BUSINESS BRIEFS Part One: Amy Godfrey purchased AH&M; Hancock Shaker village appoints Carrie Holland ; HomeFarm at Undermountain elects Gray Ellrodt; BIC in north county; Greylock Federal honored; NPC’s ‘Meet the Donors’; Berkshire Nursing Families receives grant; B&B Micro Manufacturing recognized; Town of Adams seeks café proposals

Editor’s Note: We had so much news this week that we decided to break Business Briefs into two parts.  This is the first part.

Amy Godfrey buys AH&M as agency co-founder Jim Allison retires

Pittsfield—  AH&M, Inc., a leading global B2B communications agency specializing in industrial and technology markets, was purchased by Amy Godfrey, the company’s president and chief executive officer (CEO) following the retirement of Jim Allison, agency co-founder. The agency will continue to operate as AH&M, Inc. and will deliver the same high-quality services it has historically provided to its clients. AH&M was founded in 1988 and is celebrating 35 years in business this year.

Godfrey has over 23 years of experience working with leading plastics and chemical suppliers and other top multinationals across the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Since joining AH&M as an account coordinator in 2000, she has held several positions of increasing responsibility and led many of the agency’s key accounts. Prior to purchasing AH&M, Godfrey served as the company’s president and CEO for three years.

“It is difficult for me to step away from AH&M, a company I built with my partners 35 years ago; however, I’m confident that Amy is the right person to carry on my legacy,” said Allison. “Amy is a tremendous asset to this organization and believes, as I do, in the important work that AH&M provides its clients. AH&M’s strong global reputation as a leading industrial and technology communications firm is largely due to Amy’s contributions and expanding leadership over the past 23 years. AH&M knows how to get results.”

“When I was hired for the account coordinator position at AH&M in 2000, it never occurred to me that I would be with the agency for more than twenty years, let alone be in a position to own the company,” said Godfrey. “While it’s common in this industry to regularly seek out new employment, the thought of leaving AH&M never occurred to me. I’m grateful to Jim for mentoring me all these years, creating an exciting and rewarding environment for personal and professional growth, and now entrusting me to carry on his legacy. I am excited to work with our fantastic team to usher in this new era at AH&M.”

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Hancock Shaker Village announces appointment of Carrie Holland as Director and CEO

Hancock— The Board of Trustees of Hancock Shaker Village announced today that Carrie Holland has been appointed Director and CEO, following a two-month term as Interim Director.   Prior to serving as Interim Director, Holland has served on the board of Hancock Shaker Village since 2020 and most recently served as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees.  

“We are thrilled Carrie has agreed to stay on as the Director for the next couple of years to continue providing leadership for the operation of the Village as well as shepherding the plans for the new Visitor Center from the current design development phase to completion,” said Bob Plotz, Chairman of the Board at Hancock Shaker Village. “Carrie brings a great amount of leadership, enthusiasm, a fresh perspective, and a diversity of professional experience to the role which is uniquely well-suited to guide the organization through this particular chapter at the Village.”

Holland, a Pittsfield native, returned to the Berkshires in 2015 following time spent in the Washington D.C. area focused on a career path in the National Security field.  In 2017, Holland joined Mill Town Capital as a Managing Director and was part of the leadership team responsible for designing strategy, executing investments, and successfully operating several nonprofit and for-profit community development projects throughout the Berkshires region.  

Holland became more involved with programming at Hancock Shaker Village through her leadership at Mill Town Foundation where the two organizations collaborated on several high-impact projects from 2019-2023. She joined the Village’s Board of Trustees in 2020, and has served on several committees over her tenure, affording her a more robust familiarization of both the strategic and operational functions of the historic museum.

“Since returning home to the Berkshires, I have been so impressed with the expansive scope of programming at Hancock Shaker Village,” noted Holland. “The exciting points of engagement with both the local community and visitors here in the Berkshires continues to place the Village at a very compelling point of intrigue for local, national, and international audiences. The three-year vision for our campus and programming is very exciting with real potential to elevate our ability to authentically connect with a broad range of audiences. In addition, we currently have so much momentum across several critical areas of development at the Village and I am eager to help see these phases through,” she added.  

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Gray Ellrodt was elected to the Board of HomeFarm at Undermountain

Lenox— HomeFarm at Undermountain, Inc. announced that Gray Ellrodt, our Lenox neighbor, was elected to the Board of HomeFarm at Undermountain at our Annual Meeting on October 11th.

In 2021, Gray, a nationally renowned cardiologist, hospitalist, and intensivist, retired from his position as chief quality officer and chair of medicine at Berkshire Medical Center, where he had worked since 1999. Before joining BMC, Ellrodt spent 20 years in senior-level positions at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He is board certified in internal medicine and cardiology. From 1990 to 1991, Ellrodt was a Pew Fellow in Health Care Policy at the RAND Corp., a nonprofit public policy think tank. He also has served as a professor of medicine at the UCLA School of Medicine and the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine.

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Berkshire Innovation Center opens second location in Northern Berkshire County

 Pittsfield— The Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC) is excited to announce the opening of “BIC Works @ MoCA”, extending BIC’s presence to Northern Berkshire County.

Located on the campus of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, “BIC Works @ MoCA” is designed to be an experiential learning center that will help develop the talent pipeline through K-12 STEM programming, promote collaborative learning opportunities, and provide professional development.  At its core, “BIC Works @MoCA” offers a dynamic platform for the exploration of innovation through hands-on-learning.

BIC, which opened its headquarters in Pittsfield in February 2020, is now serving 30+ industry member companies and another 30+ affiliates, and partners with 15 regional educational institutions. The growth of the BIC has generated a tremendous amount of activity, but it has also challenged the limits of the site in Pittsfield. Spaces are often occupied, reserved, or simply too far away for some residents, thereby precluding many students and young professionals.  The BIC’s expansion into Northern Berkshire County represents the first step of a phased growth plan, and one designed to make the BIC’s impact more equitable

The BIC kicked off “BIC Works @ Mass MoCA” with a grand opening and ribbon cutting celebration today. The event was attended by the members of the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Board, team members from Mass MoCA, state and local politicians, and academic and industry partners.

Stephen Boyd, CEO of Boyd Biomedical and the BIC’s Co-Founder and Board Chair said  “We are thrilled to open access to our technology and learning platforms and expand our community with MASS MoCA. Our goal is to reach a broader and more diverse population. By linking talent with technology, innovation and creative processes, we can address a pipeline of opportunities and solve big world problems by starting locally. Collective wisdom always wins.”

Kristy Edmunds, Director of MASS MoCA added, “In the creative world, we work with technologies and different ideas and try to amplify one another’s knowledge because we have adjacencies. Welcoming the Berkshire Innovation Center to the MASS MoCA campus is an adjacency that artists will crave, our community will crave, and engages with the work we are doing with teens and young people. We will also be able to forge partnerships that alone, require us to create ever expanding worlds. But together, we actually get to reinforce what is and elevate it. Together, we are dreaming the culture forward.”

If you are interested in bringing a group of students, educators or team members to “BIC Works @ MoCA” to experience technology-on-display through hands-on learning, please reach out to Kate Light, Assistant Director, Berkshire Innovation Center at kate@the-bic.org In addition, there is meeting space available for our academic and industry partners to use.  Please reach out to Allison Mikaniewicz, Marketing and Events Manager, Berkshire Innovation Center at allison@the-bic.org to book.

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Greylock Federal honored with recognitions for commitment to Hispanic and Immigrant Communities

Pittsfield— In recognition of its continued commitment and service to Hispanic and immigrant communities, Greylock Federal Credit Union now has two additional branches, Kellogg Street in Pittsfield and Greenport-Hudson in Columbia County that are designated as Juntos Avanzamos through its affiliation with Inclusiv.

A member-based credit union organization, Inclusiv empowers credit unions to advance financial inclusion through advocacy, education, technology, and impact investment.

Juntos Avanzamos, which means “Together We Advance,” is a national designation for credit unions committed to serving and empowering Hispanic and immigrant consumers – helping them navigate the U.S. financial system and providing safe, affordable and relevant financial services. Juntos Avanzamos credit unions employ bilingual, culturally-competent staff and leadership, accept alternative forms of ID and treat all of their members with respect, regardless of immigration status.

The Credit Union celebrated the distinctions with Juntos Avanzamos flag ceremonies at each branch which included performances from the musical group, Yo Soy Arte. The new designations bring Greylock’s total to four Juntos Avanzamos-designated branches, which include West Street and Lee branches, which received distinctions in 2019.

“The whole team at Greylock, and the Board, is committed to a program we call IDEA. This stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility. For Greylock, it means that our Credit Union is dedicated to helping anyone and everyone in the communities we serve, regardless of where they come from, how they worship, who they choose to love, their physical abilities, or even how much money they have,” said Greylock CEO and President John Bissell. “To that end, we are so honored to receive the Juntos Avanzamos designations for our Kellogg and Greenport-Hudson branches from our friends at Inclusiv. It’s a prestigious recognition that reflects a tremendous amount of passion, dedication, and hard work by so many on our Greylock Team.”

For more information on Juntos Avanzamos, please visit inclusiv.org.

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Nonprofits are invited to meet Berkshire funders

 Pittsfield— The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires (NPC) is hosting a “Meet the Donors” event on Thursday, November 9th from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Barrington Stage’s Wolfson Center at 122 North Street in Pittsfield. Nonprofits are invited to attend this free gathering to learn more about local funders and their grant-making programs.

Participating funders include Adams Community Bank, Berkshire Bank Foundation, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Canna Provisions, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Lee Bank, Milltown Foundation, and Williamstown Community Chest.

“The NPC is a connector organization,” said NPC Executive Director Liana Toscanini. “Some of our smaller nonprofits have never had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with the corporations and foundations that support nonprofit work. We aim to lower that barrier in a friendly and informative way.”

Nonprofits may register online at npcberkshires.org.

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Berkshire Nursing Families receives $50,000 grant to improve health outcomes for birthing people of color

 Berkshire— A $50,000 grant from Health New England will empower Berkshire Nursing Families (BNF) to bring the services of Black doulas to the Berkshires to help address inequities in perinatal health for Black birthing people and provide free lactation support to families of color.

BNF is partnering with Springfield Family Doulas to help train and support Black Berkshire County community members who want to become doulas and lactation counselors. Doulas provide emotional, physical, and educational support to birthing people who are expecting, experiencing labor, during the delivery, and postpartum.

The program, called “Investing in Lactation Support for Families of Color and Black Birthing Support in the Berkshires” will also provide free doula packages for Black birthing people in Berkshire County, Black-led perinatal workshops for families of color, and free lactation services for families of color provided by BNF.

The U.S. ranks the lowest in maternal health outcomes for birthing persons of color. Per Health New England’s Community Health Needs Assessment, Black women are up to four times more likely than White women to die from a pregnancy-related cause. In Massachusetts, Black women are 1.9 times more likely to die during pregnancy or within one year postpartum compared to White women.

Christine Callahan, executive director of BNF, stressed the importance of Black doulas and lactation professionals. “Our goal is to ensure that perinatal providers in Berkshire County reflect the diversity of the communities we serve,” she said. Callahan said BNF researched whether there were any Black doulas serving in the Berkshires. They found one Black woman who was trained as a doula, but she felt she needed more education and additional support before practicing. That doula, and 3 others, will receive additional training, mentorship, and lactation education so they may confidently serve Black birthing parents of Berkshire County.

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B&B Micro Manufacturing recognized at manufacturing awards ceremony 

Adams— B&B Micro Manufacturing has been recognized for its outstanding leadership skills and dedication to Massachusetts’ manufacturing industry.

The Adams-based company, which is one of the largest micro-manufacturing businesses in the country, was presented with a citation from the Massachusetts State Senate at an awards ceremony during 8th Annual Massachusetts Manufacturing Awards Ceremony held in the DCU Club at Polar Park in Worcester.

The event was held on Tuesday, September 19th, hosted by the Legislature’s Manufacturing Caucus, which is co-chaired by State Senator Paul Feeney and State Representative Jeffrey N. Roy.

State Senator Paul Mark who nominated the company said, “B&B Micro Manufacturing is an exciting local company finding success by tackling one of the most important issues of the day, the need for quality affordable housing,” said Senator Mark. “I applaud the company for their good work supporting our region through innovation, partnership with the community, and manufacturing a great product right here in Massachusetts.”

“During the 8th Annual Manufacturing Awards Ceremony, we celebrated 68 manufacturing awardees from across the state of Massachusetts. These are truly great companies who make our economy soar and contribute to these statistics,” said Representative Roy. “These manufacturers are examples of what it means to make it in Massachusetts.”

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Town of Adams is seeking proposals for an owner/operator of a new restaurant to be located within the Outdoor Center at Greylock Glen

Adams— The Town of Adams is seeking proposals for an owner/operator of a new café restaurant to be located within the 9,980 square feet Outdoor Center at Greylock Glen. The Café is intended to offer full food and beverage service with an emphasis on healthy eating and farm-to-table offerings. The café will be located in, and will be an integral part of the Outdoor Center building as well as the evolving Greylock Glen Resort. The Town anticipates the Outdoor Center and grounds will become an increasingly popular venue for both indoor and outdoor events of all kinds, particularly weddings. Consequently, the Town expects that event catering will be a significant source of revenue for the selected café operator. 

The successful Proposer will have demonstrated the ability to finance, design, and operate a restaurant/café on the site, with the goal of negotiating a lease and related documents for the operation of the café. The Town intends to select the proposer that can successfully create an establishment that provides visitors to Greylock Glen with affordable, healthy, family-friendly on- site casual dining choices. 

The in-progress Greylock Glen Resort development is the culmination of several decades of planning and investment by the Town of Adams. The first major resort component, the Outdoor Center, is currently under construction and expected to open by May/June 2024. A year-round campground with 70+ sites, to be completed by a private developer, is also in-progress with permitting anticipated by late 2023 or early 2024. 

Proposals are due no later than Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.