Biz Briefs: Steepleview Realty Celebrating 20th Anniversary
Going strong
Steepleview Realty is celebrating 20 years in business. Owner Jennifer Segala opened the real estate company on April 1, 1998, in Adams. The first office was located at One Commercial Place; within the first year of business, Segala purchased the building at 63 Park St., where the flagship office remains today.
As the business became more successful, Segala expanded to include offices in North Adams and Pittsfield. In 2015, longtime sales associate Deb Trzcinski became a partner with Segala and now owns and operates the business on a daily basis with her.
Many agents have been with Steepleview from the beginning, including Pauline Green , Ruth Goyette and Christine Girard. A third of the agents have been with Steepleview for over 10 years and various other agents with terms ranging from five years to brand new. There are currently 23 agents working with Steepleview Realty spread out throughout the three office locations in Berkshire County.
Steepleview Realty has been top real estate agent with the most amount of closed sales in Berkshire County for several years. Steepleview has also been voted Best of the Berkshires multiple times throughout the years. In celebration of their anniversary, Steepleview Realty is holding an open house at their main office, located at 63 Park St., Adams, on Thursday, April 5, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Finding success
Hilton Garden Inn Lenox Pittsfield was recently recognized from the brand by receiving the 2017 Hotel Success Award-Top 5 Percent of Brand and the General Manager Merit Award. These awards solidify the hotel as one of Hilton Garden Inn's best in class properties for the past year. Hotels receiving the Success Reward must score tops in Overall Guest Experience, Quality Assurance and Service to our Hilton Honors Members. The General Manager Merit Award is given to leaders with both outstanding personal and hotel performance ratings.
In recognition of this achievement, the hotel will receive a plaque to display in its lobby. Located at 1032 South Street, the Hilton Garden Inn Lenox Pittsfield offers amenities including complimentary Wi-Fi, a state-of-the-art fitness center and guestrooms that feature large work desks, ergonomic chairs, Serta beds and a Keurig coffee maker. Located in the heart of the Berkshires, it is centrally located for both vacationers and business travelers alike. The on-site restaurant is open to the public. Offering two meeting rooms, it can host private functions from 10 to 50 people with personalized catering available.
Bank program
Adams Community Bank will host Paul Boyer, director of financial aid at Williams College, who will present an "After the College Acceptance" seminar on Tuesday, April 10, at 7 p.m. at The Williams Inn in Williamstown. This event is free for students and their parents and is open to the public. Respond with the number of attendees by leaving a message for Kris Bona at 413-749-1165 or by emailing Bona by April 6.
Guidance for navigating the next steps after being accepted into college and receiving financial aid award letters will be provided to students and parents regarding how to choose the right financing options for their situation, understanding and analyzing the financial aid they have been offered and determining how to pay the balance of their bill.
Solid year for Greylock
Greylock Federal Credit Union reported a solid 2017 at its 83rd annual meeting held at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield on March 27. In its 82nd year of operation, Greylock's core operating earnings were $6.7 million, up from $4.7 million the prior year, with total assets of about $1.16 billion. The credit union's regulatory capital – a key measure of financial strength – ended the year at 10.30 percent, up from 9.94 percent in 2016, improving upon Greylock's "well-capitalized" rating as determined by the National Credit Union Administration. During 2017, Greylock grew its loan portfolio to more than $959 million and continued its position as the county's top originator of mortgage loans and consumer loans.
Greylock’s 2017 Community Development Program highlights: Made nearly 900 loans to credit-challenged borrowers; originated $1.6 million in affordable used auto loans through a program that helps to boost credit scores; helped keep thirty families in their homes through foreclosure-prevention programs; created a Safety Net loan program providing affordable access to emergency funds for borrowers with challenged credit; offered interactive financial literacy training to nearly 5,700 students in Western Massachusetts; provided more than 1,500 people with one-on-one financial wellness counseling sessions; and held 67 county-wide member education classes at various locations where nearly 1,000 people learned about topics such as: building credit, budgeting, controlling debt, investing, protection from fraud, and buying a first home.
Other 2017 highlights included: launched a robust new online and mobile banking system, and added more than 2,000 active new users; completed a merger with Landmark Credit Union in North Adams; expanded its Community Development Program to include the introduction of new lending programs to benefit financially underserved members such as credit-challenged borrowers, low income workers, immigrants, students, and young workers; and redesigned the Greylock.org website to offer a more community-oriented, user-friendly look and feel to increase and improve community engagement.
