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As the pandemic enters its third year of disrupting life as we knew it, the business community in Lee continues to manage the disruptions of COVID-19 and its variants with a good degree of success. Colleen Henry attributes that to one reason. “The local people here in Lee are strong supporters of our businesses,” said…

Manufacturing is a healthy industry, Bill Bither days, and demand for manufactured goods is soaring across all sectors. Meeting that demand is … well, a challenge.  “The first half of 2021 was quite strong; we were actually averaging around 30% higher than we’ve ever seen since we’ve been collecting this data,” said Bither, co-founder and…

Holyoke Community College will soon offer free child-watch for parents working towards their college degrees. “Itsy Bitsy Child Watch” will open in March. The program will offer free, short-term care to children six weeks to 12 years old. The pilot phase is being funded through a 100,000 allocation in the 2022 state budget, secured by…

BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Tom Senecal, president and CEO of PeoplesBank. The two talk about everything from the regional economy and the forces that will determine its direction in 2022, to the pandemic and how it has inspired banks, and especially his institution to ratchet up their philanthropic efforts across…

The Westfield Athenaeum will present a three-concert chamber music series beginning Thursday, March 10 at 7 p.m., with Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (MOSSO) providing the music. MOSSO violinist Beth Welty is bringing her ensemble, the Aryaloka Quartet, to the Athenaeum to kick off the series. Guy McLain, executive director of the Westfield Athenaeum,…

The U.S. Small Business Administration is assisting businesses affected by the 4 alarm fire that happened in the Town of Longmeadow in late November. SBA Administrator Isabella Guzman made loans available in response to a letter from Governor Baker requesting a disaster declaration by the federal agency SBA. The loans are intended to assist through…

Eight months after announcing plans to sell the chain, Pride Stores CEO Bob Bolduc announced a sale to Arclight Capital Partners. The 31 stores — with several more in development — will keep the Pride name, and the company’s customers and 525 employees will see little change in day-to-day operations, Bolduc told local news outlets,…

Greenfield Community College (GCC) is moving the GCC Downtown Center to the main campus. The GCC Foundation voted to sell the building at 270 Main Street in an effort to fund investments, scholarships, student life programs, and strategic initiatives. The move will also integrate programs and activities at one location, making them more convenient and…

In newly released rankings by U.S. News & World Report, Western New England University (WNE) was again recognized among the 2022 Best Online Programs. Among online MBA Programs, WNE made significant gains, jumping 71 places and ranking 153rd (up from 224th in 2021); among Online Graduate Business Programs (Non-MBA), the university ranked 110th (up from…