Business Development

After 55 years, the Eastfield Mall in Springfield officially closed its doors back in July and now, a new shopping center is set to take its place. Western Mass News noticed a new billboard standing at the old Eastfield Mall site. The sign read ‘Springfield Crossing: Coming Summer 2025.’ The photo on the sign paints…

Home City Development Inc. (HCDI) will kick off construction of 40 affordable homeownership units on the former Gemini site in the South End of Springfield (76 Morris St.) with a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 10:45 a.m. This project is funded in part by MassHousing, the city of Springfield, the Massachusetts Department of…

Everyone has heard of cybersecurity, but not every business knows exactly what it takes to keep them protected. The most effective defenses not only incorporate the latest technology, but emphasize employee education, training, and plain old common sense to reduce the chances of human error — which is a factor in far too many breaches.…

Tech Foundry, a regional leader in IT workforce development and training, in partnership with Holyoke Community College (HCC), will celebrate the grand opening of Tech Foundry’s new Tech Hub on Wednesday, Oct. 25, beginning at 10 a.m. on the first floor of HCC’s Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center, located at 206 Maple St., Holyoke.…

Please join us in Holyoke for a conversation on the state of education in Western Massachusetts. This event will put a local focus on findings of the Rennie Center’s Condition of Education in the Commonwealth report and bring together members of the business and education communities to discuss the need to rethink education, particularly where…

Brianna Wales-Thaxton doesn’t see diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in a vacuum. In fact, she likes to take a long view. “We’re able to be a part of this work because of centuries of advocacy and justice seeking,” specifically from the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) community, she told BusinessWest. “All of…

The housing crisis gripping Western Massachusetts and most of the Bay State has deep roots and a broad impact, affecting everything from homelessness in area communities to the region’s ability to effectively compete with other states and regions for talent and jobs. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Keith Fairey, president and CEO of Way…

“The Future of Work/Humanification in the Age of AI” will be the topic of the Chamber of Greater Easthampton’s ignite 2023 professional-development conference on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 15-16 at Abandoned Building Brewery, 142 Pleasant St., Easthampton. The two-day conference is designed to empower leaders, business owners, professionals, entrepreneurs, employers, and employees with the knowledge…

The Springfield Regional Chamber announced the winners of its annual Super 60 awards program. Businesses were nominated that achieved remarkable success and made significant contributions to the region, as well as non-profit organizations that have displayed selfless dedication through exceptional programming and support. In addition to the revenue and growth categories, this year the Super…

Jennifer Macksey grew up North Adams, and she’s seen some profound changes in her 50 years — and from many perspectives. As a young girl, she remembers Thursday nights downtown, which would be bustling as the thousands of employees at nearby Sprague Electric would be out spending their paychecks in the stores, like the one…