Berkshire Opera Festival welcomes new Artistic and Education Coordinator
Berkshire— Berkshire Opera Festival (BOF) welcomes new Artistic and Education Coordinator Luca Antonucci.
In his new role as Artistic and Education Coordinator, Antonucci will be at the helm of a number of education initiatives next season, from BOF’s second annual community sing-along to a free family concert, and much more. In addition to his education work Luca will also be BOF’s Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor.
Antonucci is a graduate of Amherst College and the Hartt School of Music, and a former Fulbright fellow in Vienna. He has served as associate conductor and music director of several semi-professional orchestras in the Northeast and is a cover conductor for the Portland Symphony Orchestra. While completing his doctoral studies at the University of Michigan, he holds the position of Music Director of the Michigan Pops Orchestra, the oldest student-run collegiate pops orchestra in the country, and the University of Michigan Campus Symphony Orchestra. He is the founder and director of Open Door Ensembles of Boston, a nonprofit choral and orchestral organization dedicated to advancing equity in classical music.
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Berkshire Property Agents joins Compass
Berkshire— Founded by long-time Berkshire residents Tim Lovett and Jen Harvey, the Berkshire Property Agents Team joins Compass.
“We are thrilled to join COMPASS to grow our business in the Berkshires and the surrounding area and to serve our clients as best as possible,” said Lovett, Berkshire Property Agents Team at Compass Principal Agent.
“We are excited to announce that the Berkshire Property Agents Team is joining COMPASS in New England,” said Marc Decker, Compass Regional Managing Director. “This expanded presence in the Berkshires is the natural next step in providing our agents and clients an expansive network throughout New England and beyond.”
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BFAIR CEO Rich Weisenflue announces retirement
North Adams— BFAIR announces that Rich Weisenflue, its long-serving CEO, will retire effective March 27th.
Rich’s tenure at BFAIR has been transformative. Under his leadership, the organization expanded its offerings to include a wide range of Residential, Day, Employment, Community Based, Family, and Individual Support services, as well as a Bottle and Can Redemption Center which offers employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Rich dedicated 35 years to nonprofit human services, joining BFAIR in 2000 as Associate Executive Director. He was promoted to Executive Director in 2001 and to CEO in 2018. In 2019, he was honored for Executive Leadership by the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires and most recently presented with a Lifetime Achievement award by UCP of Western Massachusetts. Reflecting on his tenure, Rich stated, “It has been an extraordinary privilege to lead BFAIR and work alongside such talented and compassionate colleagues. Committed and caring professionals throughout are to be commended for their work contributing to BFAIR ’s success in offering quality services for the past thirty years. I am confident the organization’s mission and positive culture will continue to thrive under new leadership.”
Pete Mirante, Board Chair, remarked that “The Board of Directors extends its deepest gratitude to Rich for his dedication and leadership. It was a pleasure working together with him along with the Senior leadership team focused on service excellence and options, staff recognition and professional development and building community partnerships.”
The search for BFAIR’s next CEO is being managed by the Employers Association of the NorthEast (EANE). This transition will ensure that the organization continues to provide exceptional support and services to individuals with developmental disabilities, autism, and acquired brain injuries throughout Berkshire County and the Pioneer Valley.
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Olympic gold medalist and NBA champion Derrick White teams up with Berkshire Bank
Berkshire— Berkshire Bank is thrilled to announce the addition of Derrick White, Olympic gold medalist and NBA champion, as its new brand ambassador.
White, renowned for his stellar career in professional basketball, has made an indelible mark both on and off the court. As an Olympic gold medalist and NBA champion, he showcased his leadership, perseverance, exceptional skills, dedication to excellence and commitment to teamwork. Beyond his athletic achievements, White is known for his philanthropic efforts, most notably with Special Olympics and Boston Medical Center’s (BMC) Curbside Cares program, a mobile unit delivering BMC pediatrics and midwifery services to mothers and babies outside their homes.
Sumant Pustake, Executive Vice President/Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Berkshire Bank, expressed his enthusiasm about the new collaboration. “We are incredibly proud to welcome Derrick White to the Berkshire Bank team,” Pustake said. “His values of dedication, integrity and community service align perfectly with our mission to provide outstanding financial services and support to the communities we serve. Together, we look forward to inspiring positive change and fostering financial well-being.”
“I am thrilled to join Berkshire Bank as a spokesperson and ambassador for Berkshire One,” White said. “This opportunity allows me to align with a company that shares my values and commitment to helping its communities and clients thrive. I look forward to working with Berkshire Bank to make a positive impact and help individuals and businesses achieve their goals.”
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2nd Street awarded prestigious ‘Program of the Year’ from Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association
Pittsfield— Second Street Second Chances (“2nd Street”) was presented with the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association (MSA) Program of the Year Award at MSA’s 2nd Annual Law Enforcement & Corrections Awards Ceremony Tuesday, November 19th at the Massachusetts State House in Boston.
The prestigious award acknowledges 2nd Street’s dedication, professionalism and service to individuals reentering society. Berkshire County Sheriff Tom Bowler nominated the organization, which provides a multitude of services to formerly incarcerated persons in the Berkshires.
The description of the award presented at the ceremony said, “Second Street Second Chances is celebrated for its comprehensive, personalized reentry support services, including medical, mental health, and job training assistance, which have significantly contributed to lower recidivism rates and empowered individuals to successfully reintegrate into the community.”
“I’m so proud of Second Street Second Chances for winning the Program of the Year award, which they truly deserve. Under the guidance of Executive Director Lindsay Cornwell, 2nd Street has become a trusted and respected resource for formerly incarcerated persons in Berkshire County,” said Sheriff Bowler. “2nd Street’s dedication and genuine care have paved the way for their clients to reenter their communities with dignity and purpose.”
At 2nd Street, reentry plans are tailored to each client’s needs, ensuring personalized support. The organization works closely with community partners to address individual needs and drive positive change, using data to measure the impact. In the last two years, that data has shown an 11% recidivism rate for those participating in the program, compared to an overall rate of 36% for Berkshire County.
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Berkshire Medical Center receives prestigious ‘Baby-Friendly’ designation
Pittsfield— Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) is proud to announce that it has achieved the prestigious international Baby-Friendly designation after a rigorous review process conducted by Baby-Friendly USA, the organization responsible for bestowing this certification in the United States.
This distinguished honor demonstrates that BMC is adhering to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. These standards are built on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, a set of evidence-based practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for optimal infant feeding support in the precious first days of a newborn’s life.
The positive health effects of breastfeeding are well documented and widely recognized by health authorities throughout the world. For example, the Surgeon General’s 2011 Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding stated that “Breast milk is uniquely suited to the human infant’s nutritional needs and is a live substance with unparalleled immunological and anti-inflammatory properties that protect against a host of illnesses and diseases for both mothers and children.”
BMC joins a growing list of more than 20,000 Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers throughout the world, 551 of which are in the United States. These facilities provide an environment that supports breastfeeding while respecting every woman’s right to make the best decision for herself and her family.
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Crandell Theatre temporarily closes for renovation and restoration
Chatham, N.Y.— The Crandell Theatre is now officially, though temporarily, closed for completion of the long-anticipated renovation and restoration of the nearly 100-year-old cinema.
After a flurry of packing, sorting, and categorizing by staff, board members and volunteers, the movers arrived last Wednesday to collect the pieces of the Crandell’s storied past and take them to storage. Some of the more beloved items, like the 1970s-era painted red usher that stood for decades inside the front doors, are in very safe keeping with staff.
The Crandell office will be moving to 2 Park Row in early December. There, they will be able to answer any of your questions during the closure.
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Berkshire Botanical Garden announces new solar project
Stockbridge— Berkshire Botanical Garden, one of the oldest public gardens in the United States, is marking the culmination of its 90th anniversary year with a significant step toward sustainability: the installation of a state-of-the-art solar panel system.
“We are thrilled to announce this project as we close a milestone year in our history,” said BBG Executive Director Mike Beck. “This initiative underscores the Garden’s commitment to environmental stewardship and reducing its carbon footprint, while inspiring visitors to embrace sustainable practices.”
Slated for installation in early 2025, the new system will include 102 solar panels on the roof of BBG’s Education Building. Once completed, these panels will begin generating power to offset more than 67 percent of BBG’s current electricity use, in a carbon neutral way.
BBG’s project calls for a photovoltaic system on the metal roof of its existing Education Building near the southern edge of its property. The roof is ideally situated with southern/western exposure that will not require the removal of any trees. BBG has contracted with solar provider Northeast Solar for the planning, permitting and installation of the system. The project includes a utility interconnection agreement with utility provider National Grid that will allow any excess electrical production to offset electrical use throughout BBG’s grounds and buildings. Once the system is live, BBG will realize about $13,000 in annual savings, at current electricity prices.
