First 1Berkshire pitch competition winners announced
Dalton — 1Berkshire held its first of three pitch competitions on Monday at the Stationery Factory. At the competition five entrepreneurs presented their business plans before a panel of judges made up of local business leaders.
First place and $1,000 was awarded to Mary Parkman of Pittsfield for her business BFF Adventures, which focuses on outdoor sports and guided biking, hiking, and ski excursions for women and girls. Second place and $300 was awarded to Devin Shea and Patrick Danahey of Pittsfield and the business R3SET, a digital media platform focused on helping start-ups scale their impact by optimizing effective work output through automation and lifestyle design. Third place and $100 was awarded to Marie Georgefils of Florence, whose business plan is to import castor oil from Haiti and sell it as a beauty product.
For information about upcoming pitch competitions, contact David Curtis at dcurtis@1berkshire.com.
–E.E.
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Lee Bank announces financial planning and investment services
Lee — Lee Bank’s President and CEO Chuck Leach has announced that Lee Bank and St. Germain Investment Management have entered into a strategic alliance to bring personalized investment management and financial planning services to Berkshire County. The alliance, which is called October Mountain Financial Advisors, will provide client-first investment management and financial planning services from new offices in Lee.
October Mountain Financial Advisors’ principal team consists of Tim Suffish, senior vice president and head of equities at St. Germain Investment Management; St. Germain Investment Management’s Michael M. Matty, president and director; Richard R. Bleser, vice president, portfolio manager; Matthew R. Farkas, vice president, portfolio manager; and Thaddeus S. Welch, portfolio manager.
October Mountain Financial Advisors is now open for business at the bank’s branch at 75 Park St. in Lee and at St. Germain’s offices in Springfield and Hartford, Conn. October Mountain’s permanent headquarters will be located at 103 West Park St., adjacent to Lee Bank, and is slated to open in the spring following renovations to the building.
–E.E.
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Anne-Juliette Maurice joins Main Street Hospitality team
Stockbridge — Main Street Hospitality Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Anne-Juliette Maurice as Vice President of Operations. In her new position, Maurice will work closely with CEO Sarah Eustis and other key company leaders to expand on the company’s vision and overall mission. She will have oversight of key company initiatives including revenue management, operational oversight, owner relations, talent development, and strategic growth.
Anne-Juliette Maurice has more than 27 years of hospitality experience. She was formerly with New York City’s Hotel Plaza Athénée, where she served as General Manager overseeing the hotel’s restaurant, spa, and adjacent residential townhouse. Prior to that she held management positions with Langham Place and Morgans Hotel Group.
–E.E.
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Advice from Salisbury Bank on avoiding Tech support scams
Lakeville, Conn. – Cybercriminals don’t just send fraudulent email messages and set up fake websites. They may also reach out to people by phone, either at home or in the office, and can be very convincing. Salisbury Bank has compiled a list of tips and strategies to help consumers protect themselves from tech support scams.
–E.E.
