BusinessTalk

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien interviews Ira Helfand, a retired emergency room physician at Mercy Medical Center and co-chair of Physicians for Social Responsibilty’s Nuclear Weapons Abolition Committee. The situation in Ukraine has brought new and needed attention to the matter of nuclear weapons and the need to make sure there they can never be used, said Helfand, as he discusses curr...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Marc Joyce, chairman of the 69th Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The two talk about the long, three-year wait for the 69th parade, the impact of this institution on Holyoke and the surrounding  region, and what’s on tap for highly anticipated 2022 parade and road  race. It’s all must listening, so join...

On this installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest  Editor George  O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with  Ryan Stelzer,  co-author of the book ‘Think Talk Create; Building Workplaces Fit for  Humans.’ The two talk about the pandemic, its impact on the workplace,  the ‘Great resignation,’ and, overall, the future of work, or what the  future should be....

On this installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest  Editor George  O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Tanzania (Tanzi)  Cannon-Eckerle, Esq., an employment law specialist — and a brewer. They  talk a little about employment law and lot about Brew Practitioners, the  business she created with her husband, Joe, the growing craft beer  industry in Western...

On this installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest  Editor George  O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with  Brian Houser,  general manager of Balise Hyundai and Ready Credit Used Cars in  Springfield. The two talk about the current state of the auto industry  on President’s Day weekend, and why this all-important, season-starting  event will certainly b...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging  discussion with  Beth Ward, director of Community Affairs at MGM  Springfield. The two talk everything from the Valentine’s Day menu  (5-pound lobster), to the prospects for sports gambling, to MGM  Springfield’s steady climb back to something approaching normalcy after  two years of pandemic. It’s a...

On this installment of BusinessTalk,  BusinessWest  Editor  George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Barbara Trombley a financial advisor and CPA with Wilbraham-based Trombley Associates. The two talk  about the current volatility on Wall Street, the many different forces  behind it, and what investors should be thinking — and doing. Or not  doing, as...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging  discussion with Tom Senecal, president and CEO of PeoplesBank. The two  talk about everything from the regional economy and the forces that will  determine its direction in 2022, to the pandemic and how it has  inspired banks, and especially his institution to ratchet up their  philanthropic efforts acros...

BusinessWest  Editor George  O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Cheryl Malandrinos,  president of the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley. The two talk  about the still white-hot housing market in the region and the forces  behind it — everything from soaring demand to historically low levels of  inventory. She also offers her outlook on if, when, an...

On the next installment of BusinessTalk,  BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Paul Stelzer,  president of Appleton Corp. The two talk about the region’s commercial real estate  market and the powerful forces driving it, especially COVID and its  many side-effects. It’s a compelling discussion and must listening, so  join...

BusinessWest  Editor  George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Rick  Sullivan, president and CEO of the Western Mass. Economic Development  Council. The two talk about the year that was ... and what the region  might expect in 2022 when it comes to everything from the workforce  crisis to supply chain issues to attracting individuals and businesses &n...

On the next installment of BusinessTalk,  BusinessWest  Editor  George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Dr. Robert  Roose, chief medical officer for Mercy Medical Center.  The two talk  about everything from the state of the pandemic and the arrival of the  Omicron variant, to the immense challenges facing hospitals today, to  the ongoing w...

On the next installment of BusinessTalk,  BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Peter  Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, the  Delaney House restaurant, and other hospitality-sector businesses.  The  two talk about everything from the state of the pandemic and its many  implications for that sect...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging  discussion with Matt Yee, a principal with Enlite, a Northampton-based  adult-use cannabis dispensary. The two talk about that this new business  venture, the state of the cannabis industry in Western Mass., and its  prospects for continued growth.  It’s a compelling discussion and must  listening, s...

BusinessTalk, BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively,  wide-ranging discussion with Tracye Whitfield, one of BusinessWest’s  recently named Women of Impact for 2021, several of whom have been  spotlighted in recent weeks. The two talk about everything that went  into this honor, from her passion for service on the Springfield City  Council to her recent appo...

BusinessWest  Editor  George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Jessica Collins,  one of BusinessWest’s recently named Women of Impact for 2021, several  of whom will be spotlighted over the coming weeks. The two talk about  everything that went into this honor, from her passion for public health  to her remarkable track record for forging collaborativ...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Madeline  Landrau, one of BusinessWest’s recently named Women of Impact for 2021, several of  whom will be spotlighted over the coming weeks. The two talk about  everything that went into this honor, from her many responsibilities as  Program Engagement Manager at MassMutual, to the many facets...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging  discussion with Bob Nakosteen, a professor of Economics at UMass  Amherst. The two talk about everything from the recent jobs report and  what it means, to soaring inflation; from supply chain issues and how  they will impact the rate of recovery, to projections for the year  ahead. It’s a compelling disc...

George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Tim Netkovick,  a partner with the Royal Law Firm. The two talk about COVID, vaccines,  and especially the mandates ordered by the Biden administration and what  they will mean for area businesses already struggling with the  pandemic, a workforce crisis, inflation, and a host of other issues.  It’s a compelling dis...

George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Tony Cignoli,  president of the A.L. Cignoli Company. The two talk about everything  from Smith & Wesson’s recent decision to move its headquarters to  Tenessee to redistricting and what it means for the region, to the  pandemic and the lessons learned from it. It’s a compelling discussion  and must listening, s...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging  discussion with Peter Picknelly, chairman and CEO of Peter Pan Bus  Lines. The two talk about everything from the ongoing workforce crisis  to people getting back on the roads — finally; from the many challenges  facing those in the restaurant business, to the loss of his good friend,  business partner, a...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging  discussion with John Garvey, president of Garvey Communication  Associates. The two talk about Facebook’s long, difficult week, the  testimony of a whistleblower, comparisons of social media to Big  Tobacco, and cries that something should be done to control this  industry. It’s a compelling discussion an...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging  discussion with Lenny Underwood, owner of Underwood Photography and  Upscale Socks. The two talk about both of those intriguing businesses —  especially his ever-expanding sock line — and also about the ups and  downs of entrepreneurship, especially in the middle of a global  pandemic. It’s must listening...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging  discussion with Rick Sullivan, president and CEO of the Western Mass.  Economic Development Council. The two discuss everything from the  ongoing workforce crisis, to the proposed data center project in  Westfield, to the region’s prospects for gaining population — and  business opportunities — as a resul...

BusinessWest  Editor George O’Brien has a lively discussion with Delcie Bean, CEO of Paragus Strategic IT and the presenter for a recent BusinessWest Webinar, sponsored by Comcast Business, called ‘Automation: The Time is  Now.’ The two talk about the many ways businesses can benefit from  automation of processes, everyday tasks, and more — especially during  the ongoing workfo...