17 40UnderFortyGala Celebrating the Class of 2012 Nearly 600 people gathered at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke on June 21 to fete BusinessWest s 40 Under Forty Class of 2012. Assembled here for a group photo following the event-opening VIP hour, this year s class is an eclectic mix of professionals, entrepreneurs, nonprofit managers, and even a few involved in public service a police sergeant from Westfield and a state senator from West Springfield. The 40 Under Forty gala featured networking, fine food, a video created by viz-bang! that celebrated this year s class, and, of course, the presentation of plaques to this year s winners. What follows is a photo montage of the gala, which was sponsored by Comcast Business Class, Fathers & Sons, Hampden Bank, Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, Moriarty & Primack, P.C., Paragus Strategic I.T., St. Germain Investment Management, and the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield. Photography by Denise Smith dsmithphotos@yahoo.com
18 www.businesswest.com JULY 2, 2012 Celebrating the 40 Under Forty Class of 2012 at the VIP hour prior to the honoree presentations are, left to right: honoree Brendon Hutchins, senior vice president at St. Germain Financial Investments; Patrick Leary, partner with Moriarty & Primack; Carlo Centeno, vice president of marketing and Mike Matty, president, both of St. Germain; and Hutchins wife, Jessica. From left, Kristin Jennings and husband, honoree Kevin Jennings, network with honoree Adam Ondrick and his wife Bethany. From left, Rob Quinn, a trustee with the AIDS Foundation of Western Mass., chats with honorees Michele Crochetiere and Jessica Crevier, executive director of the foundation. Stephanie Foster and her husband, Scott Foster (center), an attorney with Bulkley Richardson and one of those who judged this year s nominations, talk with another of the judges, Jim Theroux, Flavin professor of entrepreneurship at UMass Amherst. Brewers John Geraci and Sean St. Clair from Amherst Brewing Company, were on hand to pour samples of their micro beers on behalf of sponsor Paragus Strategic IT. Jeremy Casey, commercial service officer at Westfield Bank, chats with honoree Vincent Petrangelo, branch manager of Raymond James, and his wife Kara.
19 Fathers & Sons, one of the sponsors of the gala, was represented by (left to right) Sonya Lofferdo, Aimee Correa, Derek Beaulier, Damon Cartelli a previous honoree, Billy Visneau, and Stephen Langieri. From left, honoree Christopher Connelly, partner of Foley/ Connelly Financial Partners, Sue Laprise, and her husband, Ron Laprise, honoree and owner of Laprise Chiropractic. Kayla Schine, premium seat sales coordinator for Live Nation, chats with Joe Babato, director of sales for the company. From left, honoree Scott Conrad, honoree Jessica Crevier, Carol Leary, president of Baypath College, honoree Trecia Marchand, honoree Kristen Kellner, and honoree Michele Crochetiere. Representatives of sponsor Paragus Strategic IT are (seated, from left), Sarah Powers, Delcie Bean, Kim Talbot a previous honoree, Scott Fontaine. Standing, from left, Anthony Schiappa, Ray Olson, Jon Parent, and Luke Talbot. Previous honorees Sarah Tsitso, left, and Jennifer Schimmel, enjoy the VIP hour with Kate Campiti (right), associate publisher of BusinessWest.
20 www.businesswest.com JULY 2, 2012 Sponsor Hampden Bank was represented by, from left, Shana Hendrikse, Mike Barnes, Donna Abelli, Rick DeBonis, and his wife, Debbie. Guests from Freedom Credit Union: (back row, from left) Amy Fyden, Beverly Walz, Kara Herman, honoree Ed Nuñez and his wife Yaniza Nuñez, and Bill Russo-Appel. Front row, from left: Jay Scungio, Allen Reed, and Pat Munson. Front row (from left): Jennifer Meunier and Spirit Joseph, from the UMass Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, and Joe Barbeto and Kayla Schine from Live Nation. In the back row are Lyle Bate (left) and Jim Theroux (one of the program s judges) both from the Isenberg School. Sponsor Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield is represented by: (back row, left to right): Paul Yacovone, Sharon Czarnecki, Christin Deremian, and Nick Gelfand. Seated, from left, are Jeremy Casey, Julia Ortiz, and Jack Toner. Enjoying the evening at the table for sponsor Comcast Business Class are: (back row, left to right) Laurie Deyette, Maurice Powe, and his wife, honoree Terry Powe, and (front tow, from left) Cathy Bozak, Lea Derrick, Tim O Brien, and former honoree Gianna Allentuck. Sponsor St. Germain Investment was represented by: (back row, from left) Eric Hojnoski, Don Hutchins, Mike Matty, Patty Faginski, and Marion Roberts, and (front row, from left) Terry Hojnoski, Suzy Hutchins, honoree Brendon Hutchins, and his wife, Jess.
21 Kirk Smith, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Springfield, and one of the program s judges, recieves a gift basket from BusinessWest Editor George O Brien. BusinessWest senior writer Joe Bednar and staff writer Elizabeth Taras introduce this year s honorees. Above, gift bags, filled with items from event sponsors as well as a framed copy of each honoree s story in BusinessWest, await the winners. Above, BusinessWest Editor George O Brien presents honoree Carla Cosenzi with her plaque, while at left, he congratulates honoree Eric Hall, a Westfield police sergeant.