Berkshire Business Journal September 2026

Ioka family farm traditions endure As operation turns 90, new generation joins the team. Page 4

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Berkshire Business Journal SEPTEMBER 2026 I VOL. 5, NO. 9

Looking to make some dough?

Crust owner aiming to franchise his fast-casual pizza model By Maryjane Williams The Berkshire Eagle PITTSFIELD — In 2018, Jim Cer-

vone decided he was ready for a change. The former accountant was working in Berkshires real estate at the time, but he’d always known his “true passion” was food. So he started doing the legwork: cooking in his own kitchen, visiting well-known urban pizza shops, testing dough formulas and attending trade shows to prepare for a fast-casual pizza concept of his own. Two years later, as the world was gripped by COVID-19, Cervone was ready. He bet his savings, and the energy he planned to carry into his 60s, on a new pizza shop on Dalton Avenue in Pittsfield. Crust, an assembly-line style pizza shop, opened its doors that August. Nearly six years later, that pandemic-era gamble has grown into something much bigger. Crust, which already has a second location in Williamstown, is now the foundation of a growing franchise model aimed squarely at smallto-mid-sized communities like Pittsfield — and the Berkshires may only be the beginning. BUILT AROUND ONE IDEA: THE BEST PIZZA POSSIBLE From the start, Cervone’s vision centered on a single goal: make the best pizza he could, regardless of cost. He built a recipe around homemade dough, organic sauce and all-natural cheese, then figured out how to sell a 12-inch pizza for $10 or less while still protecting his margins. Rising costs have since pushed that ceiling up to $17. When Crust opened on Aug. 31, 2020, the menu was intentionally narrow. Cervone focused on what he calls “neo-New York style” pizza first, and only added salads once he felt the core product was fully dialed in. The idea for how the restaurant actually runs came from an unlikely source: an airport. Cervone noticed how efficiently fast-casual spots there moved customers through the line, and he built Crust’s entire workflow around that same assembly line model. At the center of it all is the Crust oven, an electric deck oven calibrated to roughly 550 degrees that turns out a pizza in about four minutes with almost

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

Crust pizza restaurant owners Jim Cervone and his wife, Lisa have found success at their restaurants in both Pittsfield and Williamstown and have decided to franchise — offering the chance for others to expand the business into more locations. Crucial to the Crust pizza operation is the electric deck oven calibrated to roughly 550 degrees that turns out a pizza in about four minutes with almost no variability. no variability. The dough follows an equally disciplined process. It’s made in-house, aged for four days, portioned into 11-ounce balls by machine, then pressed flat before being dressed and slid into the oven. “I went to a pizza place… it used a wood-fired oven, and we got one that was not cooked, but we [also] got one that was burnt. And that’s just human error,” Cervone said. “I don’t have this problem here. If the pizza comes out wrong, it’s because we made it wrong. It’s not because the oven screwed up.” A STAFFING MODEL BUILT FOR STUDENTS That same consistency has given Crust an unexpected edge in one of the toughest challeng-

es facing Berkshire restaurants: staffing. Because the process is so standardized, employees don’t need years of culinary experience to get up to speed, which makes it easy to train and rely on high schoolers who are new to the workforce. The result, Cervone said, is a large but flexible labor pool with almost no full-time overhead. Across its two locations, Crust runs payroll for about 35 people, most of them part-time teenagers or college students from local schools and Williams College. Schedules flex around sports and other after-school commitments, with some students working just a couple of hours a week. Between both stores, there is only one fulltime employee: the chef who CRUST, Page 2

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September 2026

Crust FROM PAGE 1

manages the Williamstown location. “These kids are phenomenal,” Cervone said, calling the staff one of the most enjoyable parts of running the business. “These guys get five stars all across the board for service and attitude and everything.” WHY FRANCHISE AND WHY NOW At 65, Cervone is blunt about what he wants next: to keep working and grow the brand, without personally grinding through opening and running every new store himself. About a year ago, Atlanta-based franchise development firm FMS Franchise approached him. After visiting Crust, FMS founder Chris Conner told Cervone the concept could work as a franchise. At the time, Cervone wasn’t ready. But the idea stuck, especially as customers kept suggesting new locations, and as he and his wife, Lisa Cervone, began planning to sell their adjacent frozen yogurt business, Ayelada. So, about three months ago, Crust signed with FMS and finalized its franchise documents. The only marketing so far has been in-store signage, but the company has already fielded inquiries, including a serious prospect in Needham. COST TO OPEN A FRANCHISE Crust is positioning itself as a relatively afforable, high-support franchise within the fast-casual pizza space. Cervone estimates that the total investment to open a new location is between $350,000 and $500,000, depending on the condition of the space. About $150,000 to $175,000 of that covers equipment: two high-heat electric ovens that cost around $20,000 apiece, a high-performance warmer that holds pies at temperature with humidity control and the rest of the kitchen buildout, all detailed in an operations manual Cervone put together himself. The remainder covers construction (walls, HVAC, finishes) plus initial inventory, estimated at about $20,000. Spaces that already have air conditioning and usable infrastructure land toward the lower end of the range; locations needing a full gut renovation land toward the top. Franchisees pay a $30,000 initial fee, which covers training, travel, and setup support, plus an ongoing royalty of 5 percent of gross sales, the only revenue Cervone collects from franchisee sales. FMS receives $7,500 of that initial fee per location sold, in exchange for handling paperwork, vetting and financing coordination. KEEPING EVERY LOCATION CONSISTENT The operations manual spells out everything down to pizza cutters, complete with pricing and sourcing links and specifies preferred vendors for non-core ingredients. Franchisees are required to use the same core suppliers for dough ingredients and cheese, so a Crust pizza in a Boston suburb tastes the same as one in Pittsfield. Cervone is open to using volume to negotiate better pricing that all operators can share, but said he will not take a cut. Pittsfield will remain the flagship store and the center of training. Once a franchise agreement is signed and construction is underway, the owner-operator, a designated manager and a prep chef are expected to spend roughly two weeks working at the Pittsfield location. After reviewing the operations and employee manuals, they will work the line and prep alongside the existing crew, ideally covering at least one busy Friday or Saturday night along with several slower shifts. The goal, Cervone said, is less classroom instruction and more hands-on immersion in the shop’s daily rhythm. In the weeks before a new location opens, Cervone plans to be on-site helping run soft openings, calibrating equipment and adjusting workflow. During opening week, he’ll send one of his own Pittsfield staff members to work alongside the new team. If additional training is needed down the line, new employees can come work at the Pittsfield store until they’re comfortable.

STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

Across its two locations, Crust has about 35 staffers, most of them part-time teenagers or college students from local schools and Williams College. “These kids are phenomenal,” Cervone said, calling the staff one of the most enjoyable parts of running the business. “We’re going to provide as much support as they need,” Cervone said. Some current employees, including several who started at Crust as their first high school job, have expressed interest in stepping into leadership roles as the franchise expands. “We may take kids who’ve been here since they were 15 years old, and now they may really be able to stay in a professional environment going forward,” Cervone said. WHAT FRANCHISEES CAN (AND CAN’T) CHANGE Franchisees won’t have total freedom on the menu, pricing or design. The core menu is expected to match the Pittsfield and Williamstown locations; Cervone said he is open to local specialty items, but they will be treated as exceptions rather than the norm. Pricing will be worked out with Crust, but the goal is to stay close to what Berkshire customers already pay, with a possible slight increase in Boston-adjacent suburbs to reflect higher wages and rent. Store layouts will vary depending on the space, but the overall look and feel, the flooring, the paneling, even the bathrooms, should be designed to feel unmistakably Crust. Within that framework, owners can choose artwork and family-friendly photos that reflect their own communities, Cervone said. THE NONNEGOTIABLES Cervone’s standards haven’t changed since day one: in-house, four-day aged dough; higher-quality ingredients; no frozen shortcuts; and strict adherence to the systems that let him sell what he considers top-tier pizza at a price that competes with more conventional shops. “SBA will finance these things if you need financing,” Cervone said. “So you could get into these things without a tremendous amount of money put down, and we’re going to make sure you’re not going to fail.” The ideal market, he said, looks a lot like Pittsfield: a city of roughly 35,000 to 60,000 residents, not much larger, to keep rent manageable, ideally near a high school or college, somewhere in New England. “I think the ideal person is somebody who’s entrepreneurial, but needs support and has a passion for food on some level, and would like to own their own business,” Cervone said. “It’s an easy business to understand, and I think it’s an easy business to run as long as you follow the playbook.” His goal for the next five years is

about 15 stores. FMS believes the concept could eventually support 50 to 60 locations. But Cervone said he’s willing to stop well short of that if growth ever threatens the quality of the original shop on Dalton Avenue. He’s blunt about what he sees elsewhere in the industry. At trade shows, he said, he’s watched other pizza operators quietly cut corners, switching

from high-quality cheese to cheaper alternatives, or outsourcing dough to a co-packer instead of making it in-house. “As soon as you cut that corner, you start to move toward your competitors,” Cervone said. “My mission here is to never cut that corner and always stay within that quality. And if we can’t do that, we won’t expand anymore.”

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September 2026

At 90, Ioka family farm traditions endure By Jane K aufman HANCOCK — Brother and sister

Josh and Martha Leab have both bought into Ioka Valley Farm, officially making the 700-acre farm a four-generation endeavor as it celebrates 90 years. “I tried to work somewhere else and it just didn’t work out for me,” Martha Leab, 23, the youngest of the five owners of Ioka Valley Farm, told The Eagle. “I love the maple season, for the most part, and I wanted to stay with the farm. But I enjoy doing all of the hard work around the edges between growing the corn, pumpkins, our Christmas trees.” At the farm’s 90th anniversary celebration last month, Josh Leab, 27, was leading hourly tours while Martha Leab was in the kitchen cutting and serving cake to people. Their mother, Missy Leab, announced events, the “no-hands” pie-eating contest, sack races that attracted an 87-year-old contender, hay bale throwing and tours of the sugar house, with its gargantuan evaporator and one of its 9,000-gallon stainless steel holding tanks on view along with fat blue piping. Josh took some pride in telling family stories about the history of the farm, including its silos and changing technology, showing educational exhibits for children, and relating how the farm has diversified from the dairy farm that was started by his great-grandparents, Dorothy and Robert Leab. Ioka Valley Farm is the

JANE KAUFMAN

Martha and Josh Leab are fourth generation owners of Ioka Valley Farm in Hancock. Other owners are their parents, Rob and Missy Leab, as well as their grandfather, Don. state’s largest maple syrup producer, tapping 16,000 trees. In the last season, the farm collected 338,000 gallons of sap, which boiled down to 7,500 gallons of syrup. Missy Leab said she was excited that both of her children are stepping up to take on the business. “We are working at enrolling the two of them in an opportunity of a mentor and peer group

for fellow farmers, and hopefully that will help them add to our business plan and create what their mark and their legacy will be,” she said, referring to a program offered by Berkshire Agricultural Ventures and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ Farm Pass program, which works with generational farms to transition ownership. Dorothy and Robert Leab bought 250 acres of what is

now Ioka Valley Farm in 1936 and established it as a dairy farm by driving 13 head of thoroughbred Holsteins over Brodie Mountain Road. “Hard working,” is how Marjorie Leab Feathers, their second-oldest daughter, remembers her parents. “Daddy was a dairy farmer, and he had no help,” she said. “So you milk cows in the morning, you milk cows in the evening, and you do all the other

work in between.” Feathers remembers sitting in the bed of the family’s Chevrolet pickup trucks on visits to family in Lanesborough, Pittsfield or Dalton. “On Sundays, I think everybody came here,” she said. “Daddy was one of 10 kids, and a lot of them, brothers and sisters and families, would come and visit. ... This place was hopping with family on Sundays. Supper time would come and mom would say, “OK, go count how many are here and set the table.’” Don Leab, who bought his parents’ dairy farm 30 years after his father started the business, is now a one-fifth owner with his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. His first foray at diversifying came with the pumpkin. “I was brought up that either you grew a pumpkin, or somebody gave you a pumpkin, or you don’t have a pumpkin,” he said. “And people actually came and gave me money for these stupid things, and it grew like crazy. We were big in the pumpkin business.” Then came Christmas trees. Next, his son, Rob Leab, added maple sugaring. “So we built a little sugar house, and that just grew,” he said, “Everything started looking positive except for the dairy.” In 1996, Don sold the dairy herd, rebuilt barns and switched to raising beef cattle, which Ioka Valley Farm still has today. What’s Don’s vision for the future? “Hope for it to continue going,” he said.

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Business updates NORTH ADAMS

MountainOne contributes $50,000 for scholarships The Quincy College Foundation, the nonprofit charitable arm of Quincy College, has partnered with MountainOne Bank to provide student scholarship support totaling $50,000 over five years. More than 75 percent of Quincy College students receive some form of financial assistance, underscoring the importance of scholarship support in helping students complete their education. This partnership strengthens access to higher education and highlights the important role community partnerships play in supporting student success. The annual scholarships will help reduce financial barriers for students who might otherwise be forced to delay or discontinue their education. Quincy College students will be selected through an application and review process conducted by a selection committee. With MountainOne Bank’s annual contributions continuing through 2030, several students will be able to continue their academic journeys with reduced financial barriers. SPRINGFIELD

NEPM newsroom earns 3 awards for excellence New England Public Media’s newsroom received three 2026 Public Media Journalists Association Awards, recognizing excellence in public media reporting, storytelling and public service journalism among similarly sized newsrooms nationwide. Senior reporter Karen Brown earned second place in the enterprise category for “High Stakes: Gambling Addiction, Beyond Borders,” a threepart series examining the public health movement to address gambling addiction in Massachusetts and across the United States, while exploring lessons from gambling regulation models in Norway and the United Kingdom. Reporter Nirvani Williams earned second place in the national feature category for “‘Now I feel complete.’ One man’s journey to reunite with children amidst Trump immigration crackdown.” The story follows a father’s effort to reunite with children he reluctantly left behind in Afghanistan after fleeing the Taliban and resettling in the United States through the refugee program. The story highlights the broader challenges facing immigrants and refugees navigating U.S. immigration policy. The piece also received first place for excellence in audio news reporting from the Religion News Association. Former NEPM senior reporter Nancy Eve Cohen received first place in the enterprise category for “Investigations into Catholic dioceses changed laws in other states and Mass. victims want the same.” The story examined how investigations into clergy sexual abuse have prompted legislative reform elsewhere and why advocates are pushing for similar changes in Massachusetts. LANESBOROUGH

Wind Power Cooperative awards two scholarships The Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative Corp. has awarded $1,000 scholarships to two members of the Mount Greylock Regional High School Class of 2026. The scholarships support qualifying Berkshire County seniors planning to attend a two- or four-year college or trade school. This year’s recipients are Cora Chaney and Thomas Warren, both of Lanesborough. Chaney will attend Berkshire Community College and major in criminology. In high school, she was a member of the cheerleading squad and served

as a teaching assistant in the school’s library. Warren will attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst and major in physics. While at Mount Greylock, he served as captain of the track and field and basketball teams, participated in chess club and chorus, and was a member of the National Honor Society. The cooperative owns and operates the Berkshire Wind Power Project, a 12 turbine, 19.6-megawatt wind farm located on Brodie Mountain in Hancock and Lanesborough. LEE

Lee Bank board names five new corporators Lee Bank’s board of trustees elected five new corporators at its recent annual meeting. The new corporators, nominated by the board’s Governance Committee, are Adrienne L. Arnold, Christian Bianchi, Robin Helfand, Bruce Marzotto, and Liana Toscanini. Arnold, of Housatonic, is a partner at Considine, Arnold & Schopp LLP. Bianchi, of Pittsfield, is CEO and executive director of the Berkshire Family YMCA and previously held leadership roles at the Brien Center. Helfand, of Sheffield, is founder of RH Consulting and former owner of Robin’s Candy. Marzotto, of Great Barrington, is a former senior vice president of commercial lending at Lee Bank and currently serves as treasurer of the BCArc board of directors. Toscanini, of Sandisfield, is founder and former executive director of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires. She previously worked with Community Access to the Arts and was recognized as South Berkshire Chamber Business Person of the Year. Corporators represent a cross-section of Lee Bank’s depositors and the broader Berkshire County community. They elect trustees and officers of Berkshire Financial Services, Lee Bank’s holding company, and approve changes to the bank’s bylaws or corporate structure. Corporators do not have a financial stake in the corporation. For a full list of Lee Bank corporators and trustees, visit tinyurl. com/4vhp7bbm. PITTSFIELD

Coolidge Hill Foundation grants nonprofits $151K The Coolidge Hill Foundation recently approved $151,000 in grants during its annual grant approval meeting at Greylock Federal Credit Union’s Community Empowerment Center, 75 Kellogg St. Organizations seeking funding must submit an application, financial information, and details about programs that support the foundation’s mission of serving Berkshire County children with mental, physical or emotional disabilities. Grant recipients include Berkshire South Regional Community Center, Blue Rider Stables, Gladys Allen Brigham Center, Community Access to the Arts, Elizabeth Freeman Center, Feronia Forward, Berkshire County Kids’ Place, Pediatric Development Center, and UCP of Western Massachusetts. For more information, visit the Coolidge Hill Foundation’s Facebook page. PITTSFIELD

Greylock FCU awards $20.5K in scholarships Greylock Federal Credit Union awarded a total of $20,500 in scholarships to 31 students in recognition of excellence and achievement. Scholarships may be used toward tuition at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or a full-time technical school program. Twenty-one students in Berkshire County and Columbia County, N.Y.,

received a $500 Community Enrichment Scholarship for demonstrating community spirit and respect and care for peers. Another 10 students received $1,000 Scholastic Achievement Awards, designated for children of Greylock employees. Community Enrichment Scholarship recipients are Bishop Casey and Dareen Hage, BART Charter School; Matthew Howland and Carson Daniel Rylander, Drury High School; Ava McLear, Hoosac Valley High School; Amelia Coco Gilardi and Brooklynn K. Lamke, Lenox Memorial High School; Gabrielle Driscoll and Gianna C. Jacobbe, McCann Technical School; Luka Kononenko, Monument Mountain Regional High School; Sophie DelMasto, Mount Everett Regional School; Frances Evans and Roman Nixon, Mount Greylock Regional School; Simon Mele and Kyana Summers, Pittsfield High School; Edward P. Ferris and Catherine Napravnick-Valero, Taconic High School; Elizabeth Connor and Mia Jane Viola, Wahconah Regional High School; Jordan Sotek, New Lebanon (N.Y.) High School; and Jacqueline Alexandra Stoddard, Taconic Hills Central School in Craryville, N.Y. Scholastic Achievement Award recipients are Nicolina Paredes and Kobby Asard, PHS; Ella Gaffey and Noah Kanelos, McCann; Jacob Vermette, Ludlow High School; Jason McNulty, Wahconah; Connor Hinkell, Drury; Alexis Masten, Lee High School; Ella Stodden, Taconic High School; and Kennedy Whitley, Hoosac. Information: Greylock.org/scholarship.

PITTSFIELD

Sheriff’s staffers trained in mental health first aid Berkshire Community College, in partnership with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and 2nd Street Second Chances, recently conducted mental health first aid training for the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office. The course taught participants how to identify risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for helping someone in both crisis and noncrisis situations, and where to turn for help. The training is part of an effort to increase support services for Berkshire residents and their loved ones affected by substance use, as well as furthering public safety overdose initiatives. These initiatives, set forth by the National Association of County and City Health Officials, are funded by the Remaining Health and Public Safety Overdose Initiatives Grant. The grant allocated $10,700 for the Berkshires project. “This collaboration with BCC, 2nd Street and the Sheriff’s Office is a critical step in increasing support for families affected by a loved one’s substance use and incarceration. Through this training, we are equipping the staff with stronger tools to help guide family and friends in recognizing the early signs of substance use disorder, setting necessary boundaries, and effectively connecting their loved ones to essential care,” said Andy Ottoson, senior public health planner at BRPC, in a prepared statement.

GREAT BARRINGTON

Renovated Fairview lab dedicated to Gene Dellea Berkshire Health Systems has dedicated the renovated Fairview Hospital Laboratory to Eugene Dellea, the longtime former president of Fairview and Hillcrest hospitals and a BHS senior leader for decades, honoring his legacy of service to health care in Berkshire County. The Gene Dellea Laboratory was dedicated June 29 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Dellea’s family and friends, local officials, BHS trustees and staff, and Fairview employees. Speakers highlighted Dellea’s decades of service to health care in Berkshire County and his lasting impact on patients and the community. Dellea also received a special citation recognizing his lifelong commitment to the health and wellness of Berkshire County residents. The renovation was made possible by a $1 million anonymous donation and includes upgraded infrastructure, new diagnostic technology and equipment, and a more convenient location for patients and staff. Fairview’s laboratory serves nearly 30,000 people annually. PITTSFIELD

BCC offering workshop in bartending/mixology Berkshire Community College Workforce and Community Education department will offer a seven-week bartending and mixology workshop from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, Sept. 21 through Nov. 2, at the Polish Falcon Club, 32 Bel Air Ave. Participants will learn the fundamental principles of mixology, bar organization and equipment, including how to properly prepare and serve mixed drinks, cocktails and wines. A review of the legal ramifications of serving alcohol will also be covered. Registrants must be at least 18 and have a valid Massachusetts ID. The fee is $189. To register and view additional professional development workshops, visit tinyurl.com/ur9rw2wx. For community education workshops, visit berkshirecc.edu/workshops.

A free monthly publication by The Berkshire Eagle 75 South Church Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 Visit berkshirebusinessjournal.com for advertising information and to subscribe. NEWS DEPARTMENT 413-447-7311 news@berkshireeagle.com ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT AMY FILIAULT, Advertising Manager 413-496-6322 afiliault@berkshireeagle.com CHERYL GAJEWSKI, Director of Advertising Sales 413-841-6789, 413-496-6330 cmcclusky@berkshireeagle.com Share your news with the Berkshire Business Journal. If you have a company promotion, a new business or a new venture, let the Berkshires know about it. Remember the 5 Ws and that briefer is better. Email text and photos to BBJ@newenglandnewspapers.com. Provide your expertise in the Berkshire Business Journal. Do you have the answer to a persistent question about business and the Berkshires? Do you have ideas and suggestions on how our business community can grow? If you have a comment to make about doing business in the Berkshires or if you’re looking to raise an issue with the business community, this is the venue for that. We welcome letters up to 300 words and commentary up to 600 words. Send these to BBJ@newenglandnewspapers.com. Berkshire Business Journal is published monthly by New England Newspapers Inc., 75 S. Church St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Periodicals postage paid at Pittsfield, MA 01201. Berkshire Business Journal is delivered free to businesses in Berkshire County via third class mail. Additional distribution is made via drop-off at select area newsstands. The publisher reserves the right to edit, reject or cancel any advertisement at any time. Only publication of an advertisement shall constitute final acceptance of an advertiser’s order. All contents are copyrighted by New England Newspapers Inc.

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September 2026

Mausert Block to host new restaurants

JANE KAUFMAN

From left, Stephen Stenson with Tim Samson and Seth Martin at the Mausert Block in Adams. Stenson is the owner of the building. Samson will be the owner of The Burrito Bowl. Martin will own Zep’s Pizzeria. The restaurants are set to open in the fall. By Jane Kaufman The Berkshire Eagle ADAMS — Two locally owned restaurants are set to anchor the redeveloped Mausert Block after developer Stephen Stenson secured new tenants for the downtown building’s first-floor commercial space. Stenson has already invested $1.8 million on the building at 19 Park St., gutting it down to its studs and converting 18 smaller apartments into 10, two-bedroom units. Now he’s begun a $400,000 renovation of the building’s first-floor commercial space, originally built for an F.W. Woolworth store, to create two restaurants: Zep’s Pizzeria, which will be owned by Seth Martin, and The Burrito Bowl, which will be owned by Tim Samson. With a $250,000 small-business loan from the Franklin County Community Development Corp., Stenson plans to move forward once he receives a special permit and sign variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals, along with site plan approval from the Planning Board. Stenson had previously lined up Door Prize and Hexagon Bagels as tenants in 2023, but both ultimately opened brickand-mortar restaurants in North Adams. Stenson recently gave a tour of the space that he designed specifically for his newest restaurant partners with their input. “COVID has changed restaurants,” he said, noting that COVID brought on staffing issues and that fewer people sit down to eat in restaurants now. Takeout has become more common. Stenson went about designing compact footprints for the two restaurants, with just eight seats at the Burrito Bowl and 14 at Zep’s Pizzeria. Both restaurants are designed so that a single person could run them. The counter will be the centerpiece of both, with takeout designed to be a key component of each business. “We’ve designed it so we have maximum flexibility,” Stenson said. For exam-

GILLIAN HECK

The original subfloor at the Mausert Block dates to 1901. It survived a gut down to the studs to reimagine the space as two restaurants. ple, pizza restaurants require a less intensive type II kitchen hood, but Stenson is installing a type I hood, in case the menu changes for that restaurant. “It’s a little bit higher grade, and we got the largest hood we could for the burrito place.” Stephen and Holly Stenson purchased the building for $60,000 in 2011 after its asking price had dropped and then the building was foreclosed on and condemned for lack of a second egress. “It has pretty good bones in it,” Stenson recalled thinking at the time. “It needs a lot of work, but the basics are there.” Stenson said the issue with the property was there was too much retail space in the building’s footprint. They reduced the retail space from 9,000 square feet to less than 7,500 square feet, partly so they wouldn’t have to install a commercial sprinkler system. Before the renovation, the Mausert Block accounted for roughly 10 percent

of downtown Adams’ retail space, Stenson said. Now, The Burrito Bowl will operate in 900 square feet and Zep’s Pizzeria will have 1,250 square feet. The entire space has been stripped down to the original wood sub-flooring dating to 1901, which is holding up 125 years later. Studs and wiring are exposed and fixtures are not yet in place, but the walls have been created. Stenson said he hopes construction finishes by fall so both restaurants will be able to move in. He has experience with this kind of fast-track restaurant design, he said,creating restaurants in London that took just six months to get up and running. They’ve taken old buildings in deteriorated condition, gutted them and redeveloped them into affordable and market-rate housing in both North Adams and Adams.

“You solve a lot more problems that way,” he said. “It’s a lot more money, but you don’t have anything hidden, so you’re unlikely to have any problems.” When Stenson first contacted Zep’s Pizzeria owner Martin about opening a pizzeria, Martin said he was interested, but the timing was off. Then Stenson called him again eight months ago. “Yeah, why not?” he recalls telling Stenson. “Let’s have an adventure.” Martin, 44, grew up in Plainfield and graduated from Mohawk Trail Regional High School. “I’ve been in and out of pizza and carpentry my entire life,” he said. He’s opened four pizzerias in Memphis and Massachusetts, but this will be the first one he’ll own. He’ll make his own dough and sauce. “Pizza by the slice is going to be big,” Martin said. “Just classic New York-inspired thin-crust pizza made with good ingredients. You can say nothing more until it’s sitting right in front of you.” He said he’s expecting a busy lunch crowd for pizzas, grinders and salad. Burrito Bowl owner Samson, 40, will staff the Tex-Mex-style restaurant full time alongside his fiancee, Kiersten Thomann. He said he hopes to have his niece and nephews work the front line, where customers will choose their toppings for burritos, bowls and salads. “I grew up in Adams since I was a little kid,” said Samson, who ran the PitchFork on Commercial Street in 2022. “It would be an honor to have a restaurant in my hometown. That has been the ultimate goal, to have the place that everybody loves and goes to.” He’s worked out the numbers and has an $80,000 small business loan from Franklin County Community Development Corp. to pay for equipment. Stenson remembers that prior to COVID there were six downtown restaurants open at night. “This could bring that back a little bit,” he said. “It should be a major change to the town in the evening.”

September 2026

Berkshire Business Journal

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Highland devotees line up for last meal

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

Diners line up for what would be the final meal served at The Highland Restaurant in Pittsfield after 90 years in business. By Tara Monastesse PITTSFIELD — At 3 years old, Scot

Cunningham had his first-ever plate of spaghetti and meatballs at The Highland Restaurant. It was 1957. Now 72, Cunningham was the first person in line outside the Fenn Street restaurant on recent Thursday afternoon. He was an hour early, but he needed to be. By the time the Highland opened for business, the line behind him stretched down the sidewalk — and every person in it was just as determined as he was to get their last fill of the restaurant’s signature dishes. “There’s no other place like this,” Cunningham said. “This’ll be the end of an era. Sad to see it go. Again, there’s nothing like it and nothing that can replace it.” On Aug. 2, the restaurant announced it would be closing for good by the end of the month. Indeed, this would be the last service. While waiting to grab a seat at one of the restaurant’s wooden booths, there was plenty of time for customers to look back at what the Highland had meant to them over the years as they leaned against the restaurant’s brick-and-stone facade. Kellie Perrault, the mother of triplets, never hesitated to give her sons some spare cash for a Highland meal. “It wasn’t just school lunch money, you know,” she said. “They needed extra money so they could come over and get this. And I never minded paying it, because I knew they were getting good quality food.” And for Shirley DiNicola, 84, the decision to hold her wedding

Under the shadow of its imminent closure, diners flocked to The Highland restaurant in Pittsfield last month to get a final taste of the food that has been served at the Fenn Street eatery since 1936. reception there was a no-brainer: “The food was awesome.” Once the front doors opened, the restaurant came alive with the kind of mayhem that delicious food tends to bring. As tables and stools filled up, the kitchen staff turned out a steady stream of salads, pasta bowls and platters of bread and butter. Customers waiting for tables lined the walls and, still, the line spilled out onto the sidewalk. The Highland began, and ended, as a family-owned business. The trio of Arace brothers running the place — Pasquale, Gerardo and Dario — took over

“There’s no other place like this.” Scot Cunningham, longtime Highland patron as owners in 1996 following the death of their father, Leone Arace. Pasquale, citing a family preference to keep the owners out of the spotlight, declined to comment. “They’re great bosses,” said Cathy Warrior, who’s been an employee for nearly 30 years. “They’ve worked very hard all

their lives. They have a great family. And they deserve every bit of their retirement.” When it comes to Highland dishes, every diner has a loyal favorite. Some waiting in Thursday’s line swear by the spaghetti and mushrooms. Others said you can’t go wrong with the classic spaghetti and meatballs, which comes piled into a precarious mountain that waitstaff skillfully bring to customers without spilling a drop of sauce. Then there’s the fried scallop fans, the chicken parmesan enthusiasts, and the eggplant parmesan devotees — as many factions as there are menu

items. The team of servers ferrying platters and bowls to hungry customers includes some who’ve spent decades weaving between the Highland’s tables to take orders. “I could always count on The Highland being busy,” said Gail Krumpholz, who’s waitressed there for nearly 40 years. “I was able to keep a mortgage, car, raise my daughter, all on what I was doing here.” “They’ve been with me through my good times and some of my darkest hours,” Krumpholz said of her fellow staff. “So it was always a place where I was very comfortable being. And I knew that I would be supported.” With each night possibly being the Highland’s last, customers were more conscious of its legacy than ever. “It’s just really sad to see it go,” said Paul Colombari, who stopped by for a meal with his wife. “We both came here with our parents when we were young, and we’ve seen so many restaurants come and go over the years.” As the owner of Papa Joe’s Ristorante and Pizzeria, Colombari said he understood how difficult it’s become to maintain a family-owned restaurant in the city. “Pittsfield, sad to say, it’s not what it used to be,” he said. “And I just remember when I first opened back in ’86 … it was hundreds of pizzas going to [General Electric employees] every lunchtime, weekly. A lot of that business is gone. That’s what everybody depended on.”

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September 2026

Upscale, all-day dining at former bank By Ben Niewoehner

Main & Mill will not close at all during the day, to give people more food choices in lesscommon eating window.

NORTH ADAMS — Just four months ago,

Colleen and Sean Taylor returned The Store at Five Corners in South Williamstown to business. Now, the sibling duo has opened Main & Mill, a restaurant in the heart of North Adams. “I don’t care who you are,” said Colleen Taylor. “[Two restaurants in one year] is a big feat.” Located at 90 Main St., Main & Mill soft-opened to the public on Aug. 4. The restaurant serves upscale, modern American cuisine, and is open seven days a week. Main & Mill will not close at all during the day, to give people more food choices in less-common eating windows, Taylor said. A continental-style breakfast menu with muffins and pastries is available between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m., complete with a full barista bar. “We’re hoping that it turns into a coffee place like Tunnel City in the morning,” Colleen Taylor said. Lunch is served beginning at 11 a.m. and dinner at 4:30 p.m., according to Taylor. Wine and beer are also available, and the full menu is on the restaurant’s website. According to executive chef Anna Smith, many of the entrees make creative spins on traditional options, such as a chicken katsu dish that plays on fried chicken. Smith is excited to work with local farmers to build her flavors entirely from scratch. “It’s 100 percent our goal, to be uplifting other businesses and supporting the area, sharing growth for everyone,” she said. For the Taylors, Main & Mill is just the latest in a long string of Berkshire restaurants. The pair currently own the Freight Yard Pub, Trail House Kitchen & Bar, Craft Food Barn, the Store at Five Corners, and Berkshire Catering Company. Many Main & Mill employees have worked at other Taylor-owned restaurants, including sous chef Mason Fields,

GILLIAN HECK

Colleen Taylor has been running restaurants in the Berkshires for over 30 years, and she is excited about Main & Mill, her newest venture. who cooked at the Trail House. However, the Taylors were a recent addition to the development of 90 Main St., the former home to TD Bank. Five years ago, the bank closed and the building sold for $600,000 to Ginkgo Main Line LLC, a company managed by Jack Wadsworth. Wadsworth and his family own The Porches in North Adams, as well

as the Fresh Grass Foundation. The Wadsworths partnered initially to develop 90 Main St. with architects Karla Rothstein and Salvatore Perry, who jointly own Greylock Works in North Adams and the New York City-based architecture firm Latent Productions. The Taylors had long known the Wadsworths, as well as Rothstein and Perry.

In September, Jack Wadsworth “casually mentioned” to Colleen Taylor the possibility of transforming the first floor of 90 Main St. into a restaurant. Then, in January, Taylor helped Rothstein and Salvatore map out a kitchen. “I was thinking I might get asked [to run something],” she said. This spring, construction began, transforming the long-vacant space. Rothstein, a professor of architecture at Columbia University, led much of the design process. “She’s brilliant,” Colleen Taylor said. The bank’s original, open-concept footprint remains. Guests, who are primarily seated in the center of the large space, can peer into the kitchen, which is in a built-out section in the corner of the restaurant. A sleek, full-stocked bar has been built up on the old bank teller’s desk. Outdoor seating is also available along Main Street. The Taylors signed an official lease to run the restaurant in mid-May, and Colleen Taylor took over day-to-day operations in July, preparing for an August 4 soft opening. A grand opening is scheduled for August 20. Between now and then, the chefs will tweak the menu and the staff will iron out logistics, Taylor said. Revitalizing the city center is what made the opportunity too good for the Taylors to pass up, even as their project at Five Corners unfolded almost simultaneously. “[Being] downtown was really important to us,” Colleen Taylor said. “This particular spot next to this entrance had been vacant for a while, so to bring life down to this section was intentional.”

Hat shop’s artsy vibe a good fit for downtown involves sewing together pieces of fabric in materials like NORTH ADAMS — Patricia Welch cotton or wool. Hoping to stock has always had a do-it-your- straw hats, she called a suppliself streak. In her teens, she er who told her, “We don’t carhad long hair that would get ry straws anymore.” snarled every time she rode a Welch took matters into her motorcycle or convertible. own hands, teaching herself “So I made a little bonnet how to make straw hats from just to keep my hair contained, blanks (shapeless woven buckso it wouldn’t get all snarled,” ets made of straw or, these days, she said. She kept making hats Japanese paper) by wetting, ever since. shaping and decorating them. In July, she opened Tip Top She doesn’t see challenges Hats, where she sells her hand- such as these as evidence that made creations. hatmaking is dying. She susWelch got the idea for the store pects that happened long ago. after seeing a “for rent” sign at “People think that it was the 16 Eagle St. in North Adams ear- Kennedys that really killed the lier this year. Having owned a hat industry. [John F. Kennehat shop in Gloucester from 1990 dy’s] hair was always blowing in to 2000 and the wind and retired from [Jackie] prether career as She is catering, not to ty much only an exhibition wore a pilldesigner, she the businessman or box,” she said. was looking She is caterfor something politician, but instead ing not to the to do besides businessman to a completely new “cooking and or politician, housekeeping audience. but instead to and making a completely curtains and new audience. going to the supermarket.” “Painters, poets, musicians: The owner of the space — who They [are] really my clients,” also owns Jack’s Hot Dog Stand she said. Although, she said, — liked her idea and Tip Top she has at least one politician Hats opened its doors on July 3. patron. “Andrew Fitch is a hat Most of the hats are hand lover,” she said. “I know exactmade by Welch, with a limited ly his style and I promised him selection from other makers. that when I block anything in his Increasingly, however, she is style, I’ll show him first.” relying on her own skills, more The sensibility of hats as a out of necessity than choice. piece of artistic inspiration is Until opening the store, Welch reflected in her designs. How exclusively made hats using about a dreamy five-panel cap flat-patterning, a method that in yellow tie-dye fabric or a sun By Juno Pelczar

GILLIAN HECK

Patricia Welch has opened Tip Top Hats on Eagle Street in North Adams, which features handmade and designer hats that Welch has curated. hat fit for the Kentucky Derby? For the more adventurous, perhaps a magenta top hat with red decorative stitching ready for Mardi-Gras. Even an unassuming grey cloche in one corner reveals statement buttons upon closer inspection. The price range is reasonable with options under three digits. The store’s artsy vibe meets the moment that Eagle Street is having. In April, Jared Shockcor opened Mastic, a boutique just next door citing the street’s

charm and “momentum.” “There’s a nice enthusiasm here, like this street is becoming a type of community,” Welch said. It’s not only her neighbors who are enthusiastic: she says that the hats are selling well. “[On First Friday] I was flabbergasted,” she said. “I sold so many hats, my head was spinning.” Welch is already thinking about what’s next for Tip Top Hats. “I’d like to teach young people — high school, junior

high — how to make really simple hats that can be given away to people who need a warm hat,” she said. She is also considering making custom hats. “I used to be such a perfectionist, I got my own way, so I did not like to do custom work — but, I might.” As for her own taste in hats, she likes natural fibers, ideally 100 percent wool. And, she said, “I hope this winter we don’t see everybody wearing a beanie.”

September 2026

Berkshire Business Journal

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Berkshire Business Journal

September 2026

Aura all day: From coffee to cocktails By Tara Monastesse PITTSFIELD — Even though Megan Gomez has opened a restaurant before, she still felt some first-day jitters on the opening day for Aura. “It’s still nerve-racking. It’s still terrifying,” she said. “But seeing people come in and enjoy what we have spent four months putting together, it’s like that sigh of relief.” Aura, a new “coffee and cocktails” concept, opened at 41 North St. last month. The daytime menu features breakfast fare, sandwiches and salads, as well as coffee, pastries and smoothies. In the evening, the food menu switches to a wide range of tapas dishes. Draft cocktails are also available. Newly renovated, the space offers a variety of seating options, including tables, booths, couches and bar seating. It’s designed with casual dining in mind, whether customers are catching up with a friend over coffee or hunkering down with a laptop to get some work done. Gomez, who has run the Italian-fusion restaurant Sibaritas alongside her husband, chef Ronald Gomez, since 2021, said the goal of Aura is to create a relaxed, comfortable energy for patrons. “It’s a nice space to sit and relax and enjoy your time and your mornings, and meet up for coffees,” Gomez said. “You can sit and take your time and you don’t have to worry about us kicking you out.” Before Aura moved in, the formerly vacant storefront had been home to Placita Latina. Before that, it served as the former J. Allen’s Clubhouse Grille. There are QR codes at each table for easy ordering, which Gomez suggested might be useful for customers who don’t want their focus interrupted during a work session. Some former breakfast items from Sibaritas’ first location on East Street

TALIA LISSAUER

Aura’s newly renovated Pittsfield space offers a variety of seating options, including tables, booths, couches and bar seating. will be making a return, including a few familiar smoothies and the “Joey” fried egg sandwich. The evening tapas menu includes a variety of options, including Italian dishes, seafood, bourguignon stew, short rib hand pies and more. As the restaurant finds its footing in the weeks to come, Gomez said the

kitchen staff are open to suggestions when it comes to how certain menu items are served. “Starting off a restaurant and opening the first day, you’ll always have hiccups,” she said. “Great business owners are open to suggestions.” The restaurant will be open every day except Tuesday.

Brunch offerings will be served from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The kitchen will take a break in the late afternoon before reopening from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, dinner hours will extend to midnight. “We’re just excited to give the community another place to hang out and help North Street grow,” Gomez said.

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September 2026

Cybersecurity crucial to manufacturing Sinicon Plastics has been part of the Berkshire Innovation Center since the beginning. The company was one of our founding members, and its president, David Allen, was part of the group of regional business leaders who Ben Sosne helped turn the original idea News from the BIC for the BIC into a reality. Over the years, we have worked with Sinicon in a number of different ways and watched the company grow into one of Berkshire County’s most impressive manufacturers. Sinicon manufactures millions of highly engineered components each year for customers in the medical, military, aerospace and industrial sectors. As the company has grown and taken on increasingly sophisticated work, it has also navigated increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity requirements, particularly those associated with the defense industrial base. Working alongside Sinicon and our partners at Synagex, we had an opportunity to see firsthand what it takes for a manufacturer to evaluate those requirements, build upon its existing systems and practices, make meaningful investments, and strengthen its cybersecurity posture. The process was important for Sinicon, but it was also an incredibly valuable learning experience for us at the BIC. We spend a great deal of time thinking about barriers that prevent good companies from growing — access to sophisticated equipment, workforce, capital, technical expertise or simply finding the right partner at the right moment. Our work with Sinicon helped us understand that cybersecurity increasingly belongs on that list — not only for companies doing defense work, but for manufacturers across sectors where customers, supply chains, and technologies are demanding ever greater levels of security. That experience helped lead us toward development of the BIC Cybersecurity Learning and Testing Facility, a new regional initiative supported through federal funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The project will create a shared environment where manufacturers can better understand cybersecurity requirements, engage with tools and subject-matter experts, participate in workshops and demonstrations, and take practical steps toward strengthening their cybersecurity readiness. This project would not be moving forward without U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, who recognized the opportunity and secured the federal support necessary to make it happen. Neal has been a tremendous partner to the BIC and to economic-development efforts throughout Western Massachusetts, and this investment is another example of his ability to bring federal resources home and put them to work building longterm economic capacity. We have also benefited from the support and guidance of state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, who serves as House chair of the

Small and midsized companies face significant costs and complexity as they respond to increasingly demanding cybersecurity requirements.

STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal speaks during an event in March at the Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield. Neal fended off a challenge from a younger candidate Seth Moulton to retain his seat representing the 1st Congressional District in Massachusetts in the U.S. House. Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity and has been particularly helpful as we think through how this project can best serve the region. Neal’s support for cybersecurity initiatives in Springfield also presents an opportunity to connect complementary capabilities across Western Massachusetts and approach this challenge regionally. The timing is important. Earlier this summer, the commonwealth’s Shield Working Group released a report outlining a strategy for strengthening Massachusetts’ defense and national security ecosystem. Shield — Strategic Hub for Innovation, Exchange and Leadership in Defense — describes an ecosystem stretching “from Boston to the Berkshires” that generates nearly $50 billion in annual economic output and supports more than 130,000 jobs. Here in the Berkshires, we don’t need to look far to understand the importance of that sector. General Dynamics Mission Systems in Pittsfield is one of the commonwealth’s major anchors, supported by a network of manufacturers, technology companies, engi-

neers and suppliers throughout our region and well beyond it. The Shield report specifically highlights the advanced guidance and control systems assembled by General Dynamics in Pittsfield as part of Massachusetts’ contribution to national security. Shield also identifies a challenge that closely mirrors what we have seen through our work with manufacturers. Small and midsized companies face significant costs and complexity as they respond to increasingly demanding cybersecurity requirements, including the federal Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, or CMMC. The report estimates that investments associated with modernization and compliance can range from $100,000 to $500,000 and specifically recommends additional CMMC support as part of a broader effort to make more Massachusetts companies “defense-ready.” For a state that wants its manufacturers to compete in increasingly sophisticated supply chains, this is an economic-development issue. Massachusetts can have world-class research institutions, major companies, innovative startups, and talent-

ed manufacturers, but those assets only reach their full potential if companies throughout the supply chain are able to participate. Our experience with Sinicon taught us that manufacturers need access to expertise, tools, infrastructure and trusted partners who can help them understand what these requirements mean for their business and how to respond. Synagex is an important part of that story. A longtime BIC member, Synagex has established itself as a leader in cybersecurity and information technology, serving many of our members as well as companies across the commonwealth and beyond. It brings expertise manufacturers need and is also an important regional technology company and employer. Our goal is not to replicate that expertise inside the BIC or become a cybersecurity consulting company, but rather to connect companies with subject-matter experts and create an environment where manufacturers can learn, test, plan and move toward implementation. Exactly what that environment looks like is still taking shape. While the NIST project

gives us a strong framework and resources to build from, we are continuing to listen to manufacturers, cybersecurity experts, educational institutions, workforce partners, and others as we refine the model. There are already significant cybersecurity resources and expertise across Massachusetts, and our objective is not to duplicate or compete with them. We want to understand where the gaps are, determine what makes sense to build here, and create a Western Massachusetts resource that complements and connects with the larger statewide ecosystem. That approach is at the heart of the BIC model. We provide shared infrastructure and technology, develop workforce programs around common industry needs, and connect companies with subject-matter experts, educational institutions, technology providers and public-sector partners. The Shield report itself identifies the BIC’s Advanced Optics Tech Hub as part of the commonwealth’s emerging defense and national security infrastructure and notes General Dynamics’ use of the BIC facility and network for defense-related programming and potential supply-chain expansion. Sinicon is a good example of how these pieces come together. The company is now undertaking a major expansion in Dalton, investing millions of dollars in its facility and new equipment, consolidating operations, preserving existing jobs, and planning to add more. Cybersecurity is one part of a much larger and continuing investment in the people, equipment, technology and capabilities necessary to serve increasingly sophisticated customers. We tend to think of manufacturing infrastructure as buildings, machines, utilities and equipment, but modern manufacturing infrastructure is broader than that. It includes a skilled workforce, advanced technology, strong supply chains, access to specialized expertise, sophisticated digital systems, and the ability to protect the information and intellectual property moving through those systems. With Rep. Neal’s leadership and state Rep. Farley-Bouvier’s support, companies like Sinicon, subject-matter experts like Synagex, and a statewide focus on cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and supply-chain competitiveness, we have an opportunity to build that capacity here in Western Massachusetts. As we have done from the beginning, we’ll do that by listening, learning, bringing the right people together, and building something that fills a real need. Ben Sosne is executive director of the Berkshire Innovation Center.

September 2026

Berkshire Business Journal

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Disasters happen. Be ready financially September is National Preparedness Month, a good reminder that being prepared for an emergency involves more than flashlights, batteries, food and water. Your finances should be part of your emergency plan, too. Severe storms, flooding, fires and power outages can happen with little Ray Smith Money Matters warning. While we can’t always predict an emergency, a few simple steps today can make it easier to manage the unexpected tomorrow. Start with an emergency fund. Unexpected expenses often come at the worst possible time. Even a modest amount set aside can help cover groceries, temporary lodging, repairs or other immediate needs. If building several months of savings feels overwhelming, start small. Set a realistic goal and consider an automatic transfer into a separate savings account each payday. The important thing is to begin. Keep important information accessible. Make sure you can quickly locate identification, insurance policies, account information and contact information for your bank and insurance company. Consider keeping copies in a secure, waterproof location and storing electronic copies using a secure, password-protected method. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

While we can’t always predict an emergency, a few simple steps today can make it easier to manage the unexpected tomorrow.

FILE PHOTO

During a widespread power or communications outage, ATMs and card-processing systems may temporarily be unavailable. Keeping some cash on hand is among the ways you can financially prepare for an unexpected disaster. recommends having important financial and personal documents readily accessible to help make recovery easier after a disaster. Have more than one way to access your money. If a branch temporarily closes or you can’t safely travel, online and mobile banking can help you check balances, transfer funds, deposit checks and manage payments. Direct deposit can also help en-

sure your paycheck or benefits reach your account even when normal routines are disrupted. The FDIC recommends considering these options as part of financial disaster planning. It’s also reasonable to keep a small amount of cash in a secure location. During a widespread power or communications outage, ATMs and card-processing systems may temporarily be unavailable.

You don’t need to keep large amounts at home; just consider what your household might need for immediate essentials. Review your insurance coverage. Know what your homeowners, renters and auto policies cover and whether the limits are enough to repair or replace your property. Some events, including flooding, may require separate coverage. An annual insurance review can

help uncover gaps before you need to file a claim. Finally, be alert for scams. Unfortunately, emergencies can bring out fraudsters who use urgency and fear to pressure people into sending money or sharing personal information. Be cautious of unexpected requests for payments, donations or sensitive account information, and verify who you’re dealing with before taking action. Preparedness isn’t about expecting the worst. It’s about giving yourself more options when something unexpected happens. This September, take a few minutes to review your financial emergency plan. Build your savings, organize important documents, make sure you can access your accounts remotely and talk with your family about what you would do during an emergency. A little financial preparedness today can provide greater confidence and peace of mind when you need it most. Ray E. Smith is the senior vice president, marketing and communications at Pittsfield Cooperative Bank.

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Berkshire Business Journal

September 2026

Lead retirement planning with values I have a client, we’ll call her Carrie. When Carrie first came to me to build her retirement plan, I didn’t start with her tax return. I started by asking questions like “What do you want to do in retirement?” and “How do you want to spend your money?” Those aren’t financial planning questions in the purest sense. Most people assume that handing an adviser a tax return and a few account statements is Luke enough to build a comDelorme prehensive plan. But Money Talk money is only a tool — a means to an end, not the end itself. Money alone doesn’t create life satisfaction, but it can help buy freedom, and retirement may be the ultimate expression of freedom. Carrie’s answers came easily. She’s deeply involved in her church, and she wears her values on her sleeve. Her financial plan reflects that: a charitable giving budget, an annual church trip to Europe, and funds set aside to help her kids and grandkids when they need it. Because her values were so clear, it was simple to build a plan that used money as a tool to support the life she wanted. Most prospective clients don’t arrive with that kind of clarity. Before diving into the traditional retirement topics such as Social Security, taxes and investments, it’s worth starting somewhere more foundational: your values. Think of retirement planning as a funnel. Start at the top with your values. What genuinely drives you and brings you fulfillment? From there, narrow down to specific life and health goals. Only after that should you build the financial plan underneath it all. Most of us do this backward, starting with the numbers and hoping the meaning sorts itself out later.

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Before you retire, it’s worth asking questions money can’t fully answer, notes columnist Luke Delorme. It’s about creating the life you want your money to support. lens. Before you reFinancial protire, it’s worth asking fessionals have a Before diving into the questions money habit of reducing can’t fully answer. big life decisions to traditional retirement Are you missing time a simple cost-bentopics such as Social with family to punch efit ratio. College the clock a while is a good example: Security, taxes and longer, or would you it’s expensive, but actually miss the a planner will tell investments, it’s worth community you’ve you it’s “worth starting somewhere more built at work? Could it” because your retiring too soon dull lifetime earnings go foundational. your sense of purup. That’s true, but pose, or could staying it misses most of too long cost you your the picture. College can also shape the best physical years to enjoy it? Similar career you end up loving for four dequestions apply to experiences, creativcades, and the friendships that outlast ity, community and personal growth. the degree. None of that shows up on a It’s about creating the life you want your balance sheet. money to support. Retirement deserves the same wider

George Kinder, widely considered the father of “life planning,” built a simple exercise around three questions that I often ask clients today. First, if you had all the money you needed, now and in the future, how would you live? What would you change? Second, imagine your doctor tells you that you have only five to 10 years left, though you’ll feel healthy the entire time with no warning of the end. What would you do differently? Third, imagine you’re told you have just 24 hours left. What did you miss? Who did you not get to be? Sit with those questions, alone or with a spouse, before you sit down to build a plan. They tend to surface what actually matters faster than any risk-tolerance questionnaire ever will. Once you know your values, it helps to know how to spend in a way that supports them. Researchers Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton, authors of the book Happy Money, found that how we spend often matters more than how much we have. Their research consistently shows that spending on experiences — travel, meals out, a concert — creates more lasting happiness than spending on things, even when the amount is small. They also found that “buying time,” by outsourcing chores you dislike to free up hours for what you love, reliably improves well-being. And spending on others, whether through gifts or charitable giving, produces a warm glow that tends to boost our own happiness as much as the recipient’s. None of this replaces the numbers. Social Security timing, tax planning and portfolio construction all still matter. But money only works as a tool if you know what you’re building with it. Before you turn the page to the next chapter, take the time to think and learn about what fulfills you. Luke Delorme is director of financial planning at Tableaux Wealth in Stockbridge. Reach him at (413) 264-2404 or Luke@TableauxWealth.com.

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Berkshire Business Journal

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Berkshire Business Journal

September 2026

Congratulations,

Scott Little! Scott C. Little, BFA™, CEPS®, has been promoted to Partner at Berkshire Money Management

From all of us at BMM, thank you for your mentorship, leadership, and everything you do for us! We’re all so excited to see you take this next step!

For 24 of Berkshire Money Management’s 25 years, Scott C. Little, BFA™, CEPS® has quietly shaped our firm, mentored our growing team, and helped generations of clients make financial decisions they can feel good about. As Partner, Scott will continue to serve as the calm, trusted guide his clients have come to depend on, while taking a more formal leadership role in shaping BMM’s next 25 years. From all of us at BMM, congratulations. Thank you for all that you do. We’re so proud of you!

Dalton | Great Barrington | Williamstown See more at berkshiremm.com Industry registrations, designations, recognitions or awards should not be construed as an endorsement or a recommendation to retain the advisor by the granting entity or any regulatory authority. Investments in securities involve a risk of loss.

September 2026

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Crucial days ahead for cannabis industry

UNSPLASH

In the cannabis industry, now is the time to do the work to get people in the building and on top of customer service so December finds your floor staffed by people who know what they are doing, notes columnist Meg Sanders. There are about 60 days between Labor Day and the upcoming November election where Massachusetts voters will decide the fate of legal recreational cannabis in the commonwealth. There are about 90 between Labor Day and some of the busiest sales weeks of the year in Meg Sanders this business. All of those Cannabis Corner days can be considered ticking clocks. Clocks which started running at the same time. As cannabis businesses, we must be keeping an eye on both of them. On Nov. 3, Massachusetts voters will decide whether to dismantle the legal cannabis market they voted in favor of in 2016. A campaign like Question 8, which seeks to overturn legal recreational cannabis as well as home grow in Massachusetts, does not need to win the argument. It needs to arrive while everybody who would fight it is also amidst the busiest quarter of their year, and the most valuable thing a low-turnout campaign can have is a distracted opposition. The fourth quarter is the most distracting thing that happens to this industry all year. Cannabis businesses will be tired, short-staffed, and up to our elbows in inventory come the first week of November. That is the opportunity they are counting on. Moreover, for a cannabis business in the Berkshires, autumn is

not one season. It’s more like four of them stacked inside five months, with each one asking something different. As summer winds down, the cultural calendar slowly thins around here. Then the colors turn and people come back to the Berkshires for the visual symphony this area provides to leaf peepers. Then the holidays arrive. Green Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving, is one of the biggest sales days of the year in legal cannabis, here as much as anywhere, and December runs hot behind it. Then January falls off a cliff. The person who comes in during foliage season for a stop while driving through can be someone who has never been in a dispensary in their life. They can be local or from a state that has not legalized. Or, they are older than our regulars, or they are simply curious and finally somewhere it is legal to be curious. They have questions they are slightly embarrassed to ask, and they do not want to be made to feel stupid for not knowing the vocabulary. That 15 minutes can be the most important 15 minutes in this industry. Not because of the basket size, which is usually small. Because that person is forming their entire opinion of legal cannabis right there at your counter, from your staff, in your store. Whatever they believe about this industry, they will believe it largely because of how they were treated on a Tuesday in late September. Then they go home. Then they talk about it. And if they are local and it was their first

time in a store versus getting are doing. something from a friend or Price compression has their cannabis-expert family already hit most margins, and member, they vote. planning on it coming back This is what retail has always this year is not a wise move. been, and it’s no different for Which means a race-to-thecannabis. For advocates and bottom holiday promotion does those arguing that a regulated not win you the quarter. market is safer, more honest, It borrows from January and and more accountable than charges interest in the form of what came before it, every good customers expecting bottom interaction on a sales floor this prices when your year needs fall makes that in a stronger a strong start. Besides, if the way than most campaign ads. only thing you can offer a cusWhich means every rushed, tomer is a lower number, you sloppy, upsell-first interaction have already lost to somebody has the potential to hand the with deeper pockets. side looking So spend to manipSeptember ulate the On Nov. 3, Massachusetts planning on moment competing into a story voters will decide whether on selection, they will on staff to dismantle the legal be glad to knowledge, tell in order on how it cannabis market they to cause a feels to walk voter to go in the door. voted in favor of in 2016. from “no” That is the to “yes” on only ground Question 8 in November. where a good store beats a bad What I would tell any operone, and where good experiator in this state is focused on ences beat whatever the oppohiring well and training staff sition campaign is hoping for now, not in November. A budto stoke the fires of prohibition tender who starts on Nov. 20 to in November. drive in-store sales of the busy And plan for the fall months holiday season could unintenthe way you plan for everytionally be a liability on the thing else, but this year, focus highest-volume, highest-scruon your business as much as tiny days of the year. defeating Question 8. Make Mistakes happen, sure. But sure your team is registered when undertrained people are to vote. Make sure they know on a busy floor, or a compliwhere their polling place is ance mistake this fall lands and that the schedule lets them hard, it is a headline. Do the get there. Have the Question 8 work to get people in the conversation with your staff in building and on top of customSeptember, not in the middle er service now, so December of the holiday rush when nofinds your floor staffed by body has ten minutes. Put the people who know what they information somewhere your

customers can see it. Every one of us doing this work right now is making a bet that this market still exists in 2028. But it is a bet that gets settled on Nov. 3, by people who mostly do not work in this industry and mostly are not thinking the impact to the 27,000+ statewide jobs in the industry, let alone the ancillary businesses and impacts this reversal of legal recreational cannabis would bring about after the November election if the supporters and proponents of Question 8 have their way. What your customers and voters will be deciding is not abstract, because repeal does not close a storefront or remove desire for a plant and product the public saw fit to legalize in 2016. It erases a life’s work for small businesses, and hands customers back to a market that tests nothing and asks nobody for ID. We are very good at planning for a season we can see coming. November is a season we can see coming. So put it on the plan this month. It is not a different category of work. It is the same work: looking at something you can see coming and getting ready for it while getting ready still counts for something. Run a store worth defending this fall. Then go defend it. Vote No on 8 this November, and tell everyone you know or work with who support you to do the same. Meg Sanders is CEO and cofounder of Canna Provisions.

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September 2026

Board service a pathway to belonging For people who live in the Berkshires, joining a nonprofit board can be a meaningful opportunity. Board service supports the region’s extraordinary nonprofit network while allowing residents to bring professional expertise, lived experience and commitment to organizations addressing Samantha pressing comAnderson munity needs. The NonNonprofit profit Center Notes of the Berkshires’ Get On Board initiative is making nonprofit board service more accessible across the region. The program connects prospective board members with nonprofit organizations seeking new leadership. Individuals complete a short form describing their interests, skills and experience; nonprofits identify the expertise, perspectives and commitments they need. A small team then reviews the information and makes introductions, with permission from both parties, where there appears to be a promising fit. NPC also convenes in-person and virtual board-matching events, creating opportunities for prospective board members and nonprofit leaders to meet, explore shared interests and begin conversations about service. Get On Board is proving to be more than a matching service. It is a gateway to civic engagement, community connection and leadership development for people who want to contribute their skills and feel rooted where they live. The human element of NPC’s program is central to its success because board service is not a one-size-fits-all volunteer opportunity. A good match considers mission alignment, professional skills, personal interests, time availability, financial expectations and the kind of contribution a person hopes to make. “This program fills a real need in Berkshire County where there are many opportunities to volunteer at nonprofit organizations, but not a lot at the leadership level,” said NPC board member Maggie Buchwald, who helped create Get On Board. “Many people are looking for more involvement in their community, and they want the ability to govern and effect change through their volunteerism,” she said. “We hope to give them that opportunity by matching them with a specific need and opportunity.” For employers, board service is also a form of regional workforce leadership development. It enables professionals to apply experience in finance, marketing, law, human resources, technology, fundraising, governance and strategy in a different setting. It develops judgment, expands networks and offers a close view of how organizations make decisions, steward resources and serve the public. Kim Baker, NPC board secretary and senior client adviser at the insurance broker Acrisure, manages the program alongside Buchwald. She understands the value of a strong match personally and professionally. “I love the connection,” Baker said. “I love helping

NONPROFIT CENTER OF THE BERKSHIRES

Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires hosted a Get on Board event last April at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox. The program connects prospective board members with nonprofit organizations seeking new leadership. From left, Betty Farbman, former board president of Construct, NPC Executive Director Samantha Anderson, and Sally English, executive director of AdLib Center for Independent Living. people and drawing on my own experience of what it feels like to be on a board and give back to the community.” Her own board service changed how she experienced the Berkshires. “Once I started serving on boards, it made a huge difference in really feeling like I was part of the community — knowing people, participating, and contributing,” she said. That sense of belonging is a recurring theme. Glenn H. Myers, a former Boston-based communications professional who now is a writer living in West Stockbridge, said the program quickly connected him with opportunities aligned with his interests and background. “I had a wonderful experience with the NPC’s Get On Board program,” Myers said. “Maggie Buchwald was phenomenal. We chatted on the phone, and a few hours later she sent me four boards which she thought were in my wheelhouse, given my interests and background. For the past year-and-a-half I’ve been proud — and extremely happy — to serve on the boards of LitNet and Berkshires Jazz.” The program also helps newcomers build a local network. Faith Gagliardi, a marketing professional who works remotely from Pittsfield, discovered Get On Board through social media. She had considered board service but was unsure whether she was ready for the commitment. After completing the application,

reviewing NPC’s introductory resources and speaking with Buchwald, she was introduced to Flying Cloud Institute — an organization she had not previously known. For someone unfamiliar with the Berkshires nonprofit community, identifying an organization is only part of the challenge; knowing whom to contact and how to begin a conversation can be equally difficult. Gagliardi now serves on Flying Cloud Institute’s board and says the experience gave her confidence to pursue a second board role connected to her alma mater. It helped ease a question many prospective volunteers ask: “Am I ready for this?” Jeannie Ingram moved to the Berkshires from Boston and sought ways to contribute to her new community. With a fundraising background at Harvard University, the New England Aquarium, and Babson College, she knew she had relevant experience to offer. Through a conversation with Baker and follow-up introductions, she found a strong match with the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center in Pittsfield. Ingram has valued both the mission fit and the organization’s approach to governance. Board service has allowed her to participate in fundraising, review financial information and see how a well-run nonprofit can communicate transparently with its board. It has also expanded her civic

involvement; she now serves as director of the Dalton Cultural Council. For Lisa Sihvonen-Binder, a fundraising professional and owner of Cricklewood Consulting, Get On Board connected professional experience with a personal passion. After finding the program through a Google search, she spoke with Baker about her background and interests. Baker suggested several organizations, and Sihvonen-Binder ultimately chose to serve with the Berkshire Humane Society. “It’s a good fit for me as I am passionate about animals, especially dogs, and in my nonprofit consulting practice I had worked with another humane society for nearly 15 years helping them with grants,” she said. These stories point to a larger opportunity for Berkshire County: cultivating boards that reflect the full diversity of the communities that nonprofits serve. Strong boards need a range of perspectives across age, race, gender identity, nationality, religion, ability, professional background and life experience. Diversity is not simply representation; it improves the questions, decisions, relationships and ideas that guide an organization’s work. Recruitment, however, is only part of the equation. Prospective board members need clear expectations and practical preparation. Effective board members show up,

read materials, participate in discussion, ask thoughtful questions, understand their fiduciary responsibilities, and help advance the mission. They know when to focus on strategy rather than operations, when to raise concerns in a meeting, and when an offline conversation is more appropriate. The need is clear: nonprofits need engaged, prepared and diverse leaders, while community members are looking for meaningful ways to participate in the place they call home. The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires is uniquely positioned to bring these needs together, strengthening both the region’s nonprofits and the people who choose to serve them. For more information about NPC’s Get On Board program, visit: npcberkshires.org/joina-board NPC is hosting a free “Lunch and Learn” on how to design a more impact nonprofit board finance committee with Jennifer Coscia of Ampresa. The event runs from noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 25. Visit npcberkshires.org/ events for more information. Samantha Anderson is the executive director of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires. Reach her at samantha@npcberkshires.org | npcberkshires.org Samantha Anderson is the executive director of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires. Reach her at samantha@npcberkshires.org or npcberkshires.org.

September 2026

Berkshire Business Journal

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Real estate scams growing hard to spot Real estate has always attracted its share of scams. It is not difficult to understand why. A typical transaction involves significant amounts of money, personal information, legal documents and communication among people who may never meet in person. What has changed is how Sanda J. convincing the Carroll scams have Real estate become. Here in the Berkshires, real estate professionals have been cautioned about fraudulent property owners, compromised email accounts, wire fraud, fake rental listings and malicious virtual meeting requests. Artificial intelligence adds another concern, making it increasingly possible to imitate a person’s voice, appearance or identity. Today’s scammers may use accurate names, property information, transaction details and professionally written messages. Nearly everything in a communication can be legitimate except the person sending it and where they are directing someone to click or send money. In 2025, 328 Massachusetts victims reported $2,236,696 in losses from real estate scams to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). In 2024, more than $5.4 million in losses were reported from real estate and rental scams in Massachusetts, with impacts felt even here in the Berkshires. By sharing what the local

real estate marketplace is experiencing, we hope to help community members recognize these risks as well. SELLING PROPERTY THEY DON’T OWN Vacant land fraud has become an increasing concern locally. A criminal identifies vacant land, often owned by someone who lives outside the area, and poses as the owner. Public records provide names and property information. The scammer may create an email address using the owner’s information, provide fraudulent identification and request a quick sale. Vacant property is particularly attractive because there is no occupied home and the actual owner may live hundreds or thousands of miles away. Real estate professionals are being encouraged to independently confirm ownership through municipal and registry records and use additional identity verification when circumstances warrant it. sometimes the best weapon is simple; talking to neighbors. An “owner” seeking an unusually fast cash sale, avoiding personal contact or struggling to answer basic questions about the property requires additional scrutiny. WHEN A FRAUDULENT EMAIL HAS ALL THE RIGHT INFORMATION Wire fraud remains one of the most serious risks surrounding a real estate closing. Criminals who gain access to an email account may quietly monitor communications before attempting fraud. That can give them the property ad-

dress, names of the parties and attorneys, closing date and even the exact amount expected to be transferred. A fraudulent message can then arrive at precisely the right time and appear to come from someone already involved in the transaction. The accuracy of the information is part of the deception. Wiring instructions should always be independently confirmed by calling a known, trusted telephone number, not one provided in the email or text containing the instructions. The same precaution makes sense whenever a request involves money or any financial instructions. THINK BEFORE CLICKING ON A MEETING INVITATION Virtual meetings have created another opportunity for fraud, and many Realtors have learned this lesson recently. A supposed buyer or seller may ask to communicate through Zoom or another familiar platform and provide a meeting link. The familiar name or logo does not make the link legitimate. Fraudulent invitations can be designed to steal login credentials or install malicious software. When possible, access a known meeting platform independently rather than through an unsolicited link. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ADDS ANOTHER CHALLENGE The National Association of Realtors recently issued consumer guidance about deepfake scams. Artificial intelligence can create realistic images, video or

audio that imitate real people. In a real estate transaction, the technology could impersonate a property owner, buyer, agent, attorney or other participant. It can also alter property photographs and virtual tours. A telephone or video conversation may provide reassurance, but it should not necessarily be the only method used to verify identity when a significant financial transaction is involved. A REAL PROPERTY CAN STILL PRODUCE A FAKE RENTAL Our oldest rental scams show how criminals use legitimate information to establish credibility. A fraudster will copy photographs and descriptions from an actual property listing and advertise it elsewhere as a rental. Even the name of a legitimate real estate professional or owner may be used without that person’s knowledge. Consumers should confirm that the person advertising a rental, both short and long term, has authority to rent it before sending an application fee, security deposit or rent payment. VERIFICATION HAS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT There is a common thread among today’s most effective scams: criminals increasingly use legitimate information to manufacture trust. A real address, owner’s name, existing email conversation, accurate closing date or legitimate photographs can all make a fraudulent request appear authentic. Accuracy alone can no

longer be considered proof of authenticity. Strong passwords, multifactor authentication and secure email practices remain important. Cautious use of any public WiFi and a good computer security package is essential. Equally important is independently verifying unusual requests. When money is involved, financial instructions should be confirmed through a separate, trusted method. Don’t use email links, do directly to the bank site independently. Unexpected links deserve caution, and sudden urgency should be a reason to slow down rather than speed up. Berkshire County homeowners can also register for the free Consumer Notification Service offered through the registries of deeds and Massachusetts secretary of the commonwealth. The service emails registered property owners when a document matching their property information is recorded, potentially providing early warning of unauthorized activity. Go to mass.gov and search on Consumer Notification Service (CNS) to register for alerts. Many homeowners also add a Google alert for their property address so that they receive an email notice anytime their home address is mentioned online. Real estate sits at an unusual intersection of identity, technology, public information and significant financial transactions. Perhaps the most useful lesson is also the simplest: even when the names are right, the numbers are right and everything appears to make sense, it is still worth taking the time to verify. Sandra J. Carroll is the chief executive officer of the Berkshire County Board of Realtors and the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service.

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Real estate transactions BERKSHIRE REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS FROM JULY 6-31. ADAMS Claire Klammer sold property at 12 Clifford Lane, Adams, to Douglas Marsceill, $180,000. George Berne sold property at 1 Albert St., Adams, to Jordyn Lily Guzman, $155,000. Ethan and Christina Johnston sold property at 8 McKinley St., Adams, to Catherine Black-Benson, $316,000. Justin P. and Thomas P. Pelczynski sold property at 60 Willow St., Adams, to Mitchell Andrews, $296,000. Thomas Verni sold property at 5 McKinley St., Adams, to Justin P. and Nicole A. Pelczynski, $437,000. Jean L. Sherman sold property at 52 Alger St., Adams, to Christopher J. LaFrance, $220,000. Lisa A. Mendel sold property at 65 Melrose St., Adams, to Shawn Hess, $284,000. Shaker Mountain Properties LLC sold property at 15 Print Works Drive, Adams, to DG Investments LLC, $840,000. Kareh Realty sold property at 73 Columbia St., Adams, to Henza Petroleum Inc., $650,000. Gary B. Trudeau, personal rep. of Shirley A. Trudeau, sold property at 148 Friend St., Adams, to Alexander McKinney, $255,000. Carlos and Elizabeth Ann Lluch, trustees of the Carlos LLuch and Elizabeth Ann Lluch LVT, sold property at 4 Edmunds St., Unit M301, Adams, to Jennifer B. Guss, $396,975. Dylan M. Jordan sold property at 37 Alger St., Adams, to Desiree Pechtel, $320,000. Cathy D. Schofield-Powell sold property at 7 Hathaway St., Adams, to Evergrain Orchard LLC, $100,000.

ALFORD Christopher K. Clemans and Marya Spence sold property at 137 East Road, Alford, to Ben F. Bunyard, trustee of BFB Revocable Trust dated March 4, 2008, and Frederick David Runyan, trustee of FDR Revocable Trust dated March 4, 2008, $792,000. Estate of Alfred S. VanDeusen Jr. sold property at 30 West Road, Alford, to Stacey VanDeusen and Jordan VanDeusen, $205,000.

BECKET

METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Mitchell J. and Ashley Salvini sold property at 189-191 Ashuelot St., Dalton, to Cristian Camilo Bejarano Velandia and Daniela Cubillos Urrea, $378,000. Shannon E. Wilson and Robert A. Wilson Jr. sold property at 230 East Housatonic St., Dalton, to Danielle Knutson, Daniel Roy and Christopher Squires, $457,500. RPS Enterprises LLC and Thomas Flatley sold property at 96 Anthony Road, Dalton, to Brianna M. Kasala and John T. Lewis Jr., $510,000. Robert A. Hyde and Trevor I. Burborough sold property at 642 Main St., Dalton, to 15 Fairview Street Realty LLC, $300,000. Martha C. Seymour, trustee of the Martha C. Seymour Living Trust, sold property at 17 Ashuelot St., Dalton, to Parker D’Elia, $215,000.

EGREMONT

Ave., Great Barrington, to Jacob Corley and Katherine Laskey, $350,000. Thuan Van Nguyen sold property at 144 Cottage St., Great Barrington, to Derek Sanders, $440,000. Donald J. Faivre sold property at 399 North Plain Road, Great Barrington, to Niles Samuel Williams and Stephanie Nicole Williams, $400,000. Deborah C. Ryan, formerly known as Deborah C. Mars, trustee of Deborah C. Ryan Trust, formerly known as Deborah C. Mars Trust, sold property at 114 Brush Hill Road, Great Barrington, to Carol Higgins Pillsbury, $901,500. Estate of Anna Marie Comerford sold property at 44 Russell St., Great Barrington, to Christian Sampson, $495,000.

HANCOCK

Susan C. Lint, trustee of Susan C. Lint Revocable Trust, sold property at 7 Hickory Hill Road, Egremont, to Aimee Van Dyne, $807,500.

Juan Alberto Osorio Zuckermann and Georgina Michel Rodriquez sold property at 37 Corey Road, Unit 815, Hancock, to Denise Oakley, Jill M. Oakley and Allison I. Oakley, $390,000.

Victoria R. McLaughlin sold property at Captain Whitney Road and Luce Road, Becket, to Joseph T. Willis, $6,500.

Linda F. Bellizzi sold property at 22 Sheffield Road, Egremont, to William J. Powers and Mark J. Lane, $950,000.

David W. Desantis and Cathleen I. Duffy sold property at 161 Main St., Hancock, to Richard Gillespie, $137,000.

Joan L. Keener sold property at 471 Benton Hill Road, Becket, to Alison M. England, $200,000. Peggy Farber sold property at Loose Tooth Road, Becket, to Michael Ford, $60,000.

Sarah P. Burdsall and Stuart R. Burdsall, trustees of Burdsall Family Realty Trust, sold property at 115 Baldwin Hill Road N/S, Egremont, to Frances O’Toole and Michael O’Toole, trustees of MFDM Capital Trust B, $825,000.

Laurence Shaw, trustee of the Laurence Shaw RVT, and Alice Shaw, trustee of the Alice Shaw RVT, sold property at 37 Corey Road, Hancock, to Adam and Alesandra Cox, $625,000.

Community LD LLC sold property at Moberg Road, Becket, to Proclaim Capital LLC Series L02, $18,997.

FLORIDA

Renoage LLC sold property at Gentian Hollow Road, Becket, to Darrin M. Cloran and Emma Adams, $36,000.

Sabrina Parks, personal rep. of Jacque Lee Marling Milewski, sold property at 0 Stryker Road, Florida, to David Sapio, $25,000.

Jeremy R. Daviau and April L. Trant sold property at King Arthur Drive, Becket, to Ralph E. Kuster Jr., $5,000.

Lea King, trustee of The Lea King Trust, sold property at 1 Oleson Road, Florida, to LK Cabin Property LLC, $322,500.

CHESHIRE

Patrick M. Cahn, Julie Day and Thomas Davidson sold property at Blackstone Road, Florida, to Mark B. Sutor, $85,000.

Melissa and Jennierose Miller and Gabriel Decker sold property at 359 Jacobs Ladder Road, Becket, to Jonathan P. Ferguson and Anna K. Bourgeault, $600,000.

Diane L. Sowle sold property at 120 Willow Cove Road, Cheshire, to Arija E. Logins and Ian M. Swindlehurst, $450,000. Lacey and Jessica Dixon sold property at 40 Curran Road, Cheshire, to Christopher and Annie Vedeler, $465,000. Elaine Ilmberger and Steven Szymanski sold property at 92 Wells Road, Cheshire, to Brandon Decelles, $337,000. Clarksburg Ellies Holdings LLC sold property at 738 River Road, Clarksburg, to Michael Guertin and Martha Heslip, $410,000. Matthew S. and Valerie B. Melton sold property at 67 Carson Ave., Unit 7, Clarksburg, to Thomas Liebenow, $122,500.

DALTON Joseph M. Dudek sold property at 44 Stockbridge Ave., Dalton, to Owen Hoffman, $232,500. Judy L. Dewey sold property at 12 Sunnyside Drive, Dalton, to Jennifer Dewey, $200,000. John R. Salvini, trustee of the Susan T. Salvini Irrevocable Trust of 2011, sold property at 7 Woodside Ave., Dalton, to Victor and Lisa Labeau, Joshua Pollander and Hailey Lynn Lareau, $355,000.

John Sampson sold property at Mohawk Trail, Florida, to Marc Folino and Patricia Robinson, $15,000. Margaret Rose Van Peterson sold property at Moores Road, Florida, to Robert V. Hart, $59,000. Scott E. Fortini sold property at 33H Moores Road, Florida, to David Jacob Kelly-Whitney, $225,000. Great Barrington Mary F. Courtney, conservator for Deborah Dodge, sold property at 245 Long Pond Road, Great Barrington, to Don Hadders LTD, $325,000.

HINSDALE Noah August and Tara Suddaby sold property at George Schnopp Road, Hinsdale, to Bailey Groves, $65,000. Robert Perry sold property at 68 Church St., Hinsdale, to Matthew J. Shepard, $235,000. Nicole P. Cowlin sold property at 347 Maple St., Hinsdale, to Taylor M. Striebel and Liam K. Henderson, $264,500. Sam A. Sala sold property at 31 New Windsor Road, Hinsdale, to Nicole Siemer and Joshua Booth, $225,000. Cornerstone Homebuying LLC sold property at 17 Hemlock Lane, Hinsdale, to Sharon A. Viner, $265,000. Michael E. Cothern, personal rep. of the Estate of Catherine Anne Cothern, sold property at 73 Henry Drive, Hinsdale, to Robert S. and Emaline O. Pavelka, $650,000.

LANESBOROUGH

LEE David Z. and Adrienne K. Plavin sold property at 130 Elk Drive, Lee, to Gary and Iris Levine, $520,000. Kathy Lynn Leahy sold property at 15 William Parkway, Lee, to Iron Oaks Holdings LLC, $52,500. Laura Bell and Jennifer Copper sold property at 80-82 Prospect St., Lee, to Henry J. Davidson, $475,000. ASA Clerk Inc. sold property at 13 Academy St., Lee, to Jeffrey N. Cohen, $235,000. Berkshire Hills Leisure Lee Owners Association Inc. sold property at Wood Duck Road, Lee, to Rebecca Zimm-Parisier, $30,000. Mary E. Zurawa sold property at 100 South Prospect St., Lee, to Christer J. and Marni A. Hogne, $579,000. Leydet Properties LLC sold property at 53 Tabar Ave., Lee, to Emma L. Bartini, $295,000. Mary Angela Adams and Robert E. Adams Jr. sold property at 55 Marble St., Lee, to Maura Keefe, Mark Harris Witteveen, Anne Taychman Davison, and Amy Cassello, trustees of the No. Five Depot NT, $255,000.

LENOX Susan K. Steben sold property at 36 Dunmore Court, Lenox, to Amarpreet Ahluwalia and Andrew Rosenberger, trustees of the A.R. Living Trust, $825,000. Kevin C. Charlton sold property at 74 Holmes Road, Lenox, to Cristian F Sanchez and Irene Martin, $190,470. Alexandra B. Salazar sold property at 174 Housatonic St., Lenox, to Kenneth J. Salazar and Melinda Moon, $232,500. William G. Wood sold property at 870 East St., Lenox, to Kimberly L. Osborne, $540,000. Alan J. Righi, duly appointed commissioner in a Petition for Partition brought by Peter Luria and Nancy Luria Cohen, sold property at 2 St. Andrews Court, Lenox, to Luriaco LLC, $1,175,000. Laura R. daSilva, trustee of the LRdaSilva Living Trust, sold property at 16 East New Lenox Road, Lenox, to Kathy Pagliuca Murphy, $366,000. Joan G. Buccino, trustee of the Joan G. Buccino RVT, sold property at 215 Old Stockbridge Road, Lenox, to 215 Old Stockbridge Road LLC, $1,037,500. Deborah L. Payne sold property at 70 Galway Court and Galway Court, Lenox, to Elsa Louise Stone and Steven Wolfson, trustees of the Elsa Louise Stone RVT Agreement and the Steven Wolfson RVT Agreement, $825,000.

Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity Inc. sold property at 13 Prosperity Way, Great Barrington, to Juan Cabrera Santamaria, $280,000.

Hans C. and Kristin E. Carlson sold property at 200 Narragansett Ave., Lanesborough, to Daniel R. and Megan E. Renzi, $576,000.

Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity Inc. sold property at 17 Prosperity Way, Great Barrington, to Christine E. Smith, $300,000.

Charles E. Schenck and Kimberly A. Klepfer Schenck sold property at 112 Silver St., Lanesborough, to Adam Hugabone, $700,000.

Eric George and Carol Forsyth Haythorne sold property at 4 Kemble St., Lenox, to Lori A. Robbins, trustee of the Cartwheel RVT, $3,400,000.

Celeste M. Martin and Sarah E. Martin sold property at 6 Beacon Hill, Great Barrington, to Jed Wexler and Thea Anderson, $650,000.

Janet F. Cunningham sold property at 20 Profile St., Lanesborough, to Aileen Archambault, $244,000.

Brendan Matthew and Cathryn Glanton Holzhauer sold property at 11 Lawton St., Lenox, to Stephen Alton Alsdorf, $503,500.

Peter Fisher, Gail Fisher and Bradley Fisher, as trustees of Marilyn Fisher Living Trust, sold property at 77 Hurlburt Road, Great Barrington, to Brent J. Luria and Dana M. Luria, $1,775,000. Anderson Gilmore LLC sold property at 10 Gilmore

Robert M. and Michelle M. Buffis sold property at 156 Bailey Road, Lanesborough, to Darnell Lamont Swan and Mercy A. Dehart, $462,900. Muriel L. Dyas sold property at 30 Imperial St., Lanesborough, to Lindsey J. Wick and James P. Kelley, $317,000.

Louise E. Posnick sold property at 6 May St., Lenox, to Leydet Properties LLC, $250,000.

Robert E. Doyle, trustee of the Nancy B. Roof RVT, sold property at 176 Old Stockbridge Road, Lenox and Stockbridge, to Craig Jonathan and Nina Yvonne Paul, $825,000. REAL ESTATE, Page 21

September 2026

Berkshire Business Journal

21

Real estate FROM PAGE 20

MONTEREY MTA Shelby & Sierra LLC sold property at Fox Hill Road, Monterey, to Matthew Amstead, $4,000. Shay Alster and Cristina Shapiro-Alster sold property at 10 Buckingham Lane, Monterey, to Amanda Redler and Adam Schouela, $1,585,000. Katherine Karnoupakis sold property at 20 Elephant Rock Road, Monterey, to Robert E. Brown and Priscilla T. Brown, $150,000.

NEW ASHFORD J.W. Kelly’s Enterprises Inc. sold property at Mallery Road, New Ashford, to Dale F. and Joannia Trottier, $85,000.

NEW MARLBOROUGH Estate of Caroline P. Chase sold property at 605 Cross Road to Canaan Valley Road, New Marlborough, to Keith Dickey and Jean Alison Dickey, $1,375,000. Carleton T. Goodnow and Olivia T. Goodnow sold property at 79 Keyes Hill Road and Keyes Hill Road, New Marlborough, to Field & Soil Holding LLC, $987,000. Mountainside Cross Canaan Valley LLC sold property at 18 Cross to Canaan Valley Road, New Marlborough, to Jin Wook Kim, trustee of Ma Family Trust 2, $800,000. Jeffrey D. Wallman sold property at 196 Norfolk Road, New Marlborough, to Stan Weightman Jr. and Valerie Gordon, $635,000.

Keith and Stephanie Roy, $90,000.

Norma A. Monda sold property at 1011 Cross Road to Canaan Valley Road, New Marlborough, to Yarde Properties II LLC, $800,000.

Chad M. Richard sold property at 130 Franklin St., North Adams, to Kristen M. Honeycutt and Suzanne J. Clark, $365,000.

Estate of Christina Audrey Gillespie sold property at 1089 Canaan Southfield Road, New Marlborough, to Christina Reed, $300,000.

Stephen D. and Cindy A. Poirier sold property at 124 Walker St., North Adams, to Kathryn Atkins, $259,900.

NORTH ADAMS

Lynda LaFrance Sherman sold property at 18 South St., North Adams, to Jonathan Forrest, $245,000.

Charlie Nadler and Cary L. Kandel sold property at 50½ Williams St., North Adams, to Steven P. Harvey, $229,900. Stacey L. Cantoni sold property at 263 Walker St., North Adams, to Eric McKenzie and Lacy McInturff, $340,000. Patrick Klammer sold property at 505 Barbour St., North Adams, to Claire Klammer, $235,000. Alexander Stevens and Pamela Berstler sold property at 447 Notch Road, North Adams, to Robert Rybarczyk, $155,000. William D. Ackerson and Janice E. Thomas sold property at 82 Cherry St., North Adams, to Carlos and Elizabeth Ann Lluch, trustees of the Carlos Lluch and Elizabeth Ann Lluch LVT, $435,000. Bridget Balawender sold property at 196 Phelps Ave., North Adams, to Ronald S. and Jennifer T. Munoz, $330,000. Marcia Ray sold property at 411 State Road, North Adams, to Wayne and Allen Arnold, $110,700. John L. and Mary E. Gorman sold property at 97 Prospect St., North Adams, to Corey Gardner and Kayla Gorman, $220,000. Jason Michael Strainer sold property at 14 Charles St., North Adams, to Brianna Rose Martin and John Arthur Adams, $210,000. Joseph and Angelo Russotto sold property at 301 Walnut St., North Adams, to BM Property LLC, $218,000. Steven D. Chirgwin sold property at 115 Cliff St., North Adams, to Sarah Emerson, $171,000. Kurt D. Brule and Doreen M. Descoteau sold property at 104 Tremont St., North Adams, to Maureen A. Connors, $265,000. Desiree Salvagni and Karen Crawford sold property at 24 West Shaft, North Adams, to Christopher Laughnane, $235,000. Loan Funder LLC sold property at 17-19 Bracewell Ave., North Adams, to Jose Dos Santos Rodrigues, $140,000. Martin L. Helsmoortel sold property at 32-38 Spring St. and Spring Street, North Adams, to EG&S Chase LLC, $185,000. Joseph J. and Elizabeth M. Vareschi sold property at 138 Church St., North Adams, to Berkshire Assets Group LLC, $280,000. Tania Hernandez sold property at 13 East Quincy St., North Adams, to Steve and Stacey Jarnagin, $303,000. Griffin T. Rougeau sold property at 46 Woodlawn Ave., North Adams, to Paul Meeks and LuAnn Miller-Meeks, $375,000.

METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

OTIS Charles J. Pecorino sold property at North Blanford Road, Otis, to Christopher and Jacqueline Bouchard, $25,000. William J. Holland Jr. sold property at 120 Rainbow Road, Otis, to Jeffrey M. Balavender and Shannon L. Fry, $325,000. East Otis Manor LLC sold property at 2152 East Otis Road and Otis Stage Road, Otis, to East Otis Rentals LLC, $825,000. Edward Lloyd and Lelia Amalfitano sold property at 752 Algerie Road, Otis, to Anthony and Kari Bullough, $400,000. Patrick L. O’Donell sold property at 759 North Main Road, Otis, to Arthur R. and Eileen E. Jensen, $75,000. Timothy D. and Sharon R. Opdyke sold property at 759 North Main Road, Otis, to Heather A. White, $174,000.

Jameel J. Winters sold property at 19 Upland Road, Pittsfield, to Brandon J. Hanford, $235,000.

property at 69 Commonwealth Ave., Pittsfield, to Alexander Belkin, $580,000.

Hurricane Properties LLC sold property at 1-2 Monteleone Place, Pittsfield, to Monteleone Properties LLC, $265,000.

Mary F. Courtney, guardian for matter of Jay A. McDermott, and Jennifer G. McDermott sold property at 141 Dewey Ave., Pittsfield, to 555 East Street Realty LLC, $100,000.

John F. and Michele A. Ladouceur, trustees of the Ladouceur Family Realty NT, sold property at 401413 Wahconah St. and Wahconah Street, Pittsfield, to Berkshire Real Estate LLC, $1,450,000.

Diane and Ronald J. Marcella Jr. sold property at 851 East New Lenox Road, Pittsfield, to Molly Souede, $512,500.

Lawrence P. and Kathleen F. Casella, Michelle M. Costa and Kristen A. Mathieu sold property at 21 Cleveland St., Pittsfield, to Jaclyn L’Hote, $250,000.

Mark E. Dallmeyer sold property at 75 Shaker Lane, Pittsfield, to Thomas F. and Robin L. Ribero, $380,000.

Ellies Holdings LLC sold property at 11 Merriam St., Pittsfield, to Wilson Fernando Padilla and Elena Del Carmen Arroyo Moreno, $274,900.

Joseph D. Slonski sold property at 33 Calumet St., Pittsfield, to Barbara A. Homich, $335,000.

Hurricane Properties LLC sold property at 5-6 Monteleone Place, Pittsfield, to Monteleone Properties LLC, $325,000. Michael R. and Cecelia R. Rufo, trustees of the Michael R. Rufo RVT, sold property at 161 Leona Drive, Pittsfield, to Michael J. Williams, $600,000. Stony Island LLC sold property at 8 Mohegan St., Pittsfield, to Thomas J. Jorgenson and Bridget C. Griffith, $315,000. Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity Inc. sold property at 21 Murphy Place, Pittsfield, to Shila J. Vallencourt, $268,000. Ian and Tiffany Roberts sold property at 119 Orlando Ave., Pittsfield, to Joseph Kerwood, $279,000.

Marcia F. Arooth sold property at 51 Churchill Crest, Pittsfield, to Donna Marie Long, $299,000. Theresa L. Hopkins and Treasa Amstead, personal reps. of the Estate of Richard N. Hopkins, and Treasa Amstead, individually, sold property at 10 Oswald Ave., Pittsfield, to Juan A. Vasquez Jr., $385,000. Dylan E. Vandoloski sold property at 180 Orlando Ave., Pittsfield, to Hailey and Joshua Lareau, $280,000. Planet Home Lending LLC and Kristie Sulock sold property at 917 North St., Pittsfield, to Planet Home Lending LLC, $176,000. Juanita Allen Kingsley, trustee of the Credit Trust created under the Hildegard E. Wachob Trust and the Credit Trust created under the James R. Wachob Trust, sold property at 15-17 Abbott St., Pittsfield, to Christopher Stinson, $340,000.

PERU

Jennifer Jamieson sold property at 38 Revere Parkway, Pittsfield, to Brian Walak, $399,500.

John M. and Kathryn A. Ciliberti sold property at 78 East Main Road, Peru, to Autumn Fetridge, $360,000.

David H. and Gayle A. Gibbs sold property at 143-145 Newell St., Pittsfield, to Laura Murphy, $300,000.

Melissa E. Guinen and Alan R. Guinen II sold property at 134 Oak Hill Road, Pittsfield, to Derek C. Hansen and James E. Terryberry II, $464,900.

Jonathan E. and Nicole E. Solup sold property at 171 Pine Grove Drive, Pittsfield, to Lisa M. Wright, $389,000.

Daniel J. and Tracy M. Kenney sold property at 83-85 Euclid Ave., Pittsfield, to Gerber Escalon Maldon, $379,900.

Jeffrey and Michele A. Drysgola, John Paul Murphy III and Kelli A. M. Woodward sold property at 53 Edison Ave., Pittsfield, to Jonathan Gill, $260,000.

Patrick C. Gable and Janet R. Smargie, trustees of the Gable & Smargie NT, sold property at 133 Pomeroy Ave., Pittsfield, to Jeffrey Mitchell and

Gleb and Ann Jerebstov sold property at 16 Garnet Mountain Lane, Peru, to Heather L. Belanger, $206,040.

PITTSFIELD Hurricane Properties LLC sold property at 19 Dalton Ave., Pittsfield, to Laura Hernandez Castillo, $485,000.

Nathan J. Ahern and Elizabeth C. Bevilacqua sold

REAL ESTATE, Page 22

Sheila F. Anderson sold property at 42 Marshall Ave., Pittsfield, to Trevor J. Rathbun and Vanessa A. Dion, $250,000. Krystal Bartley sold property at 22 South Atlantic Ave., Pittsfield, to Robert Edward Simoglou, $187,500. Nancy J. and Melinda J. Gleason sold property at 66 Wilson St., Pittsfield, to Kati Marie Gregory, $249,900.

The Place For

Daniel J. Oboyski sold property at 36 Pittsfield Ave., Pittsfield, to Kirk Whittemore Martin and Janet Irene Sefton, $312,000. Shawn M. Hess sold property at 132 Daniels Ave., Pittsfield, to Tyler Hillard and Lilian Lozano, $218,000. Mass Developers LLC sold property at 8 Northbrook Lane, Pittsfield, to Bryce T. Harker and Alexandria Lee-Norris, $950,000.

Kevin Curry sold property at 227 Protection Ave., North Adams, to Nancy L. Hagelberg, $290,000.

David E. and Glenda D. Wiechecki sold property at 59 Joan Drive, Pittsfield, to Teva O’Rourke Iacuessa and Dylan Robert Botz, $438,000.

Cynthia G. Davis, personal rep. of Loriann Lewis, sold property at 352 West Shaft Road, North Adams, to

Teva O’Rourke sold property at 87 Livingston Ave., Pittsfield, to JCMA LLC, $226,800.

Barb Davis-Hassan, CCIM, CRS Broker/Owner

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Over $155 Million in Residential & Commercial sales over a 37 Year Career

REAL ESTATE

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See all Berkshire County Listing here!

22

Berkshire Business Journal

Real estate FROM PAGE 21

Elizabeth A. Rector, $424,900. Nancy Thornton Doherty and Christopher Thornton sold property at 127 Lenox Ave., Pittsfield, to LND Investments LLC, $140,000. Courtney A. Failla, personal rep. of the Estate of Robert Vincent Failla, sold property at 18 Greenings Ave., Pittsfield, to Juan Carlos Gomez Soriano and Jhineth Paola Obando Solano, $400,000. Ashley M. and Joel David Eason III sold property at 428 Dalton Ave., Pittsfield, to Edson Neto and Tatiana Cadavid Onorato, $300,000. Donna Lee Lucido, personal rep. of the Estate of Claire Elaine Botto, sold property at 50 Grand Ave., Pittsfield, to Rasheed R. Blake, $230,000. Shari Butler sold property at 32 Dorchester Ave., Pittsfield, to Mollie C. Stohr, $309,000. Matthew CZ Muller sold property at 62 Northumberland Road, Pittsfield, to Parasrevi Taliadoros, $52,000. Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Inc. sold property at 49 Brenton Terrace, Pittsfield, to Tomas Aurelio Gonzalez Melo and Nelly Soledad Salcedo, $245,000. Jeffrey A. Clemons sold property at 78-80 Harvard St., Pittsfield, to Neudis Orellana Ramos, $355,000. Paul M. Procopio, trustee of the Paul M. Procopio RVT, sold property at 1 Pondview Drive, Pittsfield, to Ryleigh McGovern, $160,000. Kaitlyn E. Lebarnes sold property at 5 Marco Drive, Pittsfield, to Sindy Paola Ortiz and Leonardo Steven Pabon Ramos, $300,000. Barbara A. Wilson sold property at 10 Maple Grove Drive, Pittsfield, to Shannon E. and Robert A. Wilson Jr., $350,000. Michael C. and Ashley A. Shaughnessy sold property at 161 Fort Hill Ave., Pittsfield, to Sam Sala, $353,500. Adam James Hugabone sold property at 86 Broadview Terrace, Pittsfield, to Ashley Clark, $295,000. Camilo and Alexa Bermudez sold property at 76 Kenilworth St., Pittsfield, to Tino Burns, $476,000. Micah A. and Shana M. Powell sold property at 17 County Court, Pittsfield, to Adam and Holly Simeone, $607,500.

Nicholas DiSanti sold property at 28 Calumet St., Pittsfield, to Bernice N. Cobbinah, $370,000. DJL Rentals LLC sold property at 39-41 Clinton Ave., Pittsfield, to Ana R. Goveia, $400,000. Daniel Roy and Daniele Knutson sold property at 15 Williamsburg Terrace, Pittsfield, to Melissa Elaine Guinen, $340,000. Christine Hover, personal rep. of the Estate of William J. Martin, sold property at 709 East St., Pittsfield, to Lige Realty LLC, $110,000. William J. Powers and Mark J. Lane sold property at 24 Walden Lane, Pittsfield, to Carol Wong and Anthony Cottingham, $482,000. Eric Tobin sold property at 65 Crofut St., Pittsfield, to Kelly Asher and Chelsea Fraser Tracy Livingston, $999,000. Jocelyne L. Hescock sold property at 17-19 Merriam St., Pittsfield, to Oscar & Sons Property Management LLC, $240,000. Michelle Shindell and Anthony Arpante, personal reps. of the Estate of Terryl A. Arpante, sold property at 142 Benedict Road, Pittsfield, to Ivan Albeiro Piraquive Torres and Claudia Vargas-Vela, $265,000. Westside Legends Inc. sold property at 17 South Church St., Pittsfield, to Patricia Lynn Fowler, $260,000. Ahlene S. Plante, personal rep. of the Estate of Angelo Ferdinand Tricca, sold property at 9 Donovan St., Pittsfield, to Manish Mahendrabhai and Pinal Nitinkumar Patel, $335,000. Arnoldo Constanza sold property at 34 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, to Brian Simiyu, $264,160.

September 2026

Amanda L. and Edward D. Hughes sold property at Swamp Road, Richmond, to Richmond Shores LLC, $75,000.

ment and the Susan J. Frank Revocable Living Trust Agreement, sold property at 5 Silver Mine Lane, West Stockbridge, to Wadie Bahou and Natalia Marchenko, $1,350,000.

SANDISFIELD

WILLIAMSTOWN

$420,000.

Vincent A. Magliano and Maryann Magliano sold property at 7 Perry Road and North Beech Plain Road, Sandisfield, to Amanda Ward, Charles Dana Smith and Albert Norwick, $1,135,000.

SHEFFIELD Scott Charles Lizama and Deborah Anne Schneiderman sold property at 395 North Undermountain Road, Sheffield, to Andrew Conway and Kimberly Kapner, $800,000. Philip Lebowitz and Susan Young Lebowitz sold property at 1460 Ashley Falls Road, Sheffield, to Brett Clark Borgert-Herleikson and Alixandra McClarnon Borgert-Herleikson, $675,000.

Christopher L. and Brianna E. Hantman sold property at 310 Luce Road, Williamstown, to Daniel Hudson and Jessi McFarland, $357,500. James A. Baur and Iris K. Howley sold property at 166 Main St., Williamstown, to Christopher L. and Brianna E. Hantman, $545,000. Carolyn P. Behr, trustee of the Six Acre Wood NT, sold property at 294 Blair Road, Williamstown, to Steven Edward and Mary Lynn Chick, $789,000. 160 Water LLC sold property at 160 Water St., Unit 407, Williamstown, to Nathan K. Sleeper, $1,100,000. Artem S. Dudko sold property at 108 Berkshire Drive, Williamstown, to Stephen and Monica Lawrence, $767,500.

Wicket Deals LLC sold property at 1874 Home Road, Sheffield, to Norberto Lachenal Tecson II and Monica Anne Sabino-Tecson, $470,000.

Summit Holdings LLC sold property at 44-46 Arnold St., Williamstown, to John J. Wall and Carin L. Demayo-Wall, $150,000.

Robert L. West and Donna P. West sold property at 36 Silver St., Sheffield, to David M. Guarducci and Lydia Rollins, $760,000.

Simon J. and Tanya Tidmarsh sold property at 888 Hancock Road, Williamstown, to Grace Kim and Alejandro Mones, $789,000.

Konkapot LLC sold property at 200 Clayton Road, Sheffield, to Thomas C. Grossman, $650,000.

Grace Kim and Alejandro Mones sold property at 73 Candlewood Drive, Williamstown, to Douglas B. Pickard, trustee of the Douglas B. Pickard 2024 Trust, and Jane O. Pickard, trustee of the Jane O. Pickard 2024 Trust, $605,000.

STOCKBRIDGE Berkshire Theatre Group Inc. sold property at 6 East St., Stockbridge, to Daniel Schapira and Jocelyn Lieb, $408,200.

Reinaldo and Stacy L. Roman sold property at 21-23 Glenwood Ave., Pittsfield, to TK Estates LLC, $300,000.

Washington

Marc J. Freedman sold property at 84-96 Water St., Williamstown, to Hilchey Properties LLC, $1,035,000.

Harry C. Moore III sold property at 138 Upper Valley Road, Washington, to Holly Jean Moran, $110,000.

Eric W. Tiffany and Lee Y. Park sold property at 171 The Knolls, Williamstown, to Jane Patton, $785,000.

James D. Mills, trustee of the Robert J. Mills and Kiyoko A. Mills RVT, and James D. Mills, trustee of the Kiyoko A. Mills RVT, sold property at 1 Mountain Drive, Pittsfield, to Tony and Megan M. Tuyen, $495,000.

John B. Gosselin sold property at 14 Blotz Road, Washington, to Debra McConnell, $311,000.

RICHMOND Colleen Sullivan, individually and as personal rep. of the Estate of Megan Sullivan, and Maurya, Bryan, Britany, Walter, Ryan, and Justin Sullivan, Jessica Deyesso, and Sioghan Sullivan Rasines, personal reps. of the Estate of Dana Sullivan, sold property at 399 State Road, Richmond, to Liang Ern S. Lee,

WEST STOCKBRIDGE Andrew Kuslansky and Allison Kuslansky sold property at 21 Stockbridge Road, West Stockbridge, to Antony Eagle and Elizabeth Eagle, $1,032,750. Robert Fried and Karen Kowgios sold property at 83 Maple Hill Road, West Stockbridge, to Bruce Michael Bettigole and Donna Klein Bettigole, $3,000,000. Michael Sternschein and Susan J. Frank, trustees of Michael J. Sternschein Revocable Living Trust Agree-

FT — Family Trust LLC — Limited Partnership LT — Life Trust NT — Nominee Trust RET — Real Estate Trust RT — Realty Trust RVT — Revocable Trust The real estate transactions are provided by the Middle Berkshire, North Berkshire and South Berkshire Registry of Deeds offices.

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September 2026

Berkshire Business Journal

23

People in the Berkshires Berkshire Money Management has promoted financial adviser Scott C. Little to partner. The promotion recognizes Little’s longstanding contributions to BMM, its clients and the team he has helped shape throughout his career. Little has been with BMM for 24 of the firm’s 25 years and has served as vice president since Little 2002. During that time, he has helped generations of families navigate important financial decisions with greater clarity and confidence. His approach emphasizes understanding the emotions behind those decisions, listening closely to clients and helping them navigate some of life’s biggest transitions, including retirement, new beginnings, divorce and loss. “Scott’s influence can be felt in so many parts of BMM, and I’m incredibly grateful for everything he’s brought to this firm,” said Allen Harris, founder and CEO of Berkshire Money Management. “Over the years, he’s become someone our co-owner and chief engagement officer, Stacey Carver, and I trust deeply; someone our team turns to for guidance, and someone our clients know they can count on. “He’s helped teach and mentor the next generation of advisors while continually raising the bar for how we care for our clients,” Harris said. “Scott has played an important role in building the BMM we know today, and I’m excited to have him help lead us into what comes next.” As a partner, Little will take on a more formal role in shaping the firm’s future, including participating in owner meetings, succession planning, business development strategy, and adviser recruitment and development. He will also help develop new initiatives, guide strategic projects and contribute to the long-term vision for BMM. Little holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and is a certified elder planning specialist and behavioral financial adviser. His areas of interest include family financial planning, estate planning, retirement planning and behavioral finance. A lifelong Berkshire County resident, Little lives in Adams with his wife, Julie, and their daughter, Abbey. He is active in his church and is a dedicated supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. McKayla Lewis has joined Berkshire County Arc as assistant director of human resources. She will support the chief human resources officer in overseeing the department and will be based at the organization’s main office in Pittsfield. Lewis previously served as human resources manager at The Mount, Edith Wharton Cultural Center, in Lenox. Before transitioning into human resources within the nonprofit sector, she held several hospitality management positions, including assistant operations manager at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco and housekeeping manager at Miraval Berkshires Resort and Spa in Lenox. Lewis holds a degree in hospitality business management with a minor in human resources from Washington State University and is a SHRM-certified professional. Originally from Spokane, Wash., Lewis moved from San Francisco to the Berkshires in 2020. BFAIR has named Theresa Denette as the organization’s permanent chief

operating officer following her tenure in the role on an interim basis in recent months. The appointment reflects Denette’s proven leadership and the confidence BFAIR’s Denette board and executive team have in her ability to guide the organization’s operations going forward. Denette has spent nearly 25 years with BFAIR, steadily advancing from assistant program director to a series of senior leadership roles spanning day services, quality assurance, clinical services, and agency-wide operations. Throughout her career, she has been a driving force behind program growth, operational quality and organizational innovation. “Theresa has proven, time and again, that she is the right person for this role,” said Randall Kinnas, chief executive officer. “Her deep institutional knowledge, steady leadership, and genuine dedication to the individuals and families we serve have already made a real impact across our organization. I’m confident that with Theresa in this position permanently, BFAIR is exceptionally well-positioned for continued growth and excellence in the years ahead.” Denette holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from Westfield State College, an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and a graduate certificate in Human Resources from Fitchburg State University. She serves as president of the board of directors for the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and is a member of the McCann Business Technology advisory board. She lives in Clarksburg with her husband and children. MountainOne Bank has appointed Tracy McConnell as vice president, Berkshire County commercial team leader. She returns to MountainOne after previously serving with the bank for more than 22 years, most recently as vice president of commercial lending from 1995 to 2017. In her new, expanded role, McConnell oversees MountainOne’s Berkshire County comMcConnell mercial lending team, leading business development, relationship management, credit quality, special asset management, and portfolio performance. She also provides leadership and mentorship to the bank’s commercial lending staff while strengthening relationships with businesses and community organizations throughout Berkshire County. McConnell holds a bachelor of arts degree in interdisciplinary studies, business and leadership from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and earned a graduate banking diploma from the Stonier National Graduate School of Banking. An active community volunteer, McConnell serves as treasurer of UCP of Western Massachusetts, a board member of the AYJ Fund, and an advisory board member of Charles H. McCann Technical School. McConnell is also a longtime member and former president of the North Adams Rotary Club and supports the Mount Greylock Regional High School and McCann Technical School booster clubs. A North Adams native, McConnell now lives in Williamstown with her husband, John, and two sons. Outside of work, she enjoys supporting the local high school sports teams. She served as a volunteer coach for youth soccer, basketball and T-ball for many years.

“We’re pleased to welcome Tracy back to MountainOne,” said Richard Kelly, senior vice president, senior commercial risk officer. “Her extensive commercial banking experience, leadership, and longstanding commitment to the Berkshires make her an outstanding addition to our commercial leadership team. We know our customers and communities will benefit from her expertise.” Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has announced the promotions of six staff members: Krystal Bartley, Britney Danials, Noe Gonzalez Ortiz, Alecia Herrick, Jocelyn Latvalla and Andrew McKeever. Bartley has been promoted to human resources administrator. She joined BRPC in 2022 after several years in retail management and earning her HRCI Associate Professional in Human Resources certification. She manages a range of human resource functions including payroll processing, benefits Bartley administration, recruitment, onboarding, recordkeeping and staff support. Bartley holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in philosophy from Siena College, a master’s degree in clinical psychology, and a SHRM-CP certification. Danials has been promoted to senior planner in BRPC’s Environmental and Energy Program. Since joining BRPC in 2022, she has worked on projects addressing climate change, flooding, natural hazards and long-term resilience. She helped launch the Berkshire Clean Air Project, a countywide initiative expanding access to local air quality monitoring. Danials holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and policy from Smith College, is FEMA certified in hazard mitigation, and is pursuing a wetland certificate through the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions. Gonzalez Ortiz has been promoted to senior planner in BRPC’s Public Health Planning Program. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in computer information systems and a data analytics certification. A certified Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor, he provides training and education to strengthen Ortiz community awareness and support for youth mental health. In his role at BRPC, Gonzalez Ortiz manages two youth substance use prevention grants, facilitates a peer-to-peer mental health curriculum, and works closely with community partners by coordinating and facilitating the SPARK and Berkshire Early Childhood Community Circle (BE3C) coalitions. Herrick has been promoted to finance administrator. She joined BRPC in 2021 after more than seven years as assistant accountant for the town of Dalton. In her role at BRPC, Herrick has excelled in accounts payable and, more recently, accounts receivable. She has also developed new skills in project administration, managing a variety of administrative tasks and helping ensure projects are set up and tracked properly for Herrick the duration of each contract within the agency. Herrick holds an associate degree in business administration and certifica-

tions in accounting and management. Latvalla has been promoted to planner within BRPC’s Economic Development Planning Program. She also supports projects across several other departments. At BRPC, her focus has been on community outreach and other tasks related to digital access planning and implementation, as well as supporting BRPC’s Shared Economic Development Planning initiative in Adams, Great Barrington and Latvalla Lanesborough. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sustainable food and farming with a minor in sustainable community development from University of Massachusetts Amherst. McKeever has been promoted to senior planner in BRPC’s Community Planning Program. He joined BRPC in 2023 after more than a decade in local journalism and government communications. McKeever assists communities throughout Berkshire County in developing comprehensive plans, open space and recreation plans, land use policies, and zoning bylaws, and ensures that government services and facilities meet and exceed ADA accessibility standards. McKeever earned a McKeever bachelor’s degree in communications from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2007. He previously served as the director of communications at the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, was Pittsfield bureau chief for iBerkshires.com, and a reporter for the Bennington Banner. He is a member of the Pittsfield Community Television board of directors and the Pittsfield Irish Sister City Committee. Berkshire Community College has hired Justin Maaia as special programs coordinator for TRIO student support services and Evan Mayotte as maintainer Maaia has been teaching and advising students since 2005, first at the former St. Joseph Central High School in Pittsfield and, most recently, at the National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C. In addition to teaching religious studies and philosophy courses, he has mentored teachers Maaia as a visiting scholar and now consultant for the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education. Maaia holds a master’s degree from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree from Suffolk University. A native of Berkshire County, he enjoys hiking with his wife and daughters and hosting dinners with close friends. As maintainer I, Mayotte will perform general cleaning, custodial care, groundskeeping, and Mayotte minor physical maintenance tasks. A Pittsfield native, he enjoys football, reading, music, games, and spending time with family and friends.

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Berkshire Business Journal

September 2026