Western Mass. has untapped economic potential
Report identifies opportunities in food science, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy. A mural depicting characters from the Wizard of Oz including Dorothy in downtown Springfield on June 10, 2022.CRAIG F. WALKER/GLOBE STAFF Think about Massachusetts’ economic engines and often the “eds and meds” — the state’s thriving education and health care sectors — are top…
BusinessTalk with Mary Kay Wydra, president of the Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau
Tourism is critical to the economic energy of Western Mass. — it’s often the first experience people have with the region, and can be a strong factor in whether they want to move or work here. And the annual economic impact of visitors — at tourist attractions, restaurants, hotels, conventions, and events — soars into…
The Economic Impact of Higher Education in Massachusetts
MTF’s next webinar will look at the role that public and private colleges and universities play in the Commonwealth’s economy. Higher education has been a magnet for talent and investment in the state, while building tomorrow’s workforce. This conversation will assess where that sector currently finds itself in a post-pandemic world. Click here to register.
Franklin County Businesses Face Challenges, but Also Opportunity
When Lucy Damkoehler returned to Western Mass. after 20 years away, she opened a bakery in a town she knew well — Bernardston, to be exact, with its population of 2,000. That was in 2018. Today, Sweet Lucy’s Bakeshop is thriving, demonstrating, like many other businesses already have, that it’s possible to succeed in a…
Deerfield’s Economy Goes Well Beyond Tourism
‘Diverse.’ That’s the one word Jessye Deane kept coming back to as she talked about Deerfield and its business community. And with good reason. Indeed, while this community of just over 5,000 is home to Yankee Candle Village, Historic Deerfield, the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory, and other tourist attractions, its economy is quite broad, covering…
Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll visiting Smith College for 7th Annual Massachusetts Farm and Sea to School Conference
Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll will be making a trip out to Western Mass to speak at the 7th Annual Massachusetts Farm and Sea to School Conference. Massachusetts Farm to School, along with a number of farm to school advocates presenting workshops on a wide variety of topics, such as local procurement, farm to school curriculum…
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY SUMMIT: Fostering Vendor-Procurement Partnerships and Digital Equity
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY SUMMIT Fostering Vendor-Procurement Partnerships and Digital Equity Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 8:00AM-11AM MGM Springfield, One MGM Way, Springfield, MA 01103 Join us for an event designed to foster connections between vendors, community resource partners, and prominent local suppliers such as Big Y, MGM Springfield, PVTA, Wayfinders, and others. This event offers a…
Worthington Assembly Focuses on ‘Humanizing Manufacturing’
It’s called “The Pick, Place, Podcast.” It’s co-produced by Worthington Assembly Inc. (WAi) and a collaborator — and tenant within its space in Deerfield’s industrial park — called CircuitHub, and it’s billed as an electronics show where representatives from the companies, which specialize in circuit-board design and assembly (contract manufacturing), discuss the printed circuit board…
Cliff Effect Legislative Briefing | Registration
Springfield WORKS, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the Economic Pathways Coalition, and the Western Mass Economic Development Council are hosting a Legislative Briefing on Tuesday, April 2nd, from 1:00–2:00 pm, in Room 428, Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St., Boston. We will be highlighting the Economic Impacts of Cliff Effects and the Pilot Working…
AIC President Hubert Benitez to Step Down
American International College (AIC) announced that Hubert Benitez plans to step down as president of the college at the end of the current academic year on June 7. Frank Colaccino, chair of the AIC board of trustees, said Nicolle Cestero, who serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer at AIC, will be appointed…
Franklin County CDC Receives $125,000 from M&T Bank’s Amplify Fund
The Franklin County Community Development Corp. (FCCDC) received a grant of $125,000 over two years from the M&T Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic arm of M&T Bank. FCCDC provides a host of direct services and opportunities that help businesses start, stabilize, and grow throughout Western Mass. With this grant, FCCDC is partnering with Springfield Neighborhood Housing…
Study Says Economic Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight in Western Mass.
A new report by MassINC and Cambridge Econometrics finds the Pioneer Valley has considerable strength in industries and technologies poised to grow with the transition to a low-carbon future. Billed as a “prospectus for transformative economic investment,” the study catalogs the region’s competitive advantages in food science, advanced materials, and clean energy. “From sustainably producing…