DevelopSpringfield e-newsletter, September 2013

September 2013

Welcome New Board Members

DevelopSpringfield recently announced the addition of several new board members who will be volunteering their time and talent to further the mission of the organization.

We are pleased to welcome Frank Crinella, Senior Vice President at TD Bank; Andrea Luppi, Manager of Communications and Community Relations at Columbia Gas of Massachusetts; Doug MacMillan, President of MacMillan and Sons, Inc. Realtors; and Kelvin Molina, Community Engagement Coordinator with HAPHousing.

These new members join the following: Nick Fyntrilakis, Vice President of Community Responsibility at MassMutual Financial Group (Board Chair); Melinda Phelps, Esquire with Bulkley Richardson (Board Vice-Chair); J. Jeffrey Sullivan, EVP & Chief Lending Officer with United Bank (Board Treasurer); M. Dale Janes, Chief Executive Officer at NUVO Bank and Trust Co. (Board Assistant Treasurer); Gary Fialky, Esquire with Bacon/Wilson, P.C.(Board Clerk); Jose Claudio, Community Development and Relations Director with New North Citizens' Council (Board Assistant Clerk); Robert "Cee" Jackson, President of Jackson Security Company; Steven Bradley, Vice President of Government and Community Relations and Public Affairs at Baystate Health; Glenn Welch, President and CEO of Hampden Bank; Susan Renee Johnson, Customer Response Center Manager at Liberty Mutual Group; Brian Connors, Deputy Director of Economic Development with the City of Springfield; Armando Feliciano, Chairman of the Springfield Redevelopment Authority; Michael Vedovelli, Regional Director of the Massachusetts Office of Business Development.

Partnership Investment Program

Join us!

Over the past several months, DevelopSpringfield has redoubled its efforts to stimulate revitalization and economic development in Springfield.

Today, we invite you to invest in the work of DevelopSpringfield by joining our new annual Partnership Investment Program. By joining us as a Partner, you will help to provide a foundation of financial support to strengthen our work while having the opportunity to participate in strategic planning and advisory groups that help shape our direction and focus in areas such as real estate strategy; urban development and design; and the creative economy.

Our board members have pledged to match new Partner contributions (up to a total of $15,000) in this first year of the Partnership Investment Program. The DevelopSpringfield Board of Directors' Matching Challenge Fund will provide a 1:1 match, doubling your contribution in this first year to ensure a successful launch of the program.

Click here for more details!

Save the Date!

The 3rd Annual Celebrate Springfield Gala will be held on Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Stay tuned for details in the coming weeks!

Rebuild Project Highlights

An enormous amount of work has been done by the Mayor, the City's Development team and countless city departments along with individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations to advance the rebuilding and revitalization of Springfield since the June 2011 tornado. We are pleased to be a part of the ongoing process and to highlight some of the extraordinary work being done.

The Rebuild Springfield planning process provided a framework for community engagement and collaboration with recommendations for advancing common goals and priorities for revitalization in Springfield. The following are examples of just a few of the projects which align with recommendations out of the Rebuild Plan.

The Elias Brookings School

On July 10, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Brookings School was held. Kudos to the Brookings School staff and families, the City, the School Department, the elected officials and leadership in the Commonwealth including the State Treasurer and the MA School Building Authority--the plans look amazing!

Photo here is of the officials and some of the students with that first ceremonial shovel of dirt.

Links to the Rebuild Plan can be found at www.developspringfield.com. Just click on the Rebuild Springfield logo on our homepage. If you have news or updates to share, please let us know!

Please forward this newsletter to others in the Springfield community

to help spread the news!

Our mission is to help create conditions that encourage private development, with a bricks-and-mortar focus and always with an eye toward understanding and meeting Springfield's unique and diverse redevelopment needs.

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