Westfield Chamber of Commerce
WESTFIELD – Firtion Adams Funeral Service has been named 2016 Business of the Year by the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce. In addition, George’s Jewelers, Inc. has been selected for the Chamber’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and Westfield Technical Academy has been named 2016 Nonprofit of the Year.
Firtion Adams Funeral Service is a family-owned business and has been in operation for over 68 years. James Adam (“JR”), vice president, stated “I am very honored and pleased to have been selected by the Chamber this year.” “This award belongs to everyone in our family business, as we have a dedicated team who not only demonstrate the highest level of compassion, but who also give back to the community by being involved in various organizations.” Kate Phelon, executive director of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce added, “Firtion Adams is a well-known, respected name in the Greater Westfield area, and I couldn’t be happier for them for being selected.”
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to George’s Jewelers for their continuous community presence on Elm Street for over 50 years. Owner George Kedzierski established the business in 1965 along with his wife Bernice. “It’s very humbling to be recognized for years of hard work, and living through the many fluctuations and transformations we have seen in the downtown over the past 50 years,” stated George.
Westfield Technical Academy is the Chamber’s 2016 Nonprofit of the Year recipient. This is a new award for the Chamber, and will become an annual presentation. Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski, the former principal at the Academy, said he is honored to have this high school recognized for all their great achievements. Westfield Technical Academy has truly been in the forefront of educational accolades over the past few years which include the recent FAA certification on the Aviation Maintenance Technology program; in 2015 they earned the designation of achieving Level 1 status from the Department of Education of Elementary and Secondary Education; awarded $1.1 million dollar grant which boosted the state’s first high school aviation technology program; and recognized for job training by the Pioneer Institute just to name a few.
The three recipients will be recognized at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner Wednesday, November 16, 2016. There will be a cocktail hour from 5:30 to 6:15 pm followed by a sit-down dinner and program from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The event is hosted by East Mountain Country Club located at 1458 East Mountain Road, Westfield, MA. Our Event Sponsor is Staples, Inc.; the Registration Table Sponsor is The Gaudreau Group; and the Small Business Sponsor is The Tierney Group.
Tickets for the event will be $50 for Members and $60 in advance for general admission. To support our two $500 citizen scholarships, a 50/50 raffle will be conducted. To register or for more information on sponsorship opportunities, please call Pam Bussell at the Chamber office at (413) 568.1618 or email [email protected]. Please RSVP by Monday, November 14th.
