Berkshire Business Journal June 2025

Putting waste back to work

These entrepreneurs are part of a movement taking root acoss the Berkshires to make composting an accessible, sustainable normal. Page 2

Berkshire Business Journal

Designs on expansion

Under a new CEO, Interprint retains focus on growth

By M aryjane Willia M s

PITTSFIELD — In 2002, with a plethora of auditing and accounting job experience in his back pocket, Manoj Vengalil moved to the United States from his hometown in India.

He held a degree in mathematics and passed one of the most rigorous exams in India — the Chartered Accountant exam — but he strived for an American degree.

So in 2003, Vengalil joined Interprint in Pittsfield to implement a System Applications and Products (SAP) system — and became a certified public accountant while doing so.

Although he was initially hired for a one-year role, Vengalil soon became a permanent member of the Interprint finance team. Less than two years later, he was promoted to director of finance. He joined the executive team in 2009, and was appointed managing director in 2023, overseeing operations and finance alongside Bill Hines Jr., who led sales.

Now, just over two decades after joining the decor printing company, Vengalil has been named chief executive officer of Interprint USA, assuming full leadership after Hines stepped down into an advisory position on April 1.

“I’ve enjoyed working here from the very beginning,” Vengalil said. “It’s given me the opportunity to expand my potential.”

PITTSFIELD

INTERPRINT’S ROOTS IN

Interprint was founded by Paul Wrede in 1969 as a decor printing offshoot of a German lamination company. The company then planted its first international roots in Pittsfield in 1985, with Lenox resident Bill Hines Sr. serving as CEO of the North American subsidiary located on Pecks Road.

In 2006, the company moved to its current facility on state Route 41, where it has seen steady growth since. After four expansions, including a $30 million project that added 57,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 20 new jobs, the company has more than doubled its footprint — from 187,000 to 380,000 square feet.

The facility also sports eight hightech printing machines to produce about 1,200 designs. It currently employs 182 people, and has plans to bring on more team members to support its expanded operations.

“We are focusing on growth. We are focusing on the future. We are focusing on building our team,” Vengalil said. “So over the last 40 years, we invested roughly, $150 million to $160 million into new machines, technology, softwares.

“Investing is the mindset, investing in people, investing in capacities,” he said. “So [we] were able to meet the customers’ needs over the years, and

become the leader in the industry.”

Interprint has also expanded its global reach, with production and sales of-

fices in Germany, Brazil, China, India, Italy, Malaysia, Poland, Russia, Spain, South Africa and Turkey. In 2019, it was

acquired by the Toppan Inc. of Japan.

“[Our] different cultures, different values and different beliefs create an ecosystem,” Vengalil said. “Each time we meet, we create an experience together. So we can make it fun, we can energize, we can inspire together, and we create together. That’s the value.”

However, with a majority of the company’s clients situated in the United States, the Pittsfield location remains an integral part of the company’s DNA and its role in the local economy.

“We [are] a true partner with the city, and we [are] grateful for the city’s support,” Vengalil said, noting the tax increment finance agreement Pittsfield gave Interprint for the last expansion. “We want to be a true player in the in the local community, a good employer. I always say that the happiest employees in the area [are] working for Interprint.”

‘BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THIS INDUSTRY’ Interprint specializes in printing decorative laminate and

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

Manoj Vengalil has been appointed as the new CEO of Interprint’s Pittsfield manufacturing plant. “We are focusing on growth,” he said. “We are focusing on the future.”

Road,

GILLIAN HECK

Putting waste back to work

By M aryjane WilliaMs

SAVOY — John Pitroff was 36, working as a plant care contractor at Walmart and serving on the Crisis Team in the Berkshire Medical Center emergency room, when his daughter River was born.

That’s when Pitroff decided he wanted to make a change.

“I was like, ‘I want to do something that I can look back on and have it be meaningful,’ ” Pitroff said. “You go into that mode where you want to work on doing something better for the future as a father.”

As Pitroff got more into gardening, he found himself paying high prices for compost — even though, through his work in restaurants and tree services, he saw firsthand how much food waste and woodchips were piling up and going unused.

“I thought to myself, why am I purchasing this? Like, all these products are there. We just have to put them in the right place,” he said.

While working in mental health, Pitroff also saw how people who thought they had nothing left to give could start anew. He began to think about waste in the same way, planting the seeds for what would become Second Chance Composting.

What started as a small business in June 2022 now processes over 6.5 tons of food scraps per week, contributing to the movement taking root acoss the Berkshires to make composting an accessible, sustainable normal.

“Everything that we take is things that people think are waste: food scraps, leaves, wood chips, Christmas trees, pumpkins, all stuff that nobody wants after they’ve used it, right? [But] when I was working on the crisis team, I would see people at their absolute worst recover and get better and thrive,” Pitroff said. “That’s what Second Chance is about. It’s like a second chance at life.”

In Massachusetts, food waste makes up nearly a quarter of municipal landfill material, according to the state Environmental Protection Agency. Nationally, food waste is responsible for 6.1 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Pitroff’s mission is to get his hands on it first. He picks up waste weekly from commercial partners across the Berkshires, including Mass MoCA, MCLA and Buxton School, among others. Landscapers, tree companies and farms also drop off material directly to his facilities.

For $9.99 a month, over 100 people have also signed up to drop off their food scraps in bins at partner organizations in Williamstown, North Adams, Adams, Savoy and Pittsfield through

John Pitroff processes 6.5 tons of food scraps per week through his company, Second Chance Composting. He combines the food scraps with carbon materials, such as wood chips, leaves and sawdust to help them break down properly in the first step of the yealong composting process. “Our environment suffers with putting this stuff in the landfill,” he said, “and we’re also missing out on this really amazing end product that can grow more things in the future.”

the Residential Community Composting Program. Pitroff also offers door-todoor pickup for those who are physically unable to get to dropoff location, and he is willing to work with people who can not afford the monthly fee.

“We want to be able to provide an

opportunity from somebody from the home level, anywhere locally, to do this at an affordable rate,” Pitroff said. “So it’s really accessible for everybody.”

With his trailer in tow, Pitroff transports the bins to either his part-time facility in Stanford, Vt., or the main lo-

Pitroff offers compost pickup across the county to process and turn into soil at his facility in Savoy.

cation in Savoy, where he goes further than just collection.

In a yearlong process, Pitroff transforms food scraps and organic material into compost to be sold to homeowners. Eventually, he hopes to produce enough to sell compost back to the very farms that supply him with waste, creating a full-circle system of renewal.

“Our environment suffers with putting this stuff in the landfill, and we’re also missing out on this really amazing end product that can grow more things in the future,” Pitroff said.

TOMMY’S COMPOST

In 2020, while working for the Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Mary Stucklen tried to recruit compost services to come to the Berkshires.

Although she spent thousands of dollars promoting these services, no companies would stick around.

Then, Stucklen had a dream — literally — of a bucket on the side of the

COMPOSTING, Page 3

GILLIAN HECK

Composting

road with a diagonal “Tommy’s Compost” label — with Thomas being the name of her then-unborn child.

So in July 2021, when Thomas was 7 months old, Tommy’s Compost was born. What started with a few buckets has grown into a service that’s collected more than 1.26 million pounds of food waste, with the goal of hitting 2 million by year’s end.

Stucklen’s passion for the environment runs deep. With a degree in biology from MCLA and hands-on experience through the Berkshire Zero Waste initiative, she discovered that composting was the most effective step she could take to protect the planet.

“If you continue to throw away everything else, but you compost, it’s almost like buying an electric car,” Stucklen said. “If [food waste is] thrown away in a landfill, it’s creating methane which promotes the climate crisis.”

The impact of composting stretches even further in Massachusetts, Stucklen explained, where all of the state’s landfills are expected to close within the next decade — and no more can be opened.

“So we’re going to be putting our trash on trains or on huge diesel trucks out of our state… and food is the heaviest part of that. If our trucks are really heavy, we’re burning more emissions,” Stucklen said. “So if we take the food out of that, they’re much lighter. So not only are we not trucking it out, keeping it in the Berkshires, and we are creating soil from it.”

The state’s 2023 Solid Waste Master Plan calls for a 30 percent reduction of waste to 4 million tons in 2030 with a long-term goal of reducing it to 570,000 tons by 2050 — a target that composting companies in the region are helping to make a reality.

Many of Stucklen’s customers have noticed a drop in the amount of trash they throw away since they began composting, she said, and several of her commercial customers have even cut back on their trash pickups.

Stucklen offers curbside com-

post pickup — 5-gallon bucket included — for $21 a month for household pickup every other week or $31 for every week, as well as business composting

“If it grows, it goes,” Stucklen said.

Although she does not process the compost herself, Stucklen delivers the food waste to local partner farms to create their own compost.

“The goal of Tommy’s Compost is to bring the food waste to a farm as close to the producer as possible,” Stucklen said.

With a deep commitment to the community, Stucklen actively collaborates with local

organizations to give back.

Aside from providing a composting service to some of the biggest names in the Berkshires, including Williams College, Lenox Public Schools, Starbucks and a variety of grocery stores and restaurants, Stucklen works with a volunteer work program, where a man with autism rides with her and helps collect waste every other Friday.

For large nonprofit events, Stucklen will donate her services, compost bins and sometimes even compostable materials, such as cups, bowls and

silverware to minimize waste. She also partners with the South Community Food Pantry to compost any inedible donations.

Stucklen has also hosted compost trainings in local schools, including Chester Elementary School, Huntington Elementary School, and Mount Greylock, among others, so they can compost themselves.

For those who may not be able to afford her services, Stucklen also has free dropoff locations in Williamstown, Cheshire, Pittsfield and Lee.

Her goal is to have compost dropoff points throughout the county to make composting accessible for all.

“Eventually it’ll just be part of the culture,” she said.

BERKSHIRE COMPOST

Melissa Beeson Higgins founded her company Berkshire Compost in 2019 with the sustainable goals and values of the Berkshires at heart.

“We’re a pretty environmentally minded community,” Higgins said. “A lot of people want to find a way to make an impact.”

Inspired by the farm to table concept, Higgins offers compost collection to South County residents for $20 a month, then delivers the food scraps to local farms like Stanton Home and Meadow Farms to nourish the soil that supports the region’s crops and create what she calls a “full circle.”

“I’m very concerned about regenerative soil,” Higgins said. “We have to do something to support good microbiomes of our soil and food waste, putting it back into the soil is a great opportunity, since on the other side, we also have an issue of our landfills being overwhelmed.”

BEN GARVER

Mary Stucklen of Tommy’s Compost Service drops off fresh compost bins at the South Community Food Pantry in 2022. Her goal is to have dropoff points throughout the county to make composting accessible for all. “Eventually it’ll just be part of the culture,” she said.

to create kitchen countertops, flooring, furniture, cabinetry and retail fixtures.

The end product is a cheaper alternative to traditional materials like wood and stone, which first gained traction during the post-World War II housing boom and has grown more sophisticated over time. As the technology and processes to create these designs evolved, so did the appeal of the industry.

“Nowadays, I would say, after 2000, you can not see a difference between real wood and the laminate,” Vengalil said. “It’s becoming so close, so with that, people start liking it more. So I see a bright future for this industry as it adds more value to the customers.”

Vengalil’s optimism lines up with market forecasts. The growth of the decorative laminates market is accelerating, according to Grand View Research, with a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate of 2.9 percent from 2024 to 2030.

As the leader in decor printing for the decorative laminate, furniture, case goods and flooring industries in North America, Interprint has grown with the market — and Vengalil plans to keep the momentum going.

With shifting demands and rapid innovation reshaping the industry, Vegnalil is focused on creating a “future-fitting Interprint” built for longterm success.

“I’m trying to build the capabilities, the skills, the technology, and the processes that we need to be prepared today, making us more capable to meet the demands of the future needs of our customers,” he said.

LEADING THROUGH LISTENING

Vengalil said his focus as CEO will center not only on meeting market demands, but on fostering a culture of collaboration.

“So building the teams together, more communication and collaboration and discussions, listening to people,” he said.

At the core of Vengalil’s leadership style is a simple principle — ask questions and listen to your team.

“Once you listen to them, that creates that emotional connection with your team members, their ideas. You get more insights. And many times, thought-provoking ideas come from this listening,” he said. “Good questions to your team members also will create more engagement. ... They will collaborate more. They ask more questions themselves [and] more good ideas come together.”

Vengalil is also working on preparing new hires following the most recent expansion, as training employees for the specialized work involved in decorative printing is no small task.

“So that’s a challenge, and I think it’s an opportunity for me to bring in new, fresh talent,” he said. “We always focus on long term.”

One of the driving forces behind Interprint’s success, Vengalil said, are the dedicated, longtime employees with a customer-first mindset who have made the company what it is today.

“Once you become an Interprint employee, we have an we created an environment that you can perform the best … you become an employee forever,” he said. “The team here is my power. They are working hard. They want growth. They bring [ideas] every day [about] what we can do better.”

HONORING

A LEGACY

Hines’ 28-year tenure at Interprint began in 1997 when he joined the company as head of sales. After his father retired in 2006, he stepped into the co-managing director role, where he remained for nearly two decades — with Vengalil joining him for the past couple of years.

During his tenure, Hines has led the company through multiple market shifts and expansion, during which he never hesitated to roll up his sleeves and put in extra hours.

“Lead by example… that’s always also what I’ve tried to do,” he said. “And by carrying on the traditions or the work ethic that my father instilled

“Once you listen to [your team], that creates that emotional connection with your

Manoj Vengalil. “You get more insights. And many times, thought provoking ideas come

After four expansions, including a $30 million project that added 57,000 square feet, the Pittsfield

square feet of manufacturing space and eight printing machines.

in everybody here, a lot of the team continues to maintain it.”

Now, as he looks forward to spending more time with his wife and daughters, Hines is confident the company is in good hands.

“[Vengalil’s] got a strong operational and finance sense to him. But a lot of it is his enthusiasm and drive to take on the position,” Hines said. “He’s been learning a lot over the past year, throwing himself into it, trying to make his own stamp on the business, which is absolutely what he should do.”

Like Vengalil, one thing has really defined Hines’ time at Interprint — the people.

“There’s always been this great feeling of teamwork and that we’re all in it together,” Hines said. “The people are so much fun to work with, and we’ve been so successful together that it’s always made it a pleasure to get up every morning and come to work.”

BEN GARVER

Bill Hines Jr. joined Interprint as head of sales in 1998, and became co-managing director in 2006 after his father retired. “Lead by example,” he said. “That’s always ... what I’ve tried to do.”

STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

Interprint facility has over 380,000

STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

team members, their ideas,” said Interprint CEO

from this listening.”

Business updates

NORTH ADAMS

NARH among 3 honorees to earn MassEcon awards

North Adams Regional Hospital has received a Gold recognition by MassEcon in the 21st Annual Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards.

MassEcon is the state’s private sector partner in promoting business growth in Massachusetts.

NARH was among three organizations honored in Western Massachusetts, achieving Gold, while a Silver honor went to Electro Magnetic Applications and Bronze to the Berkshire Innovation Center, both in Pittsfield.

The winners were recognized during a ceremony at UMass Boston in April, and the organizations that were honored were selected after site visits, interviews with regional teams of judges, and 90-second “pitches” during a finalist’s reception. Altogether, the expansion projects included in the awards represent a financial investment of $280 million, and 822 jobs added to the state’s economy.

“Berkshire Health Systems, and the entire staff of North Adams Regional Hospital, are honored to be recognized for this achievement,” said Laurie Lamarre, BHS vice president and NARH chief operating officer. “The reopening of North Adams Regional Hospital fulfilled a vision of restoring acute care services to the North Berkshire region, and my colleagues at NARH are committed to improving the health and well-being of all of the people we serve.”

NORTHAMPTON

Mellon Foundation awards

$250K to Mass Humanities

In response to federal funding cuts that have devastated state humanities councils, the Mellon Foundation has committed $15 million in emergency funding to the Federation of State Humanities Councils, including up to $250,000 for Mass Humanities.

Mellon’s investment comes at a critical moment when $65 million in federal support for state humanities councils has been eliminated as a result of cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities.

On April 2, Mass Humanities received notice that all its grant funding through NEH had been canceled effective immediately, a loss of $1.3 million — nearly 35 percent of its annual budget.

The grant from Mellon means an immediate $200,000 for Mass Humanities and an additional $50,000 available in matching grants. Any donations received by Mass Humanities count towards the match. Members of the public can donate to Mass Humanities by visiting masshumanities.org/donate.

LENOX

Dr. Michael Kaplan earns Community Clinician award

Dr. Michael Kaplan, a board-certified family physician from Lenox, has been honored by the Berkshire District Medical Society as its 2025 Community Clinician of the Year awardee.

After earning a degree in biology with honors at Columbia University, he graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in 1977 and completed a family practice residency in 1980 at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, Conn. He was board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine including Certification in Geriatrics and was awarded Fellowship in the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Kaplan practiced full-service family medicine, including obstetrics, in Bat Cave, N.C., and Cambridge before relocating to the Berkshires in 1987 practicing in Lee until retiring last year. A practice initially affiliated with Hillcrest Hospital and Berkshire Medical Center, he established a pri-

vate practice in 1999 with Dr. Melanie Levitan. In 2004, they opened a new medical office in Lee and that facility has operated as a Community Health Programs site since 2012.

Since 1983, Kaplan has been an associate in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, as well as instructor in the Department of Family Medicine at Tufts School of Medicine.

Kaplan was named Family Medicine Educator of the Year in 2008 by the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians, recognized as an Outstanding Preceptor by Tufts School of Medicine for teaching medical students in his Lee office, and is a founding member of Physicians for a National Health Program.

Kaplan has also volunteered on medical relief missions to Honduras, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and plans to continue his service with Volunteers in Medicine/Berkshires.

BERKSHIRE COUNTY

Lions Club, Goodwill fight hunger in Northern Berkshire

The Western Massachusetts Lions Clubs announce the completion of a Lions Club International Foundation Community Impact Grant. The grant was awarded to Goodwill Industries to help combat food insecurity through the “Fighting Hunger in the Berkshires” initiative.

From October 2024 to February 2025, a Goodwill-operated food truck transported food from the Western Massachusetts Food Bank in Chicopee to five food pantries and meal sites in Northern Berkshire County: Community Bible Church, Williamstown; Al Nelson Friendship Center and Berkshire Food Project, North Adams; and Louison House and First Congregational Church, Adams.

Thanks to Goodwill’s community support and effective execution of the program, the grant facilitated the delivery of 155,909 pounds of fresh produce, frozen meats, dairy products, and non-perishable items, aiding 6,633 households which included 12,175 individuals. The project also welcomed 202 new households and 431 new individuals registering for the first time.

The “Fighting Hunger in the Berkshires” initiative continues to operate for at least four more years, ensuring ongoing access to nutritious food for those most in need.

PITTSFIELD

KJ’s Used Auto Sales adds U-Haul service

U-Haul Co. of Massachusetts and Ohio Inc. has announced that KJ’s Used Auto Sales and Service LLC signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Pittsfield community.

KJ’s Used Auto Sales and Service at 768 East St. will offer essential services like U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, and moving supplies.

Normal business hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

To reserve U-Haul products at this dealer location, call 413-442-2675 or visit tinyurl.com/3629zbr3.

GREAT BARRINGTON

David Pascual joins CHP board of directors

Community Health Programs has appointed David M. Pascual, lead partner at Studio Investments, as the newest member of its board of directors.

Pascual brings a blend of expertise from his extensive career as a retail, consumer brands and technology sector leader. His experience as chief executive officer, chief technology officer and chief financial officer provides CHP with a unique perspective as it continues to seek innovative ways to better meet the community’s health-

care and social service needs.

Pascual holds a master of science degree in telecommunications engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School. He brings a global perspective shaped by his extensive international experience. Originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., Pascual has been a part-time resident of Stockbridge for decades.

For more information, visit chpberkshires.org.

ADAMS

Adams Community Bank holds annual meeting

The annual meeting of the Community Bancorp of the Berkshires, MHC, the parent company of Adams Community Bank, was held on April 9 at Charles H. McCann Technical School in North Adams. The meeting included reviewing the Bank’s 2024 financial statements, a recap of the executive search process and the Bank’s continued investment in people and the community.

Board chair Jeffrey Grandchamp marked a pivotal milestone in the Bank’s leadership by introducing Julie Fallon Hughes, the Bank’s first female president and chief executive officer. Fallon Hughes succeeds Charlie O’Brien, who retired after 27 years of service. Grandchamp noted that Fallon Hughes’ experience and forward-thinking approach align well with the Bank’s values and strategic strategy.

BOSTON

Berkshire Bank exceeds $5B goal for communities

Berkshire Bank’s Community Comeback program has exceeded its $5 billion goal to lend and invest across the company’s markets. The bank launched the multiyear program as communities emerged from the pandemic in 2021.

The impact of the Community Comeback, which has been honored nationally as an exceptional demonstration of corporate responsibility, focused on strengthening communities in four key areas: fueling small businesses; community financing and philanthropy; financial access and empowerment; and environmental sustainability.

Highlights of its results include lending more than $3.5 billion to invest in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods; more than $600 million in lending for low-carbon projects; more than 800,000 individuals impacted through financial wellness programming; 100 percent renewable electricity use since 2023; and more than $50 million in sustainable investments under management.

The program was honored late last year with the prestigious Community Commitment Award by the American Bankers Association Foundation for its positive impact on economic inclusion in Berkshire Bank’s communities.

PITTSFIELD

People of color can get homebuying assistance

Greylock Federal Credit Union has been approved to participate in the Lift Up Homeownership program, a special purpose credit program offered by Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston to provide financial assistance to people of color purchasing their first home. Through Lift Up Homeownership, people of color earning up to 120 percent of the area median income are eligible to receive up to $50,000 toward a down payment and closing costs to purchase their first home in New England. Participating homebuyers are required to complete a homebuyer counseling program prior to receiving a program grant.

Eligible buyers include borrowers who are Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Asian, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Assistance is given on a first-come, first-served basis

To learn more about applying for homebuying assistance through the Lift Up Homeownership program and other programs Greylock offers in partnership with FHLBank Boston and other organizations, contact the Greylock mortgage department at 413236-4125.

STOCKBRIDGE

Solar project complete at Botanical Garden

Berkshire Botanical Garden has taken a significant step toward sustainability with the installation of a stateof-the-art solar panel array.

The new system, which includes 102 solar panels on the roof of BBG’s Education Building, will go online in the coming weeks.

The $121,000 project was paid for through a generous $45,132 matching grant from Tern Foundation’s TernSOLAR Challenge Grant Program. The Botanical Garden raised $45,132 from individual donations. The remainder of the project costs will be offset through a 30 percent IRS credit.

A utility interconnection agreement with utility provider National Grid will allow any excess electrical production to offset electrical use throughout the grounds and buildings. Once the panels go online, they will generate power to offset more than 67 percent of the organizations’s current electricity use, in a carbon neutral way. The organization will realize about $13,000 in annual savings, at current electricity prices.

Afreemonthlypublicationby TheBerkshireEagle 75SouthChurchStreet, Pittsfield,MA01201

Visitberkshirebusinessjournal.comfor advertisinginformationandtosubscribe.

NEWSDEPARTMENT 413-447-7311 news@berkshireeagle.com

ADVERTISINGDEPARTMENT AMYFILIAULT,AdvertisingManager 413-496-6322 afiliault@berkshireeagle.com

CHERYLGAJEWSKI,Directorof AdvertisingSales 413-841-6789,413-496-6330 cmcclusky@berkshireeagle.com

ShareyournewswiththeBerkshire BusinessJournal. Ifyouhaveacompany promotion,anewbusinessoranewventure,let theBerkshiresknowaboutit.Rememberthe 5Wsandthatbrieferisbetter.Emailtextand photostoBBJ@newenglandnewspapers.com. ProvideyourexpertiseintheBerkshire BusinessJournal. Doyouhavetheanswer toapersistentquestionaboutbusiness andtheBerkshires?Doyouhaveideasand suggestionsonhowourbusinesscommunity cangrow?Ifyouhaveacommenttomake aboutdoingbusinessintheBerkshiresor ifyou’relookingtoraiseanissuewiththe businesscommunity,thisisthevenuefor that.Wewelcomelettersupto300wordsand commentaryupto600words.Sendtheseto BBJ@newenglandnewspapers.com

BerkshireBusinessJournalispublished monthlybyNewEnglandNewspapersInc., 75S.ChurchSt.,Pittsfield,MA01201. PeriodicalspostagepaidatPittsfield,MA01201. BerkshireBusinessJournalisdeliveredfree tobusinessesinBerkshireCountyviathird classmail.Additionaldistributionismade viadrop-offatselectareanewsstands.The publisherreservestherighttoedit,rejector cancelanyadvertisementatanytime.Only publicationofanadvertisementshallconstitute finalacceptanceofanadvertiser’sorder.All contentsarecopyrightedbyNewEngland NewspapersInc.

From Mike’s to Manny’s

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

Mike’s Maytag in Pittsfield has been sold to Manny’s Appliances, the company’s 12th location. Some of the changes taking place at the store are the expansion of product lines beyond Maytag brands, as well as the addition of a wall of washing machines and dryers.

Longtime owners sell ‘mom and pop’ appliance store to regional chain

By Dylan T hompson

PITTSFIELD — Customers

entering the new Manny’s Appliances store have been looking for former Mike’s Maytag owner Mike Spelman.

“There’s definitely people that come in and still expect Mike, but everybody’s been very friendly,” Manny’s Appliances Store Manager Joe Danner said.

They’ve learned that Spelman no longer works in the appliance business after he and his ex-wife and business partner, Sue, sold Mike’s Maytag Home Appliance Center on 14 Gordon St.

The Spelmans, who opened the business in 1992, closed their doors for the final time on March 31.

But Spelman said he believes his business is in good hands.

“I feel that any company that has 11 stores … they certainly can’t be fly by night,” Spelman said of the sale. “The mom and pop aspect that we had is not gonna be around anymore.”

Spelman declined to disclose how much the business sold for. He did say that they did not want to stay on as landlords, instead selling the business and the building so they could enjoy retirement.

“I still have my health,” said Spelman, who will be

75 in June. “I’m very lucky at my age to still be in the shape [I am]... I’m ready.”

Manny’s Appliances belongs to one of the largest buying groups in the country and is known as “New England’s fastest growing appliance dealer.” The opening in Pittsfield marks the store’s 12th location (ninth in Massachusetts), with others in Connecticut and New Hampshire.

“We have always been looking at the [Berkshires] and the Pittsfield area for years now, waiting for the right opportunity to pop

up,” Director of Marketing George Rodriguez said. With over 40-plus years in the appliance industry, Manny’s brings experience to the Berkshires, Rodriguez said.

“We have access to just about every brand under the sun,” Rodriguez said. “We’re looking to fit in just like Mike’s was before, but expand on it by having access to more brands.”

Recent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, most notably on imports from China, have raised concerns for small businesses. Rodriguez

acknowledges some concerns about the tariffs, but he expects their competitive prices to remain the same.

“We do belong to a buying group that has got plenty of inventory on hand, so as of this moment, there has not been any price increases,” Rodriguez said. “That’s not to say what will happen months down the line … I can say nothing has changed from three months ago.”

The store sells refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers, along with many other appliances.

If You Go

What: Manny’s Appliances, an appliance retailer

Where: 14 Gordon St., Pittsfield

Hours: The shop is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.

More information: www. mannystv.com. Email: pittsfield@mannystv.com or call 413-443-4692

“It’s been exciting,” Danner said. “We’re expanding what he had, and it’s been good … Mike’s been here for 30-plus years, so we’re obviously hoping we get Mike’s customers in here and then expand on that.”

They started negotiating with Spelman and his business partner in October, reaching an agreement in early February. Rodriguez notes that the transition has been seamless since they opened on April 1.

“I think customers in the area are gonna find a relaxing place where you can go and shop,” Rodriguez said. “They will have more choices … I think it will be a home run.”

Danner says they have around 14 to 15 technicians, and they have a tech

who is dedicated to the Pittsfield area. There is one employee from Mike’s Maytag who was asked to stay on with Manny’s.

After working for 53 years, Spelman is enjoying his free time and has a membership with Berkshire Hills Country Club.

“I’m ready once the weather is a little nicer to start playing golf, but I’ve been reading a lot,” Spelman said. “[When] you get up in the morning and you don’t have a plan, you grab a book.”

Building a relationship with the community was important to Spelman, and he still has customers come up to tell him how they appreciate his dedication and customer service.

“I made so many friends over the years since [I started in] 1972,” Spelman said. “I still run into people all the time that say, ‘I bought a washer from you in the ‘80s or the ‘90s and it’s still working.’”

Manny’s has not held a grand opening yet, as it is completing some interior remodeling and adding a sign with its name. However, it is still open, and it is hoping to build on the foundation that Spelman laid with a goal of expanding.

“I want to grow the business,” Danner said. “I want to take what Mike’s did and do more.”

Former co-owner Mike Spelman and his business partner, Sue, closed their doors for the final time on March 31.

Skateboard hub takes off-ramp

By Dylan Thompson

PITTSFIELD — When local skater

Kyle Slattery goes to buy a skateboard, he, along with many others, no longer have a place to go in the Berkshires.

The local skating community will have to find a new spot to purchase skateboards, wheels and specific parts for their favorite four-wheeled sport as The Garden skate and snowboard shop was set to close by the end of May if a buyer could not be found.

“It’s gonna be weird,” Slattery said. “I don’t even know where you would go now.”

The nearest alternative, Theory Skate Shop in Holyoke, is about an hour away.

After 24 years serving the Berkshires, the shop at 148 North St. will close if the current owners do not find a buyer for the business. It announced the decision with a Facebook post in March.

“Serving the Berkshires and beyond for all of your skateboard, snowboard and BMX needs has been a privilege and our pleasure, but it’s time for us to say farewell and move on,” The Garden wrote in a statement on Facebook.

Store owners Bill Whitaker and Luke Kessler declined to discuss their decision to sell.

As of the third week in May, the shop had posted a reminder on its Facebook page about its closing sale. It did not mention a buyer.

Local pro BMXer and owner of Bomb Shack Vintage, Jake

Seeley, has been linked with The Garden for decades. Seeley started working at the shop in 2007 and got a taste of what running a business was like.

“I would say my relationship with Bill is as strong as it’s ever been,” Seeley said. “He’s always kind of been like a mentor to me, and I respected how he would treat his customers.”

He has been involved with The Garden, whether working or being sponsored for BMX, for about 18 years.

“It was such a good stepping stone for me getting to be part of that shop and growing within there,” Seeley said.

Around 2009, The Garden introduced BMX to the shop through the work of Justin Maruco and Seeley. The Garden has used skateboarding, snowboarding and BMX to grow their brand locally and nationwide.

Many local skateboards say Whitaker and Kessler helped create a skating community in the Berkshires through their generosity and willingness to inspire the next generation.

Slattery, 30, remembers always having great conversations with Whitaker at The Garden.

Slattery recently got back into skating and is finding his love for it again.

“Any time I go in there, there’s just always some type of deal he wants to give you, and he just likes to see you,” Slattery said. “His whole life’s been dedicated to that. To be doing something for 24 years

Eden Hostetter skates at the Pittsfield skate Park in 2023. After 24 years serving the Berkshires, The Garden skate and snowboard shop at 148 North St. in Pittsfield has closed its doors.

… He does care about people around here.”

Whitaker’s generosity when giving deals to people rubbed off on Slattery, as he always gives his skateboard to a young kid when he takes a break.

“[It] makes me more organically just want to pass them off to other people,” Slattery said.

Thomas Weiland, 29, is a local skater who worked at The Garden for two years. He

MORRISON'S

has been skateboarding for 15 years and notes that his “entire existence,” revolves around it.

“[It’s the] best job I ever had,” Weiland said. “Best bosses I’ve ever had … Best family I’ve ever had.”

Weiland called The Garden a “safe haven.”

The Garden owners also supported local skaters, putting on rail jams and local

events for the youth.

Jayden Delgado, a junior at Wahconah Regional High School, has grown close with the owners.

“They’ve helped me a lot over the years [with skating],” Delgado said. “They always will give me stuff if I need it … It’s like I have a good place to go if I need to.”

The Garden has established a strong culture, and Delgado notes that skating is “a whole community.”

Seeley notes that he’s proud of the work he’s done with The Garden to give kids an outlet. He said that the shop was a “staple of respect” for kids.

“You could walk through the door there and you’re part of a community,” Seeley said. “Now they have an open door to a new world of interest … where they feel included and not like a reject.”

Seeley is looking to continue the tradition at Bomb Shack and is hoping to open up a BMX pop-up in the back of the store.

“I can carry the legacy of the vibe and give an outlet to people that feel like this is a home base for them,” Seeley said. “It won’t be The Garden, but it will be my version of whatever is going on.”

Regardless, Seeley is confident that the skating community will continue to thrive.

“Right now, there’s a pretty strong community of skaters,” Seeley said. “If people are passionate about it, they’re [not] going to let it die.”

BEN GARVER

Rainbow Shack has new look, owners

By Jane K aufman

ADAMS — Here’s the scoop: The Rainbow Shack is open for business.

The business held a soft opening in mid-May. Shortly before, owners Emily Moulton and Kyle Danforth were putting the finishing touches on the newly reimagined Rainbow Shack at 85 Summer St.

Emily Moulton’s father, Mark Moulton, arrived in time to load 3-gallon containers of Gifford’s ice cream into a newly purchased ice cream cooler. General Manager Ingrid Poplaski, a childhood friend of Emily Moulton, was preparing to open the register.

Since the three bought the building and business as Danmark LLC in February from David and Paula Randall for $215,000, they’ve been staying up late to renovate the building.

While Danforth estimates he spent $30,000 to $40,000 on fixtures and materials, the labor he put into the renovation would probably have pushed the cost $80,000 to $100,000 if he’d hired a contractor.

He ripped out walls, worked on the building’s electrical and plumbing, and laid new flooring in the ice cream shop.

The signature of the makeover is a wall that took 80 hours to paint: pastel vertical stripes of varying thickness overlaid with a wall of stripes in pastel colors.

That wall with its message of welcome took 80 hours for Danforth to paint.

“We’re lucky we’re still

married, because he was not happy,” Emily Moulton said.

The two tied the knot on a snowy April 11 at Berkshire Hills Country Club in Pittsfield — without a honeymoon. She later strung up disco balls in the ice cream shop, reusing decorations from their wedding.

Her next April milestone was running the Boston Marathon for Boston Children’s Hospital.

She met her goal of breaking four hours. She also has a fulltime job in special education in North Adams Public Schools.

FULL CIRCLE

While she’s from North Adams, she attended St. Stanislaus Kostka School and remembers going to the Rainbow Shack in the fall and spring of each semester. That’s a tradition she

hopes to bring back in her vision of bringing together community at the ice cream store.

She hopes to host youth leagues and to offer a point of connection for folks from Adams and North Adams. As the mother of a 16-month-old girl, Lane, she hasn’t forgotten that children like to have a nook.

She noted there’s not a place for children and adults

to converge that offers treats and coffee, which is where she wants to take the business. She’s planning on buying local ingredients so that Poplaski, who is also a baker, can use those ingredients in her GoodLife baked goods, which are sold at the business as well.

Moulton also plans to sell locally made items, such as spice blends and jewelry.

She’s also hired eight students from Hoosac Valley High School, Drury High School, McCann Technical School and Drury High School — hers and Danforth’s alma mater — to staff the business part time.

This isn’t Mark Moulton’s first time behind the ice cream counter, and he’ll be joined by his wife, Cathy, in the summer for some shifts as well. He owned and operated the Moulton’s General Store in North Adams for 10 years.

Emily Moulton’s first job was at I Got Goodies in North Adams. Danforth’s was at the Taconic Restaurant in Williamstown in the dish room. While this is his sixth business, (he currently has four) on Thursday, during the soft opening, he said he was taking notes, noting he has a lot to learn.

Lettering on that wall of stripes says, “So happy you’re here” above a white couch.

And that’s the message Emily Moulton, whose dream for years has been to open a sweet shop, hopes to convey.

GILLIAN HECK

The Rainbow Shack on Summer Street in Adams has reopened under new ownership and a total renovation. From left are Mark and Emily Moulton, Kyle Danforth and Ingrid Poplaski.

Johnnie’s returns as a superstore

By M aryjane Willia Ms

PITTSFIELD — Johnnie’s is back, and bigger than ever.

After several years of renovations and delays, Johnnie’s Superstore — formerly Johnnie’s Variety Store — held a grand reopening celebration for the renovated Pecks Road store last month.

“We just want to let the customer know, the neighborhood know, that we appreciate them,” said owner Gaurang Panwala.

Panwala purchased the store in 2017 after the former owner, Christopher Porter, died in December 2015.

Panwala more than doubled the store’s footprint, replaced and added twice as many coolers, renovated the floors and ceilings and significantly expanded the product selection, while still keeping most of the Johnnie’s Variety Store staples.

“I didn’t know much about it, but as we gradually came to know the customers, the neighborhoods and everything, it was beautiful,” said Panwala of the store renovation, which he did while staying open. “It was worth putting money [into] for the neighborhood.”

The grand reopening was initially scheduled for last July, when construction was nearly complete — until the Pecks Road Bridge closed that month.

Panwala said business at the store, located at 360 Pecks Road, has taken a hit since the bridge was taken down, so he hopes that the grand reopening will help draw some atten-

tion back to the store.

“We did a lot of work, and a lot of people still don’t know about it,” Panwala said. “I want to let the local community know that we have done something good for the whole community.”

To mark the occasion, the store held a raffle for prizes like a grill, cooler, beach chair and more, offered free merchandise such as hats and shirts through a spin wheel, and welcomed vendors, such as Surfside, Nutrl and local businesses like Greater Good

who set up shop around the store to hand out samples.

“It’s always good to get out in the community,” said Brian Uliasz, a Pittsfield resident and representative for United Liquors. “And it’s a fun event for the customers, because they get to come get some free swag, get to try some new stuff that they normally wouldn’t maybe purchase.”

The event also included free popsicles and candy for kids.

Panwala said he also gives back

to the community by donating to local charities such as the Boys and Girls Club and the American Legion through the business.

As a longtime retail manager and owner of Jake’s Variety on Housatonic Street, Panwala believes creating a positive shopping experience is essential.

“I love to talk to people and give them good service. Make them smile while they come in,” Panwala said. “I always think that they should be happy when they go.”

If you go ...

What: Johnnie’s Superstore

Where: 360 Pecks Road, Pittsfield

When: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

Johnnie’s Superstore owner Gaurang Panwala more than doubled the store’s footprint, replaced and added twice as many coolers, renovated the floors and ceilings and significantly expanded the product selection.

Gateways Inn rebrands restaurant

By C larenCe Fanto

LENOX — The historic 1912 Gateways Inn has rebranded and reimagined its public dining room, Dine + Drink.

Executive Chef Ryan McIntyre was putting the finishing touches on the menu last month. He’s a veteran of Bistro Zinc and the former Nudel, both in Lenox, and is currently employed by Gateways owner Mill Town at its seasonal Drifters Bar & Restaurant at Bousquet Mountain.

“I like to keep food simple, straightforward, and approachable,” he said. “But then I like to add some twists and turns to keep things fresh, keeping some favorites but rotating some other things in and out.”

It will serve dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, adding Monday as of June 16. There will be periodic outdoor dining opportunities. Walkins are invited, but online or phoned-in reservations will be taken. Nighttime musical entertainment will be booked.

The Gateways dining room, which can serve up to about 100 patrons, went through several incarnations in recent years, operating year-round until the winter of 2023-24.

“It’s our hope to get back yearround,” McIntyre said.

But that decision depends on results from the upcoming Dine + Drink season, said Mill Town Marketing Director Margie Laurin.

McIntyre is reluctant to put a label on his approach, other than “New American,” though noting his strong background in French and German cuisine. He also has experience working in kitchen serving Mexican and Indian food.

A Pittsfield native and 2002 graduate of Taconic High School, McIntyre started in the cafeteria and tavern at Jimmy Peak, joined Bistro Zinc in Lenox several years later, then worked in New York City before returning to Bistro Zinc as line cook, sous chef and eventually head chef.

He moved on to the Red Lion Inn under well-known Executive Chef Brian Alberg for five years before joining owner-chef Bjorn Somlo and chef Ray Stalker at the Nudel in 2016, remaining there through the pandemic and a short-lived reopening until Somlo decided to retire, closing it in September 2022.

McIntyre rejoined Alberg in The Break Room at Greylock Works in North Adams until that closed last September after four years. McIntyre then

was recruited by Mill Town to run the Breakers restaurant — predecessor of Drifters — at

Bousquet Mountain.

His Gateways menu includes several salads with chicken,

shrimp or salmon add-ons, as well as “apps and shareables” from $15 to $22, ranging from a

local cheese plate to cream of asparagus soup, Vietnamese consomme, smoked whitefish dip, Buffalo Chicken meatballs and Prince Edward Island mussels.

Nine entrees, ranging from $22 to $42, include a cheeseburger, lobster spaetzle (German egg noodles), prime strip steak, salmon, duck and chicken, and a vegan choice, crispy maitake mushrooms.

McIntyre and his team of staffers hopes to attract locals as well as visitors by turning out “quality food and consistent products.”

As he puts it, “Nudel always had a quality, technique-driven product, and I’d like to keep that going.”

“Quality, good service, good word of mouth, which goes through this town real quick,” McIntyre said, describing his mission.

Acknowledging the variety of downtown dining destinations in Lenox, McIntyre said he welcomes competition. “It’s good, more people will come to a town that has good restaurants, just like Portland, Maine, with so many good restaurants,” he said.

SuperbOfficeBuildingingreatmulti-zonedlocation. Housedinarenovatedrectoryaboundingincharmingarchitecturaldetailssensitivelymaintainedinits currentiterationas14-15separateoffices,alarge conferenceroom,andsmallerconferenceareaswithinoffices,aspaciouskitchenandfourhalfbaths,this offeringisone-of-a-kindinthehipartscommunityof NorthAdams.Thereare15parkingspacesandasinglecargarage.Thisexcellentofferingcanbeusedfor commercialand/orresidentialoccupancy.

$459,000

PHOTOS BY BEN GARVER

Mill Town’s downtown Lenox Gateways Inn restaurant, Dine + Drink, has recruited veteran chef Ryan McIntyre for the new season. “Quality, good service, good word of mouth, which goes through this town real quick,” McIntyre said of his mission.

Mill Town’s Gateways Inn on Walker Street in downtown Lenox is rebranding and reimagining its restaurant, Dine + Drink, which has opened for the season with Executive Chef Ryan McIntyre whipping up a new menu.

For Tux Express owner, a fitting career

By Dylan T hompson

PITTSFIELD — One of Jerrid Burdick’s mentors, Paul Pannone, once told him that in the tuxedo business, it’s about how long you stay alive.

Burdick, owner of Tux Express at 313 North St. in Pittsfield, has used his relatability and generosity to build relationships with high school students during prom season.

With 32 years of experience, Burdick is now seeing the benefits of all the clients and friendships he’s built.

“[Paul] goes, ‘The kids that you rent your prom tuxes are your future weddings, and then your future weddings are your future clients with their kids.’” Burdick said. “He said, ‘What you have to do is just keep being you.’”

With prom season underway in Berkshire County, Burdick will be busy measuring students, tailoring suits and working long hours to accommodate their busy schedules, through early June.

Burdick, 52, entered the shop on Thursday morning after a long night of prep that lasted until 1 a.m. He often works late nights to help work with high school students and their schedules.

“He’s not doing [it] for his business,” said Colleen Byrd, principal at Hoosac Valley High School. “He’s doing it because he really cares about kids and his community.”

Burdick, who lives in Clarksburg, grew

If You Go

What: Tux Express, a tuxedo and suit shop

Where: 313 North St., Pittsfield

To schedule an appointment: Text 413822-2528

More information: Check them out on Facebook @TuxExpress and on their website tuxexpresspittsfield.com

up on a Florida Mountain farm, raised by a father who was a master sergeant in the National Guard.

When he first picked up a measuring tape, things just clicked. He got his start in 1991 working at a local wedding shop during his senior year at McCann Tech.

Burdick started Tux Express in 1993 as an in-home tuxedo delivery service. He opened his first shop in 1998 and moved to his current location in Pittsfield in 1999.

The business evolved with Burdick going to local high schools in the area, setting up mannequins during lunch hours.

Burdick still goes to high schools and enjoys building relationships with kids.

“It wasn’t just that he provided a good product. It was his demeanor and the way he interacted with the students,” said P.J. Pannesco, school counselor at Mount Greylock Regional.

Pannesco has known Burdick for many years and always admired how Burdick

“He respects me for who I am as a person and not just as a customer,” DiCicco said.

Burdick has done business with DiCicco for his proms and his father’s wedding, along with numerous other families.

Seeing different generations pass through from high school until their wedding day is special to Burdick.

Johno Hinkell, who graduated from Drury High School in 2007, went to Burdick throughout high school and for his wedding.

would go “above and beyond” for kids.

He also highlights how Burdick would help kids who were unable to afford tuxes.

“He was always there for those kids,” Pannesco said.

Burdick has the phone numbers of all prom advisers, and he would tell them to send kids that were unable to afford a tux over, and they would get a tux free of charge.

When asked about the feedback he’s received from former and current students, Burdick said, “You can’t buy that.”

When taking clients, Burdick goes by appointment because he values one-onone time.

“I want to spend time with [them],” Burdick said. “If I can spend time with [them], then I can talk to [them] and understand what’s important.”

Burdick says it’s something “you can’t fake,” and when you go into the back to get fitted, it’s like “coming to the therapist’s office.”

Byrd has seen Burdick’s impact at Hoosac Valley over the last 18 years. She highlights his ability to get down on the students level and be personable.

“He’s somebody that they can confide in and talk to,” Byrd said.

Wahconah senior Jack DiCicco, who has participated in Berkshire Wedding Expo events with Burdick, says that he is a “welcoming person” and “one in a million.” He has gone to Burdick every year for prom since he was a sophomore.

“When I married my wife, Emily, in 2017, there was only one person I was willing to go through for my tux,” Hinkell wrote in an email to The Eagle.

Hinkell’s son Connor, a junior at Drury, now goes to Burdick for his tuxes, providing a full circle moment for the family.

“It is awesome to be able to watch my son build a very similar relationship with Jarrid that [I] have over the years,” Hinkell wrote.

Robbie Burke graduated from Hoosac Valley in 2010 and remembers going to see Burdick in high school. He recalls Burdick always being great in the store and how he would follow the sports he played and take photos with him at prom.

Burke, 33, is getting married soon and went to Burdick for his tux.

Building a family culture was always the goal for Burdick, who values relationships over money.

“I’m here to establish a relationship that will last until death,” Burdick said.

His customers have always felt that.

“Each generation of kids, he’s able to impact and be a figure in their life too,” Burke said. “It means you’re a special person.”

Some people are not able to handle the busy workload that comes with prom season, but for Burdick, it’s not a problem.

“I have a blast,” Burdick said. “I look at this as I got the best job in the whole world.”

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

Jerrid Burdick is just wrapping up another prom season at Tux Express on North Street in Pittsfield. Burdick, 52, has 32 years of experience in the business. “I look at this as I got the best job in the whole world,” he said.

A card from a customer is displayed on the wall, along with various photos of happy customers on their special days at Tux Express in Pittsfield.

Berkshire voices

Need to take action? Help a nonprofit

It is easy to be paralyzed by the onslaught of really bad news coming out of Washington every day. The concept of government by and for the people is systematically being destroyed, and our nation is almost unrecognizable. We’re living in a dystopian Netflix series and we have to be our own heroes.

Liana

Nonprofits exist to make life better in every circumstance, from addressing poverty, housing and mental illness to bringing joy and beauty into our lives through the arts. Nonprofits both support and rely on communities. Here are some things Berkshire nonprofits need from our community right now:

Volunteer help. As nonprofits continually try to do more with less, volunteers can help fill the gaps. From simple office tasks such as proofreading, research, and data entry to hands-on jobs such as direct program delivery or help with events, to skills-based jobs such as bookkeeping, grant-writing, and social media. While nonprofits aren’t always ready to take on more volunteers, reach out to your favorite organization to talk about their needs.

Donations. If you have the means to share your “wealth,” now would be a good time to let your chosen nonprofits know you’re there to help make up for lost Federal funding and other grant revenue. Monthly donations of smaller amounts are easier on your bank account and add up to impactful donations by year-end.

In-kind donations are items or services provided at no charge for which you can take a tax-deduction. In-kind donations include anything in good condition (and not too old) such as furniture, equipment and office supplies. Businesses can offer free advertising spots, professional services such as bookkeeping or pro bono legal assistance, and event-related services such as photography, space, food, or flowers.

Serve on a board. All nonprofits need board and committee members to

carry out the governing of the organization and specific tasks that support the mission. You can start by serving on an event, finance or fundraising committee and see if you enjoy the work. If the answer is yes, you may be invited to join the board of directors to take that volunteer service to the next level. Many people find enjoyment working as a team to make something good happen.

Showing up. Nonprofits put a lot of effort into programs and fundraising events that involve the community. Some are free and some come with a ticket price. Attending these events shows the organization that you care and are interested. Often-times, this is an opportunity

to meet nice people who have similar interests as you. You should leave with a great feeling and perhaps the desire to become even more involved. In-person connecting is more important than ever, post-pandemic and as a comfort during this period of uncertainty.

Show appreciation. An often overlooked but truly inspirational gesture is the simple thank you.

If you think an organization or someone who works for a nonprofit is doing a great job, send them a note saying how much you appreciate their contribution to the community. The communication vehicle (phone call, email or handwritten note) isn’t as important as taking the

time to connect in this supportive way. Recognize that nonprofit workers need rest and figure out what you can do to support their mental and physical health. Drop off muffins or offer to purchase lunch fare for the staff. Buy or solicit a donation of a spa day for an overworked nonprofit leader. Tap into your connections to negotiate free or reduced-cost services such as yoga classes, haircuts and manicures, movie tickets, or dinner for two gift certificates. These gestures of support are motivational and most appreciated.

Liana Toscanini is the founder of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires,

Cannabis retailers must avoid race to bottom

Last month, we had one of those calls.

A brand partner flagged that one of our direct competitors had slashed prices — across the board — on a product line we’ve carried for over a year. Products that have consistently landed in our Top 10. Products we’ve stood behind, educated on, and sold at a fair, sustainable margin.

to offer beyond the rock-bottom price. Customers won’t develop loyalty because there’s no reason to. Why stick with a “7-minute abs” workout routine when the next guy is offering “6-minute abs”?

So we made a decision: We won’t reorder. Not because the product failed. Not because it stopped performing. But because we believe in backing brands that back sustainable retail. Period. And this isn’t just about our shop.

It’s about whether this entire ecosystem in Massachusetts survives.

There are nuances, sure. It’s one thing to create a product specially intended to draw foot traffic to your store. But if you can’t back that up with differentiation as to why a consumer will want to return, it’s a loss leader in the end. You are now just another bargain hunting store with nothing special

When we are offering win-back strategies, we train our staff to recognize that, and ask where returning consumers have been and how we can continue to retain them. The key is to have your consumer return to the fold without sacrificing the original value proposition of a retail experience. That focus on the consumer and their needs is at the core of Canna Provisions. In other words, when retailers gut pricing for their own quick win, they’re not just cutting their own margins, they’re undercutting your brand. The story you’ve built. The trust you’ve earned. The positioning you’ve worked like hell to create. And they’re doing it for what? A temporary spike in volume? A short-term data point to flash in a pitch deck? That’s not a strategy. That’s liquidation.

And it’s one of the hidden costs of the price wars.

We find ourselves monitoring shelf pricing across the state more diligently than some of the vendors do. Because we have to. Price integrity matters. It builds consumer confidence. It ensures we can operate a legal business with the basics; compliant inventory, insurance, trained staff, tax survival under 280E. Operating on 20 percent gross margin isn’t innovative. It’s negligent. Especially when you’re juggling the regulatory overhead Massachusetts requires just to unlock the front door every morning.

Every discounted delivery made to a low-margin retailer is two things. First, it’s the canary in the coal mine. Second, and more importantly, it’s a ticking timebomb. Do you really want one more accounts receivable risk? Look at the current backlog: Massachusetts operators are sitting on tens of millions in unpaid invoices. Some brands are holding six-figure AR tied up in deadbeat accounts. Retailers promise volume, order big, and ghost when payment’s due. We’ve watched it unfold

in this state, and in states past where my team has operated. We’ve seen which vendors get left holding the bag, and what happens when a retailer draws the line.

So let’s stop pretending price erosion is a neutral act. Every time your $45 SKU shows up at $29 in a bargain bin across town, your positioning erodes. Your reputation takes the hit. Your consumer base gets confused. Your AR exposure goes up. And when that account can’t pay its bills, it doesn’t matter how much they sold. What matters is what you got paid. Too often, that number is zero.

At Canna Provisions, we choose a slower, harder path. We partner with brands that value long-term viability over short-term burn. We invest in education. We train staff on formulation, effect, terpene profiles and more. Not just “what’s cheap this week.” We work to show customers why something costs more. Why it’s worth it. But that only works if brands reinforce the value they claim to represent.

We’re not calling for kumbaya. We’re asking for clarity

(and spine). For brands that means track your shelf pricing, enforce MSRP or MAP with consequences, walk away from accounts that chase liquidation pricing as their core strategy, and start hard conversations. Follow through.

There’s a difference between market competition and self-immolation. We are not afraid of the former. We are terrified of the latter. The gold rush phase of this industry is over. What comes next won’t be easy. But it might just be better … if we’re willing to grow up and stop feeding the cycle.

The operators who make it through the next five years won’t be the cheapest. They’ll be the smartest. The most disciplined. The most aligned with retail partners who actually pay their invoices and educate their customers. We don’t need to win on price. We need to win on experience, education and durability. Because you know what happens if we as an industry keep racing to the bottom?

We’ll get there.

Meg Sanders is CEO and co-founder of

METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

As nonprofits continually try to do more with less, volunteers can help fill the gaps, from simple office tasks to hands-on jobs.

Toscanini Nonprofit Notes

Canna Provisions.

Meg Sanders Cannabis Corner

Financial reality of long-term care

METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Depending on your age and how close you are to retirement, long-term care insurance may be unavailable or too expensive. However, if you are still in your 50s or very early 60s and still in good health, a policy may be worthwhile.

Retirement planning is challenging. One of the biggest challenges is figuring out how to pay for long-term care costs.

According to research from the Boston College Center for Retirement Research, about 80 percent of retirees will require some long-term care, while roughly one-quarter of retirees will require “high-intensity” care that lasts for more than two years.

impoverished. You must be totally broke before Medicaid steps in to cover costs.

If you are like most people and you don’t have long-term care insurance, long-term care costs may drain your resources before eventually getting caught by Medicaid’s safety net.

It will come as no surprise that paid long-term care is insanely expensive. In 2023, the median annual costs were $116,800 for a private room in a nursing home, $75,500 for home health aides, and $64,200 for an assisted-living facility in the US.

Despite this potential financial catastrophe, most people put medical and long-term care costs relatively low on their list of retirement concerns.

A 2024 survey found that 47 percent of respondents were “worried” or “very worried” about high and rising general cost of living expenses in retirement. Another 47 percent were worried about political instability.

But only 33 percent were worried about long-term care affordability. Only 24 percent were worried about covering medical expenses.

Informal care is common, with family members stepping in to help in many circumstances. But most paid care is eventually covered by Medicare. The data show that only about 4 percent of long-term care in the U.S. is covered by insurance.

The stark reality is that many people need long-term care, few are insured for these events, and most underestimate the risks. What do the data show about how people end up covering these costs, given their unpreparedness? How do people cover long-term care needs when they arise?

There are three main ways to plan for long-term care expenses:

1. Buy long-term care insurance. Depending on your age and how close you are to retirement, the insurance may be unavailable or too expensive. However, if you are still in your 50s or very early 60s and still in good health, a policy may be worthwhile.

2. The second way to pay for longterm care is to pay out of pocket. This means you spend down your bank accounts, investments, and home equity to cover costs.

3. The third way to pay for long-term care is the most common — Medicaid. Medicaid covers long-term care needs for an estimated 51 percent of long-term care patients.

The problem is that Medicaid eligibility requires a household to be

According to the research from the Center for Retirement Research, the net worth of households hit by a long-term care shock “declines in the year of shock by $68,000, on average.” It would be nice if we all had money in the bank to cover the hit to net worth. What the data show is that much of this deterioration in net worth comes from home equity.

In other words, when a long-term care financial shock hits, many households are forced to dip into their home equity. They may need to take a home equity loan, or possibly even sell their home. Previous research has shown that households “rarely tap home equity – except when moving into a nursing home or near death.”

Interestingly, there is little evidence that people suffering a long-term care shock move in with their children, or have their children move closer. This finding contradicts what many survey respondents think would happen if they were to suffer a long-term care event.

The findings show that the pattern of paying for long-term care is consistent. People generally spend down their assets, typically utilizing home equity, and thereby reducing their eventual bequests. Once assets are gone, most people are forced to rely on the safety net of Medicaid.

There is no easy answer to this difficult situation. Health care costs continue to rise, with people living longer and requiring more.

From a financial planning perspective, I encourage people to honestly assess the risk of long-term care costs and consider options for dealing with those costs. Can you afford long-term care insurance? Will you be forced to spend down your bank accounts and financial assets? Might you need to tap into your home equity?

It’s not the most enjoyable thought experiment when planning for retirement, but I think it’s useful to be prepared for reality. When asked “what is your plan for long-term care,” many people answer, “I’m not going to need it.” It would be wonderful if we had that option. Few people think they’re really going to need long-term care, but the data tells an entirely different story.

Luke Delorme is director of financial planning at Tableaux Wealth in Stockbridge.

Luke Delorme Money Talk

Improve your home — and bottom line

As previously noted last month, deciding what to do with your money isn’t easy with the worries of the stock market, a potential recession, and no clear idea of when things might calm down. While many investors are searching high and low for “safe haven” options, one solid option is close to home. In fact, it is your home. In addition to boosting your overall enjoyment of your home, the right improvements can be a solid strategic investment. They can boost the value and extend your home’s life as well as save you money by reducing utility bills — and some are even tax deductible.

BEYOND AESTHETICS

VALUE

Every year, The Journal of Light Construction publishes a “Cost Versus Value Report,” which compares the average costs of various remodeling projects to the value they add to a home at resale. In 2024, the following home improvement projects offered the highest return on investment (ROI) in New England: While some projects don’t offer the highest ROI, they can pay off in other ways. For example, window replacements (noted to the right), heat pumps, central air conditioners, and more can potentially qualify for an Energy Efficiency Home Improvement Credit from the federal government. FYI, the credit for 2025 covers 30 percent of qualifying expenses with limits for different types of improvements. It is possible to “over-improve” your home. You should be mindful of home values in your neighborhood. You will want to keep your home value in the range of nearby homes to ensure the best ROI. However, if having a, say, sauna, is important to your quality of life and you can afford it, by all means

you should do it.

But you shouldn’t bank on the ROI whenever you sell. At the end of the day, you need the features of your home to be assets, not liabilities. Even the nicest bathroom or kitchen won’t make up for a questionable roof or crumbling foundation.

TAPPING INTO YOUR HOME TO IMPROVE YOUR HOME

Despite the potential of 100+ percent ROI on a home improvement project, you still need to come up with the cash to fund it. As a homeowner, you may be in the fortunate position to find your project essentially “self-funded” thanks to a home equity line of credit.

Often referred to as HELOCs, a Home Equity Line of Credit lets you borrow against the equity you’ve built up in your property. Specifically, a HELOC taps into your home’s equity — the difference between the home’s market value and the outstanding balance on the mortgage; basically, the portion of your home that belongs to you outright.

Unlike a traditional loan, where a lump sum is borrowed and repaid over a fixed period, a HELOC provides you with a revolving line of credit. Because you can access funds as needed, you only pay interest on the amount used rather than a full loan amount. Plus, compared to personal loans or credit cards, HELOCs offer lower interest rates, and, when used for home improvements, any interest paid is tax-deductible.

Again, there’s no predicting what the market will do in the near future. But if you’re a homeowner looking for some assurance that you’re investing in something that will yield long-term financial benefits, a home improvement may be your best option.

Ray E. Smith is the vice president and marketing officer at Pittsfield Cooperative Bank.

For comparison, here’s a look at the ROI for other popular remodeling projects:

JOHN

Ray Smith Money Matters

Accelerator gives founders a leg up

Ben SoSne

At the Berkshire Innovation Center, we launched our accelerator program with a simple idea: innovation doesn’t need a zip code to succeed.

The Berkshires have long been home to manufacturers, engineers and creative thinkers — what’s often been missing is a clear on-ramp for early-stage companies with technical products to grow, prototype and prepare for market.

That gap was our starting point. We launched the Stage 2 Accelerator (S2A) Program in 2022 to provide targeted support to startups that had working prototypes, strong technical teams, and a need for resources. The program is not about chasing unicorns — it’s about helping smart, mission-driven founders take the next step.

One of those founders is Jared Lebos, co-founder of Noble Carbon, whose journey to Pittsfield exemplifies the type of entrepreneur this region can attract — and support.

Jared’s story begins in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was raised amid the complexities of a post-apartheid economy. He studied finance, worked in investment banking, and eventually pursued an MBA at the Wharton School. But behind the spreadsheets and M&A deals was someone who had always been fascinated by engineering.

One of his first projects — developed to address South Africa’s rolling blackouts — involved creating a relay-based system to automate power distribution during outages. It wasn’t a product yet, but it planted the seed.

That seed took root when Jared met his co-founder Andrew Crane in Philadelphia. The two began working on smart circuit breaker technology that could give users real-time insights into their energy consumption. Their goal was to reduce energy waste in homes and small businesses, while helping users cut costs and carbon emissions. It’s a clean tech solution rooted in accessibility and practicality.

They named the company Noble Carbon.

When Jared and Andrew relocated to Pittsfield to join our accelerator, it wasn’t because they needed a trendy launchpad. It was because they needed tools: access to advanced prototyping equipment, engineering support, and a manufacturing-minded network. That’s what the BIC was built to provide.

Our S2A program offers a small cohort of companies equity-free funding, technical and business mentorship, and access to our fabrication labs and design support team. But more importantly, it offers a community of peers, partners and manu-

facturers committed to building together.

Startups like Noble Carbon often operate in the space between innovation and infrastructure. They’re not just writing software — they’re creating physical systems that need to be tested, piloted, iterated and trusted. That kind of work benefits from proximity to experienced engineers, machinists, supply chain experts and real-world users. That’s what we offer in the Berkshires.

Since joining the accelerator, Noble Carbon has prepared to scale its smart breaker technology to over 250 pilot sites across the Northeast. But that success didn’t happen overnight. It involved product refinements, customer conversations, field testing and lots of rethinking.

What stands out about Jared is not just his technical skill, but his ability to translate lived experience — growing up in a country with fragile power systems — into practical, scalable design. His perspective on energy management isn’t just theoretical; it’s personal. That clarity of purpose has served the company well.

It also reminds us that the next generation of climate tech founders isn’t confined to coastal hubs. They’re building all over — and many of them are looking for ecosystems that can support hard tech innovation without the noise.

At the BIC, our mission has always been to serve as a catalyst for technology-enabled companies and startups. But we also see ourselves as part of a larger statewide and national effort to ensure that the innovation economy reaches rural and post-industrial communities. Massachusetts has made significant commitments to climate technology and advanced manufacturing. Our job is to make sure the benefits of that investment reach places like Pittsfield and North Adams — not just Boston and Cambridge.

That’s why the accelerator focuses on industries with both economic and social relevance: clean energy, precision manufacturing, life sciences and robotics. These are sectors that can grow in our region and provide good jobs while addressing real-world challenges.

Jared often talks about the importance of community — about how one of the most meaningful moments in his partnership with Andrew came not during a product breakthrough, but when Andrew drove him to Washington, D.C. during the pandemic so he could catch a repatriation flight home to South Africa. That act of support, Jared says, confirmed that they were building something rooted not just in innovation, but in integrity.

That ethos mirrors what we try to

build at the BIC. Our program is not transactional; it’s relational. We want to work with founders who are building for the long haul — who see their companies as part of a larger system of people, places and purpose.

As we prepare to welcome our next accelerator cohort, I find myself thinking about founders like Jared and companies like Noble Carbon. They remind us that innovation is not about spectacle. It’s about listening to problems, engineering thoughtful solutions, and surrounding yourself with the right partners.

In Western Massachusetts, we may not have the density of a major tech hub. But we have depth. We have space to think, tools to build, and people willing to help. That’s enough to launch real companies — and in many cases, better ones.

We are actively looking for founders to support in our next cohort, which starts this fall. If you want to learn more or know anyone that is interested, please visit berkshireinnovationcenter.com to explore and apply. To hear Jared’s story in full, listen to the “My Story Vault” podcast Episode No. 8, in which Jared sits down with Dennis Rebelo — available wherever you get your podcasts.

Sosne is executive director of the Berkshire Innovation Center.

Understanding buyer’s vs. seller’s market

In the ever-evolving real estate landscape, understanding whether you’re operating in a buyer’s or seller’s market can significantly impact your strategy and outcomes — whether you’re investing, relocating, or advising clients. Recognizing these market conditions helps you make confident, data-driven decisions and align your timing and tactics accordingly.

A buyer’s market occurs when housing inventory exceeds demand. With more homes than buyers, the market favors purchasers, who benefit from a wider selection, reduced competition, and often lower prices or seller incentives. This environment allows more time for due diligence, negotiation, and making informed choices.

Conversely, a seller’s market arises when demand outpaces available housing. With limited inventory and high buyer interest, homes tend to sell quickly — often above the asking price — and multiple offers are common. While sellers may have the upper hand, competitive pricing and proper home preparation remain critical to attract premium offers and ensure smooth closings.

We have been in a seller’s market since COVID and continue to see demand outpace available homes for sale. That said, the cliche is true that all real estate is local. In Berkshire County there are three distinct housing markets, we identify them based on the registry regions for ease of data

consistency — North, Middle and South.

Within those markets, homes within neighborhoods and in differing price point ranges can also favor one party over another. When inventory is higher than demand, we see the market shift and sometimes balance and then go to a state where one side has an advantage.

In Berkshire County, we monitor key indicators of market conditions include the pace of home sales, the ratio of list-to-sale price, and inventory levels. In hot markets, homes may go under contract within days. In slower markets, listings linger, and negotiations are more involved.

As a benchmark, when the market has between seven and eight months of inventory absorption, it is balanced and starts to tip to a buyer’s market with even more inventory.

Sales of residential homes in Berkshire County in 2024 had approximately a 3 percent overall absorption rate, with north at 3 months, middle at 2 months and southern Berkshire at 6 months of inventory to maintain the sales pace.

It’s important to note that real estate markets are fluid and can change rapidly due to factors such as interest rate fluctuations, job market shifts, or economic outlooks. Spring is an especially busy time for home sales in our region because environmental factors play an important role — inspections are easier when you can see the exterior clearly, ground is softer to allow for septic management, and overall when people think of moving, warmer weather is appealing.

While market conditions matter, they shouldn’t be the

sole determinant of making real estate decisions. Personal factors — such as financial stability, business growth, or family needs — often carry more weight. Working with a trusted real estate professional can help you navigate current conditions, make sense of the data, and align your choices with both market realities and long-term objectives. Understanding market dynamics doesn’t just make you a smarter buyer or seller — it makes you a savvier in the home buying and selling process. A qualified Realtor can interpret these trends locally, offering insight into how they influence your goals, whether you’re buying or selling.

Sandra J. Carroll is the chief executive officer of the Berkshire County Board of

Ben

BERSKHIRE INNOVATION CENTER

Jared Lebos, left, sits down with Dennis Rebelo for a podcast to discuss Lebos’ clean tech company, Noble Carbon. The company launched with the help of the Stage 2 Accelerator Program at the Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield.

Realtors and the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service.

Sanda J. Carroll Real estate

Real estate transactions

Berkshire County Real Estate Transactions for March 31-April 25

ADAMS

Berkshire Capital LLC sold property at 6 Lower Linden St., Adams, to JDRF Properties LLC, $315,000.

PLP Property Investments LLC sold property at 12-14 East Hoosac St., Adams, to Gesiane C. Soares, $350,000.

Sharon L. Girard, trustee of the Howland Avenue RT, sold property at 112 Columbia St., Adams, to Tyler N. and Haley M. Sweet, $314,900.

Lisa M. Duquette and Nicholas Trela sold property at 7 Water St., Adams, to Carl J. Berger, trustee of RVT of Carl J. Berger, $268,000.

Jeannine L. Rose sold property at 10 Stevens St., Adams, to Henry G. Hunter and Kathleen M. Murphy, $200,000.

Michael L. and Kathy J. Morrissette sold property at 141 Friend St., Adams, to Paige Adams, $239,900.

Lauryan LLC sold property at 70 Center St., Adams, to Walter H. and Alicia M. Rogowski, $282,000.

Marie R. Richardson sold property at 94-96 Commercial St., Adams, to Devon Burke, $127,500. J Crew Properties LLC sold property at 96-98 Summer St., Adams, to Jason Nocher, $370,000.

James D. Duda and Steven M. Holland sold property at 24 North Summer St., Adams, to Shire Maintenance LLC, $239,900.

ALFORD

Cloud Kingdom 2020 LLC sold property at 300 East Road, Alford, to Lars WJ Linden and Jennifer Gilbert Linden, $1,050,000.

BECKET

William T. Baxter sold property at William Holmes Road, Becket, to David R. and Lisa A. Chenard, $29,000.

Gary Thivierge sold property at Stoney Brook Road, Becket, to Jonathan and Michael Conboy Jr., $16,200.

CHESHIRE

Daniel M. Beisiegel and Becki S. Booker sold property at 527 Fales Road, Cheshire, to Jeffrey A. Beisiegel, $330,000.

Daniel M. Beisiegel and Becki S. Booker sold property at Savoy Road, Cheshire, to Jeffrey A Beisiegel, $120,000.

CLARKSBURG

Barbara A. Randall sold property at 42 Wheeler Ave., Clarksburg, to David Lemaire, $70,000.

DALTON

Lorraine M. and Lawrence P. Allessio, trustees, Lorraine M. Allessio Living Trust, sold property at 61 Hemlock Hill, Dalton, to Michael A. and Jena S. Furforo, $580,000.

Kenneth and Kristen Milano sold property at 29 Yvonne Drive, Dalton, to Andrew M. Consolati and Meghan K. Driscoll, $487,500.

Kellie J. Sweeney sold property at 39 Edward Drive, Dalton, to Jo-Ann M. Mongue and Beverly J. Empey, $390,000.

Janet M. Belanger sold property at 28 Barton Hill Road, Dalton, to Michael J. Cook and Nora J. Martin, $425,000.

EGREMONT

Black Bear Holdings I LLC sold property at 1 Prospect Lake Road, Egremont, to Victoria Croswell, James Croswell, Rebecca Santos, and Gregory Santos, $1,025,000.

Fern Portnoy sold property at 84 Undermountain Road, Egremont, to Michael G. Healy and Brooke A. Adams, $3,150,000.

Maria E. Walker sold property at 24 Main St., Egremont, to Keith Asher and Blake McDonald, trustees of Blake McDonald Trust, $775,000.

Estate of Florence Browner sold property at 90 Creamery Road, Egremont, to Felda Hardymon and Frederick A. Tilton III, trustees of Hardymon 2012 Irrevocable Family Trust, $530,000.

GREAT BARRINGTON

Diane Finger and Steven M. Bellovin sold property at 20 Burning Tree Road, Unit 11, Cottages at Barrington Brook Condominium, Great Barrington, to Alan S. Fox and Resa Mestel, $1,150,000.

Timothy A. Parker and Sara L. Parker sold property at 48 Quarry St., Great Barrington, to Leah E. Vogel and Sylvia Lacy, trustees of Ninon Chaet Lifetime Trust f/b/o Leah E. Vogel Under Article IX of the Ninon Chaet Family Trust, $715,000.

Real estate

Construct Inc. sold property at 34 Pleasant St., Great Barrington, to Jason C. Morse and Heather E. Churchill, $580,000.

Edward B. O’Malley and Mary B. O’Malley sold property at 17 Cone Ave., Great Barrington, to Nancy Menusan and Gennifer Herley, $425,000. William F. Cooke and Deborah A. Phillips, co-trustees of William F. Cooke Revocable Trust and Deborah A. Phillips Revocable Trust, sold property at 4 Highland Drive, Great Barrington, to Martin B. Albert and Anne Johnston Albert, $830,000.

Peter J. Hagan and Kenneth L. Arthur sold property at 37 Egremont Plain Road, Great Barrington, to 37 Berkshire LLC, $740,000. Berkshire Pleasure LLC sold property at 281 Main St., Unit 3C, Southworth Condominium, Great Barrington, to Alexa Englander and Franz Rose, $825,000.

GJO LLC sold property at 11 Roger Road, Great Barrington, to Rocky/Addy LLC, $500,000.

HANCOCK

Aimee Linn sold property at Corey Road, Unit 806, Hancock, to Ski806 LLC, $537,000. Sean Mullally sold property at 9521 Mountainside Drive, Hancock, to Peter C. Rosen, trustee of the Peter C. Rosen RVT, and Molly E. Rosen, trustee of the Molly E. Rosen RVT, $500,000.

Antoinette M. Cariddi sold property at 37 Corey Road, Hancock, to Todd P. Fitzgerald, $247,000.

HINSDALE

Steven James Jr. and Jocelyn Lee Dupont sold property at 338 Maple St., Hinsdale, to Kathleen Bolger, $355,500.

LANESBOROUGH

Z and G LLC sold property at Cheshire Road, Lanesborough, to David Prime Jr. and David T. Prime Sr., $30,000.

Lisa J. Weinstein sold property at 11 Orchard Ave., Lanesborough, to Miriam E.L. Larios, $250,000.

Richard P. Frederick sold property at Rosenberg Road, Lanesborough, to Luke W. and Veronica L. Furtney, $105,000.

LEE

Thomas A. Kinne Jr. and Danielle Kinne sold property at 35 Circular Ave., Lee, to Cash W. McConnell, $377,800.

James R. Shaper Jr. and Kathaleencq H. Shaper sold property at 705 Marble St., Lee, to Sharp Sterile Manufacturing LLC, $550,000.

Angela M. Vance, trustee, Angela M. Vance RVT, sold property at 50 Pine St., Lee, to Patricia Marie McPhee, trustee, Patricia Marie McPhee Trust, $485,000.

Kaitlyn Gustafson and Bryan S. Lockman sold property at 170 Old Pleasant St., Lee, to Susan and Joseph Neaz, $379,000.

LENOX

Andrew Martin, personal rep. of the Estate of Lillian R. Martin, sold property at 127 Housatonic St., Lenox, to Fuster Enterprises LLC, $280,000. Katherine N. Abraham sold property at 37 Fairwynds Drive, Lenox, to Berkshire 4 Seasons LLC, $1,600,000.

Richard N. and Debbie J. Zuflacht sold property at 30 Galway Court, Lenox, to Andy McMeekin and Robert Roy Jr., $560,000.

Lennox Heights C7 LLC sold property at 260 Pittsfield Road, Lenox, to House in the Country LLC, $205,000.

Gregg D. Rennie, personal rep. of the Estate of Francis J. Vahle Sr., sold property at 91 West Mountain Road, Lenox, to Margaret Vahle Colwell and Paul and Ansel Vahle, $375,000.

Gerald and Amy Linder sold property at 22 Woods Lane, Lenox, to Robert and Michele Hilzenrath, $920,000.

Charles J. Massimo, trustee, Stuart Glazer RVT, sold property at 6 October Hill Drive, Lenox, to Roxanne Suprina and Ulric J. Gelinas Jr., $875,000.

MONTEREY

Alan I. Dolber and Roslyn L. Dolber sold property at 142 Main Road, Monterey, to David Lewis and Jansulu Nurpeisova, $1,375,960.

MOUNT WASHINGTON

Tyler Chernoff sold property at 253 West St., Mount Washington, to Thayer R. Pittman, $165,000.

NORTH ADAMS

Paul R. and Diane D. Lesure sold property at 1664 Church St., North Adams, to New England Power Company, $500,000.

Anthony D. Demaio and Diane C. Acosta sold property at 3 Francis St., North Adams, to Marta T. Willett, $173,000.

Barbara L. Davis-Hassan, Susan Davis Warren, Robert A. and James L. Davis sold property at 93-95 Bracewell Ave., North Adams, to Yaling Wang, $248,000.

Greylock Works West LLC sold property at 520 State Road, Unit 310, North Adams, to Paul K. and Dawn E. Gudelis, $715,000.

Ellies Holdings LLC sold property at 11 Greene Ave., North Adams, to William R. Reeves, $325,380.

Marika Eva Kobel sold property at 60 Brooklyn St., North Adams, to Thomas K. O’Connor, $185,000.

OTIS

Andrew L. and Lynn P. Pyenson sold property at 1553 North Main Road, Otis, to Maria J. Wallington, trustee, Wallington RVT, $440,000.

Steven M. Tillem and Aimee A. Van Dyne sold property at 109 Sequena Drive, Otis, to Donald M. Spector and Susan Green, $650,000.

Ariana Ott sold property at Churchill Road, Otis, to Dillon A. and Mackenzie H. Radacsi, $100,000. PHELPSROAD LLC sold property at 14 Phelps Road, Otis, to Robert T. and Nancy V. Sadock $100,000.

Sue Wallington Quinlan and Maria J. Wallington, trustee, Maria Wallington RVT, sold property at 2012 East Otis Road, Otis, to William M. Bruno and Christine Brunnschweiler, $862,500.

John Wilson sold property at 1156 Monterey Road, Otis, to Brittany Phair, $231,000.

James J. Arguin sold property at Norton Road Extension, Otis, to Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, $120,000.

Jack E. Paulson sold property at 20 South Gate Island Road, Otis, to Kristen Paulson, $222,000. PITTSFIELD

William A. O’Bryan, trustee, William A. O’Bryan RVT, and William A. O’Bryan and Teena Cole sold property at Davis Street, Pittsfield, to Bartlett Yard Care LLC, $20,000.

Susan C. and Michael F. Spelman, trustees, Spelman NT, sold property at 14 Gordon St., Pittsfield, to Breakaway Real Estate LLC, $375,000. Ashleigh E. Almeida sold property at 42 Overlook Road, Pittsfield, to Leigh Popovitch, $232,400.

Josephine M. Contenta sold property at 58 Valentine Road, Pittsfield, to Elizabeth Gerwaski and Alexander Kim, $369,000.

Joni M. McKinney, trustee, Joni Marie Winnard A. Revocable (Inter Vivos) Trust, sold property at 33 Craigie Ave., Pittsfield, to Tallon R. Garelli and Casey E. Young, $160,000.

Altagracia M. and Luis D. Toro sold property at

40 Wealthy Ave., Pittsfield, to Dianna L. Pisano, $340,000.

Hurricane Properties LLC sold property at 82-84 Lyman St., Pittsfield, to Matthew and Alexandra L. Wright, trustees, Wrighteous Properties Revocable Joint Trust, $355,000.

Linda E. George, trustee, Robert K. George Trust — 2013, sold property at 179 South St., Pittsfield, to Exchange Assets LLC, $965,000.

Turnkey Rentals LLC sold property at 3 Clarendon St., Pittsfield, to Jennifer Anne Backman and Eric Paul Williamson, $255,000.

OBCC Holdings LLC sold property at 74 Downing Parkway, Pittsfield, to Pittsfield Storage LLC, $2,150,000.

160-189 North St. Pittsfield MA LLC sold property at 17-23 Danforth Ave., Pittsfield, to Huajie Zhu, $345,000.

Lynne M. Witter, trustee, Deming Street NT, sold property at 147 Onota St., Pittsfield, to David P. and Natalie R. Weissbrod, $74,000.

Robert Luhmann and Lois Hobbs sold property at 266 Appleton Ave., Pittsfield, to Christine E. Bishop, $391,000.

Wicked Deals LLC sold property at 11 Dartmouth St., Pittsfield, to 11 Dartmouth Street LLC, $249,900.

Herald Properties LLC sold property at 100 Springside Ave., Pittsfield, to ESP Realty Holdings LLC, $515,000.

Lawrence Ladeinde sold property at 96 Bryant St., Pittsfield, to Leydet Properties LLC, $185,000.

Alexandre Sampaio sold property at 60 Division St., Pittsfield, to Shawn Anthony West, $360,000.

Peter Brown sold property at 68 Yokun St. and Brook Street, Pittsfield, to Maures Ithayakumar, $70,000.

Michael E. Ferriter sold property at 3 Pleasant St., Pittsfield, to 3-5 Pleasant Street LLC, $269,900.

Carolyn R. Rist sold property at 238 Wahconah St., Pittsfield, to Dan Lin, $155,000.

Pittsfield Economic Development Authority sold property at 100 Woodlawn Ave., Pittsfield, to Imagination Properties LLC, $36,000.

NIC of Time LLC sold property at 44 Strong Ave., Pittsfield, to Shawn McDonough, $180,000.

Lyric A. Medina sold property at 44-46 Cherry St., Pittsfield, to Temitayo and Omobola Banjo, $210,000.

William E. Tierney Jr., Joseph M. Tierney, John P. Tierney, James F. Tierney, and Thomas D. Tierney sold property at 268 Eleanor Road, Pittsfield, to Thomas D. and Nancy R. Tierney, $305,000.

Mary E. Sullivan, personal rep. of the Estate of Sandra Clara Laffee, sold property at 70 Briggs Ave., Pittsfield, to Gileade and Melissa Ribeiro, $229,000.

Alexander P. Durant IV and Blanca R. Durant sold property at 97 Sampson Parkway, Pittsfield, to Devin and Maureen McLaughlin, $370,000.

Ryan B. and Jennifer R. Brooking sold property at 101 Parker St., Pittsfield, to Jennifer Lynn Zuroms, $255,000.

Laurie Scoco sold property at 10-12 Hillside St., Pittsfield, to Noreen Evelyn Nafuna, $268,000.

Nancy L. Goyette sold property at 32 Hampshire St., Pittsfield, to Ellies Holdings LLC, $165,000.

Bernard E. Mack and Jane A. Carman sold property at 55 East Park Terrace, Pittsfield, to 91 Dickinson LLC, $41,000.

Bernard E. Mack and Jane A. Carman sold property at 91-93 Dickinson Ave., Pittsfield, to 91 Dickinson LLC, $379,000.

GETTY IMAGES

Real estate

Freedom Mortgage Corporation sold property at 3 Burke Ave., Pittsfield, to Jacqueline E. Harrington, $143,000.

Cynthia M. Rheaume-Brennan, personal rep. of the Estate of Frank J. Pugliese, sold property at 47 Sadler Ave., Pittsfield, to Sequel Realty LLC, $40,000.

Bonnie Couchman sold property at 189 Partridge Road, Pittsfield, to Holly Lee Walak, $299,900.

Brian D. and Holly L. Walak sold property at 4 Loumar Drive, Pittsfield, to Denise Sortino and Irene Terranova, $422,000.

Donald T. and Patricia B. Turner sold property at 11 Brookside Drive, Pittsfield, to William Tucker and Angelica Maria Harting, $557,000.

Judith Ann Mullet, personal rep. of the Estate of Jeanette Carmella Kushi, sold property at 20 Worthen St., Pittsfield, to Louise N. Amon, $274,000.

Two & Two LLC sold property at 9-11 Atwood Ave., Pittsfield, to 139 Summit LLC and WTBY 5 Development LLC, $105,000.

Two & Two LLC sold property at 15-17 Atwood Ave., Pittsfield, to 139 Summit LLC and WTBY 5 Development LLC, $105,000.

Angela K. Moon and Michael J. Lysobey, personal reps. of the Estate of Robert Paul Lysobey, sold property at 202 McIntosh Drive, Pittsfield, to PM Roman Real Estate LLC, $239,000.

Berkshire Rentals Inc. sold property at 43 Downing Parkway, Pittsfield, to Naylor RE Holdings LLC, $890,527.23.

BMS Mass Properties LLC sold property at 136 Broadview Terrace, Pittsfield, to Hector Felix Reyes Pena and Sonia I. Colon Vidal, $332,900. Silver Street Realty LLC sold property at 1995 East St., 15 Hubbard Ave. and Hubbard Avenue, Pittsfield, to ADW Berkshires LLC, $1,400,000. Veronica L. Martins sold property at 107 Greenwich St., Pittsfield, to Jessica Williams, $156,000.

Elaine M. Crosson, trustee, First Amendment to and Restatement of the Elaine M. Crosson RVT, sold property at 1136 Barker Road, Pittsfield, to

Lorna M. Grande, $492,500.

SITA Inc. sold property at 1350 West Housatonic St., Pittsfield, to Jalaram Hospitality LLC, $1,874,300.

David and Jeffrey Buzzanco, trustees, Eileen Buzzanco 2016 RVT, sold property at 59 Mountain Drive, Pittsfield, to Jason Boniello and Nina Juszczak, $450,000.

GITSIT Solutions LLC sold property at 73 Velma Ave., Pittsfield, to GITSIT Real Property LLC, $199,900.

Anne M. Wested sold property at 27 Donna Ave., Pittsfield, to Timothy and Lindsey Murphy, $250,000.

Alta Lama Rental Property LLC sold property at 263-265 Second St., Pittsfield, to Brayan Nehemias Isidro Larias, $369,000.

Stuart A. and Myrna J. Rodkin sold property at 20 Spadina Parkway, Pittsfield, to Robert A. Frankenthaler, $790,000.

Jane A. Lefkowitz sold property at 296 Connecticut Ave., Pittsfield, to Nicholas Zaricki, $260,500.

Fabio K. and Tarrin I. D’Aniello sold property at 11 Harding St., Pittsfield, to Gregory Gagnon and Ashley Clancy-Gagnon, $352,500.

Peter M. Angelini Jr. and Michael T. Angelini sold property at 59 Churchill Crest, Pittsfield, to Siri Ostensen, trustee, Siri Ostensen RVT, $275,000.

Louis C. Allegrone sold property at Off Meadow Ridge Drive, Pittsfield, to Louis J. and Louis E. Allegrone, $6,800.

RICHMOND

Frances Cooper sold property at 531 Cone Hill Road, Richmond, to Donald S. Gershman, trustee of Donald S. Gershman Living Trust, $925,000.

Karen E. Ayotte, personal rep. of the Estate of Douglas H. Ayotte, and Karen E. Ayotte, trustee, Ayotte Revocable Trust, sold property at 257 Cone Hill Road, Richmond, to James P. Scalise II and James M. Scalise II, $343,000.

SANDISFIELD

Dean M. Monteleone and Rochea Monteleone sold property at 3 Dodd Road, Sandisfield, to Rajarshi Guha, $235,000.

Irma Annecharico sold property at West Hubbard

Road, Sandisfield, to PatriotPlots LLC, $65,000.

Gwendolyn Lyeth Burton sold property at 21 Sandisfield Road, Sandisfield, to John Hoyt and Maria Hoyt, $585,000.

SAVOY

Alan D. Cuttersold property at 201 Loop Road, Savoy, to Tyler Swan, $275,000.

STOCKBRIDGE

Charlotte L. Gaspard, trustee, Swann RET, sold property at Fenn Farm Road, Cherry Hill Road and Sky Farm Road, Stockbridge, to Stockbridge — Munsee Community, $2,500,000.

Lucas S. and Kalina Swann, personal reps. of the Estate of Nicholas Swann, and Lucas S. and Kalina Swann, trustees, Nicholas Swann Trust, sold property at 27 Cherry Hill Road and 1 Monument Mountain Road, Stockbridge, to Charlotte L. Gaspard, $307,500.

Audrey Shulman sold property at 5 Wheatley Drive, Stockbridge, to David Allan Archer Jr. and Mikaela Dawn Mintz, $1,300,000.

Nextacre South LLC sold property at 6 Bean Hill Road, Stockbridge, to Mark and Joshua Nemery, $150,000.

Matthew James Hamilton Jr. and Jaclyn A. Koldys sold property at 3 Apple St., Stockbridge, to Alexandre Dias, $200,000.

TYRINGHAM

Michael and Pamela Curtin sold property at 113 Main Road, Tyringham, to Noah Choquette, $25,000.

WASHINGTON

J. Stuart and Dawn M. Coyle sold property at 80 Schulze Road, Washington, to AJ Steele, $325,000.

WEST STOCKBRIDGE

Amanda C. Hembree and Marla D’Urso sold property at 22 Smith Road, West Stockbridge, to Amanda C. Hembree, $307,231.

WILLIAMSTOWN

P. Jeremy and Kelly J. Garnish sold property at 152 Blair Road, Williamstown, to David Koenigsberg and Ada J. Huang, $789,000.

Mark S. Gold, trustee of the Absecon NT, sold

property at 485 Oblong Road, Williamstown, to Holly Kathryn Fisher and Benjamin Bradbury Seiler, $1,400,000.

Pauline M. Birrell and Stephanie Birrell Luedke, co-yrustees of the Pauline M. Birrell Trust, sold property at 265 Bulkley St., Williamstown, to Ryan Wadsworth and Elizabeth Scott, $765,000. Quinette Goewey, trustee of the Althea Foist RVT, sold property at 109 Stratton Road, Williamstown, to Gabriella Boston, $277,500.

Williamstown Recovery Realty LLC sold property at 1561 Cold Spring Road, Williamstown, to Aspen Addiction Recovery MA LLC, $8,750,000.

Christopher J. and Casey M. Rowen sold property at 464 North St., Williamstown, to Robert G. Egan and Elizabeth A. Kyle, $359,000.

Richard T. Shotwell, trustee of the Richard T. Shotwell RVT, sold property at 772 North Hoosac Road, Williamstown, to Ramon and Yodalis Mignott, $321,000.

William J. Svrluga and Lucy M. Gerold, trustees of the Svrluga Gerold LVT, sold property at 229 Luce Road, Williamstown, to Gregory W. and Lee C. Sioles, $731,250.

Gary J. and Karen Edgley Guerin sold property at 40 Lower Windflower Way, Williamstown, to David A. and Norreen M. Singer, $439,000. Jennifer Werner, personal rep. of Edward P Sedarbaum, sold property at 77 Bridges Road, Williamstown, to Michael Dunn and Mary E. Moriarty-Dunn, $230,000.

WINDSOR

Lawrence J. Kowalczyk, trustee of 715 Berkshire Trail Real Estate NT, sold property at 715 Route 9, Windsor, to Robert E.W. Collins LLC, $38,000.

FT — Family Trust

LLC — Limited Partnership

LT — Life Trust

NT — Nominee Trust

RET — Real Estate Trust

RT — Realty Trust RVT — Revocable Trust

The real estate transactions are provided by the Middle Berkshire, North Berkshire and South Berkshire Registry of Deeds offices.

People in the Berkshires

Berkshire Health Systems has appointed Dr. James Curtiss to Gastroenterology Professional Services.

He is providing gastroenterology and endoscopy services — and accepting new patients — at his office in North Adams Regional Hospital.

Curtiss received his medical degree and completed a Fellowship in gastroenterology from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. He completed his residency in internal medicine from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Curtiss has over 20 years’ experience as a gastroenterologist. He has practiced the last seven years at Gastroenterology Associates of Central Virginia.

He is a general gastroenterologist and hepatologist who does general and advanced endoscopic procedures.

“I enjoy the teaching aspect of medicine both to those still in training and particularly to my patients as I feel if they have a better understanding of their issues and the rationale for treatments it helps my patients take a more active part in their health and happiness,” Curtiss said in a prepared statement.

Greylock Federal Credit Union has promoted Matt Tekin of Dalton to vice president of operational risk management.

In his role, Tekin oversees the credit union’s enterprise risk management program, implements security measures in compliance with industry standards, manages the NCUA exam process, and provides management support toward the development of the credit union’s business continuity program and incident response program.

“Matt brings to this role a depth of knowledge and expertise honed over the past 20 years as a professional with experience in IT security, infrastructure and risk management,” said Jeffrey Gerard, senior vice president/chief risk officer. “With seven of those years at Greylock, Matt has played a critical role in the credit union’s risk management operations, and we look forward to his continued strategic leadership in his new role.”

He previously served as assistant vice president, IT security, audit and infrastructure. He began his career with Greylock in 2017 as an IT security engineer.

Pittsfield Cooperative Bank has appointed Tyler Dewey as assistant vice president, branch officer of its Williams Street location.

Dewey brings with him a strong track record of sales performance, team leadership and customer relationship management across the banking and retail sectors.

As assistant vice president, branch officer, he will oversee daily operations, staff development and community outreach for the branch, ensuring the bank’s continued commitment to personalized, high-quality service.

Dewey most recently served as branch manager at NBT Bank in Great Barrington. Under his leadership, branch productivity increased dramatically, with a strong focus on personalized service and business development. Prior to that, Dewey held key roles at Berkshire Bank and TD Bank, consistently ranking among top sales associates regionally and nationally.

Dewey holds a dual degree in business administration and sociology from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, with concentrations in accounting and criminal justice. A resident of the Berkshires, he is also a notary public and NMLS registered.

MountainOne Bank has promoted six Mountaineers to officer roles, a reflection of the organization’s ongoing commitment to developing talent from within.

These Mountaineers exemplify leadership, professionalism, and the collaborative spirit that drives MountainOne’s mission forward.

Heather Row has been promoted to vice president, commercial portfolio manager. Her extensive knowledge of underwriting, particularly in commercial and industrial exposures, has been essential to managing risk and expanding the bank’s portfolio. She is recognized for her meticulous approach to analysis and her ability to think strategically. She has also been instrumental in mentoring junior team members and helping them to develop as professionals.

Ryan Belanger has been promoted to assistant vice president, network and systems officer. He has been a driving force behind MountainOne’s technology initiatives, playing a critical role in strengthening the organization’s IT infrastructure.

His depth of experience in network and system management, combined with a thoughtful approach to problem-solving, allows him to be a key contributor to technology projects and cross-functional initiatives. He is a respected mentor, an Emerging Leaders Program graduate, and a trusted partner across business lines and with external service providers.

Gwenn Bishop has been promoted to assistant vice president, senior mortgage underwriter. Bishop has made a significant impact through the delivery of tailored solutions by enhancing the customer experience in the bank’s consumer lending division.

She has successfully managed complex consumer lending applications, led efforts to improve internal processes, and developed external relationships with government lending agencies. Her work on product development and reporting has played a key role in MountainOne’s success.

Erik Ray has been promoted to assistant vice president, community banking officer. He has played a pivotal role in overseeing daily operations at two key branches while managing a growing client portfolio.

Ray’s leadership has elevated the level of customer service delivery, and he continually identifies new growth opportunities. He is an Emerging Leaders Program graduate and stands out for his commitment and involvement with local nonprofits, further strengthening MountainOne’s deep connection to the community.

Kyle Shepard has been promoted to assistant vice president, operations manager. Shepard’s leadership has been pivotal in driving substantial improvements in operations, particularly through system migrations and process enhancements.

His oversight of initiatives like the Digital Banking platform rollout has demonstrated his ability to leverage technical expertise and strategic insight. Shepard also is an Emerging Leaders Program graduate.

Sarah Bloom has been promoted to officer and operations analyst. Bloom has been a key driver of operational improvements, consistently delivering solutions

that enhance efficiency across the organization. From leading major initiatives, such as the migration to a new digital banking platform and implementation of positive pay and debit card controls, to developing reporting and workflow automation, her expertise has had a lasting impact beyond operations.

Neal Thompson has been named publisher of Orion, an independent nonprofit, quarterly magazine focused on nature, culture and place.

Thompson brings a breadth of experience across the literary and nonprofit worlds. As an author, journalist, editor, and literary arts funder, he has worked across nearly every facet of the publishing arena.

He has sixth nonfiction book, “The First Kennedys,” was released in 2022. His books have been named to “best of” lists by NPR, the Wall Street Journal, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more.

A former newspaper reporter, he has written for the New York Times, The Washington Post, Outside, Esquire, Men’s Health, and others. He has appeared on numerous TV and radio programs, including NPR, PBS, “The Daily Show,” CNN, The History Channel, Fox, and ESPN.

Currently a resident of Seattle, Thompson will be relocating to the New England area. His past accomplishments include adjunct faculty at the University of North Carolina’s Great Smokies Writing Program, Seattle Arts and Lectures board member, and director of the Amazon Literary Partnership philanthropic program.

Donovan Arthen, who has been serving as interim executive director for the last year, will remain on staff and return to his previous role as chief of finance, operations, people, and culture.

Orion has an international print circulation of nearly 20,000 and a digital edition with 1.8 million readers per year. In addition, it hosts writers’ workshops and publishes books.

The Literacy Network has named Susan Harding to the part-time role of development and operations associate.

Harding has with five years of experience managing fundraising databases and working with small nonprofits to increase community engagement.

In her previous roles at the Shaker Museum in Old Chatham, N.Y., and Stockbridge Library Museum & Archives, Harding worked with staff, board and varied committees to implement annual appeals, execute galas and concerts, and develop creative community events.

She succeeds Amy Chin, who is retiring as development and operations manager. Chin, who has spent 30 years doing database design and data analysis for local organizations, will stay on as a consultant.

In addition to her professional roles in nonprofit development, Harding has been a stay-at-home mom, an interim library director, served three consecutive terms on the Lee School Committee, and was a Lee town representative.

LitNet provides one-on-one instruction to speakers of other languages wishing to improve their English skills as well as any adult seeking help with basic education, high school equivalency test preparation, U.S. citizenship test preparation, and first-generation college support.

Molari Employment and HealthCare Services has named Rory Baker as its new administrative coordinator.

In this role, Baker serves as the first point of contact for applicants, screening candidates and scheduling interviews for the agency’s employment and health

care divisions.

Baker’s approachable nature and genuine interest in people make him a natural at putting candidates at ease as they prepare for their interviews.

Founded in 1983, Molari specializes in staffing services, connecting job seekers with employment opportunities across various industries. In addition, Molari provides private and contract in-home health care services and offers health care staffing for area facilities.

For information, visit molariinc.com or call 413-499-4546.

Greylock Federal Credit Union has promoted Chris Barry of Lee to vice president, business banking officer II.

In his new role, Barry will service existing and new business members, work on business development, originate and underwrite commercial loans, and help to create and manage new products, services and classes to serve the community.

Bar ry began his career with Greylock as a commercial credit analyst in 2006.

Beyond his professional role, Barry serves on the board of directors for the Berkshire Family YMCA, volunteers with the Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) initiative, and is actively involved with Berkshire Agricultural Ventures.

Boyd Biomedical has announced the opening of a new facility in Waltham and a new divisional structure.

The company’s divisions — Design by Boyd, Build by Boyd and Launch by Boyd — provide an integrated growth platform for biomedical innovators.

Joseph Ting has been appointed president of the Design by Boyd division, which operates out of a new facility in Waltham, which the company moved into at the beginning of the year. The design division provides medical device design and development services to entrepreneurs and companies commercializing novel biomedical devices. Ting is an experienced engineering professional and executive leader with decades of experience in the medical device and biotechnology industries.

The Build by Boyd division will continue operating out of its headquarters in Lee. The build division is a medical device contract manufacturer with capabilities in stick-to-skin devices, in vitro diagnostics, single-use assemblies, device assemblies, and liquid media applications. Build by Boyd is ISO 13485 certified, and FDA registered as a medical device contract manufacturer. The company began the build operations in Lee in 1979.

Michael Fallone has been appointed president of the Launch by Boyd division, which operates out of the company’s existing facility in Boston. The launch division is a strategy, creative services and marketing agency for biomedical innovators. Fallone is a well-known strategic adviser and creative leader with decades of experience and a history of professional success.

Boyd Biomedical is a commercialization partner for biomedical innovators. The company’s growth platform provides an integrated suite of services to help clients design, build and launch biomedical devices.

Curtiss

Tekin

Dewey

Row Belanger

Bishop

Ray Shepard

Bloom

Thompson

Harding

Baker

Barry

Ting

Fallone