ties. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

good customer service and who want to try on their clothing before buying and feel the material. He maintains his prices for formal wear are typically better than other places. Online sales hurt every brick-and-mortar store, Lask says, adding that every dollar spent online represents money being taken away from a community. Ordering online may make one’s life a little bit easier, but he hopes more shoppers will take time to

think about who’s sponsoring their child’s sports team or donating to their school. “It’s not Amazon,” he notes. The best part of the job for Lask? “The people,” he says. “I’ve met some really wonderful people here.” The store is open Tuesday through Saturday year-round, and Mondays from April through June and October through December. Learn more at the website, natfalk mensclothing.com.

Real Food Really Good

03102653

L18 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Big Y co-founder Paul D’Amour chats with a customer at the meat counter at the original Y Cash Market in Chicopee in 1936. (BIG Y FOODS)

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

“In those early days, Paul and Gerry strove to offer a personalized shopping experience with a localized assortment that met the needs of their local community.” COLIN D’AMOUR

Big Y

Big Y Foods began with this Y Cash Market in Chicopee in 1936. It was named for its location at the intersection of Chicopee and Meadow streets. (BIG Y FOODS PHOTO)

Gerald E. D’Amour, co-founder, and the late Ronald Moreau stand in front of the original Y Cash Market in Chicopee in 1936. (BIG Y FOODS)

perishable product. We also strive to support education in our communities. Through our annual scholarship program we have awarded over $4.5 million to over 6,000 customers, employees and their family members. Additionally, we work hard to support local schools through donations and through our

While the company has grown since those humble beginnings we believe our future success lies in staying true to the vision and principles laid out by our founders.

“While we continue to focus on advancing patient care, recruiting new providers and opening new programs and services to meet the health care needs of the communities we serve, we will also continue in the year ahead to advocate on behalf of all people and defend their ability to access care,” writes Joanne Marqusee, president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Health Care.

Cooley CONTINUED FROM PAGE L6

health care. Some might question why a local health care system would publicly take “political” positions. We believe that whether it’s how our immigration laws and policies affect access to care for underserved communities, discrimination based on gender identity, or gun violence, public policy issues that impact the health of individuals and the health of our community cannot – and should not – be considered “out of scope” for health care leaders. Violence, including specifically gun violence, is a public health issue. I am encouraged that the ban on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s ability to research and report on gun violence has been reversed, but absent funding for that work, the change in policy will little matter. Collecting and studying reliable data and trends is imperative so that we can understand what is happening and how we might take action to prevent gun violence and save lives.

“Violence, including specifically gun violence, is a public health issue. I am encouraged that the ban on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s ability to research and report on gun violence has been reversed, but absent funding for that work, the change in policy will little matter. Collecting and studying reliable data and trends is imperative so that we can understand what is happening and how we might take action to prevent gun violence and save lives. ” Joanne Marqusee. president and CEO, Cooley Dickinson Health Care

Immigration policy, like recently proposed changes to the public charge rule, directly affects people’s ability – and willingness to access healthcare. The proposed “Conscience Rights in Health Care” rule opens the door wide for discrimination and for patients to be denied the care they need. It will also likely deter some from even seeking care. For example, it makes it more likely that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals will be met with discrimination just when they are most vulnerable – when

they are sick and need care. So while we continue to focus on advancing patient care, recruiting new providers and opening new programs and services to meet the healthcare needs of the communities we serve, we will also continue in the year ahead to advocate on behalf of all people and defend their ability to access care. Joanne Marqusee is president and chief executive officer of Cooley Dickinson Health Care. To learn more about Cooley Dickinson Health Care, go online to cooleydickinson.org.

Education Express program. Technology and computer systems will naturally continue to play an increasingly important role in our future, but must be viewed and used through the lens of customer and community service. They are tools which, when used in concert with the principles established by our founders, will help us to continue to exceed our customers’ evolving expectations and to continue to deliver World Class Service in the communities we serve. My grandfather Gerry often

Big Y Foods opened it latest World Class Market on Jan. 24 in Marlborough, Conn. (BIG Y PHOTO)

called our business a “people business.” He helped me understand at an early age that whether it is a birthday party, a religious holiday or simply gathering for dinner, a meal is often central to our most precious moments we have as a family and a community. I can remember as a child seeing the excitement my grandfather derived from being a part of these intimate experiences.

“It gets in your blood,” he would exclaim when describing his work. It is this same legacy for passion that will carry us on through the next 83 years. Colin M. D’Amour is a corporate center store sales manager for Big Y Foods, focusing on all nonperishable grocery products for the 72-store supermarket chain. To learn more about Big Y, visit bigy.com.

Engineers www.vhb.com

can partner. While we may not all speak several languages like Paul and Gerry, we still believe CONTINUED FROM PAGE L1 in creating a true partnership course, much different: ham- with these local vendors. burger cost 25 cents a pound; Today we are proud to work a loaf of bread was a nickel; with almost 200 local vendor and home deliveries were partners. Like the community markets of decades ago, often made on the company we believe there is pride in bicycle. In those early days, Paul and true craftsmanship and our Gerry strove to offer a person- employees work hard in this alized shopping experience pursuit. This is why we still with a localized assortment have bakeries that create that met the needs of their many products from scratch, local community. It is said that full-service butcher shops, and Paul became especially adept cheese merchants who attend at speaking several dialects ongoing training to ensure they and languages to customers, are experts in their field. vendors and local farmers. We may not know all our customers by name, but we still Gerry worked hard to know many customers by name and strive to offer that community market touch of “Your Big Y.” would often inquire how dinner turned out when a special And, we, of course, still want order had been prepared in the to know how that specially cut butcher shop. Paul and Gerry roast turned out for your family believed that their nascent dinner! business would succeed only Our founders taught us that by becoming a part of the com- being part of the community munity they served. meant giving back to the comWhile the company has munity, and we try to continue grown since those humble be- to live this ethos on a local levginnings we believe our future el. Our family of over 12,000 success lies in staying true to employees volunteers time the vision and principles laid and money to local charities out by our founders. throughout Massachusetts and Today we still work hard to Connecticut. identify the right localized Employees can often be assortment. From summer found assisting at local soup produce, to hand soap, to pasta kitchens or senior centers, sauce, this store-specific secollecting for animal shelters lection of products is driven by or toy drives, and cleaning up a ground-up approach where local parks. Additionally, we store employees and customwork to identify local food ers help identify local farms banks and soup kitchens to and businesses with which we which we can donate unsold

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Improving mobility. Enhancing communities. Contributing to economic vitality. Springﬁeld, MA 413.747.7113

OUTLOOK 2019

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | L19

LEARN MORE Business: Crooked Stick Pops Product: Frozen pops made with fresh fruit Where: Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St., Easthampton For more info: Online, Crookedstickpops.com

CISA CONTINUED FROM PAGE L6

that only around 15 percent of the food eaten in our region comes from local farms. Farmers are increasingly in competition for consumers’ dollars, and we’ve seen that reflected in the drop in local farmers’ markets to 36 from the peak of 49 in 2012. Farming remains a highrisk, low-margin business, and the larger trends that spurred CISA’s creation 25 years ago have only intensified, from the consolidation of the grocery industry to cheap, imported food competing with local farmers on price. Many of the farms in our region have built resilience into their businesses by growing a range of crops. That way, survival of the farm business doesn’t rest on the success of a single crop. Similarly, the

The new Springfield Culinary Center, which will prepare and serve school meals to students in the Springfield and Holyoke public schools, is committed to sourcing ingredients from local farms. Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture cites the project by the city of Springfield and food service management company Sodexo as an example of progressive thinking to support Western Massachusetts agriculture. Putnam Vocational-Technical Academy student TaMya Romero won the contest to create a new name and logo for a new school culinary and nutrition program. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

prepare and serve school meals to students in Springfield and Holyoke and which has a stated commitment to sourcing ingredients from local farms. This represents a major shift in the food available to students in the largest

Farming isn’t only about markets, though. It’s also a highly weather-dependent business, and local farmers are already directly affected by climate change. Average temperatures in Massachusetts have already increased

Many of the farms in our region have built resilience into their businesses by growing a range of crops. That way, survival of the farm business doesn’t rest on the success of a single crop. strength of our local food system lies in having a diverse range of farm businesses, both in terms of the food and other farm products they produce, and in terms of the type and scale of their markets. One exciting local development is the new Springfield Culinary Center, which will

school districts in our region, and it is the result of tireless efforts on the part of parents and local advocacy groups and of progressive thinking and financial commitment from the city of Springfield and Sodexo, the food service management company that will manage the center.

by 3 degrees over the last 100 years, and the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in November, included projected changes that will seriously affect local agriculture. These include: warmer winters, which can increase plant disease and pest pressure; less predictable

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and more extreme weather swings during seasonal transitions; and increased precipitation. As we face an unpredictable future climate, the centuries of knowledge passed down by farmers will no longer be relevant to future planning. Farmers are highly adaptable, and they have successfully weathered major shifts over the decades, and this resilience bodes well for the health of our local food system. Their hard work must be buoyed by community support and resources aimed at helping them adapt to changing markets and a changing climate. Claire Morenon is communications manager at Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA). To learn more about CISA and its work, go online to buylocalfood.org.

Julie Tuman, owner of Crooked Stick Pops, flash freezes fresh fruit in season so that she can make her frozen fruit pops all year round. Her business, which she began in the fall of 2015, is based at the Eastworks building in Easthampton. (JANICE BEETLE PHOTO)

Pops CONTINUED FROM PAGE L9

business. Inspired by her love of cocktails, and a frozen pop shop in St. Augustine, Florida, she landed on her idea. Crooked Fruit Pops employs eight people as seasonal, part-time workers, and Tuman runs her shop March through December. “I need January and February to recuperate,” she says. Tuman says what sets her wares apart is that they are fruit-based. She flash-freezes fresh produce in a commercial kitchen she operates in the nearby Keystone building and will not supplement with fruit from outside the region if she runs short. “Even pops in December are made from strawberries from Sunderland,” she explains. Selling at $3.50 each, three for $10, or 10 for $30, Tuman’s pops cost more than those one would buy in the grocery store. Hers, though,

Tuman says what sets her wares apart is that they are fruit-based. She flash-freezes fresh produce in a commercial kitchen she operates in the nearby Keystone building and will not supplement with fruit from outside the region if she runs short. are low in sugar and do not contain water and artificial flavors. In addition to bad weather that keeps thirsty buyers away, helping customers understand the cost is one of the challenges she’s faced. “Great fruit makes great pops,” she says. “Mediocre fruit makes mediocre pops, so I only get fruit when it’s in season and at its best.”

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BUSINESS MONDAY: Area Chambers of Commerce share 2019 outlook, tomorrow in Section D

Outlook M

| SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM

T-Birds deliver big-league results 2 success-filled seasons spur AHL franchise forward By Ron Chimelis

What is clear is that the third year of the Springfield Thunderbirds hockey franchise differs from the others. The staff and management is not building from scratch, which is how Year 1 felt at times during the debut season of 2016 and 2017. It’s not trying to prove that momen-

rchimelis@repub.com

Nathan Costa refuses to say the tough part of his staff ’s job is over. That’s because it’s never over.

tum was neither fleeting nor based on novelty. That was the challenge of Year 2 in 2017-2018. Now, it’s a case of seizing upon what works, learning from experience and providing the smooth, customer-based operation the city’s American Hockey SEE T-BIRDS, PAGE M8

“We are selling the experience and getting a larger audience to interact with the game. Expectations are high, but the results are rewarding.” NATHAN COSTA, PRESIDENT, SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

Springfield Thunderbirds mascot Boomer takes to the ice with an all-terrain vehicle during Military Appreciation Night as the Thunderbirds took on the Charlotte Checkers at the MassMutual Center on March 3. The Thunderbirds averaged 4,985 fans last season, the third-highest in the history of Springfield hockey. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

FOOD & DINING

Business of beer is hopping ’Hamp brewery among 26 added in state in 2018

Mary Kay Wydra

Western Mass 2.0 takes tourism to next level

By George Lenker

Special to The Republican

rogress is often the combination of key factors coming together at the right time. That also holds true for Progression Brewing, the newest brewery in Northampton.

It is one of 26 breweries which opened in Massachusetts in 2018, from among a list of some 50 that were slated to begin business. All told, there were 129 breweries in Massachusetts in 2017, giving the state a ranking of 17th in the country and contributing $1.83 million to the state’s economy, according to the SEE BREW, PAGE M10

Co-owner Drew Starkweather offers up a beer at Progression Brewing Co., which opened in late 2018 at the former site of Don Gleason’s Camping Supply in Northampton. The Progression Brewing Co. features several New England India pale ales, including Onward, Upward and Evolve, shown here, as well as some West Coast-style IPAs and porters and stouts, such as Omen, also shown here, an imperial American stout. To see a gallery of photos at Progression, visit MassLive.com. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

ESTERN MASSAchusetts has a strong, positive tourism outlook for 2019, a position the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau envisions as “Western Mass 2.0.” The designation of “2.0” is frequently seen in computer software, in cellphone releases and similar events to denote that something is new, improved and more useful. And, that’s exactly what’s happening here in the visitor industry of Western Massachusetts. It’s been impossible to miss the biggest single impact our industry has witnessed in decades: the opening of MGM Springfield. As we have said for some years, “This changes everything.” The impressive property offers an entirely new entertainment experience to visitors. It has been

SEE WYDRA, PAGE M18

PHILANTHROPY

‘It doesn’t cost any extra to be nice’ Corporate culture builds business of helping community

By Keith O’Connor

“It feels good ... giving back. I want to be connected to our Inspired by his father’s words – community and help make it a “Gary, it doesn’t cost any extra to better place,” says Rome, president be nice” – Gary Rome has made it of Gary Rome Auto Group with a his business not to just sell cars, but Hyundai dealership in Holyoke to also give back to the community. SEE ROME, PAGE M12 Special to The Republican

Jeff Cintron, of Gary Rome Hyundai, installs one of the “Drive Pink” license plate frames, which were made available at the dealership as a fund-raising effort for the Baystate Health’s Ray of Hope campaign. Dealership owner Gary Rome says giving back to the community is a key component of how he does business. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Big E makes farmers’ success big goal

HEN THE EASTERN STATES Exposition Agricultural and Industrial Exposition came to fruition in 1916, the world was changing rapidly. With America in the midst of the Industrial Revolution, farming in New England was on the decline and production costs were increasing rapidly. Springfield entrepreneur Joshua L. Brooks collaborated with luminaries like Horace Moses, of Strathmore Paper Co. (and founder of Junior Achievement), Theodore N. Vail, of American Telegram and Telegraph in New York City, retailer J.C. Penney and others to create Eugene an event that would provide information and demonstrations of the latest farming methods, establish competitions that would inspire farmers to produce more efficiently and sponsor and promote cooperative purchasing that would lower the farmers’ costs. In addition, innovations in the world of industry were displayed at the early expositions, including Springfield’s own Knox and Duryea automobiles and the highly successful Fisk Tire, manufactured in Chicopee. Cutting-edge home products debuted in the Industrial Arts Building, now the Better Living Center, as well as Storrowton Village. Mr. Brooks believed that supporting and growing business would grow the economy and, above all, he believed in developing and showcasing an agricultural New England. “Unless New England’s farmers are successful,” he maintained, “her industries will suffer.” Now, as we move toward the end of our second decade of the 21st century and in the exposition’s 103rd year, there is renewed interest in agriculture and intense public awareness regarding the origins and production practices of the foods on our dinner tables. Fairs around the world are united in promulgating and

promoting best practices in agriculture. Furthermore, our state and county fairs provide a medium in which to educate the consumer. Last spring, Eastern States Exposition’s management attended a dairy farm tour workshop held at Stonewall Farm in Keene, New Hampshire. Presenters included dynamic speakers from the New England Dairy and Food Council and the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition. A panel (which included our trustee, Beth Kennett, of Liberty Hill Farm, proprietor of one of the most picturesque and successful farm stay destinations in Vermont) offered Cassidy suggestions on providing the best experience for families and individuals who visit and tour our New England farms. Agri-tourism is growing in popularity and provides an enlightening hands-on agricultural education to consumers on the importance of family farms and the pathway of food “from farm to fork.” The exposition has always been committed to communicating the importJoshua L. Brooks ant message of agriculture and its impact on the life of every citizen. As a result of the exposition’s purchase of two steer at its annual 4-H beef auction, we were able to deliver more than 1,400 pounds of premium 4-H-raised beef to three area organizations, including the Parish Cupboard, West Springfield’s food pantry for the needy and soup kitchen for the homeless, Springfield’s Open Pantry Community Services and the Friends

The Mallary Complex at the Eastern States Exposition features displays related to agriculture and farming during each fall run of the fair. Above, Britney Hill, of Four-Hills Farm in Bristol, Vermont, milks one of their red-and-white dairy cows in 2011. At left, Berkshire Cheese, of Dalton, promotes its Western-Massachusetts-made cheeses at the Eastern States Exposition wine and cheese barn. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

SEE CASSIDY, PAGE M11

“We had a great 2018 in an atmosphere of changes locally and in the industry as a whole. There’s never a shortage of great live music to book but it takes a true commitment to keeping up with what and who is happening.” JIM NEILL, IRON HORSE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

(HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

Above, MGM Springfield brought Aaron Lewis to the stage at Springfield Symphony Hall on Sept. 9. Indie musician Neko Case, left, performed to a soldout crowd at Northampton’s Academy of Music in January 2018, a production of DSP Shows, the newest arts kid on the block in Western Massachusetts.

The MassMutual Center will serve as the ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM venue’s entertainment hub, according to Spera, and guests will start to see more and more shows taking place on the property, including Cher, who will play there on April 30. “MGM Springfield is designed to become the destination for something to do every day of the week for everyone in the region. We are focused on the revitalization of Springfield and entertainment plays a significant role,” she says. “As we believe that entertainment is a fundamental human need, we plan to further energize the city By GEORGE LENKER to see what the resort had to offer. In we enter 2019,” she says. “We also with more entertainment offerings Special to The Republican just the first month of our opening, we are very grateful for the hard work that will bring added excitement into There are a lot of issues that people hosted concerts on our outdoor plaza, and commitment of our dedicated the lives of residents and visitors.” are arguing about these days, but including a sold-out performance employees as well as the ongoing The newest arts kid in the block in one area a lot of folks find common by Dropkick Murphys during our enthusiasm and support of the entire Western Massachusetts, although ground is the arts. Luckily, people grand opening weekend, followed by Springfield community.” one that has been here for a few years here is Western Massachusetts have legendary singer, songwriter, musiPlans for this year include trying to now, is DSP Shows, which is booked cian and producer Stevie Wonder in a capitalize on the what MGM Springno shortage of wealth in this categoin the region by partner John Sanders. ry, and that trend seems to be just as sold-out show at MassMutual Center field started in 2018, according to Sanders said that last year was the healthy as we head into 2019. on our second weekend of operation,” Spera. company’s biggest year yet in Western There was, of course, a sea change “Entertainment will continue to be Massachusetts, with the group preshe says. locally last year, as MGM Springfield the cornerstone of MGM Springfield’s senting twice as many shows in the The parade of talent continued opened both its doors and provided a through the rest of the year, she addPioneer Valley as it had in 2017. experience in downtown, energizing ed, as the resort brought in acts such new yellow brick road of arts for the “The highlight for sure was bringthe city and enriching the downtown ing Bob Dylan back to Springfield as Aaron Lewis at Symphony Hall and scene,” she says. “It started in early area. When a venue kicks things off Symphony Hall in November for an the Comedy Get Down Tour featuring January with the opening of our new with Stevie Wonder as its opening amazing show that sold out months in George Lopez, DL Hughley, Cedrick show, it’s bound to make a splash. ROAR Comedy Club in the history Talia Spera, executive director of advance,” Sanders said. “Our series the Entertainer and Eddie Griffin at armory on the property. This unique entertainment for MGM Springfield, MassMutual Center. This coming comedy series, developed by John To- at the Academy of Music was espesays the resort-casino had a “treyear looks just as bright, according to bin Presents, complements our robust cially strong with 25 shows at this mendously successful” 2018 grand entertainment offerings and features Northampton landmark, including Spera. opening. an eclectic mix of nationally popular sold-out shows with Neko Case, I’m “We continue to experience solid “Our hotel and restaurants were comedians as well as rising industry With Her, Robin Trower, the Tallest visitor volumes and look forward booked with guests eager and excited to welcoming many more guests as stars.” Man on Earth and Richard ThompA member of the Dropkick Murphys gets close to the audience during the band’s August performance that kicked off the opening weekend for MGM Springfield. (STEVEN E. NANTON PHOTO)

Valley’s arts scene grows more vibrant

From north to south, small venues complement MGM

son.” DSP Shows also expanded its programming at Gateway City Arts in Holyoke, and Sanders says the response was incredible. “Mitski, The English Beat and Tyler Childers were some of the standout shows. I was also amazed at the turnout for Guided By Voices on the first night of the World Series,” he says. “I saw so many familiar faces who I know are die-hard Red Sox fans but still came out to see this great band.” Sanders notes that this momentum isn’t slowing down for 2019, with acts such as Joan Baez, the Indigo Girls, Steven Wright and J Mascis, among numerous others coming to this area. “We are also working hard to bring more shows to the Pines Theatre (at Northampton’s Look Park) this summer and hope to announce a few great acts in the coming weeks,” he says. “The support we have received from the community has been incredible, and we look forward to bringing more great music to the valley in 2019.” Of course, other spots in Northampton still seem on an upswing, despite this new competition both in town and to the north and south. At the arts triumvirate known as the Iron Horse Entertainment Group (the Iron Horse Music Hall, Pearl Street Nightclub, and the Calvin Theatre), the trend has been positive. “We had a great 2018 in an atmosphere of changes locally and in the industry as a whole. There’s never a shortage of great live music to book but it takes a true commitment to keeping up with what and who is happening,” says Jim Neill, marketing

SEE ARTS, PAGE M17

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | M3

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

2019 CONCERT SEASON MENDELSSOHN’S “ITALIAN” & BRAHMS

Proliﬁc celebrity violinist, and SSO audience favorite, Rachel Barton Pine returns to Springﬁeld to play Brahms’ only violin concerto on an instrument chosen by Brahms himself!

Saturday, February 23, 2019 Rachel Barton Pine, Violin Kevin Rhodes, Conductor

Augusta Reed Thomas - Prayer and Celebration Amy Beach - Romance Felix Mendelssohn - Symphony No. 4, Op. 90, A Major “Italian” Johannes Brahms - Violin Concerto, Op. 77, D Major

A SALUTE TO CLASSIC BROADWAY WITH MAESTRO RHODES

Amy Beach’s ‘Romance’ provides an extra special moment as members of the Springﬁeld Symphony Youth Orchestra join the SSO on stage with guest violinist, Rachel Barton Pine in celebration of both orchestras’ 75th anniversaries! Maestro returns to the Pops stage to host and conduct a star-studded cast of soloists performing the best of classic Broadway with our orchestra! In honor of George Gershwin’s contribution to the world of Broadway, Maestro Rhodes will revive his crowd-pleasing performance playing and conducting Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Luretta Bybee, Mezzo-Soprano Emma Grimsley, Soprano Bronson Norris Murphy, Tenor Jeremy Stolle, Tenor Kevin Rhodes, Conductor & Special Guest Pianist

BEETHOVEN’S 5TH & LISZT

First introduced to the SSO when she was 16 as the winner of the National Chopin Competition, and fresh from her victory at the Géza Anda Competition, Claire Huangci returns to our orchestra poised to perform a truly herculean creative feat: two Liszt concertos in one concert!

Saturday, March 23 2019 Claire Huangci, Piano Kevin Rhodes, Conductor L. v. Beethoven - Symphony No. 5, Op. 67, C minor Franz Liszt - Piano Concerto No. 1, S. 124, E-ﬂat Major Franz Liszt - Piano Concerto No. 2, S. 125 A Major Libby Larsen - Beauty Alone (Movement II from String Symphony No. 4)

MOZART & MAHLER 2

Our orchestra will conquer two giants of classical music in one concert, presenting Mozart’s meditative version of Ave Verum Corpus and Mahler’s epic Symphony No. 2.

Saturday, April 27 2019

Springﬁeld Symphony Chorus Nikki Stoia, Director Amy Burton, Soprano Luretta Bybee, Mezzo Soprano Kevin Rhodes, Conductor W. A. Mozart – Ave Verum Corpus, K. 618 Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 2, C minor (Resurrection; Auferstehungssymphonie)

MOVIE NIGHT WITH MAESTRO RHODES

With his trademark energy and enthusiasm, Maestro Rhodes will celebrate the most exciting music from nearly a century of cinema.

Saturday, May 4, 2019 Nikki Stoia, Director Springﬁeld Symphony Chorus Kevin Rhodes, Conductor

75TH SEASON FINALE WITH NEW WORLD SYMPHONY AND TCHAIKOVSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO Saturday, May 18, 2019

Yevgeny Kutik, Violin | Kevin Rhodes, Conductor Salvatore Macchia - Overtura Rocambolesca Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Concerto for Violin, Op. 35, D major Antonín Dvorák - Symphony No. 9, Op. 95, E minor “From the New World”

TICKETS STARTING AT JUST $22! VISIT SPRINGFIELDSYMPHONY.ORG TO LEARN MORE. STAGE

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EVERY SSO CONCERT TICKET INCLUDES FREE, SECURE CONCERT NIGHT PARKING! CONTACT THE SSO BOX OFFICE • 413.733.2291 M-F 9:30 am - 4:30 pm, Concert Saturdays 1-3:30 pm.

For fast & easy ordering and info about seating & concerts, we’re here to help!

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M4 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE TIPS

Inventory needed for Realtors to deliver ‘American Dream’ Sellers’ market projected to continue for 2019 By KEITH O’CONNOR

Special to The Republican

Home ownership is part of the “American Dream.” That’s according to new consumer survey data from the National Association of Realtors. “I would agree that buying a home is definitely a part of the ‘American Dream.’ There is pride in home ownership and purchasing a home gives you an opportunity to build

Here are some general tips for homebuyers and sellers:

equity,” says Karen Reggiannini, sales manager for William Raveis Real Estate in East Longmeadow. “The average time people are staying in a home today is nine years, Also, the good thing about Western Massachusetts is that we do have affordable properties in lovely communities where people can achieve home ownership easier than in a primary market like Boston. However, not everyone can achieve their dream right now. “The lack of affordable and moderately priced homes has forced non-homeowners to delay achieving that part of

Buyers: • Find a good Realtor to work with who can help you understand the home buying process and who will be your partner all the way through ownership; and • Get pre-approved so you understand what you can afford and be prepared if the right property comes up on the market to make an offer. Sellers: • Focus on the condition of your property to ensure it’s ready to go on the market; • Price appropriately for the current market; and • Remember you never have a second chance to make a first impression with someone looking at your home Source: Karen Reggiannini, William Raveis Real Estate

the ‘American Dream.’ However, as the survey confirms, significant lifestyle changes like marriage or starting a family often spur non-homeowners to pursue home-ownership,” says Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the national Realtors’ association. Edward Alford, immediate past president of the Realtors Association of Pioneer Valley,

agrees. “The lack of homes and high market entry prices are making it difficult for firsttime homebuyers to achieve the ‘American Dream’ of home ownership,” Alford says. “Oddly, this affects buyers and sellers alike. Income levels have not kept pace with the increase in housing prices,

SEE REALTORS, PAGE M11

“The lack of homes and high market entry prices are making it difficult for first-time homebuyers to achieve the ‘American Dream’ of home ownership.”

Karen Reggiannini, sales manager at William Raveis Real Estate in East Longmeadow, cautions that homebuyers are looking for properties in good condition. “Watching HGTV has changed the way buyers look at properties,” she says, “and condition seems to trump other factors.” (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

EDWARD ALFORD, PAST PRESIDENT, REALTOR ASSOCIATION OF PIONEER VALLEY

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Rick Sawicki, left, receives his 2018 Realtor of the Year award from Ben Scranton, of the Realtor Association of the Pioneer Valley, along with Michele Welch, center, of Berkshire Bank, who was honored as 2018 Affiliate of the Year by the association. Sawicki heads the Amherst-based Sawicki Real Estate.

April 2‫ ד‬th

(REALTOR ASSOCIATION OF THE PIONEER VALLEY PHOTO)

Endorsement Work Group. “It’s a noble He has participated in the Massachusetts Association of profession. You’re Realtors’ annual Realtor Day helping people find on Beacon Hill and is a major a home, for some investor in the Realtors Political Action Committee. Sawicki their very first is also a member of the Nahome.” tional Association of Realtors’ Public Policy Coordinating Rick Sawicki, Pioneer Valley Realtor of the Year Committee. He notes that he especially enjoys government affairs. first home,” he says. “There “(Realtors) are the only are certain big moments you advocates for private property remember in life, such as owners,” he says. “There is no getting married, having your one else advocating for their first child, and buying your first rights, and for most people the home. For many people like biggest asset they own is their me, that is very satisfying to be home.” a part of.” Sawicki has given back to Sawicki served as president of the community as an active the Realtor Association of the member of the Rotary Club Pioneer Valley in 2017 and toof Amherst. He is a member day serves on the Building, Ex- of the Amherst Chamber of ecutive, Finance, Government Commerce and served on the Affairs, President’s Award, Turners Falls High School Professional Development and Logo Task Force. Strategic Planning commitHe offers some advice for SEE SON, PAGE M8 tees, as well as the Candidate

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Like mother, like son. “I’m a son of a broker,” says Rick Sawicki, of Sawicki Real Estate in Amherst, who in June received the Realtor of the Year award from the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley. The award is the highest honor given to a member of the association and is presented to recipients who demonstrate “outstanding service and devotion” to the 1,700-member organization in the areas of association activity, community service and business activity. “It was a pleasant surprise to learn that I would be receiving the award and a great honor to be nominated by my peers,” says the 57-year-old Sawicki. A Realtor since 2005, Sawicki says he had a good teacher – his mom, Ernestine “Tini” Sawicki. “I grew up in the business and spent many hours in my mom’s office, which was not far from Amherst Regional High School, which I attended,” he says. “I remember helping her maintain the multiple listing service books, which were not computerized back then. Sawicki wasn’t always a fulltime Realtor. He was active for many years in the alcohol and beverage industry. “When my mom was looking to retire, I stepped in to run the business she founded in 1988,” he said about his mother, who was a Realtor for 40 years before her death in 2014. “It’s a noble profession. You’re helping people find a home, for some their very

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M6 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Monkfish wrapped in leeks with a red pepper coulis and toasted fennel and cannolini salad is among the fine dining entrees offered at bNapoli restaurant in West Springfield. (DON TREEGER

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Street tacos, made with grilled chicken, melted Monterrey Jack cheese, honey-grilled onions, mix cabbage and pico de gallo, is on the menu at Frontera Grill. (DON TREEGER /

Margherita pizza is among the specialties served up at Millie’s Kitchen Deli & Pizzeria in Westfield.

/ THE REPUBLICAN)

THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Quality experience keeps diners at the doors Passion for food critical amid rising costs, challenges By KEITH O’CONNOR

Special to The Republican

Federico Mendiola, owner, Frontera Grill

Since 2004, owner Gennaro “Jerry” Moccia has run Bella Napoli Pizzeria in West Springfield, eventually branching out in 2016 and opening the fine dining establishment, bNapoli Italian, next door at 185 Elm St. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

that also drives many restaurant owners. “Of course, you have to make a profit, but food is something that you have to love, someno one else is doing in terms of can restaurant with locations in thing that has to come from your menu and cocktails.” Chicopee and Springfield. your heart,” Kan says. “You For Vedat Kan, owner of “Consistency is a big chalwant to give your customers lenge, maybe the biggest, to Millie’s Kitchen & Pizzeria in the best possible product, and Westfield, “hiring is a problem.” keep your customers coming there is something satisfying back,” he says. “You have to “You need the right people about being able to do that.” for the job, cooks and drivers,” make sure your drinks are Adds Mendiola, “You have made the same way, with the Kan says. “A small business same amount of alcohol every like ours, well, we can’t afford time, or that you have the same to offer a bunch of benefits. amount of steak in the burrito Take Papa Johns for example. you’re serving. Your quality and It’s easier for them because consistency must remain the they are a large chain with big same. Otherwise, your customcorporate dollars. The government isn’t helping smaller ers will think you don’t care restaurants like ours.” and go elsewhere.” Consistency is yet another While the bottom line is challenge for restaurateurs, ac- important at the end of the day, cording to Federico Mendiola, it’s the love of food and sharing owner of Frontera Grill, a Mexi- that passion with customers

Frontera Grill in Springfield is located at 1411 Boston Road. Federico Mendiola opened his first restaurant in Chicopee and added this location in 2018. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

existing business last February. He’s also once had pizza shops in Springfield, Ludlow and Marlborough. “I’ve been in the business for some 40 years. I had something good and stuck with it. At one point, I wanted to try something else, but couldn’t find anything I liked and always fell back into food service after SEE DINE, PAGE M8

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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 – 11:00 pm 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 Frank 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 19th 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 pre-prepared for us. 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.

to remember that it’s not just about making a profit, you have to give your customers a good experience, have pride in what you are serving and make your customers feel welcome by stopping by their table.” There is also something to be said about being “bullish” on the restaurant industry. Millie’s Kitchen is Kan’s latest venture after purchasing the

03102403

Proﬁles In Business

The WebstaurantStore.com blog is predicting 2019 might be a difficult year for restaurant owners faced with rent, labor and food prices rising, forcing them to compete with each other for a limited supply of customers who will be choosing to eat out less. But not everyone is all doom and gloom about the future of restaurants, which the Massachusetts Restaurant Association says provides jobs and builds careers for thousands of people and plays a vital economic role in communities throughout the state. “It’s not all negative. The economy is strong, unemployment is low and, for the most part, consumers still enjoy going out to eat. Overall, I believe the industry is cautiously optimistic,” says Steven Clark, director of government affairs for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. But there will be challenges. “One of the challenges ahead for 2019 will be rising food prices,” says David Lazara, wine and beverage manager for bNapoli, saying restaurants are at the mercy of the weather, catastrophes like hurricanes, and recalls like last year’s E. coli romaine lettuce crisis, as well as new tariffs and possible sanctions on some countries. “The last thing you want to have to do is raise your prices,” adds Lazara. “It’s a balancing act. You also want to stay trendy so your customers come back to you. You must constantly be evolving and doing things

“We have great confidence in Springfield along with the quality of our food and drinks, as well as the service we provide our customers. And, with the new casino and Springfield expanding, I knew it was the place to be.”

03103970

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | M7

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

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M8 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

Dine CONTINUED FROM PAGE M6

doing it for so long,” Kan says. Since 2004, owner Gennaro “Jerry” Moccia has run Bella Napoli Pizzeria in West Springfield, eventually branching out in 2016 and opening the fine dining establishment, bNapoli Italian, next door. “Jerry is committed and real-

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

ly understands the hospitality industry. He works 70 to 80 hours a week, and you can often find him dressed up in suit and tie talking with and getting to know his customers,” says wine and beverage manager Lazara. While Lazara and Kan say 2018 was a good year for them, Mendiola says it was “an especially good year” for him. His confidence in the market led

him to open a second Frontera Grill early last year in Springfield on the site of a former Ruby Tuesday restaurant on Boston Road. “We have great confidence in Springfield along with the quality of our food and drinks, as well as the service we provide our customers,” he says. “And, with the new casino and Springfield expanding, I knew it was the place to be.”

“You want to give your customers the best possible product, and there is something satisfying about being able to do that,” says Vedat Kan, owner,of Millie’s Kitchen Deli & Pizzeria at the Hampton Ponds Plaza in Westfield. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

T-birds CONTINUED FROM PAGE M1

League franchise has come to represent. “We’ve grown the business in the right way. We are up in every noticeable category,’’ says Costa, the president of the Thunderbirds and point man for a young, vigorous sales staff that is gaining experience while enjoying success at the same time. “When the building is filled or nearly filled, you can feel the energy. I think the MassMutual Center is a perfect size for a franchise like ours,’’ Costa says. Filling the 6,793-seat arena is no longer a rarity. The team’s sales and marketing staff targets the best dates possible, while not neglecting difficult-to-sell weekday or Sunday games as well. The 2018-2019 schedule provided a new set of challenges. The Thunderbirds had nine home games in December alone. “Those are difficult dates to sell, but we did what we could. The Sunday games were targeted to be more family friendly, for instance,’’ Costa says. “We focus on what we can control, not what we can’t.” Attendance throughout the AHL, not just in Springfield, picks up annually come January. The marketing challenge is simple: stay above water as best as possible until new year’s, while doing advance promotion and sales to prepare for a spike-up once January arrives. Several games in the later winter months reported high advance sales. The capper comes on April 13, when National Baseball Hall of Fame

Son CONTINUED FROM PAGE M4

those considering the purchase of a house, and for other Realtors, as well. “Get involved early, gain some market knowledge and rely on your Realtor. The only thing we have to sell you is our market experience and knowledge,” he says. “And, for Realtors, communication is key, laying it all out for your clients so there are no surprises along the way.”

At right, opening night on Oct. 13 for the Springfield Thunderbirds included a block party and dazzling light displays to introduce players to the crowd at the MassMutual Center. Below, thousands of area school children celebrated a day of hockey and learning on Nov. 14 as the Springfield Thunderbirds hosted the team’s second annual T-Birds 101 school day game. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

pitcher and Boston Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez will be the featured attraction when the T-Birds host the archrival Providence Bruins. Martinez’ appearance will mirror the wildly successful “David Ortiz Night” in November 2017. That promotion was a declaration that this minor-league team had crossed the threshold to offer big-league attractions for its fans. The Thunderbirds had an additional, appealing product to sell this season. In recognition of the turnaround in Springfield, the AHL awarded the city its All-Star Classic in late January. Springfield had not hosted an allstar game since 1959. In those days, it was simply a game. Nowadays, it’s a two-day festival of events with a skills

the Indians and Falcons franchises remain an important part of the expanded base. Costa credits former owner Bruce Landon with keeping hockey alive in Springfield during its most challenging, stressful times. That responsibility was transferred competition, hall of fame induction to a reservoir of local business people ceremony and abbreviated games who pooled their skills and resources with the league’s top players. to save hockey in 2016. They continLanding the event was more than ue to support the creative marketing just a marketing home run for the strategies of Costa and his staff. Thunderbirds. It was validation for Costa believes Springfield’s the hard work that began when Portland, Maine, franchise was purchased fan-friendly “game experience” is second to none in the AHL. The players and moved to Springfield in 2016. are, of course, an integral part of makIt rewarded an effort which ended ing hockey a success in Springfield. decades of debate and concern over “The (National Hockey League’s) whether minor league hockey’s days in a legendary AHL city were doomed. Florida Panthers (who develop their No longer is survival a topic. Now the minor league players in Springfield) have made a real commitment to mix target is sustained growth. “We see more 18- to 25-year-olds in young talent with experienced veterans. It’s a very good partnership,’’ the building. They’re coming for the experience or starting their evenings Costa says. “The players have been great in getting out to the community. with us,’’ Costa says. Our group sales are up as well. For us, The longtime fans who supported

the focus is on continued growth and selling tickets, because we believe once people come to our building and experience a game, they’ll become fans and want to become part of it.” The Thunderbirds averaged 4,985 fans last season. That was the third-highest in the history of Springfield hockey. It was also better than 10 other AHL teams last season. Those below Springfield included much larger cities (Bakersfield and San Jose, California), nearby Hartford (which averaged 800 fewer fans per game than the T-Birds) and Tucson, Arizona – where the Falcons moved after being sold in 2016. The task of building on success continues, but the foundation is strong. “We are selling the experience and getting a larger audience to interact with the game,’’ Costa says. “Expectations are high, but the results are rewarding. We’re convinced they will continue to be and committed to making that happen.”

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“Because I Care”

parksquarerealty.com

Tom O’Connor Realtor

44 Elm Street Westﬁeld, MA 01085 PERSONAL BUSINESS LINE: 413.330.8757 E-MAIL: juicitup@comcast.net

Joanne Papadimitriou

Erin Callahan Er

R E A LTO R

PIONEER VALLEY

03079122

Cell: (413) 244-2970 jpapa@kw.com www.joannesellshomes.kwrealty.com 360 N. Westﬁeld St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030 Each Keller Williams Ofﬁce is independently Owned and Operated.

Erin is a full-service real estate agent who understands that all of her clients come to her with their own unique set of objectives and circumstances. She enjoys getting to know her clients so that she create a service plan that will get them into the right space, on budget and on time. Whether its time to downsize or your family is looking for their next big step, Erin’s professionalism, patience and experience will aid your family in getting you where you need to be with ease and hopefully some laughter along the way. Erin has a Marketing degree from the University of Massachusetts, is experienced in new media advertising and specializes in distressed property.

Let Leslie use her real estate market knowledge, marketing strategies & negotiation techniques to help you BUY and SELL your next home.

Zillow

Nicholas Correia Realtor®

www.homesbyideal.com

0 31 0 52 1 6

movingwesternmass.com • Direct: 413-575-0657 Email: ErinC.RealEstate@Gmail.com

Over 20 years experience | Licensed in MA & CT Multi-Million Dollar Top Producer 98% Customer Satisfaction President's Award Winner Professional & Ethical Friendly, Knowledgeable & Compassionate

03105419

Cell: 413-519-3018 Ofﬁce: 413-583-8882 Fax: 413-583-4030 Email: nicholas@homesbyideal.com 187 East Street, Ludlow, MA 01056

I would recommend her without reservation. She is knowledgable, patient and accessible. I appreciated her educating me on the process and research she did for me. When I found my house she helped me put together a great offer that was accepted! She also has great energy. If you want to find the house of your dreams call Erin. What we look for in a real-estate agent is someone who seeks to understand our goals and objectives, and puts our interest first and operates with the highest of integrity. Erin got to know us and what we were looking for (and not looking for) and worked with us to achieve our objectives within the framework and budget we were seeking. She always put our interests first and was incredibly responsive.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | M9

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Heading home...

FulďŹ lling the Dream of Home Since 1906

PAT WHEWAY

ROSE MURPHY, CBR

Broker Sales Associate

RealtorÂŽ Licensed in MA & CT

(413) 478-1166 CELL Pat.Wheway@gmail.com WhewayGroup.com

(413) 530-1028 cell

Realtor.Rose.Murphy@gmail.com

03105102

Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC.

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

A HOUSESOLD NAME

Owned And Operated By NRT Incorporated.

136 Dwight Road Longmeadow, MA 01106

SHELLEY TREHEY, ABRÂŽ, CHMS, CNS ColdwellBankerHomes.com REALTORÂŽ/Sales Representative Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC.

136 Dwight Road | Longmeadow, MA ColdwellBankerHomes.com

Kathy Wallis-McCann

COLLEEN WESTBERG

CATE SHEA (413) 427-6985

413.531.0535 Kathy.Wallis@NEMoves.com

136 Dwight Road | Longmeadow, MA. 01028 ColdwellBankerHomes.com

ÂŠ 2018 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

REALTORÂŽ, CRS, GRI, SRES Notary Public

RealtorÂŽ licensed in MA & CT CateShea@CateShea.com

Licensed RealtorÂŽ in MA and CT, Notary Over 30 Years of Marketing Experience Multimillion-dollar producer

(413) 531-6073 westsold@msn.com

75 Broad Street, Suite B Westfield, MA 01085

THANK YOU for all your support

and business in 2018. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking forward to assisting many more of you in 2019.

MARGE THIBODEAU , CBR, GREEN

REALTORÂŽ, Sales Associate % # $ (

# ## %

(413) 536-0573 OFFICE - (413) 538-9267 FAX # ' $ (413) 531-0105 &. CELL Marge.Thibodeau@NEMoves.com

) ! # % * #! # %

Please reach out to me for any of your real estate needs.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Appreciation is that bond of values between human beings that makes life worthwhile!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dr. Thomas Owen

+-,+ # * ! "+"," ) # $

Angela M. Costello Broker AssociateÂŽ Licensed in MA & CT 413.374.2023 Angela.Costello@NEMoves.com Facebook: AngelasRealEstate Instagram: @AngelasRealEstate

136 Dwight Road Longmeadow, MA 01106 ColdwellBankerMoves.com

Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ÂŠ2019 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Owned by a subsidiary of 565557NE_1/19 NRT LLC.

ÂŠ 2019 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell BankerÂŽ and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

You Know Our Names, Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Seen Our Faces.

NEED AN AGENT WHO GETS RESULTS?

Your experienced and local real estate connection since 1972. Whether big or small, we sell it all!

â&#x20AC;˘ 13 years of real estate experience â&#x20AC;˘ 250+ units sold â&#x20AC;˘ Over $55 million in sales volume

Ray Authier

413.531.8889 Raymond.Authier @NEMoves.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Melissa is a fantastic agent who was straightforward and realistic about each step of the home buying process.â&#x20AC;? ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝

Karen Kirby 413.478.1830 Karen.Kirby @NEMoves.com

Melissa St. Germain

413.433.7258 Melissa.StGermain@NEMoves.com

1421 Granby Road | Chicopee, MA 01020

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales 565284NE_1/19 associates, not employees. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC.

1421 GRANBY ROAD, CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS 03105094

ÂŠ2019 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell BankerÂŽ and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

I appreciate each and every one of my clients.

ColdwellBankerHomes.com 136 Dwight Road | Longmeadow, MA 01106

03105097

REAL ESTATE. Real Easy!

03105100

136 Dwight Road Suite 2 Longmeadow, MA 01106

(413) 244-8268 CELL, (413) 567-8931 OFFICE (413) 567-2055 FAX Shelley.Trehey@NEMoves.com www.shelleytreheymovesspringďŹ eldma.com

Real estate agents afďŹ liated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ÂŠ2019 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC.

03105067

OUTLOOK 2019

M10 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Employees gather for a staff meeting in the offices at Williams Distributing on Burnett Road in Chicopee. Williams Distributing has 85 fulltime employees, a number that swells to 100 in the summer months. (DAVE

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

William Sadowsky and his business partner, Hugo Roth, founded Williams Distributing in Springfiled in 1950. They began by carrying a variety of alcoholic beverages, including Schaefer beer. It was in 1961 that the company became a major distributor of Anheuser-Busch products. (WILLIAMS

ROBACK PHOTO)

DISTRIBUTING PHOTO)

LEGACY BUSINESS

Tracking consumers’ tastes for 3 generations Williams adds craft brews to distributing portfolio By Lori Stabile

cult. Sadowsky notes that customers’ tastes can be fickle, as what’s popular today, may After nearly 70 years in the beer business, not be tomorrow. They study brands to see Williams Distributing has seen firsthand if they offer enough potential. the changing tastes of consumers. “We try to be thoughtful about it,” he Anheuser-Busch, known for its Budweisexplains. “We don’t want to just collect er, Bud Light and Michelob Ultra brands, brands.” remains its largest supplier, but the private “We work hard to understand current company also boasts a broad portfolio of and emerging consumer trends to identify craft beers, a market it tapped into 12 years what we believe will be the right brands to ago, according to Scott Sadowsky, company help grow and differentiate our portfolio president. in a crowded and ever-changing market“In the dozen years since we’ve gotten place,” Sadowsky says. “We are careful not into it, it’s grown at a faster pace,” Sadowsto lose focus from the brands and partners ky says. that we have already worked so hard to So alongside stalwarts like Bud, lessnurture over the years. We are particularly er-known products from smaller craft focused on the local market and partnering Chicopee-based Williams Distributing breweries such as Amherst Brewing Co., with local brands whenever possible. We sells beer and beverages to approxiNew City Brewery in Easthampton and mately 1,000 customers in Hampden and are proud to be the leading, locally-owned Wormtown Brewery out of Worcester share Hampshire counties, businesses ranging distributor for almost 70 years.” space at the company’s 90,000-squareAnthony Frasco, vice president of sales from bars and restaurants to liquor stores foot distribution center in Chicopee. and marketing, says Williams Distributing and supermarkets. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO) In 2014, Williams started distributing enjoys seeing their customers’ growth, products from one of the top craft brewing ducer of Corona and other Mexican brands. noting Amherst Brewing as an example. companies in the country, Pennsylvania’s One of the hottest products right now Adds Frasco, “We try to keep a balanced Yuengling. Williams also distributes the is Michelob Ultra, Sadowsky says. The portfolio to provide a breadth of offerings regional brand Harpoon and the nationlow-calorie light beer’s popularity grows that customers want.” ally-known Sierra Nevada in its varied with the idea that “it’s better for you,” he Sadowsky estimates that the company portfolio, as well as products from another says. sells to approximately 1,000 customers in major supplier, Constellation Brands, proFinding the next big thing can be diffiSEE WILLIAMS, PAGE M19 Special to The Republican

Scott Sadowsky, president of Williams Distributing in Chicopee, holds up six packs of some Western Massachusetts-brewed craft beers, New City Fenway Froth and New City Mule, from Easthampton. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

BREWING with gusto

rowth in the brewery industry shows no signs of slowing down in 2019. Here is a list of the Western Massachusetts breweries that are expected to open this year.

Arcpoint Brewing Co. Location: 207 Warner St., Belchertown Online: arcpointbrew co.com

Leadfoot Brewing Location: 95 N. Chicopee St., Chicopee Online: leadfootbrewing. com

Oakholm Brewing Co. Location: Bay State Beer Co. 80 Lake Road, Location: Sturbridge Brookfield Online: baystatebeer.com Online: face book.com/ Black Rabbit Farm Oakholmbeer Wild Ales & Provisions Sena Farm Brewery Location: 358 N. Loomis St., SouthLocation: Worthington wick Online: senafarmbrew Online: ery.com facebook. Skyline Trading Co. com/blackLocation: 124 Elm St., rabbit Westfield provisions Online: skylinewest Fieldcrest Brewing Co. field.com Location: 2343 Boston Two Weeks Road, Wilbraham Notice Brewing Online: fieldcrest brewing.com Location: 110 Bosworth St., West Springfield Great Awakening Online: twoweeksnotice Brewing Co. brewing.com Location: Westfield Vanished Valley Online: greatawak eningbrewing.com Location: 782 Center St., Ludlow Holyoke Craft Beer Online: vanishedvalley. Location: 208 Race St., com Holyoke White Lion Brewing Co. Online: holyokecraft beer.com Location: 1500 Main Kismet St., Tower Brewing Co. Square, Location: Springfield Westfield Online: Online: kismet whitelion brewing.com brewing. com — Source: Boston Business Journal

Brew CONTINUED FROM PAGE M1

Brewers Association, based in Colorado. Just 45 breweries existed in the Bay State in 2011. There are now almost 60 breweries on tap to open in 2019. Progression, which is housed in the former Don Gleason’s Camping Supplies building on Pearl Street, is a partnership between businessman Drew Starkweather and brewer Todd Sullivan. “After Todd and I met, we decided it was a great project to look at,” Starkweather says. “Then, once we found that this location would be available, it went from being a good idea to one we really wanted to take a risk on and go for.” The brewery opened in mid-November, focusing on the New England-style India pale ale, which features hazy and juicy hop flavors. So far, the lineup has been a hit. “The New England-style IPA is one of the first real new styles to come out since the double IPA,” Sullivan says. “And we are in New England, so we wanted to make one of the best New England IPAs, and we started with a couple of those. We’re going to continue with that hazy, hoppy style, but we will be doing other styles.” While Starkweather is well known as the creator of Drew’s Organics, the renowned salad dressing and salsa company that he sold in 2010, Sullivan brings a wealth of beer acumen to the table, with 24 years of professional brewing experience. Sullivan started at Mill City Brewing in Lowell, learning under masters such as Dann Paquette. After nine years there, he moved to Highland Orchard in Sturbridge, and, when Highland decided to cease the brewing operation, it made Sullivan an offer to take it over, which he did. After 11 years there, he teamed up with Starkweather for Progression. “It’s a good pairing,” Starkweather says. “Our talents are very complementary.” Although the brewery was only open a little more than a month in 2018, Starkweather says business so far has been great.

Above, Todd Sullivan is master brewer at the Progression Brewing Co. in Northampton. The micro brewery has a “strong focus” on “hop forward” India pale ales. At left, Alicia Starkweather pours a beer from the tap at Progression Brewing Co. It was among 26 new breweries to open across Massachusetts during 2018. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTOS)

While Progression doesn’t offer a full menu, it also doesn’t just serve fries and Business: Progression nachos. Brewing Co. “We’re doing some light Product: Micro brewery fare and some European-sized with focus on ‘hop forward’ portions, but it’s not just pub India pale ales Where: 9 Pearl St., food,” Starkweather says. Northampton This is born out by the fact For more info: Online, that Starkweather hired an progbrew.com actual chef, his childhood friend Matt Sunderland, who used to be head chef at the “Every weekend since former Chandler’s Tavern in we’ve been open it’s gotten Deerfield. busier and busier as the word The brewery has also exof mouth spread,” he says. panded its reach by adding a “There’s so many ways to game night on Wednesdays reach people, between social (with a dart board) and bringmedia and newspapers and the ing in live music on Fridays. radio, but for actually getting “We’re going to continue people to come in, word of to try to keep the space as fun mouth is the most important as the food and the beer is,” powerful.” Starkweather says.

LEARN MORE

As far as featuring New England-style IPAs, Sullivan says he is still excited about the style but keeps his eye on the market and will definitely be trying other styles. The brewery already has showcased a porter and a stout, among others. “Do I think the New England-style IPA is here to stay? I think it’s developed a new line of consumers,” he says, “even people who don’t like beer, like my mom, she said, ‘This tastes like grapefruit juice; it’s fantastic.’ People think we’re adding grapefruit juice or passionfruit juice or citrus, but we’re not; it’s all hop-driven, and I think the juicy, citrus thing is here to stay.” Sullivan adds that while it’s good to keep watching what’s going on in the brewing world, he also wants to set trends, not just follow them. “Some of the stuff we have coming up, brewers have not made them yet,” he said. “It’s going to be a beer that people enjoy, but it’s going to be different.”

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | M11

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

Eastern States Exposition president Eugene J. Cassidy, right, presents representatives from Friends of the Homeless and Open Pantry Community Services with donations of hundreds of pounds of 4-H raised beef from the 2018 4-H beef auction. From left are Sarah Tanner, director of marketing and development for Friends of the Homeless, operations director Keith Rhone, Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Annie Rennix, program director of Open Pantry. (EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION PHOTO)

nated as a food desert, making the importance of buying local “Whether you come all the more significant. We as (to the Big E) for Massachusetts residents can CONTINUED FROM PAGE M2 make an impact by supporting the music, the of the Homeless. These dorides, crafts, people local growers and producers. nations not only help feed the Our food partner in this region, watching or our hungry, the effort promotes Big Y World Class Markets, is the farm-to-table initiative doing great work advocating Instagram-worthy and brings the importance of for local agriculture. food offerings, you agriculture in our daily lives to • Support the dairy industry are supporting the forefront. in your shopping cart. Did you The reality of where our know that whole milk is one agriculture.” food comes from, what we are of most nutrient-dense foods Eugene J. Cassidy, president, eating and how it is produced available with 8 grams of proCEO, Eastern States tein and with less than 5 peris of the utmost importance. Exposition cent fat, a wise low-fat option. Feeding our nation is the purpose of agriculture, the princiHelp a farmer and drink more pal upon which the exposition ture. By being uninformed we milk!! Nut and bean milks are was founded. We are raising detract from agriculture. For not milk. Furthermore, check awareness of the importance example, we commonwealth the protein content. of agriculture and how much voters by referendum voted • Buy a 4-H steer for your we rely on farmers, and future in 2016 to make it impossible freezer. All are welcome at the farmers, to produce and harfor Massachusetts farmers to Big E 4-H beef auction. Visit vest food for our tables. produce wholesale poultry and our website, TheBigE.com, for How can all of us, including egg products, legislation that information on how to particthe business community and will not take effect until 2022, ipate. Or give me a call. Any elected officials, help support at which time the price of eggs time. New England agriculture? • Work toward preserving will increase significantly. Here are some ideas: agricultural space and, thus, When a similar referendum • Be informed and become passed in California, egg prices the beauty and character of educated. Do not fall victim to increased by 71 percent. Western Massachusetts. fringe groups with an agenda • Visit the Big E in Septem• Buy Local! Forty-one and false information that percent of Massachusetts’ pop- ber. Tour our agriculture-edulation lives in an area desigucation building, Farmarama, strive to undermine agriculand the Mallary Complex. Visit the farmers’ market and sip some wine, a noteworthy agricultural product. The fair attendee passively supports agriculture. Fairgoers may not realize this, but we take it very seriously. Whether you come for the music, the rides, crafts, people watching or our Instagram-worthy food offerings, you are supporting agriculture. We rely on that support and agriculture needs it now more than ever, including that tumultuous time when Mr. Brooks saw the need and founded the In this file photo from September 2013, the Eastern States Eastern States Exposition.

Cassidy

Exposition introduces its wine and cheese barn as a venue to showcase New England produced wines and cheeses. Cheesemaker Ryan Randell, right, with Smith Country Cheese, talks with Anthony Frasco, of Williams Distributing. Big E president Eugene J. Cassidy says efforts like this are a way for the exposition to support farmers across the region. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Realtors CONTINUED FROM PAGE M4

4.87 percent in November. The average commitment rate for all of 2017 was 3.99 percent. “The housing market is obviously very sensitive to mortgage rates. Softer sales in December reflected consumer search processes and contract signing activity in previous months when mortgage rates were higher than today. Now, with mortgage rates lower, some revival in home sales is expected going into spring,” Yun says. “In neutral markets, not strongly buyer or seller’s markets, increased mortgage rates tend to put downward pressure on housing prices perhaps as a way of compensating for the higher cost of borrowing. In our current housing market where we have low inventory levels and high demand, this will probably not occur as demand is exceeding supply,” added Alford. Looking ahead to 2019, Alford says every indication is there will be a continuation of the current seller’s market. “While inventory may free up a little, it may not be enough to cause significant change in this seller’s market. Expect to see a continuation of the shortage of affordable mainstream inventory, modest increase in prices, and increased interest rates,” he says. “Another factor that could affect the real estate market in 2019 is the proposed transfer taxes on real estate conveyances.”

SLEEP IN. 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

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making it harder for would-be sellers to move up to a higherpriced home. This makes sellers reluctant to place their homes on the market and is one of the contributors to the lack of inventory. “Another obstacle facing many entry level and firsttime homebuyers is the large student loan debt that serves as a barrier to entry into the housing market,” Alford adds. Still, overall, 2018 was a good year for Pioneer Valley real estate. While year-over-year sales dipped a bit due to fewer closed sales in the condo market, single-family home sales remained strong, posting a 0.1 percent gain with 6,016 homes sold. Year over year, the median sales price for all properties rose 6.3 percent. “That’s good news for homeowners and sellers,” says Alford, who owns and operates Advanced Global Realty in South Hadley. “I would say that 2018 was a great year. We had a robust spring market, which was certainly condition driven. People who were working with strong agents who understood the inventory were able to find properties for their customers, which were selling very quickly in the spring,” Reggiannini adds. As for what is selling right now, Alford notes properties

that are priced correctly, are in good condition, and presenting well, are selling. “Higher-priced homes have a smaller buyer pool, so tend to take a bit longer to sell. Entry-level homes and homes for first-time homebuyers are in strong demand. The cumulative days on market for all homes is decreasing, while the percentage of list price to sales price is increasing,” Alford says. “This is consistent with the year over year 18.2 percent decrease in the inventory of homes we’ve experienced in 2017-2018, where the lack of inventory supply increases demand and prices for available homes.” Reggiannini agrees with Alford that most home buyers in the local market are looking for properties in good condition. “Watching HGTV has changed the way buyers look at properties and condition seems to trump other factors. Obviously they look at good locations and schools, too. And, for certain age groups, looking for homes with a first-floor master bedroom becomes a main focus,” she says. Where interest rates are concerned, Yun notes current housing numbers are partly a result of higher interest rates during much of 2018. According to mortgage giant Freddie Mac, the average commitment rate for a 30year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage decreased to 4.64 percent in December from

Eugene J. Cassidy is president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. To learn more about the exposition, go online to thebige.com.

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M12 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

AUTOMOTIVE

Light trucks and SUVs are leading the way with car buyers, say area dealerships. Here, Louis Joseph, general manager of Lia Toyota Northampton, gives customer Suni Berube, of Amherst, a look inside a new vehicle on his sales floor. (HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN

SUVs, light trucks drive record sales Rising interest rates may be balanced by drop in gas prices By KEITH O’CONNOR

Special to The Republican

What type of year did the auto industry just experience and what can area auto dealers expect in the months ahead? According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, based on a strong November, new vehicle sales were expected to reach 17 million units for 2018 – making it the fourth straight year of U.S. auto sales above 17 million units. As for 2019, they are forecasting sales of 16.8 million new cars and lights trucks – representing a falloff in sales of about 1.1 percent compared to 2018. Why the falloff? Wes Lutz, chair of the national association, fears, “If incentives continue to go down and interest rates go up, it will put tremendous pressure on consumers with rising monthly payments.” The dealers’ association also confirms what most people already know: consumers continue to abandon cars in favor of light trucks, such as crossovers, pickups and SUVs. What do some area dealers have to say? “There is no question that 2018 was the fourth-largest auto sales year on record in the United States, and that also translated to our dealership,” said Louis Joseph, general manager of LIA Toyota Northampton. “Car sales also declined for the fifth year in row with light trucks and SUVs ruling the roost.” While there are headwinds

blowing that can’t be ignored, noted Joseph, cries of a downturn for several years haven’t materialized. “Still there are concerns such as rising interest rates and new tariffs imposed by President (Donald J.) Trump. On the other hand, fuel prices are declining, more people have jobs, and there is strong economic growth, so I think a lot of consumers are overlooking what some say is a tumultuous market,” Joseph says. “But, one other thing to consider, the used vehicle market is projected to have its highest sales in history.” “I also think that you are going to see leasing come to the forefront more in the wake of rising interest rates, or others opting for longer term financing, which means we won’t see that client back for a new car as soon,” he adds. Joseph notes there is no brand loyalty today. “At one time you had a Chevy family or a Ford family, but those days are gone and customers are going to come back to you based on their experience,” he says. “Whether it begins on the phone or in person at our dealership, we want to show our customers that we need them, that we deserve their business, and that we will work hard to keep their business.” Todd Volk, president of Central Chevrolet in West Springfield, echoes what many other car dealers are saying about 2018 sales. “The last four years have been banner years for auto dealers. I’d say for us at Central Chevrolet we were about

/ THE REPUBLICAN)

The National Automobile Dealers Association is forecasting sales of 16.8 million new cars and light trucks for 2019, representing a falloff in sales of about 1.1 percent compared to 2018. This is the showroom at Central Chevrolet in West Springfield. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

In this photo from June 1, Holyoke High School senior Antonio Santos settles into the driver’s seat in the 2018 Hyundai Accent that he won in the Gary Rome Hyundai “Year of Excellence” campaign. Gary Rome is at right. It’s one example of the ways in which Rome seeks to engage with the community and support community causes. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Rome

those diagnosed with cancer or blood disorders. Other agencies that have benefited from the auto group’s generosity include the Soldiers’ Home and Womanshelter Companeras in Holyoke. At home, Rome and his wife, Jane, also lead by example for their children, 12-year-old twins Sydney and Jacob and 16-year-old Will. “Each year we all go to the Open Pantry in Springfield on Thanksgiving and collect meals to deliver to shut ins, and on the Monday before Thanksgiving this year we went to the USO at Westover and helped serve meals to enlisted folks and their families,” Rome says. He often gets feedback about the positive efforts made by his dealerships. “I was having dinner at a restaurant recently in Longmeadow and a woman came up to thank me saying, ‘You don’t know me, but thank you for your service and everything you do for the community.’ It’s nice to be recognized, but that’s not why I do it,” he says. In fact, Rome has a lot for which to be thankful, too. In the recent November issue of the Gary Rome Auto Insider employee newsletter, he wrote: “I am thankful for my family, my children, my friends and Jack Rome. I am thankful for my profession, my personal development and my workmates. I am thankful for the little things like a good laugh, a fresh cup of coffee and WiFi. I am thankful for my health and the opportunity to be of service to our community.”

TODD VOLK, PRESIDENT, CENTRAL CHEVROLET

UniqueVenues

LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE OUT OF THE ORDINARY FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT OR MEETING?

Springﬁeld Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management is proud to share these unique venues right in the heart of Springﬁeld. Whether you’re looking for an inspiring location to host a private special event or a corporate meeting or retreat, we offer 3 unique venues. Immerse your guests in old world elegance brought to life by the Carriage House at the Barney Estate, surrounded by the natural beauty of Forest Park.

THE CARRIAGE HOUSE AT THE BARNEY ESTATE

Stay focused on the moment amidst the rustic, historic charm of Emma’s Place on Wilder Pond, a homey atmosphere with breathtaking treetop and aquatic views. Or, breathe in the outdoor splendor of King Philip’s Stockade Pavilions, an outdoor venue, surrounded by winding paths and lush forestlands.

EMMA’S PLACE ON WILDER POND

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promotion raised $25,000 for Rays of Hope; • Cruisin’ Gary Rome CONTINUED FROM PAGE M1 Hyundai Car Show hosted at and Kia in Enfield. the Holyoke dealership for “What my father says about Homework House of Holyoke. being nice is true. It’s the way I Each of the car shows held a lead my life, and I try to be nice 50-50 raffle and the proceeds, to everyone. I try to stay away about $2,000, went directly to from negativity. If someone the nonprofit run by the Sisters says there is a 70 percent of St. Joseph; chance of rain, my response is • Fashion with Compassion there is a 30 percent chance the fashion show, complete with a sun will shine,” he adds. red carpet, held at the Holyoke Born and raised in Holyoke, dealership to benefit ProviRome is a second generation dence Ministries for the Needy. car dealer, following in his People were charged to attend father Jerry Rome’s footsteps. the show, and there were raffles In 1977, at the age of 16, he and a live auction which raised began working for his father, $30,000; eventually purchasing the West • Year of Excellence Springfield Nissan dealership campaign that saw one lucky in 1997 and making his own Holyoke High School senior, mark in the industry. Antonio Santos, win a new Rome has established a Hyundai Accent, valued at corporate culture at his deal$18,000. The program was erships that encourages giving designed to encourage seniors back to others. He has even from Holyoke High and Dean appointed a “cultural officer,” Technical schools to maintain Cathy Riley, actually the staff academic excellence and good accountant who is nicknamed citizenship during their senior “Captain Culture.” She doubles year. Since the campaign’s at planning events, working inception, Rome has gifted with people from the commutwo Enfield students and two nity and fundraising for their Holyoke students with cars; causes. and “There is never a shortage • As part of Hyundai’s Hope of employees stepping up to On Wheels program helping the plate to help when Cathy to find a cure for pediatric announces a new initiative,” cancer, several dollars for each Rome said. car purchased by a dealership Among some of Rome’s regoes into the special Hope On cent philanthropic efforts are: Wheels fund. Money from that • “Drive Pink” campaign to fund, $25,000, through Rome’s benefit Baystate Health’s Rays dealership was used to support of Hope through a $5 donation the Pediatric Procedure Unit at for every Drive Pink license Baystate Children’s Hospital, plate installed on a vehicle which also houses the Sadowsky Center for Children for at his two dealerships. The

“The car market is changing dramatically. I’ve never seen anything like it in my 37 years in the business. People are switching over to small and mid-sized sports utilities, and we are selling less sedans.”

dead even this past year, up a handful in new car sales and down in used car sales,” Volk says. “The car market is changing dramatically. I’ve never seen anything like it in my 37 years in the business,” he says. “People are switching over to small and mid-sized sports utilities, and we are selling less sedans.” And people want more for their money. “Customers are looking for as much equipment as possible – more luxury features, more safety features – along with an affordable payment plan,” Volk says. “They want a sunroof, backup camera, blind-spot alter, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and more.” No business today is without its challenges, and that holds true for auto dealers. “I’d have to say it’s finding employees, and you need to have a good product, but so many makes are equal today,” Volk says. “So, it comes down to giving your customer a great experience, and we have employees who deliver on that, some with us for 25 years.” “There’s also the cost of doing business. But, you can’t really raise your prices ... there is so much competition. So, it’s a balancing act,” according to Volk. “You’ve also got to have it all for your customers – both new and used cars, service, parts, a collision center, clean-up shop – and if you have a good service business, then that will offset sales during slower periods.” As for the future? “There will be a day when the sedan returns,” Volk says.

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | M13

AUTOMOTIVE

Balise Motor Sales marks century of service From Hatfield farm to 25 ‘rooftops’ across New England By KEITH O’CONNOR

Special to The Republican

Today, Balise Motor Sales, headquartered in West Springfield, is one of the largest retailers of new and used automobiles with 25 “rooftops” in New England spread throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. It all began a century ago at the Hatfield farm of Paul E. Balise, who, in 1919, purchased a welder and began fixing farm equipment and automobiles from his backyard garage. It wasn’t long after that he opened the Hatfield Garage and became an associate Chevrolet dealer in Western Massachusetts. Growing a dealership empire wasn’t something about which the company founder dreamed. It just happened along the way. “The way I tell it to people is that the best thing that ever happened was that my grandfather became a Chevy car dealer and that my father had the foresight to add a Honda franchise in 1971, which set the stage for our further growth,” says James E. “Jeb” Balise Jr., president of Balise Motor Sales. Jeb’s father, James E. Balise, one of Paul’s 10 children, became president and dealer of Balise Motor Sales in 1958, later passing on that title to Jeb in 1986, just three years before his death in 1989. “At about the same time my father passed away, the car industry went through a tough time followed by another downturn 20 years later,” Jeb Balise recalls. “It seems our growth spurts coincide with down cycles when a lot of dealers decide they want to sell their business.” But it is not only during the “tough times” when Balise grows its business. “We certainly have acquired other dealerships between those difficult years, and oftentimes many dealers who want to retire and sell their business give us a call because they are familiar with our reputation,”

“We try to do today what my grandfather did 100 years ago, to treat every customer with respect.”

At right, the Balise Buick and GMC dealership at 440 Hall of Fame Ave. in Springfield is among 30 locations across New England now operated by 100-year-old Balise Motor Sales. Below, Robert Balise, whose father Paul E. Balise founded Balise Motor Sales in Hatfield in 1919, is seen here at the family’s dealership in the 1950s.

JAMES E. “JEB” BALISE JR., BALISE MOTOR SALES

(BALISE MOTOR SALES PHOTO)

Balise says. He notes their expansion over the years isn’t about just being big for big’s sake. “It has to make sense,” explains Balise, noting the company’s growth is fueled by two factors. “One, it is an opportunity for our own associates to grow and be promoted as we move into other markets. Secondly, it only makes sense for us when we can bring potential new customers what they want, and it gives us an opportunity to be entrenched and leave a significant footprint in the community,” he adds. Balise notes what is interesting in the modern world is the fact that “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” “We try to do today what my grandfather did 100 years ago, to treat

Above, Balise Buick and GMC general sales manager Mike Spanilo, left, meets with product specialist Gary Provencher on the sales floor at the dealership in Springfield. Balise Motor Sales is marking 100 years in business. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

your customers. We thrive on the Internet today, and it has helped us to LEARN MORE expand our business.” Business: Balise Motor Sales Balise notes there are benefits to Product: New and used vehicle owning a large number of dealerretailer ships. Where: Headquartered in West “I would say it first benefits our cusSpringfield, 30 locations throughtomers and us second,” he says. “The out Massachusetts, Connecticut premise of having so many dealerand Rhode Island ships is that it drives our costs down For more info: Online, Balise and that translates into better value, a auto.com better deal, for our customers.” What would Paul Balise have to say about the family-run business every customer with respect,” Balise empire today, which includes not just says. “In the old days, your reputation Chevrolet, but Buick, Ford, Honda, drove your business. It was all about Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan, word-of-mouth. It’s the same today. Subaru, Toyota and Volkswagen – as “All the Internet has done is to take well as four collision repair centers that word-of-mouth and multiply it and three car washes? thousandfold, so it makes it much “I think my grandfather would be more critical to do the right thing by very excited about what we’ve done

with the business over the years. Remember, my grandfather was a mechanic and could fix anything,” Balise says. “So, I think he would be absolutely fascinated with how cars operate today, their performance and fuel economy.” Most likely, the elder Balise would also be surprised to learn from his grandson that among all their dealerships, Balise Motor Sales sells some 34,000 cars per year, and that in November he was posthumously inducted as a member of the inaugural class of the Massachusetts Auto Dealers Hall of Fame as trailblazers in the automotive world. “My grandfather was a wonderful man who was very quick to help anyone in a jam, and I know he would be proud about being recognized in the hall of fame,” Balise said.

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“Route development is a very complex process. The more competition we can bring in, the better it is for the consumer.” KEVIN A. DILLON, CONNECTICUT AIRPORT AUTHORITY

Bradley International Airport continues to seek new airlines and destinations. Frontier Airlines is due to begin a nonstop route to Denver at the end of March. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

TRANSPORTATION

Airport eyes down-to-earth growth three more years. The Aer Lingus agreement calls for a reduced guarantee – limited to certain winter months – of not more than $4.5 million in 2017, dropping to $3.8 million in 2018, $3 million in By Jim Kinney the good momentum from 2018. 2019 and $2 million in 2020, bringjkinney@repub.com He’s also planning facility upgrades ing the maximum four-year potenConstruction on the new rounddesigned to add passenger comfort, tial subsidy total to $13.3 million. about road entrance to Bradley Connecticut previously paid increase crowd capacity and put off International Airport should be Aer Lingus a $4.5 million revenue the need for an expensive second completed by late spring or early guarantee to subsidize the first year terminal at Bradley for as long as summer. of service. That payment was made possible. And construction should begin this under a previous agreement. Aer In December, low-cost carrier spring on a long-awaited $215 milLingus first flew from Bradley in Frontier Airlines announced it will lion ground transportation center at begin a nonstop route to Denver, September 2016. Bradley, a project made possible by The flights to Dublin have done starting at the end of March. And, in the reconfigured road network, says January, Frontier announced more well, Dillon says. Bradley passenger Kevin A. Dillon, executive director stats show about 36,000 departures flights to Raleigh-Durham, North of the Connecticut Airport Authori- Carolina, and Orlando, Florida. Also in 2018 through October, but the ty, which runs Bradley and five state- in January, Via Airlines announced flights need more business in the owned general aviation airports. it will debut nonstop service to Pitts- slower winter months, he notes. Bradley had more than 6 million burgh in July. Planes to Ireland are typically more passengers in 2018 and saw its pasSouthwest Airlines in August add- full during the busy summer vacasenger arrival and departure stats up ed daily nonstop flights to and from tion months. about 3.7 percent heading into the St. Louis. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus has busy holiday season. In September, Irish airline Aer promised new Airbus jetliners for its It’ll be a busy year for the ConLingus committed to continuing its Bradley line starting in July. necticut Airport Authority and nonstop transatlantic service from Not all the route news was good. Bradley as they try to add more Bradley to Dublin. The deal guarDiscount carrier Norwegian Air in destinations, airlines and routes. It’s antees that Bradley will maintain 2017 followed Aer Lingus into the a process Dillon hopes will continue transatlantic service for at least Bradley market with flights to Scot-

Bradley redoes roads, plans to build ground transportation center

65 SIXTY-FIFTH ANNUAL

Customers check flight information at Bradley International Airport recently. Flights to Jacksonville in Florida, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Austin in Texas, and Seattle are on the wish list for new service, says the head of the Connecticut Airport Authority, Kevin A. Dillon. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

land. But it didn’t last and the final flight was last March. On Dillon’s wish list? Flights to Jacksonville in Florida, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Austin in Texas, and Seattle. “Seattle is important not just because of the shared aerospace industry, but because it’s a major jumping-off spot for Asia,” he says. Internationally, Dillon feels London would be a major get. “Route development is a very complex process,” he said. “The more competition we can bring in, the better it is for the consumer.” The new ground transportation center, to be completed in 2021, will be funded through facilities charges on rental car bills. It’ll house all the rental car agencies adjacent to the airport, meaning no more shuttle rides. The ground transportation center will also host bus berths. Bradley is nearing an agreement with the

state for every-half-hour shuttle bus service to Hartford Union Station. Those buses would be timed with CTrail commuter trains that travels north to Springfield and south to New Haven. Ideally, Dillon would like to develop more frequent bus service to Bradley from all parts of the airport’s service territory. For example, there is demand for a shuttle bus running up and down Interstate 91 as far north as Vermont. And it might also one day serve as a station for a light-rail passenger trains or trolleys. The airport and nearby towns have also protected a right-of-way for a for such a system, Dillon said. But that’s years or decades in the future. Shorter-term projects also include moving the escalators and expanding checkpoints to smooth the flow of passengers walking through the terminal. One goal is to move the

SEE BRADLEY, PAGE M18

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | M15

SMALL BUSINESS

AC Produce thrives in city’s South End Deli, market draw on loyal customer base to succeed

LEARN MORE Business: AC Produce Product: Wholesale and retail fresh fruits, vegetables, gourmet deli and catering service Where: 487 Main St., Springfield For more info: Online, acmainstreetmarket. com

By Elizabeth RomÁn

eroman@repub.com

In 1998, Antonio Calabrese opened a small business on Main Street providing fresh produce to area restaurants. More than 20 years later, AC Produce has become a staple in the city’s South End neighborhood and has expanded to include a catering business and AC’s Main Street Market, a deli and market that are both thriving. “Our customer base is very loyal. It’s all word of mouth,” Calabrese says. “People like the food, and they tell their friends and family. I’m very grateful for that.” The deli, which opened in 2007, got so busy a few years ago that Calabrese needed more room. He purchased and demolished a three-family-house at 16 Rutledge Ave., adjacent to his property. Last year he turned the space into an additional parking lot for his delivery trucks and customers. “We get very busy, especially around lunchtime every day, and the extra parking has made a big difference,” he says. “I have a lot of customers coming in from the city, but also from Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, and I didn’t want people to have to search for parking.” The MGM Springfield casino opened just down the street from AC Produce last summer. Calabrese has been

AC Produce has been a fixture of Springfield’s South End neighborhood for 20 years. It provides fresh fruits and vegetables to restaurants up and down the Pioneer Valley, including the new MGM Springfield casino. (HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

ees, and the business distributes to restaurants across the state. “We deliver from here to Bernardston and have three drivers on the road at all times,” he says. “The deli is always busy, and the business is going great.” Calabrese has big plans for AC Produce this year. “My primary goal is to upgrade the facade of the building,” he says. This will include new brick work, window replacements, a new sign and new doors. “If you have never been in

here you might just drive by because you wouldn’t know what it is,” he says. “The goal is for people to notice it when they drive by.” Calabrese put the project out to bid in 2018, but the estimates proved too high to pursue then. “I’m determined to make it happen this year,” he says. As for the success of the business these past 20 years, Calabrese credits great employees, loyal customers and quality products. “The staff here is great. They are warm and welcom-

“I am also very particular with the products that we distribute. I am on every truck making sure the produce is being loaded properly, and we will continue our track record for customer service and quality.” ANTONIO CALABRESE, AC PRODUCE, SPRINGFIELD

ing and our customers feel good coming here,” he says. “I am also very particular with the products that we distribute. I am on every truck making sure the produce is being loaded properly, and we will continue our track record for customer service and quality.”

AC Produce employee Andrew Julian takes orders from customers. (HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

a supporter of the project, and his business is now an approved produce supplier for the casino, delivering fresh fruits and vegetables daily. He says he saw a slight increase in customers during construction, and it has not slowed down. “People thought having MGM here would affect us in a negative way, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen

because of the way it’s set up. Traffic has not been an issue and you don’t even really notice it’s there,” he says. “People thought it would affect the restaurant business, but we distribute to pretty much all the restaurants in Springfield and our sales in distribution of produce have remained the same. I don’t think it’s affected them at all.” Calabrese has 19 employ-

Tourism Works for

Western Mass Did you know that tourism is the 3rd largest industry in Western Mass? In fact, tourism provides employment opportunities from entry-level to C-suite and tourism related taxes help maintain our roads, support our schools and provide much-needed infrastructure improvements. Number of tourism Supported Jobs (Hampden County)

Tourism really does work for Western Mass!

3,399 Number of Holyoke Police Patrolmen’s jobs could be funded with tourism related local tax.

Number of teacher s in Chicopee could be paid with tourism related local tax.

Number of Western Mass tourists who visited opticians in Western Mass in 2017.

Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau

Number of people from Los Angeles visited Western Mass in 2017.

M16 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUCCESS STORIES

Craftsmanship to last lifetime Couple crafts, restores wood, canvas canoes

By CORI URBAN

Special to The Republican

t is said that Salmon Falls Canoes are “smooth on the water.”

“A wood canvas canoe is just that, smooth on the water,” says Dylan V. Schoelzel, who with his wife, Emily M. Schoelzel, owns Salmon Falls Canoe in Shelburne. Other canoes are noisy as they move through the water. “They have an oil-can effect where the hull moves up and down and creates a lot of noise and vibration,” Schoelzel explains. “A wood-and-canvas canoe glides through the water almost effortlessly. They are quiet and solid,” attributes that make them just right for paddling on small ponds and gently-flowing rivers to see wildlife, he says. The Schoelzels specialize in custom building traditional wood canvas canoes and boats, and the restoration of traditionally built wooden canoes and small wooden boats. They both learned how to canoe in a wood-and-canvas canoe and have traveled in parts of the world that can’t

Above, Emily M. Schoelzel stretches canvas to a canoe in the workshop at Salmon Falls Canoe. Each canoe is custom made. The Schoelzels’ customers come largely from North America. At right, the Salmon Falls Canoe shop is located at 323 Shelburne Center Road, Shelburne, in an old post-and-beam barn that was renovated for canoe building and restoration.

Dylan V. Schoelzel works on a canoe in his workshop at Salmon Falls Canoe. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO)

54 continuous days. dusty old canoe All the work that has been she and her sitting around husband now unused for do is commissioned and decades and custom. decades. To Salmon most it might Falls Canoe customers come seem like a useless canoe, but we as they did with their parents, mostly from the United States, can tell instantly how the canoe that’s pretty special,” he adds. Dylan Schoelzel attended but the Schoelzels have done will look once restored,” Dylan Camp Keewaydin on Lake work for customers in Canada, Schoelzel says. Temagami in northeastern On- Europe and Japan. Many are from the early tario and was a longtime staff The couple has been building member who led the camp’s and restoring canoes and boats long canoe trips and learned together for 18 years. They have canoe building from Jerry more than 45 years’ combined Stelmok and other builders. experience of canoe tripping in Emily Schoelzel, meanwhile, North America. began a girls’ canoe trip proThe Salmon Falls Canoe shop gram at Camp Keewaydin. She is located at 323 Shelburne has returned to serve as the as- Center Road, Shelburne, in 1900s, some earlier. sistant director of the program, an old post-and-beam barn “To be a part of getting that which offers 175 youth every canoe back on the water and that was renovated for canoe summer the opportunity to take building and restoration. The giving it a new lease on life so they can enjoy it again and may- wood canvas canoes on trips as 10,000 square feet of indoor be even enjoy it with their kids, short as four days and as long as space is equipped with station-

(DAVE ROBACK PHOTOS)

only used wood-and-canvas canoes on these trips, and that drew them into building and restoring them. The process and mechanics of building wooden canoes was intriguing to the couple, and husband and wife are equal partners in the business with nothing he can do skill-wise that she can’t do and vice versa. They build new canoes from

“There is no reason why the canoes we build won’t last for 100 years or more and still be serviceable.” DYLAN V. SCHOELZEL, SALMON FALLS CANOE

be seen except from a canoe. Their trips have often lasted from six to eight weeks in such places as Labrador, northern Ontario and Quebec in Canada and the Arctic Ocean. They

scratch with meticulous craftsmanship, and their restorations bring beauty and function back to family heirlooms. “It’s so exciting when someone shows up at the shop with a

LEARN MORE Business: Salmon Falls Canoe Product: Wood canvas canoes, boats Where: 323 Shelburne Center Road, Shelburne For more info: Call, 413625-8555, online, Salmon fallscanoe.com

ary machinery and hand tools, and separate temperature-controlled rooms for construction, milling and finishing. Their boats range from 8 feet to 34 feet in length, but most are 14, 16 or 17 feet long. They range in price from $3,800 to $20,000; the average is about $7,000. “There is no reason why the canoes we build won’t last for 100 years or more and still be serviceable,” Dylan Schoelzel says.

W I N T E R C A R C A R E PAG E

Develop a vehicle

maintenance schedule plan The oft-sudden expense of vehicle repairs can throw monthly budgets into disarray. Maintaining a routine service schedule is one way for drivers to keep repair costs down. The online automotive resources Edmunds.com says many car owners do not adequately prepare for scheduled maintenance, and may not give maintenance a thought until it’s too late. The first step drivers take upon purchasing a new or preowned vehicle should be to familiarize themselves with the vehicle’s owner’s manual, which is filled with valuable information and likely includes maintenance interval recommendations. Next, drivers should learn about their vehicle, which is particularly relevant when buying a preowned vehicle. Getting to know how the car or truck rides, as well as any sounds it may make, can provide drivers with a solid foundation they can then use to keep their cars running strong. Routine service typically includes tire rotation, oil changes and topping off of fluids. So just how long between service appointments can a car go? Here are some generalized estimates.

Oil change

Oil chemistry and engine technology have improved so much that most cars can go well beyond the once-recommended 3,000 mile interval between oil changes. Now many vehicle manufacturers recommend between 5,000 and 10,000 miles between changes, advises Edmunds. Drivers should err on the side of caution if they do a lot of stop-and-go driving and short trips. Other drivers may want to invest in vehicles that have oil change maintenance minders built in. A light or countdown will come on the dashboard, indicating when the oil has reached the end of its usefulness.

Tire rotation

Your best bet is to see what the manufacturer recommends in regard to fluids such as transmission fluid, differential oil, brake fluids, coolant, etc. Some transmissions need regular maintenance, while others can go 150,000 miles between changes. Coolant typically can last 100,000 miles. For these types of changes, it may be best to go to a mechanic or service center familiar with your make and model rather than a quick-lube center, as knowing when to drain and refill can be more complicated. Service schedules can be designed to adhere to manufacturers’ recommendations and drivers’ personal preferences.

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Rotating tires helps prolong the life of the tires and alleviates uneven tread and wear. During the rotation, each tire is removed and relocated to a different position to ensure that all the tires will wear evenly. Michelin Tires states that tires should be rotated around every six months, or between 6,000 and 8,000 miles.

Vehicle fluids

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | M17

Home builders association serves consumers, community

boom, times for the construction industry began to get tougher with an onslaught of building regulations. In 1950, the treasurer of the association announced that there was no money to pay the association’s bills. Having gone so far, the pioneers of the association were not about to give up without a fight. Members of the association contributed their own money to keep the association solvent, and, since that time, the association has continually grown through the sound business leadership of a dedicated board of directors. Crane From this modest beginning, our association has grown into the largest in New England with over 440 member companies. Today, our association serves as: • The industry focal point for information on housing and home construction; • An advocate for quality, affordable housing for the citizens of Western Massa-

UR ASSOCIATION HAS SERVED as a regional resource promoting professionalism and quality in the residential construction industry in Western Massachusetts since 1939. The association began with a handful of builders wanting to network and tackle some of the legislative and regulatory obstacles facing local builders. This small group met monthly for breakfast to discuss the challenges facing the residential construction industry and Andrew eventually formed into the Springfield Home Builders & Contractors Association. Eventually, the National Association of Home Builders in 1943 and the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Massachusetts in 1948 were formed, and our association became a local chapter of the two associations. After the post-World War II housing

chusetts; • An educational resource for contractor training and skill development by providing mandatory continuing education online and in-classroom from industry experts; and • A networking hub for builders and the entire industry. For consumers, whether they are planning a new home, investigating remodeling options or exploring ways to keep up their existing home, the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Western Massachusetts is the “source” for services and information for the general public and consumers of residential construction and remodeling services. Our association provides: • Referrals to industry professionals for every aspect of the residential construction process; • A qualified, trained staff capable of answering questions and solving building-related issues; • An annual Consumer Guide to the SEE CRANE, PAGE M19

Amanda Cleveland sits on a bunk bed in a tiny log cabin by Mountain Village Buildings at the 2017 Original Western Massachusetts Home & Garden Show at Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. This year’s 65th edition of the show, sponsored by the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Western Massachusetts, will run from March 28 through 31. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Arts

“Our series at the Academy of Music was especially strong with 25 shows at this Northampton landmark.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE M2

JOHN SANDERS, DSP SHOWS

year of growth for Easthampton as far as the arts, according to Rachel Phillips, the chair of the city’s Cultural Council. “The city saw two new galleries on Cottage Street open and our annual summer Cultural Chaos The crowd begins to fill the MassMutual Center as Stevie Won- festival was bigger than it’s ever been,” Phillips says. der prepares to take stage on Sept. 1. The concert was hosted Another area of growth by MGM Springfield and the MassMutual Center. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) was the increased grants that Easthampton got from the and the inaugural Arcadia coming in early March at the state, according to Phillips. She Folk Festival at Arcadia Nature Academy of Music and a Mardi notes that in 2018, EasthampCenter. Last July’s Green River Gras ball at Gateway City Arts ton won a $3.5 million grant Festival was our biggest yet, in Holyoke, according to Olsen. from the state to begin redevelopment at 1 Ferry Street, a with the three-day attendance “We’re planning an exciting long-derelict mill. over 15,000,” Olsen says. new event in Northampton in “The revitalization of Already, 2019 is off to a great September, and we’ll be releasing details soon,” he says. Easthampton’s mills greatly enstart, with events such as the hances Easthampton’s arts and Last year was also a great fifth annual Back Porch Festival

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ically in Greenfield. Hawks and Reed performing arts center is hosting over 300 events annually, both local musical acts as well as national touring acts attracting a wide range of audience members,” he says. On the slate currently are the legendary Wailers with original members of Bob Marley’s band, Paula Cole, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones, Roomful of Blues and many more local, regional and national touring bands, Goldsher notes. “Our continued growth alongside rising interests in the arts and music scene in our community, as well as affordable real estate, all point to a renaissance in Greenfield,” he says.

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director for the group. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Iron Horse Music Hall’s opening, and Neill says Rickie Lee Jones will play on the actual anniversary date, Feb. 24, with a laundry list of other Iron Horse perennials due to perform all month long — Chris Smither, John Gorka, Catie Curtis, Beausoleil, Richard Shindell and Tom Rush, to name a handful. “There are a lot of new artists that we’re eager for people to see this year,” Neill adds. Northampton’s Signature Sounds and the Parlor Room also had a stellar 2018, according to owner Jim Olsen. “We produced over 120 shows at a number of Western (Massachusetts) venues, including two new events, Rubblebucket’s Dream Picnic street festival in downtown Holyoke

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M18 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Wydra CONTINUED FROM PAGE M1

A group of children walk hand-in-hand with Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny and Tweety Bird while visiting Looney Tunes Movie Town at Six Flags New England last summer. The park, voted Best Local Family Destination by The Republican’s Reader Raves, is among the members of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau that continue to make significant investments, according to the bureau’s president, Mary Kay Wydra. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

here to experience it, we have a golden opportunity to build valuable long-term consumer relationships. Our marketing strategy is straightforward: we plan to influence every single visitor to make just one more purchase, enjoy one more meal or visit one more attraction. If we multiply such modest increases in individual behaviors by the influx of expected new visitors, it adds up to dramatic positive economic impact that will be felt again and again as great experiences translate into return visitation. These compounding add-on purchases resonate through our regional economy in many other ways, supporting jobs, strengthening businesses and generating tax revenues. It all translates into a huge financial boost for our industry, our region, and for our members. Therefore, we see our current position as strong, and potentially getting stronger. As witnessed in 2018, the tourism industry depends upon many relationships, partnerships and alliances to accomplish big things. The power of partnerships will again be vital in 2019 as the conven-

Bradley

tion and visitors bureau works alongside its sister Regional Tourism Councils statewide to help promote the concept of Tourism Destination Marketing Districts to legislators on Beacon Hill. Modeled loosely on the existing Business Improvement District law, a Tourism Destination Marketing District is established with a hotelier-proposed and locally approved assessment on overnight hotel visitors, providing a stable source of funding to support sales, marketing and tourism promotion by the Regional Tourism Council. The ultimate goal of the marketing district is increasing hotel occupancy and overall visitor spending in the region. Such districts have been implemented successfully in over 160 local jurisdictions in states coast to coast, and this model is rapidly becoming the industry standard. Closer to home, Newport, Rhode Island, recently created a Tourism Destination Marketing District to provide for targeted improvements and more effective sustainable tourism marketing campaigns. Looking ahead at 2019, we take great pride in Western

A shuttle bus takes passengers to the long-term parking lots at Bradley International Airport.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE M14

(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)

for Bradley as well in 2018. Pinnacle Logistics moved into the airport in June and now operates three Boeing 767s a day hauling freight for Amazon, Dillon said. Pinnacle has 160 workers in 90,000 square feet of leased space. “We hope

to increase that,” he says. Pinnacle moved its operations to Windsor Locks from T.F. Green. It did so, according to the Teamsters union, because workers in Rhode Island were in the process of organizing.

Massachusetts’ present-day visitor product. Now, our attention turns to the Tourism Destination Marketing District, as we look to fundamentally change the way that tourism promotion is funded in Massachusetts.

Bright Nights at Forest Park in Springfield will celebrate its 25th anniversary this November. At left, MGM Springfield General Manager Alex Dixon speaks at an announcement for a new public transportation service called the Loop in May. The shuttle follows a one-hour route that includes stops at city attractions, including the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Union Station, the Springfield Museums, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the casino. (THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

It is our profound hope that business leaders, tourism officials and legislators can successfully work together once again to make this innovative and important tool for dependable funding promotion a

reality. Mary Kay Wydra is the president of Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau; to learn more about the bureau, go online to explorewestern mass.com.

BUSINESS NAME: The Starting Gate at GreatHorse ADDRESS: 128 Wilbraham Road, Hampden, MA TELEPHONE: 413-566-5158 WEBSITE: www.thestartinggate.com EMAIL: cstephens@thestartinggate.com HOURS OF OPERATION: Always available for inquiries and tours. The facility is open whenever an event is being hosted. DIRECTOR OF CATERING SALES: Cathy Stephens HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? The Starting Gate opened in December 2015. WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION? We are an impressive public catering facility located on an exclusive private golf course. Drive through the gated entryway to our mountainside stone and cedar venue with uncompromised views of the Connecticut River Valley. • • • • • • • •

Spectacular 100-mile picturesque panoramic views 3,000 square foot covered deck Custom Adirondack Gazebo with manicured garden and waterfall State of the art new venue Gated exclusive property with meticulous attention to every detail Luxurious Suite overlooking the reception space Accomplished culinary team Innovative event planning

DESCRIBE YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: We can host any event imaginable and our chefs will create and execute the perfect menus. We have the experience and know-how to make any client’s vision come to life. Our style of service is attentive, friendly and spot on. We are here for corporate meetings, retreats and social events as well as weddings, mitzvahs and any lifetime milestone. WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS? The Starting Gate at GreatHorse hosts public events throughout the year – Comedy Nights, Wine Dinners, Paint and Sip, Jazz on the Deck, Breakfast with Santa, Holiday Luncheon and a Holiday Party, to name a few. We have an awesome facility that is like no other in Western Mass. WHY DO YOU ENJOY THIS BUSINESS? Client satisfaction is by far the main reason why anyone in this business stays - instant gratification. Creating and executing a well-planned event is all that matters. We love to hear the accolades. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN TODAY'S MARKETPLACE? It’s simple – just be nice and take the time to listen to the client while using our expertise to bring their vision to life. Knowing the latest trends, thinking out of the box and delivering what you promise are all components of being successful in this business. You have to deliver.

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customs area into the main terminal from its location in a separate building. That’s OK for now because Aer Lingus clears its passengers through customs on departure from Dublin. They walk out of Bradley without a second check on arrival. Bradley is looking for consultants now for design of the project this year to do construction in 2020 and 2021. The goal is to grow while pushing any new terminal project as far into the future as possible. “One of the things we are after as a medium-hub airport is very strict control of our costs,” Dillon says. Bradley needs to be cost-competitive because airlines can’t charge a premium here like they do at LaGuardia Airport in New York or Logan in Boston, where larger, wealthier markets with more business travel mean airlines can make more money. Airlines look at average cost of enplanement – the figure they to pay airports for rent, fees and so on divided by the number of passengers – when evaluating what routes to keep, where to expand and how much to charge in fares. Bradley’s cost per enplanement is $9. That’s cheaper than Logan’s $14, or $12 at Manchester, New Hampshire. The cost per enplanement is $12 as well at Rhode Island’s T.F. Green Airport, according to Dillon. Bradley has added physical upgrades over the past few years, including the Two Roads Tap Room, Escape Lounge, a Phillips Seafood restaurant, a duty-free shop, and a mothers’ nursing room. New restrooms, elevators, an expanded Escape Lounge and another restaurant on the secure side are also in the works. Freight was a strong point

(GREG SAULMON / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)

Profiles In Business

tastefully executed, thoughtfully integrating our history and sense of place, and is the result of wide cooperation among countless partners. The exciting presence of MGM Springfield is a major – but not exclusive – part of “Western Mass 2.0.” We continue to see additional significant investment by Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau members all across our regional hospitality industry. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is currently creating its own 2.0 with a host of upgrades. The Spirit of Springfield continues adding exciting new displays to Bright Nights. The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum is still growing, with the author’s Springfield home now owned by the Springfield Museums. Six Flags New England unveils something cool virtually every spring. Yankee Candle debuted a whole new retailing concept at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, and the list goes on. Western Massachusetts also has an ever-expanding hotel room inventory. Clearly, the lodging industry recognizes the vigorous growth happening here and major players are staking their claims. As a result, visitors now have an even wider range of choices when it comes to overnight accommodations. Our region’s famously easy access is becoming even easier. A renovated Union Station and enhanced Amtrak service through Springfield provide new transportation options for those not coming by car. The new Aer Lingus direct flights into nearby Bradley International Airport makes us a gateway for Europe. Bike Share rentals and visitor-friendly innovations like the Loop downtown shuttle offered by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority make it fun and convenient to get around the city and region. Overall, we have never offered a more varied, appealing and accessible tourism landscape. It’s our best visitor product in history. And, with so many new people coming

OUTLOOK 2019

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Williams

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | M19

“We try to keep a balanced portfolio to provide a breadth of offerings that customers want.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE M10

Hampden and Hampshire counties, businesses ranging from bars and restaurants to liquor stores and supermarkets, “anybody who has a license to sell alcohol.” They also cater to special events, including the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield and St. Patrick’s Road Race in Holyoke. Williams Distributing has 85 fulltime employees, a number that swells to 100 in the summer months, according to Sadowsky. Sadowsky formally entered the family business in 2004. In 2012, he became company president, taking over for his father, James. That was the year Sadowsky and his cousins Drew and Jace bought the business from their parents. The business is now in its third generation, but actually goes back to a fourth generation, Sadowsky says, to 1934 when his great-grandfather Abraham Sadowsky opened his beverage distribution business in Worcester

ANTHONY FRASCO

cousins took over. Staying competitive is the company’s goal, according to Scott Sadowsky. Beyond beer, they distribute cider, spiked seltzer, sangria, single-serve wine and non-alcoholic products, including Starbucks’ Teavana products, Red Bull, Hiball organic energy, Alta Palla organic sparkling water and cold-brew coffee. The company prides itself on cusSign shop manager Matthew Hamel tomer service, he says. This is the time looks over a sign at Williams Distribof the year that the company meets uting in Chicopee. (DAVE ROBACK PHOTO) with its suppliers to make plans and at the end of Prohibition. set goals. Abraham’s eldest son, William Williams Distributing has a social Sadowsky, joined him in the business, media presence. Its Twitter feed, @ and, then, in 1950, William moved to WMassBeer, is where they spread Springfield to start his own satellite beer-related news. The company also operation, founding Williams Distrib- is “wmassbeer” on Facebook and uting with a partner. In 1987, William Instagram. Sadowsky sold the company to his He says the company works to sons, James and Ronald. Twenty-five keep a family atmosphere. “It’s one years later, Scott Sadowsky and his big extended family in my mind,”

Crane

chusetts, with funding and material for projects, technical expertise, extra-curricular training; • Over $400,000 in direct student scholarships; and • Participation with community-based groups such as Rebuild Together Springfield, Hometown Heroes, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, the Berkshire County Habitat for Humanity, Springfield Veterans, the Shriners Hospital for Children, Toys for Tots, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and many more. The Home Builders & Remodelers Association of

States Exposition, is constantly evolving to bring products, displays and promotions of CONTINUED FROM PAGE M17 interest to our visitors. Home Building Industry with The members and member valuable consumer informacompanies of the Home Buildtion and referrals of industry ers & Remodelers Association professionals; of Western Massachusetts sup• An up-to-the-minute web- port community services and site, hbrawm.com; and work hard to make the region • An annual home show a better place to live and work. – the 65th edition of the They continually give back to “Original” Western Massachu- the community by supporting setts Home and Garden Show, various organizations in the Pioneer Valley. Examples of this which is one of the largest community service include: home and garden shows in • Ongoing support for all the country. The show, which the region’s vocational schools this year will run from March and the University of Massa28 through 31 at the Eastern

LEARN MORE Business: Williams Distributing Product: Beer and beverage distributor Where: 880 Burnett Road, Chicopee For more info: Online, williams distributing.com

Sadowsky says, explaining they have a “fun club” where they take employees to see Holyoke Blue Sox or Springfield Thunderbirds games, along with other events. Williams Distributing also is committed to community philanthropy. Sadowsky notes the company’s involvement with Baystate Medical Center, something that evolved over many years, starting with his grandfather and then his father. The Sadowsky Center for Children at Baystate,

Western Massachusetts stands prepared and ready to offer important services to the citizens of the Pioneer Valley. Our headquarters building at 240 Cadwell Drive in Springfield is a key element in this effort. Completed in 1999, the facility is the result of careful planning and the generosity of many of our members with time, talent and donations resulting in a state-of-the-art headquarters for the association. The building features many innovative products available in the marketplace today. Many members use the facility to bring customers on

of which the company was a sponsor, cares for children with cancer and blood disorders, and the company also was a major donor behind the Sadowsky Family Pediatric Emergency Department at Baystate Children’s Hospital. “I think as a family and as a company we see the value of the hospital and support their efforts,” Sadowsky says. In addition to Baystate, the company is involved with the Jimmy Fund. He said his parents started the golf tournament fundraiser 40 years ago, and this will be the final year with it having raised than $11 million. Sadowsky notes that when they bought the land in Chicopee for the distribution center they had 30 acres and donated 15 back to the city to develop a park for the residents. “Being involved in the community is something we take pretty seriously,” he says.

tours to show some of the features of the building that can be utilized in their construction, such as geothermal heating. The classrooms are utilized to provide mandatory continuing education programs to building professionals and allows member companies to offer an array of training programs. We are proud of our humble beginnings and the pioneers that made it all possible. Today, we strive to keep their vision alive by allowing our association to be a vehicle for local builders, remodelers and allied industry professionals the opportunity to network, lobby,

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and further their education and professional skills. We also have a firm commitment to the citizens of the region and work hard to help them realize the greatest element of the “American Dream” – a home of their own. Please 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.

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 | M21

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION

DevelopSpringfield powers toward future with vision Agency focuses on work at Gunn Block, Maple St. project By NATASHA ZENA

Special to The Republican

GREAT COLLEGES

DevelopSpringfield is moving full steam ahead with priorities for 2019, including completing work on its Maple Business Park and the Springfield Innovation Center and refusing to give up on attempts to get a grocery store on State Street. DevelopSpringfield board chair Nick Fyntrilakis says the work on the Maple Business Park is ongoing with the current focus on the renovation of 77 Maple St. “That is part of our overall redevelopment of that corner,” he says, noting the renovation of 83 Maple St. That was completed about two years ago. “Seventy-seven Maple is an adjacent property we acquired to complement what we’re calling the Maple Business Park.” DevelopSpringfield acquired 77 Maple St., formerly the Springfield Female Seminary, from the Springfield Preservation Trust in December 2014. Fyntrilakis said the agency is discussing a budget for the project and selecting a construction firm. The business park will feature 13,000 square feet of office space with six commercial garages and a two-story carriage house with a double-bay garage. Current residents include DIF Design and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Hampden County. DevelopSpringfield is also looking to stabilize the structures in the Gunn Block at the corner of State and Walnut streets in hopes that plans for redevelopment can proceed

this year, according to Fyntrilakis. DevelopSpringfield acquired Gunn Block in 2013. Named for entrepreneur Elisha Gunn, who housed trade goods such as coffee, rum and sugar at the site, it is set to be a mixed-use development for housing, retail and commercial office space. “We did receive stabilization funds from the CPA (Community Preservation Act) program and are looking to stabilize that property for future development for this coming year,” Fyntrilakis said. He says DevelopSpringfield is continuing its goal to bring a supermarket to the Mason Square neighborhood. The recommendation dating back as far as 10 years ago when the neighborhood was identified as a food desert is a difficult undertaking, according to Fyntrilakis. But the agency continues to look into tax credits and patient equity, investments made by investors with no expectations of turning a quick profit, he says. Over the last few years a growing number of cities have implemented tax incentives for grocery stores and healthier food vendors in areas of high need. Baltimore, for example, offers personal property tax credits to supermarkets locating or renovating within targeted areas in the city. The tax credit is at 80 percent for 10 years against the personal property tax imposed on qualified supermarkets. Though Fyntrilakis referred to it as a “complicated endeavor,” he says, “We’ll continue to work toward advancing a supermarket for State Street.” Now that the Springfield Innovation Center is back on track with the grand opening of its flagship tenant, Valley

Venture Mentors, on Thursday, DevelopSpringfield is focusing on reaching full occupancy and completing the renovations on an adjacent building, that will be a mixeduse facility of retail and office space. “We’re very excited. Valley Venture Mentors, our priFurniture is installed last month at the Springfield Innovation mary tenant, has 10,000 square feet or so. We do have Center, 270 Bridge St. (HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN) a deal coming soon for a ects that need to happen in have,” he adds. “We apprecafe-restaurant tenant in the ciate, from a DevelopSpringground floor to the left of the Springfield, from looking at field standpoint, all of the the MassMutual Center as main entrance,” Fyntrilakis financial support and conan asset to use as leverage to says. “We had some significant challenges with that tributions and effort we get seeing the redevelopment at property from an operational 31 Elm St. hit its stride. from the Springfield business standpoint, but we got that “There’s a couple things that community that make these turned around.” difficult projects come to life. need to happen to continue Fyntrilakis says there are I thank everyone for their the momentum and accelerate the momentum that we still some catalystic projsupport.”

“There’s a couple things that need to happen to continue the momentum and accelerate the momentum that we have. We appreciate, from a DevelopSpringfield standpoint, all of the financial support and contributions and effort we get from the Springfield business community that make these difficult projects come to life.” Nick Fyntrilakis

proud I am mp roud to represent a rregion eegion gion with such a rich history, thriving industries and an unrivaled sense of community. We celebrate and appreciate all the achievements of Western Massachusetts. Looking forward to these successes in 2019.

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Coming Summer of 2019, the all new Hall of Honor and more exciting museum renovations! Located in the city where it was invented, this 48,000 square foot basketball museum contains 3 levels of exhibits showing the history and heroes of the game, while giving visitors the opportunity to participate in skills contests.

Join us at the Basketball Hall of Fame where the game never ends! Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue SpringďŹ eld, MA, 01105 hoophall.com 1-877-4Hoopla Twitter: hoophall

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