Posted on 03
January 2012. Written
by: BusinessWest
Hampden Bank Donates
$150,000 to Develop Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — The Hampden Bank
Charitable Foundation recently granted $150,000 to support the plans and
objectives of DevelopSpringfield. “We not only see this as an opportunity to
help build a better, more vibrant community, but, as a corporate citizen and a
purpose-driven organization headquartered in Springfield since 1852, we also
consider this is a major responsibility,” said Thomas Burton, president and CEO
of the bank. “We are proud to be part of this significant effort to move
Springfield
forward.” DevelopSpringfield is a private Massachusetts nonprofit 501(c)(3)
formed in 2008 to advance development and redevelopment of commercial
real-estate projects, stimulate and support economic growth, and expedite the
revitalization process within the City of Springfield. In recent months, Mayor Domenic
Sarno requested that DevelopSpringfield, in partnership with the Springfield
Redevelopment Authority, expand its role to lead the city’s multi-year planning
and redevelopment activities for areas impacted by the tornado of June 1.
“Throughout the years, and regardless of the challenges facing our community, we
have always been able to count on Hampden Bank to support important community
needs in Springfield,” said Nicholas Fyntrilakis of
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., and chair of DevelopSpringfield’s
14-member board. “Supporting DevelopSpringfield is the latest example of their
commitment to our community.”
United Bank Named Top
SBA Lender to Women
WEST
SPRINGFIELD — United Bank was
recently named the state’s #1 Lender to Women in fiscal 2011 by the U.S. Small
Business Administration (SBA). United Bank approved the highest percentage of
total loans to women of all participating SBA lenders. Joanne Sheedy, RCA
portfolio manager, accepted the award on behalf of United Bank at a recent
meeting of SBA participating lenders in Boston. Robert Nelson, Massachusetts district director, applauded lenders for
supporting SBA loan programs, which he called a “tremendous benefit to our
businesses and economic recovery in Massachusetts.”
WMECo Completes
Largest Solar Facility in Region
SPRINGFIELD — Western
Massachusetts Electric Co. (WMECo) celebrated the completion of its second
large-scale solar-energy facility on Dec. 21 in the Indian Orchard section of
the city. The facility features 8,200 solar panels and produces 2.3 megawatts
(MW) of electricity. WMECo representatives joined local and state officials in
celebrating the transformation of the former foundry site into a clean,
renewable energy facility. The Indian Orchard facility joins WMECo’s Silver Lake
Solar facility in Pittsfield as one of the
largest in the Northeast region, and is the largest in New
England. The project brought nearly $12 million of new construction
to the region and will contribute $400,000 of annual property tax revenue to the
City of Homes.
Springfield is
one of the two Gateway Communities in WMECo’s service territory, and is home to
approximately 65,000 WMECo customers. The Commonwealth has a goal to install 250
MW of solar generation by 2017. Under the landmark Green Communities Act, each
Massachusetts
electric utility may own up to 50 MW of solar, subject to approval by the
Department of Public Utilities.
Bay Path Receives
$25,000 Award
LONGMEADOW — Bay Path
College recently received a $25,000
scholarship award from the Petit Family Foundation during its first Evening
Honoring Women in Science event at the Connecticut Science Center. The award will be used to provide
financial support for students who are pursuing careers in the sciences. Bay
Path currently offers undergraduate majors in biology, biotechnology, and
forensic science, and will be introducing programs in biochemistry and
neuroscience in the fall of 2012. The Petit Family Foundation honors the
memories of Jennifer Hawke-Petit, Hayley Elizabeth Petit, and Michaela Rose
Petit by continuing the kindness, idealism, and activism that defined their
lives. The foundation’s funds are given to foster the education of young people,
especially women in the sciences, to improve the lives of those affected by
chronic illnesses, and to support efforts to protect and help those affected by
violence. “On behalf of the college, I wish to express my profound gratitude to
the Petit Family Foundation,” said Bay Path President Carol Leary. “With this
scholarship award, our students will have the opportunity to study and excel in
the sciences, pursuing meaningful and rewarding careers.”
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