Condition of Education in Western MA
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. Wednesday, October…
Easthampton Chamber’s ignite Conference Aims to Help Businesses Succeed
Fired Up Technology, marketing, and talent. Those are three elements virtually all businesses must take into account if they want to grow and thrive in 2024. They’re also the main themes of this year’s ignite conference, a “professional learning opportunity” being hosted by the Chamber of Greater Easthampton on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at Abandoned Building…
Downtown Pittsfield Inc. Generates Positive Momentum
Progress and Promise Rebecca Brien was born and raised in Berkshire County and has lived in Pittsfield for the past 30 years, so she knows something about the ebbs and flows of the economy and how that impacts a city and its downtown. “When an organization like General Electric or a major employer leaves, it…
Exploring AI & Cybersecurity: Current Trends and Future Directions
This year’s Summit will feature Richard Diver, a technical lead of Story Design at Microsoft, presenting “Exploring AI: Current Trends and Future Directions.” In this lecture, you’ll discover how AI is transforming cybersecurity, addressing key challenges, and exploring the future of AI in security. Richard Diver has a deep background in technological solutions, and he…
Westfield State University Awarded $55,000 Grant from Davis Foundation
The Westfield State University Foundation has been awarded a $55,000 grant from the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation in support of the Leadership, Excellence, Achievement, Diversity (LEAD) Scholars Program. Westfield State’s LEAD Scholars Program provides holistic services for students who self-identify as first-generation and demonstrate a financial need, with a special focus on…
Great Barrington is ‘Busking’ at the Seams
Community Spotlight “Small-town living with an extra dose of culture and sophistication.” That’s how Brook Redpath chose to describe the Southern Berkshires community of Great Barrington, and she’s well-qualified for that assignment. Indeed, she grew up in town and moved back after living in the D.C. area for some time to raise her family there…
Peter Farkas Takes Reins at MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board
Hire Purpose Peter Farkas can give you the textbook definition of workforce development, at least as he understands it. “Workforce development is economic development,” said Farkas, who was named president and CEO of the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board in March, succeeding long-time president David Cruise. “Workforce development is addressing the needs of employers by…
Springfield WORKS Cliff Pilot Awarded $700,000 from The Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds
Springfield WORKS is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a $700,000 grant from The Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds (The Funds). Created in 2017 when the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) completed a landmark revision if its Determination of Need regulation, the Funds work to address the root causes of…
Diana Szynal Inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society
Diana Szynal, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber, was honored with induction as an honorary member into the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma AACSB Honor Society on April 25. The induction ceremony was hosted by the College of Business Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter at Western New England University (WNE). Beta Gamma Sigma is the international honor…
Baystate Health, MassMutual Partner to Build New, State-of-the-Art Community Health Center
In an effort to improve health equity and meet the growing needs of the Springfield community, Baystate Health today announced a plan to build a comprehensive community health center in the heart of the city, made possible by the generous support of its longstanding partner, MassMutual. MassMutual is donating approximately 10 acres of land valued…
$4 million in federal funding awarded to beautify outside Springfield Union Station
Springfield Union Station could soon be getting a new look as more than $4 million in funding has been set aside to improve the outside of the property. Congressman Richard Neal announced $4.1 million of funding that will go towards improving the area around the station, such as sidewalks, street lights, and benches. This funding…
Florence Bank Awards $150,000 to 40 Local Nonprofits
Florence Bank awarded $150,000 to 40 area nonprofits through its annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program, through which bank customers cast votes to determine how funds are dispersed. “Last year, for our 150th-anniversary celebration, we increased the total amount of our Customers’ Choice grant awards to $150,000 because it drew a nice parallel, and we…