The Springfield Regional Chamber will present its first Business@Breakfast of the 2017-2018 season on Sept. 6, 7:15-9 a.m. at the Springfield Sheraton. Pam Victor, president and Head of Happiness at Happier Valley Comedy, will be the keynote speaker. The breakfast is sponsored by series sponsor, United Personnel Services and Coffee Bar sponsor, FIT Staffing.
Starting early this morning, the United Way of Pioneer Valley and Peter Pan Bus Lines will deliver more than 2,000 backpacks filled with donated school supplies to six separate school districts. These backpacks are given to students who are homeless.
Edward Zemba, president of Unify Against Bullying, has announced that Christine Maiwald of Agawam has been named executive director of the nonprofit agency. Maiwald, who assumes the position immediately, had been a member of the Unify Board of Directors for the past two years.
“Chris brought a tremendous amount of passion, energy and heart to Unify the first day she became involved,” said Zemba. “To have her fill the position of executive director represents a transformative step forward for our young and ambitious organization. With Chris at the forefront of Unify, our potential to make a difference in the lives ...
The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts this month gave a total of $768,500 in grant funding to area nonprofits, including $513,100 to organizations in Hampden County. Grants went to 45 projects in the Pioneer Valley, the foundation said. "The grant awards range from $2,500-$25,000 and address community needs in the areas of arts and culture, education, the environment, health, housing, economic development, and human services for residents of Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties," a statement from the foundation said. "Grants support existing programs and new programs that promote the mission of a local nonprofit."
A Danish energy company is hoping to bring a new and innovative technology to turn trash into renewable energy to the United States by building an $80 million waste management plant in Western Massachusetts. DONG Energy REnescience is considering six sites in the region, with five of those in Chicopee, to locate its new trash-to-energy plant. It is also considering locating a second plant in the eastern part of the state in the future, said R. Stephen Lynch, senior project manager for MSW Consultants, which is providing market research and analysis for DONG Energy REnescience.
Construction began Monday on a Pride gas station and food mart at the former site of the Aqua Vitae restaurant, nearly a decade after the landmark restaurant closed. Pride owner Robert Bolduc said he expects to open the business in about six months. He expects to employ about 30 workers, he said. Plans have shown show a 7,400-square-foot gas station and store on a two-acre portion of the 5.3-acre site. The 7,400-square foot store will include a deli, bakery, a Subway sandwich shop and baristas dispensing coffee, Bolduc said, and will feature a drive-through window. Beer and ...
Big companies looking to relocate to Massachusetts keep zeroing in on the Boston area, a top Bay State economic development official said in an email as insurance company Aetna weighed a move.
Bruce Stebbins, a member of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, had emailed Jay Ash, Gov. Charlie Baker's economic development chief, after word got out that Aetna was looking to leave Hartford, Connecticut, where it has about 5,000 employees.
HOLYOKE -- Construction of the $6.2 million MGM Resorts HCC Center for Culinary Arts is on schedule and tours of the downtown site will be offered during the Celebrate Holyoke festival on Aug. 26.
"This is an exciting program," Jeffrey P. Hayden, vice president for business and community services at Holyoke Community College (HCC), said on Friday.
HAMPDEN - The head of an East Longmeadow photography studio was recently named president of the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce.
The ERC5 chose Edward Zemba, president of Robert Charles Photography, as their president in a June 15 meeting, a statement from the chamber says. Robert Charles Photography has been a member of the chamber since 1974.
Michelle and Peter Wirth
Peter Wirth doesn’t know exactly how long it’s been since Mercedes Benz has had a presence in Western Mass. with a dealership.
He does know that it’s been … well, long enough.
As in, long enough that he knows he and his wife, Michelle, and fellow partner Rick Hesse have a lot of work to do in many different realms as they prepare to open Mercedes-Benz of Springfield on the site of the old Plantation Inn across from Mass. Turnpike exit 6 in Chicopee.
Mayor Will Reichelt says West Springfield is seeing a good deal of adaptive reuse of commercial and industrial properties, a necessity in a community that is land-poor.
Will Reichelt says he was only 15 when he started working at the Donut Dip on Riverdale Street.
His father arranged an introduction with the owner, a fellow Rotarian, and just a few days later, Will was working behind the counter and occasionally injecting filling into jelly donuts.
The International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI) is focusing on improving communications among staff and customers in the workplace with a new product called the Workplace Training Initiative. With 34 years of experience in teaching languages throughout communities and workplaces in western Massachusetts, ILI’s enhanced Workplace Training Initiative addresses the need for improved interaction between non-native English speaking employees and customers, with a new twist. The core curriculum now includes an emphasis on digital literacy and customer service.
Valley Venture Mentors announced that it has graduated 14 startups from its inaugural Collegiate Accelerator Program. After nine weeks of intensive training, $20,000 in cash prizes were distributed to the entrepreneurs by accredited investors. Additionally, a $5,000 award was given to the startup that showed the most grit.
Dress for Success of western Massachusetts is on a mission. The organization empowers disadvantaged women, helping them thrive in the work place and in life. Starting today, women-in-need throughout western Massachusetts are invited to shop ’till they drop, at the “Dress for Success” tag sale. For $25, women are invited to fill a shopping bag with brand name work clothes, shoes and accessories of their choice. Margret Tantillo told 22News, “We’re expecting probably about 200 women to come in and shop this weekend. Not only do women get fabulous fabulous clothing at a good deal, but they also support ...
Rail passengers will gather Saturday in Springfield to tour Union Station and learn of possible improvements to rail travel in the region, including plans for an expansion of real service along the Connecticut River north of Springfield. They'll also learn about the possibility of, and stumbling blocks for, increased east-west rail service from Springfield through Worcester to Boston, long-term plans to add service from Boston through Springfield to Montreal and the CT Rail project which will increase the frequency of service from Springfield to New Haven starting next May.
Nineteen companies from across the state have been selected as finalists for the 2017 Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards, awarded annually by MassEcon for their outstanding contributions to the Massachusetts economy.
This year, there are three finalists based in Western Mass.:
The Basketball Hall of Fame & Beta Sigma Boulé of Springfield have partnered to create an intimate Education & Leadership experience to benefit local youth and grow into a national and sustainable platform. The luncheon will include over 50 high school students who have been chosen based on their demonstrated potential, grade point average, and personal character. Prior to the Class of 2017 Enshrinement Ceremony, the Education & Leadership Luncheon will be an inspirational program celebrating Hall of Famers, while delivering a direct connection to area youth.
The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce recently announced its annual awards. The three award winners will be recognized at the Greater Westfield Chamber’s Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet on Nov. 15. There will be a cocktail hour from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by a program from 6:30 to 8:30. The event is hosted by East Mountain Country Club, located at 1458 East Mountain Road, Westfield. The Event Sponsor is Baystate Noble Hospital.
Leadership Holyoke is a comprehensive community-leadership and board-development program of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. The series utilizes a combination of classes and practical experiences to help local business people develop their leadership skills, increase their knowledge of the community, and acquire the skills needed to serve as board members and community leaders. The 2017-18 Leadership series begins on Sept. 22, consists of a weekly series of eight seven-hour sessions, and concludes on May 2 with a graduation ceremony at Holyoke Community College (HCC) with a specialty luncheon prepared by the college’s culinary program students. All sessions will ...
Their enterprise was one of several winners of grants, ranging from $700 to $6,000, awarded at Wednesday night's Valley Venture Mentors Collegiate Accelerator Graduation at Tower Square. The grants totaling $25,000 help graduates establish their businesses. Valley Venture Mentors is a Springfield-based nonprofit supporting entrepreneurs in Western Massachusetts. Twenty students from nine area colleges graduated Wednesday.
The not-for-profit corporation overseeing the redevelopment of Ludlow Mills, the largest brownfield project in New England, continues to seek and secure funding to overhaul the sprawling mill complex bordering the Chicopee River. That was the word from Eric Nelson, president and CEO of Westmass Area Development Corporation, at a recent selectmen's meeting, where he updated the board on funding plans and ongoing work at the 170-acre site between the river and State Street. Much has happened since Westmass bought the property six years ago, according to Nelson. "I believe the board would agree that we're on the upward ...
Massachusetts remains in "active discussions" with the Pawtucket Red Sox, according to Gov. Charlie Baker's economic development chief. "We're in discussions with the PawSox, we're discussing with them a number of places right now," said Jay Ash, who serves as the secretary of economic development in Baker's cabinet. "We'll see where they want to go and we'll see how we can support that."
Even the greatest content needs a powerful delivery method to reach its target audience. “Storytelling Strategies to Engage and Influence,” an interactive workshop to be held Thursday, Aug. 24, will introduce participants to the value and power of storytelling as an influence tool. Lisa Lipkin will lead the workshop, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bay Path University’s Philip H. Ryan Center, 1 Denslow Road, East Longmeadow.
Teaching children how to grow food and providing education to establish new restaurants and chefs are ways to improve Holyoke's access to healthy food, participants in a workshop said Tuesday. "Once kids know how to grow something, they will eat it," said Neftali Duran of Nuestras Raices, at the "Local Food, Local Places Workshop." The workshop drew about 50 people to the Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center at 206 Maple St. It is part of a two-day effort led by federal agencies aimed at identifying issues and determining how to strengthen the local food system.