Eversource recognized on Most JUST Companies list

BOSTON — Eversource has again been named among America’s Most JUST Companies, as announced by JUST Capital and CNBC on their “JUST 100” list.

In its fifth consecutive appearance, Eversource is ranked as the No. 3 utility and No. 38 overall on the list, which honors companies that address the business issues that matter most to Americans, including providing worker benefits and work-life balance, protecting customer privacy and minimizing pollution.

“We are proud to be recognized by JUST Capital for the importance of our consistent commitment to our customers, our communities and our environment, as well as the dedicated employees who work tirelessly to make it all possible through their volunteerism, efforts to advance clean energy and in the delivery of safe, reliable energy services,” Eversource Chair, President and CEO Joe Nolan said in a statement. “Operating in an ethically, socially and environmentally responsible manner, doing our part to address climate change, and creating an inclusive workplace that supports and empowers our employees are pillars of our fundamental mission to serve our customers and our communities.”

For the annual rankings, JUST Capital collects and analyzes corporate data to evaluate the 1,000 largest public U.S. companies across 20 issues identified through public opinion research on Americans’ attitudes toward responsible corporate behavior. JUST Capital has engaged more than 170,000 participants since 2015.

450 toys, $1.3K collected for Western Mass Toys for Tots

SPRINGFIELD — Freedom Credit Union collected donations of toys and cash at its branches throughout western Massachusetts in December to support Western Mass Toys for Tots. A total of 450 new, unwrapped toys were collected during the first week of the campaign in time for holiday distribution, and $1,345 was raised in cash donations throughout the month.

“We wanted to make the holidays shine for children in our community, and our members and staff helped us do just that,” Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch said in a statement. “We had fun ‘stuffing’ the van with toys at several branches. It was an honor to support such an incredible organization in its mission to spread joy.”

The mission of the Toys for Tots Foundation is to assist the U.S. Marine Corps in providing tangible signs of hope to disadvantaged children at Christmas. In addition to the toys, funds raised are used for things such as supplementing the collections of local Toys for Tots campaigns, defraying the costs of the campaigns, and providing promotional and support materials.

Western Mass Toys for Tots serves Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties.

Craw named VP for Professional Drywall Construction

SPRINGFIELD — Professional Drywall Construction Inc. (PDC), a commercial drywall company with offices in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York, has hired Timothy Craw as vice president of business development and labor relations.

With 45 years of construction experience in nearly every industry segment, Craw will be responsible for expanding the company’s footprint in all areas of the Atlantic states.

“We could not be more pleased to welcome Tim to the team,” PDC owner Nick Shaink said in a statement. “His demonstrated leadership, unique insights and breadth of capabilities are exactly what we need to help the company reach its current and future growth targets.”

Most recently, Craw was a union business agent and building trades president. In his various positions over the years, Craw has developed and maintained relationships with union and non-union contacts for business development and market expansion; recruited and represented union journeymen and apprentice carpenters in collective bargaining negotiations; mediated contract conflicts; and monitored federal and state public construction projects during the planning, design and bidding processes. Craw received the Carpenters Union Local 108 Steward of the Year Award in 2001.

A graduate of the U.S. Army Engineer School, Craw served six years as a sergeant. He lives in Pittsfield.