Shire City Herbals Hires New Vice President of Business Development

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Shire City Herbals, makers of the apple cider vinegar-based health tonic Fire Cider, recently announced the hiring of Kimberly Allardyce, a wellness executive with over a decade of experience in the yoga and wellness space, as vice president of Business Development.

Allardyce will oversee the strategic direction and revenue goals of the company's wholesale and direct to consumer sales channels.

Allardyce, a graduate of the Chaminade University of Honolulu, brings extensive experience in the health and wellness space to the role, having developed revenue generating wellness programs for several high-level clients, including Sandals Resorts International and Club Med. Founder of the Caribbean Yoga Conference, Allardyce was recruited by Wanderlust Yoga & Music Festivals to develop and launch a new arm of their business. She was later recruited into YogaWorks to triage and rehabilitate a struggling business line.

She has worked with a global client base, she is an objective driven, solution-focused, collaborative leader who excels in intricate business development projects.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.