BusinessWest announces 40 Under Forty Class of 2024

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest, the business journal of western Massachusetts, recently unveiled its 40 Under Forty Class of 2024, the 18th compilation of rising stars in the local business community.

The Class of 2024 will be celebrated at the annual 40 Under Forty Gala on Thursday, June 20, at 5 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The winner of the annual Alumni Achievement Award, created in 2015 to recognize the 40 Under Forty honoree who has most impressively built upon his or her track record of success in business and in service to the community, will also be announced.

About 110 unique nominations were received for this year’s class, with entries scored by a panel of five judges who weighed everything from career accomplishments to community involvement.

Members of the Class of 2024 represent virtually every sector of the economy. While many are professionals working for area companies large and small, several members are entrepreneurs, launching their own business or nonprofit.

Profiles of each winner can be read in the April 29 issue, or on the magazine’s website, businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40underforty.

The members of the 40 Under Forty Class of 2024 are:

■Shirley Arriaga, state representative, 8th Hampden District.

■Lev BenEzra, executive director, Amherst Survival Center.

■Kara Bombard, marketing manager, Performance Foodservice.

■Dalila Cardona, chief operating officer, YWCA of Western Massachusetts.

■Sean Dolan, general manager, MassMutual Center.

■Nikai Fondon, founder and host, She Did That! podcast.

■Chris Freeman, executive director, The Parlor Room Collective.

■Shannon Glenn, academic coordinator, Gateway to College at Holyoke Community College.

■Scott Gomes-Ganhao, vice president and regional manager, PeoplesBank.

■Chrismery Gonzalez, head of Springfield’s Office of Health and Racial Equity.

■Joesiah Gonzalez, chief philanthropy and communications officer, Home City Development.

■Stephen Holstrom, partner, Bulkley Richardson.

■Nicole Kerrigan, vice president, V&F Auto Inc.

■Mariah Kurtz, owner, Kurtz Consulting.

■Juan Latorre III, principal radio frequency engineer, Verizon.

■Joe Lepper, senior community responsibility consultant, MassMutual.

■Joshua Lively, president, Lively Builders Inc.

■Kenny Lumpkin, owner, Dewey’s Jazz Lounge and All American Bar, Grill & Patio.

■Tiffany Cutting Madru, founder, Analytics Labs.

■Tim McCarthy, executive director, Craig’s Doors.

■Chelsea McGrath, director of operations and finance, Revitalize Community Development Corp.

■Jennifer McGrath, director of philanthropy and community engagement, MGM Springfield.

■Natalie Mercado, CEO, Sweetera & Co.

■Ally Montemagni, social media manager, Baystate Health.

■Payton North, executive editor, Reminder Publishing.

■Kate O’Brien-Scott, West Springfield’s chief of staff and general counsel.

■Yhidda Ocasio, director of youth, violence prevention and court support programs, YWCA of Western Massachusetts.

■Paulette Piñero, CEO, Unstoppable Latina LLC.

■Shavon Prophet, founder and principal, BroadLeaf Advisors.

■Jenna Rahkonen, president, Iron-Lift LLC.

■Mischa Roy, owner, Spill the Tea Sis.

■Tiffany Rufino, youth mental health coalition manager, Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts.

■Media Sehatzadeh, chief dam safety engineer, FirstLight Hydro Generating Co.

■Jennifer Sharrow, associate attorney, Bacon Wilson, P.C.

■Laura Shaw, Holyoke tax collector.

■Kayla Sheridan, marketing director, TommyCar Auto Group.

■Stephanie Slysz, human resources manager, RepresentUs.

■Jordana Starr, president, Western Mass Rabbit Rescue.

■Vilenti Tulloch, CEO, Academic Leadership Association.

■Jen Walts, owner, Wind & Water Doula Care.

Tickets to the 40 Under Forty Gala cost $125 each, with reserved tables of 10 available. For more event details and to reserve tickets, visit businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40underforty.

BusinessWest celebrating 40th anniversary

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest magazine will celebrate its 40th anniversary in the May 13, 2024 edition.

When the magazine, first called the Western Massachusetts Business Journal, made its debut in May 1984, the economy was emerging from an economic downturn and progress was evident, from a new Basketball Hall of Fame on Springfield’s riverfront to the early stages of downtown Northampton’s renaissance.

BusinessWest, as the magazine would soon be known, continued telling those stories on a biweekly basis until 2004, when it became a weekly publication, and then expanded into news delivered digitally at businesswest.com and recognition programs including 40 Under Forty, Difference Makers, Healthcare Heroes and Women of Impact.

The May 13 edition of BusinessWest will commemorate its role as the region’s business voice by detailing four decades of change and evolution within the area business community through dozens of interviews. Filled with photos, happenings, accomplishments, milestones and a timeline of the last 40 years of local business, this issue will feature comprehensive stories that focus on: banking, commercial development, construction, financial services, health care, higher education, manufacturing, nonprofits, professional services, technology and the way we work.

Three businesses honored with Local Hero Awards

SOUTH DEERFIELD — At its annual meeting in April, CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture) presented three local businesses with its Local Hero Awards: D&R Farm, a vegetable and poultry farm in Hampden; Marty’s Local, a full-service food distribution company based in South Deerfield; and Sutter Meats, a whole-animal butcher shop in Northampton.

“Each year, CISA presents Local Hero Awards to three awardees who we are proud to be working alongside to build a better food system,” Claire Morenon, CISA’s communications manager, said in a statement. “We’re honored to have this opportunity to shine a light on all they do and to share their important work with the broader community.”

CISA supporters also elected two new members to CISA’s board of directors: German Alvarado, director of culinary services at Smith College, and Greg Garrison, owner of Northeast Solar.

“CISA’s board is made up of community leaders from across our local food system,” Philip Korman, CISA’s executive director, said in a statement. “We’re delighted to welcome German and Greg. German brings his years of experience in procuring and serving local food in an institutional setting, and Greg is a small business owner well-versed in solar energy and climate change. We are glad to have their leadership skills and life experience join the rest of CISA’s knowledgeable and dedicated board.”

Working Fields announces new business development manager

Working Fields, a mission-based staffing agency headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont, has hired Joe Vadnais as a business development manager at its western Massachusetts office.

Vadnais, who has more than 20 years of experience in sales, marketing and management, was hired in March. In this position, Vadnais will foster relationships and more opportunities for fair chance employment throughout Massachusetts. Vadnais will also lead Working Fields’ expansion into Hampden and Hampshire counties.

Prior to joining Working Fields, Vadnais was a founding member and program manager of My Father’s House, a men’s transitional living home offering care, support and counseling to individuals who are displaced or without housing and seeking life change.

“Having worked in direct service for over a decade, I’m proud to join Working Fields and continue to utilize my experience to serve individuals who may be marginalized because of their past,” Vadnais said in a statement. “I look forward to supporting engaged employers in helping their employees overcome any challenges they may face. Many businesses may not be equipped with tools to help new or existing employees through difficult barriers. This is where we can come in with the resources needed to provide this support.”