Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council

Featured News
1. 2020 Western Mass Developers Conference Slated for Oct. 21
  
  Explore BusinessWest Oct 20 2020
  
  The Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council (EDC) invites the community to join its annual developers conference, presented by MassMutual. The 2020 Western Mass Developers Conference will feature a keynote address from Gov. Charlie Baker and a welcome address from Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and will connect business leaders, developers, real-estate professionals, site selectors, economic-development professionals, and public officials from Western Mass. and across the Northeast.
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  Mentions: Domenic J. Sarno MassMutual Springfield
2. Entrepreneurs, college presidents, politicians discuss a better business collaboration between eastern and Western Massachusetts
  
  Explore masslive.com Aug 19 2020 Education , Entrepreneurship
  
  Business leaders, college presidents, politicians and state economic development leaders joined in an online seminar to discuss better ways the entire state can come together to share resources and produce products. More than 350 people signed on to listen to or participate in the first EastWest Exchange on Wednesday. The event covered ways to localize supply chains and better share business and innovation from the eastern part of the state with that being done in Western Massachusetts.
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  Mentions: Holyoke Community College Springfield Technical Community College Springfield
3. The Pioneer Valley Labor Market Blueprint
  
  Explore From the EDC Nov 30 2018 Workforce
  
  As you know, the Workforce Skills Cabinet (WSC) is requiring a Mid-Point Report be submitted to the WSC by December 15, 2018. We have been given a template to follow and are aggressively assembling the required collateral to form our narrative. We are excited about sharing with the WSC the progress that has been made since we began the Implementation phase in the late spring, 2018. As with the Blueprint, we expect the Secretary’s and/or their staff and others will review the Mid-Point Report and share their thoughts with us. We continue to believe that as we begin ...
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4. UMass water technology lab could spur new developments
  
  Explore masslive.com Oct 15 2018 Education
  
  Thirty companies are in the pipeline, waiting to use a $3.9 million water technology demonstration center that could be built at the University of Massachusetts in as soon as two years. About 250 people attended the "Innovations and Opportunities in Water Technologies" conference Monday at the Amherst campus. Now the job is to get the money, already called for in a 2014 state bonding bill, and include it in a state spending budget, said Richard K. Sullivan Jr., president and CEO of the Economic Development of Western Massachusetts.
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  Mentions: University of Massachusetts Amherst Clean Energy Center
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From the EDC
1. FORGE Manufacturing and Innovation Showcase
  
  Explore From the EDC Oct 21 2020 Manufacturing by Adam Rodrigues
  
  "I invite you all to attend the FORGE Manufacturing and Innovation Showcase happening tomorrow at 10am. FORGE is a nonprofit with an office located here at Springfield at Tech Park that connects startups with compatible, forward-thinking regional manufacturers, design firms and engineers. Meet hundreds of regional manufacturers and innovators and hear from Leader Joseph Wagner. To register, please visit www.forgemass.org and click on the events page.
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2. 2020 Virtual Western MA Developers Conference
  
  Explore From the EDC Oct 7 2020 Business Development by Edc Of Western Ma
  
  Join us to explore the many development opportunities on the horizon in Western Mass! The 2020 Virtual Western MA Developers Conference will connect business leaders, developers, real estate professionals, site selectors, economic development professionals, and public officials from Western MA and across the Northeast.
  
  WHO: Economic Development Council of Western MA (EDC) and Economic Development Partners (EDP)
  What: The Western MA Developers Conference
  When: Wednesday, October 21, 2020 9am - 3pm
  
  Click Here to Register
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3. Massachusetts COVID-19 Innovation Challenge
  
  Explore From the EDC Sep 2 2020 by Pat Larkin
  
  The Massachusetts COVID-19 Innovation Challenge is the third in a series of innovation pitch competitions to identify and grow innovative solutions to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Companies selected for the Challenge will attend a series of innovation workshops over five weeks, receiving critical mentorship, as well as access to a statewide network of manufacturers and advisors. The program will culminate on October 30th with a virtual pitch event and a $25,000 prize awarded to the winner, funding which will help kick start the commercial development of their products or services.
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4. Baker-Polito Administration revises the Executive Order on gatherings
  
  Explore From the EDC Aug 10 2020 by Mike Kennealy
  
  Effective Tuesday, August 11, the Baker-Polito Administration will revise the Executive Order on gatherings to reduce the cap on outdoor gatherings from 100 to 50 individuals. The inside gathering limit will remain at 25 people. Please note: this will now apply to both public and private spaces. Read the revised Executive Order for more details.
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5. See all From the EDC articles
Western Massachusetts Business News
1. Hiring of disabled workers results in lower turnover, higher production for Chicopee distribution company
  
  Explore masslive.com Oct 23 2020
  
  Jocelyn Rodriguez hadn’t worked in five years because she suffers from problems with her hands and mental health illnesses, but when she found a job eight months ago at J. Polep she quickly became a star employee. The Springfield resident has been working at the company as a selector — locating and items ordered by convenience stores and packing them for delivery — and has consistently been a top performer in the division.
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  Mentions: Springfield Northampton Chicopee
2. STCC Receives $662,000 in State Grants for COVID-19 Relief
  
  Explore BusinessWest Oct 23 2020 Education
  
  The state awarded Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) two grants totaling nearly $662,000 for COVID-19 relief, STCC President John Cook announced. The money will be used to help keep the campus safe during the pandemic, compensate faculty for their work developing online courses, and boost student aid, Cook said at a news conference at STCC. He spoke from Building 20, where check-in stations are set up to screen students, staff, and faculty who arrive on the campus.
  
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  Mentions: Springfield Technical Community College Springfield
3. People in Business: Jean M Deliso, CFP® named to New York Life’s Chairman’s Council
  
  Explore masslive.com Oct 22 2020 Financial Services
  
  Jean M. Deliso, CFP® has been named a member of the 2020 Chairman’s Council of New York Life. Members of the Chairman’s Council rank in the top three percent of New York Life’s elite sales force of more than 12,000 licensed agents in sales achievement. Ms. Deliso has accomplished this level of achievement for nine consecutive years.
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  Mentions: Springfield
4. People in Business: Darcy Young Appointed to Executive Committee of The Children’s Study Home
  
  Explore masslive.com Oct 22 2020
  
  The Children’s Study Home recently appointed Board of Directors member Darcy (Fortune) Young to its Executive Committee. Ms. Young has been a member of the board since 2018 serving on the Communications Committee. She has consulted on everything from fundraising to digital marketing and, most recently, was part of the board effort to transition to a new executive director for the 155-year old agency.
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  Mentions: Westfield State University Springfield Westfield
5. Chicopee sets aside $2 million to reduce taxes, $1 million to beef up ‘conservative’ budget - masslive.com
  
  Explore masslive.com Oct 22 2020
  
  The city will reduce the amount it will ask homeowners and businesses to pay in taxes in the upcoming year by using $2 million from the free cash account. It will also set aside $1 million from free cash to supplement accounts that were slashed when the budget for this fiscal year was adopted in late June.
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  Mentions: Chicopee
6. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to announce COVID recovery plan with $115 million in new funding for small businesses, main streets - masslive.com
  
  Explore masslive.com Oct 22 2020
  
  Gov. Charlie Baker plans to announce Thursday a $775 million plan to support small businesses and stimulate the state economy, mostly through a mix of existing programs and $115 million in new funding. The new funding is expected to cover grants to small businesses and Main Streets hit hard by COVID-19, offering resources to small business owners and job seekers who seek training and connections.
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  Mentions: MassDevelopment
7. American International College to Host Mural Honoring Mason Square Resident
  
  Explore BusinessWest Oct 22 2020 Education
  
  American International College (AIC) will honor a Springfield individual known to residents in Mason Square as Preacherman with a mural on the college’s maintenance building located at the corner of State and Reed streets. Born Randolph Lester, he was a well-known community member who was given the Preacherman moniker as he was often seen walking around the Mason Square area carrying a Bible.
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  Mentions: American International College Springfield
8. Amherst Area Chamber Announces A+ Award Winners to Be Honored on Nov. 12
  
  Explore BusinessWest Oct 22 2020
  
  The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce 2020 A+ Awards Show will be held virtually and broadcast live from Hadley Farms Meeting House on Thursday, Nov. 12, with PeoplesBank serving as presenting sponsor. Each year, the chamber gives A+ Awards to individuals and organizations that enrich the life of the community through their work in education, business, and civic engagement in Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury, Sunderland, and the Pioneer Valley as a whole.
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  Mentions: Amherst
9. Research Team Including UMass Amherst’s Charlie Schweik and Brenda Bushouse Receives $3.4 Million in NSF Grants to Study Open-Source Software
  
  Explore University of Massachusetts Amherst Oct 22 2020
  
  research team including Charlie Schweik and Brenda Bushouse of the University of Massachusetts Amherst has been awarded $3.4 million in grants from the National Science Foundation’s Growing Convergence Research program for their project, “Jumpstarting Successful Open-Source Software Projects with Evidence-based Rules and Structures.”
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  Mentions: University of Massachusetts Amherst
10. Convergent Photonics Partners with WNEU on Research and Development Center
  
  Explore BusinessWest Oct 21 2020
  
  Convergent Photonics, which specializes in creating and supplying high-tech lasers, announced a partnership with Western New England University to establish a research and development center and strengthen the school’s education program with the help of a $2.5 million state grant, the Republican reported. The project is the fourth of its kind statewide and the first in Western Mass., and Springfield Technical Community College will also be involved. The money comes from the state’s Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative.
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  Mentions: Western New England University Chicopee Westfield
Picture Gallery

FORGE Manufacturing and Innovation Showcase From the EDC

2020 Virtual Western MA Developers Conference From the EDC

Massachusetts COVID-19 Innovation Challenge From the EDC

Baker-Polito Administration revises the Executive Order on gatherings From the EDC

2020 Western Mass Developers Conference Slated for Oct. 21 BusinessWest

Entrepreneurs, college presidents, politicians discuss a better business collaboration between eastern and Western Massachusetts masslive.com

The Pioneer Valley Labor Market Blueprint From the EDC

UMass water technology lab could spur new developments masslive.com

Hiring of disabled workers results in lower turnover, higher production for Chicopee distribution company masslive.com

STCC Receives $662,000 in State Grants for COVID-19 Relief BusinessWest

People in Business: Jean M Deliso, CFP® named to New York Life’s Chairman’s Council masslive.com

People in Business: Darcy Young Appointed to Executive Committee of The Children’s Study Home masslive.com
Western Massachusetts- It's Your Move