Business Briefs: Women’s health initiative; $1M gift for Barrington Stage; new LitNet executive director; Greylock scholarships; Wheeler joins BMM

VIM Berkshires launches women’s health initiative

Great Barrington — Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires has launched a women’s health initiative, thanks in part to a grant from the Massachusetts Medical Society. While VIM has been providing women’s health-centered visits one day a month, it will now offer a weekly women’s health clinic and add three new members to its team of practitioners.

VIM Berkshires’ female patients live throughout Berkshire County and in towns in nearby New York and Connecticut, and average 45 years of age. This largely immigrant population often works multiple part-time jobs with few benefits and is most often uninsured. VIM’s clinic provides culturally competent care in patient-appropriate languages.

Through the initiative, VIM will deliver education about sexual and reproductive health along with access to a range of preventive care services, including Pap smears and mammograms, birth control, hormonal therapy, as well as treatment for menopause symptoms, urinary issues and pelvic floor dysfunction. Joining long-time VIM nurse-midwife and women’s health volunteer Linda Baxter, CNM, are nurse-midwives Julia Rausch, CNM; Carly Detterman, CNM; and Dr. Joan Lister, OBGYN. Certified pelvic floor fitness professional Sharon True will also provide services.

–E.E.

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Barrington Stage Company receives $1 million gift

Lee and Sydelle Blatt. Photo: Stephen Sorokoff

Pittsfield — Barrington Stage Company has announced the receipt a major gift of $1 million dollars from board member Sydelle Blatt and her husband, Lee. This is the largest gift solely dedicated to new work that Barrington Stage has received in its 25-year history. The gift will create the Sydelle Blatt New Works Commission Program, which, over 10 years, will commission new work as well as support the development and production of new work.

Lee Blatt stated: “After seeing ‘American Underground’ at Barrington Stage this fall, Syd and I knew we had to support Barrington’s new work. It’s the best work we’ve seen in the Berkshires.”

Sydelle Blatt joined the Barrington Stage board in 2002 and serves as its secretary. In 2012, she and her husband gifted Barrington Stage the VFW building, now the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, which houses the 136-seat St. Germain Stage and the 99-seat Mr. Finn’s Cabaret. Sydelle attended Syracuse University, where she met her husband, who went on to found Herley Industries, now Ultra-Herley, a company based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that specializes in supplying microwave and millimeter wave products to defense and aerospace industries.

–E.E.

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Literacy Network of South Berkshire appoints Diane Rosenthal as executive director

Diane Rosenthal. Photo courtesy Literacy Network of South Berkshire

Lee — Literacy Network of South Berkshire welcomes Diane Rosenthal as executive director. An accomplished nonprofit executive with extensive knowledge of adult and youth education, fund development and project management, Rosenthal will be responsible for organizational and program operations.

Previously, Rosenthal served as deputy executive director of Latino U College Access; executive director of the Westchester/Fairfield County chapter of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship; and, for 10 years each, as executive director for Literacy Volunteers of Stamford /Greenwich and the New York Public Library Centers for Reading and Writing. She holds a Master of Science in teaching from Fordham University, completed her doctoral course work in dance history at New York University, and received her Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College. Rosenthal and her husband, Mark Deitch, own a home in Otis and are thrilled to be making this transition to a place that has been special to their family for many years.

–E.E.

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Greylock Federal Credit Union accepting college scholarship applications

Pittsfield — Greylock Federal Credit Union is accepting applications for Community Enrichment Scholarships for students who exemplify positive community spirit, and demonstrate respect and concern for their peers in everything they do. Greylock will award up to two $500 scholarships to college-bound seniors at each public high school in Berkshire County. Applicants must be committed to attend a state-accredited or nationally accredited two- or four-year college/university at the time of the award.

Applications are due by Friday, April 17. For more information, contact jshumsky@greylock.org.

–E.E.

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Berkshire Money Management welcomes Natalie Wheeler as operations manager

Natalie Wheeler. Photo courtesy Berkshire Money Management

Dalton — Berkshire Money Management has announced that Natalie Wheeler has joined its team as operations manager. Prior to joining BMM, Wheeler was the director of office operations at Atlas Private Wealth Management for nine years, during which time she helped spearhead organizational goals and procedures to ensure that all general office and personnel operations ran smoothly across multiple offices. Shee also managed employee benefits and all human resource questions and concerns.

Wheeler is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 29. In her free time, she enjoys playing frisbee with her black lab, Sofia; playing golf; participating in a color runs; or climbing obstacles at an inflatable 5K. She lives in Southern Vermont with her children, Tre and Gianna; and her fiancé, Ryan.

–E.E.