Women and Minority Owned Business Certification Summit

11:49AM / Sunday, December 18, 2022Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire, EforAll Berkshire County, the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation, with support from Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and the United States Economic Development Administration are excited to announce their upcoming Women and Minority Owned Business Certification Summit.

This event, happening on Jan. 20, 2023, from 8am-1pm at the Berkshire Innovation Center, aims to bring together women and minority owned businesses in the Berkshires, resource providing partners, and educational presentations to support our women and minority owned business community through the process of becoming certified as such.

"We've seen firsthand how powerful certification of W/MBEs can be, and how unfortunate it can be when businesses aren't certified," Ben Lamb, 1Berkshire Director of Economic Development said. "Our hope is that by bringing eligible businesses together in a common space to network, learn, and engage resource providers with a mission to support them will help to foster a culture here where certification is accessible, supported, and common practice across our W/MBE business community."

While the Berkshires heave businesses owned and operated by women, BIPOC individuals, immigrants, veterans, members of the LGBTQ community, and individuals with disabilities, a very small percentage of these businesses are formally certified as such. Certification of women and minority owned business enterprises (W/MBEs) is a tool for building business success, sustained revenue, acquiring larger contracts, and gaining access to critical resources for resiliency, recovery, and emergency issues.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, this lack of certification disadvantaged hundreds of businesses in the region and beyond who missed out on an array of grant and emergency funding resources only available to certified entities.

Since 2020, 1Berkshire and the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission have been working to provide referrals and technical assistance to W/MBEs to help businesses begin the process of getting certified.

"We are excited to empower local entrepreneurs to use all of the tools available to them," Allison Schmitt, Program Manager for EforAll Berkshire County said. "This summit is a great opportunity to learn about these valuable certifications, but also to network and continue building crucial relationships in the small business community."

Partners and panelists to which attendees will have direct access are coming onboard, but currently include, Blackshires Community Empowerment Foundation, Berkshire Immigrant Center, Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire, DEI Outdoors, LGBT Chamber of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network.

This event will run from 8am-1pm, is free to attend, and will include light breakfast refreshments and lunch. Pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, please go to: https://1berkshirestrategicalliancemacoc.weblinkconnect.com/events/Women%20Minority%20Owned%20Business%20Certification%20Summit-4433/details

Agencies that specifically provides support for businesses to go through the W/MBE certification, please contact the Economic Development Team at 1Berkshire at EconomicDev@1Berkshire.com.

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New Pittsfield City Council, School Committee Meets

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
02:25PM / Sunday, January 18, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The new City Council and School Committee met for the first time last week, and were met with some hope from the public.

The council is largely the same as the last term, with Cameron Cunningham now representing Ward 2 and Kathy Moody Ward 7. On the other hand, the School Committee is all new aside from longtime member Daniel Elias.

Resident Paul Gregory, a regular at public comment, told the council, "I stand here tonight, I'm excited. I'm not complaining." Gregory said that with challenges come opportunities, and he is confident that the elected officials are up for it.

"I'm really, really looking forward to the leadership and the roles that each of you will play in order to bring out the best that Pittsfield is and can be," he said.

"We need to stress our values as a city. We need to recognize and identify why people should live in this city and what opportunities there are both for entertainment, for employment, and for activities."

Councilor at Large Earl Persip III was elected council president during the inauguration ceremony earlier this month, and Mayor Peter Marchetti was elected to chair the School Committee. During the committee's meeting on Wednesday, Marchetti noted that this would be the last time "communication by the chair" will be placed on the agenda because he will deliver comments as other members do.

United Educators of Pittsfield President Jeanne Lemmond, also offered well wishes to the School Committee.

"It's going to be an interesting time working with so many new faces, and the UEP is looking forward to a very positive working relationship with you as we go into negotiations and any other business that we bring forward to you," she said.

Gregory, who also addressed the School Committee, hopes they work collaboratively to support each other, especially with the district's "ambitious" efforts to restructure the middle school levels and build a new school in the West Side.

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