Biz Briefs: Massachusetts Maple Producer Wins Top Honors
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How sweet it is: Melissa Leab of Hancock took a top honor for her product and another was recognized for his decades of dedication to the industry at the North American Maple Syrup Council’s annual competition in Burlington, Vt.
Leab won first place in the Maple Cream category, and further beat out all other entries to claim Best of Show among all Maple Products. Sugarmakers from the United States and Canada submitted 170 entries into the contest, making for very tough competition in each category. Leab and her husband Rob own and run Ioka Valley Farm, and she is also president of the Massachusetts Maple Producers Association.
There are more than 250 maple sugaring operations in Massachusetts, many of which sell their products directly to consumers at farmstands and farmers markets. A directory of sugarmakers who sell maple products to the public can be found at www.massmaple.org.
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Toys for Tots: Walter Lother, the local Edward Jones financial advisor, is supporting the Marines of Westover Toys for Tots program by using his office as a drop-off location for this year's toy drive.
Local residents may help needy children in the area by bringing in a new, unwrapped toy to the office, 71 Main St., North Adams, during regular business hours from Nov. 1 through Dec. 11.
Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company, provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliate, in Canada.
Transaction: Berkshire Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, and Renaissance Investment Group have completed a succession of ownership transaction on October 31, 2016, that allows RIG to more closely align its company goals with those of its clients. The transfer of ownership will allow Renaissance Investment Group to develop its strategic growth and continue providing exceptional service to its clients.
In order to effect this transaction, a joint venture company was formed to acquire Renaissance. The majority ownership of the company resides with Trevor Forbes, with the remaining minority position held by an independent investment advisor, Stratos Wealth Partners of Beachwood, Ohio.
Stratos is a nationwide partnership of financial advisors and oversees over $4 billion in assets under management. This association will enable Renaissance to operate independently providing the same approach to investment management and client service to which their clients have become accustomed. In addition, the affiliation with Stratos will enable Renaissance to obtain the necessary financing and support to complete the purchase of Renaissance Investment Group, LLC from Berkshire Bank. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The success of this transaction represents an opportunity for Berkshire Bank to grow and evolve its existing Wealth Management Group.
