Carr Hardware acquires fellow locally owned business Lee Hardware
LEE — In an acquisition that unites two longtime Berkshire hardware store families, Carr Hardware is purchasing Lee Hardware. Strengthening their footprint in Lee, Carr expects to close its acquisition of Lee Hardware September 27.
Carr will continue operating as Lee Hardware True Value with no interruption in service. In business since the 1940s, Joey Scapin has owned and run the store since 1991 and will stay on to ensure a smooth transition.
The store will retain management, store personnel, and shoppers will still find their favorite brands. Down the street, Carr Hardware will also continue to operate a sister location. With plans to increase and differentiate products in both hardware stores, customers will have a broader range of shopping opportunities.
Carr Hardware & Supply Company, Inc. was founded in 1928 by Sam Carr. In 1962, the Raser family purchased the business and continues to operate it today. Carr operates stores in Pittsfield, Lee, Lenox, Great Barrington, North Adams, and Springfield in Massachusetts and Avon and Enfield in Connecticut. Carr Hardware was named the National Independent Small Business of The Year in2017; National LED Retailer of the Year in 2016; featured on CBS’ “Undercover Boss”; and been voted Best of the Berkshires 23 years in a row.
—A.K.
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Berkshire Bounty appoints new board of directors
GREAT BARRINGTON — Berkshire Bounty co-directors Mark Lefenfeld and Jay Weintraub have announced a new board of directors for the non-profit organization.
In 2017, Berkshire Bounty collected 8,000 pounds of food. With more than 100 volunteers, the organization expects to distribute more than 400,000 pounds this year, feeding an estimated 3,000 people a week. This continuing success has expanded the size, service, and geography of Berkshire Bounty, leading to the need to bolster its organizational structure with the formation of a formal board made up of people experienced in areas relevant to the organization.
Berkshire Bounty board members
Brian Grossman is a general manager and brand marketer, specializing in developing and implementing innovative business strategies and marketing plans, content creation, research, technology platforms, and media strategy. He is currently CEO and co-founder of Artistory, a technology start-up based in the Berkshires. Grossman has held leadership positions at prominent sports, music, and consumer packaged goods companies, including SVP of marketing for the NY Knicks at Madison Square Garden. He has also held management positions at XM Satellite Radio and General Mills. Grossman received an BA from Harvard and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford.
Margaret Moulton is the executive director of Berkshire Grown, a local nonprofit that supports and promotes locally based agriculture as part of a healthy Berkshire economy and landscape. She has a background in community-building program development, photography, and education. Margaret relocated to the Berkshires in 2015 to work for the Trustees of Reservations. She holds an MFA in photography and a BA in philosophy.
Mark Lefenfeld, Berkshire Bounty co-director, is a resident of Great Barrington. He has sat on the Great Barrington Finance Committee and is a past president of Hevreh of Southern Berkshire. Lefenfeld is a retired attorney and investment banker, and holds a BA, JD, and MBA. Mark co-founded Backyard Bounty of the Berkshires, the predecessor to Berkshire Bounty, in 2015.
Morgan Ovitsky is the project coordinator for Be Well Berkshires, a Mass in Motion-funded initiative that supports equitable access to healthy food and opportunities for physical activity. Through this work, Ovitsky facilitates the Berkshire County Food Access Collaborative, a multi-sector collaborative platform to examine the regionally specific assets and challenges as it relates to local food access. She sits on committees including the steering committee for the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market, the Healthy Pittsfield Partnership, and the Age Friendly Task Force.
Berkshire Bounty co-director Jay Weintraub has lived in the Berkshires since 2001. While residing in Alford, he conceived and instituted Alford-Assist, where town residents can post requests for help from neighbors. Weintraub was also a key member of the group that planned, installed, and oversaw the creation of a municipally-owned fiber-optic network in Alford. Weintraub retired in 2012 after spending over 30 years as a Wall Street research analyst with several firms, including heading up Corporate Bond Research at Merrill Lynch. He co-founded Backyard Bounty of the Berkshires, the predecessor organization to Berkshire Bounty, in 2015.
—A.K.
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Berkshire Economic Recovery Project Launches Inaugural Technical Assistance Cohorts
BERKSHIRE COUNTY — 1Berkshire, in partnership with Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and with support from the United States Economic Development Administration, announces the launch and the opening of registration for its first round of small business and organization technical assistance cohorts.
With five experts as technical assistance providers, this initial round of seven cohorts looks to support up to 49 small businesses and organizations over the course of the fall of 2021. Each individual cohort will be limited to seven participating businesses/organizations and will kick off with a required two-hour workshop. Following the workshop, participants in each cohort will be given materials to complete before then receiving up to two hours of additional free one-on-one technical assistance from our expert resource providers.
Cohorts being provided for Fall 2021 include:
- Starting October 6: Get Ready to Get Funded, with Robin Helfand
- Starting October 13: Employee Engagement & Retention, with Karen Carswell & Lucy Steinert
- Starting October 20: Essentials of Digital Marketing, with Francesca Olsen
- Starting October 28: Don’t Just Stand Up, Stand Out! with Carolyn Blitz *nonprofits only*
- Starting November 4: Get Ready to Get Funded, with Robin Helfand
- Starting November 10: Employee Engagement & Retention, with Karen Carswell & Lucy Steinert
- Starting December 1: Essentials of Digital Marketing, with Francesca Olsen
These technical assistance workshops are completely free to participating businesses and organizations, but registration is considered a commitment to participate in the entirety of the process, from kickoff to independent prep work, direct technical assistance, and follow-up assessment. Click here to register for one of the cohorts.
As part of the Berkshire Economic Recovery Project, this is the first of a series of technical assistance cohorts that will be conducted over the next 18 months. Registration will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis and is open immediately for all cohort sections. Once filled, registration will cease; however, interested individuals may request to be added to a waitlist. For additional information, please contact the 1Berkshire Economic Development team at economicdev@1berkshire.com.
—A.K.
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Berkshire Community College selected for Project Vision
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is one of just 13 two-year community colleges nationwide selected for Project Vision, a program supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Advanced Technological Education program. The goal of Project Vision is to catalyze submissions of grant proposals seeking Department of Undergraduate Education (DUE) funding for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) projects.
“Being chosen for Project Vision represents a significant opportunity for BCC. The expertise provided to us through this program will increase our chances of winning extensive funding for exciting projects in the STEM field,” said Kierstyn Hunter, PhD, BCC vice president for academic affairs. “We see this as an important springboard from which we can grow our STEM program.”
Project Vision is specifically designed to assist rural two-year colleges or colleges with newer presidents. Subject matter experts work with local faculty and staff to create a comfort level in writing grants and looking for growth opportunities, thereby increasing the likelihood of securing major NSF grants.
Project Vision’s mission is to:
- Provide two-year rural colleges, and/or colleges with newer presidents, the expertise necessary to generate innovative ideas that produce award-worthy NSF proposals
- Offer support at all levels of a college ecosystem, including the board of trustees, president, administrators, faculty, and staff
- Provide professional development activities that embrace the merits of the NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program and other DUE programs
- Provide each college the support needed to build capacity and to regularly submit proposals to the ATE Program and other DUE programs
- Lead this initiative by a seasoned team of ATE experts, a former college president/CEO, senior college administrators, and former NSF program officers who help each college promote excellence in STEM education for all students
—A.K.
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Barbieri joins Greylock as Vice President and Manager of Business Banking
PITTSFIELD — Greylock Federal Credit Union has appointed Michael Barbieri to the role of Vice President and Manager, Business Banking. He will provide leadership and coaching for a team of three lenders and direct the strategic vision and business development efforts of Greylock’s Business Banking department.
Barbieri holds a BA in Business Administration-Finance from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) and is an Honors graduate of America’s Community Bankers, National School of Banking at Fairfield University. He currently serves on the Boards of the MCLA Foundation, Berkshire Life Foundation, and Berkshire Housing Development Corporation.
—A.K.
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Nicole Cuenin joins Molari Employment and HealthCare Services
PITTSFIELD — Gail Molari, president and CEO of MOLARI Employment and HealthCare Services recently announced the hiring of Nicole Cuenin as Accounting Specialist.
Cuenin works with the company’s Chief Financial Officer to manage payroll, employee benefits, client billing, and accounts receivable. Prior to joining MOLARI, Cuenin held various roles at Adirondack Payroll for more than a decade.
—A.K.
