Business Development

The Western Mass Economic Development Council (EDC) has announced that President and CEO Rick Sullivan will be retiring at the end of this year. Sullivan has helmed the organization since 2015. Before his position at the EDC, he had a lengthy career in public service as Westfield’s mayor for 14 years, as Chief of Staff…

Community Spotlight Aaron Vega calls them ‘meet and greets.’ And they are, well … just what that name suggests. They’re meetings between city officials and small-business owners, many of them representing ventures in the emerging ‘climate tech’ sector who have heard about Holyoke and the companies that now call it home, and want to hear…

This signature event, now in its 21st year, celebrates companies throughout the Commonwealth for their contributions to the state’s economy. The awards will be presented at an April 9, 2025 event at UMass Boston. Click here for more information and to register for the event.

Back to the Future Cesar Ruiz says it was only a few hours after he wrapped up a well-attended press conference in early February 2024, announcing his plans to bring a large sports complex to Holyoke, when his phone first pinged with someone offering some real estate for the initiative. “He texted, ‘I’m a Holyoke…

When BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007, it did so to identify rising stars across our region — individuals who were excelling in business and through involvement within the community — and celebrate their accomplishments. In 2015, BusinessWest announced a new award, one that builds on the foundation upon which 40 Under…

To help revive economic growth, grants were awarded to 34 businesses across Massachusetts, including five in Holyoke. The economic development program helps businesses buy, renovate, or build out commercial properties that will help boost the economy. Last Wednesday, MassDevelopment announced $2,805,000 in grants through the third round of its Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) Equity Investment…

‘Historic rehabilitation.’ That’s the phrase Lee Pouliot and others used to describe work at Chicopee’s historic City Hall and the neighboring, long-closed main library. In doing so, they made the distinction between this type of work and historic restoration. Indeed, the latter returns something to what it once was at a specific point, said Pouliot,…

Palmer is one step closer to getting a train stop in town. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced their selection of the South of Palmer Yard as the best site for the future train station and the decision marked a critical milestone in the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s efforts to advance East-West rail. Western mass news…

Today, at the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s Annual Connect 351 Conference, Governor Maura Healey announced the launch of the fiscal year 2026 application for the Community One Stop for Growth, an application portal overseen by the Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) that provides a streamlined process for municipalities and organizations to apply for 12 state…

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal joined Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt, and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno on Jan. 22 to highlight the increased ridership at Springfield Union Station during FY 2024. During FY 2023, the total ridership at Springfield Union Station was 149,372. A recent year-end report found that ridership…