BusinessTalk

BusinessTalk

By BusinessWestBusiness
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BusinessTalk episodes

  • BusinessTalk with Dr. Mark Kenton, chief of Emergency Medicine at Mercy Medical Center

    Dr. Mark Kenton has seen it all during a long career in emergency

    medicine, from the fast pace and constant challenge of daily cases to a pandemic that sorely tested emergency departments in unprecedented ways. Through all of it, he says effective care, especially of individuals often facing the worst days of their lives, begins with listening and forging personal connections with patients and their families. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Kenton, chief of Emergency Medicine at Mercy Medical Center, talks with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about his important work — both inside the ER and often far outside it as an outspoken advocate — for which he has been honored as one of BusinessWest‘s Healthcare Heroes for 2023. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

    24 min
  • BusinessTalk with Diana Szynal president and CEO of the Springfield Regional Chamber

    After several years leading the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce,

    Diana Szynal took the reins as president and CEO of the Springfield
    Regional Chamber last summer, and in the year-plus since, she has
    listened to — and learned from — hundreds of business, government, and
    economic-development leaders in an effort to ensure the chamber is
    playing an effective role in the growth and vibrancy of the Greater
    Springfield economy. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Szynal talks
    with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about all this and much more,
    including some exciting upcoming events, including a reimagined Super
    60 that has expanded its categories to recognize a wider variety of
    businesses and nonprofits. It’s must listening, so tune in to
    BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

    21 min
  • BusinessTalk Dave Wisseman of Mike's Maze in Sunderland

    What started out as an artistic inspiration more than 20 years ago has become one of the region’s most anticipated fall attractions: Mike’s Maze, a massive, visually striking (at least from above) corn maze at Warner Farm in Sunderland. (This year’s edition is a thoughtful reflection on the growing role of artificial intelligence in society.) The maze has become a significant revenue driver for the farm, a welcome benefit in a year when farmers have faced unusually harsh challenges. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Dave Wisseman, the tenth-generation leader of this venerable family farm, talks with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about the farm’s rich history, how the mazes are created, how the annual attraction has evolved, and much more. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

    23 min
  • BusinessTalk with Gene Cassidy, president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition

    Staging a 17-day fair on the scale of the Big E is a year-round job, one marked not only by hard work and meticulous planning, but a dose of luck (what’s the weather forecast?). This is an event with plenty of momentum, even after more than a century of bringing food, music, and activities to the masses and raising the profile of the region’s agricultural sector. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Gene Cassidy, president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition, sits down with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar to talk about last year’s success — five record-setting days! — what’s in store for this year’s edition, which opens Sept. 15; the massive regional economic impact of the Big E; and how to keep things fresh year after year.It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

    23 min
  • BusinessTalk with Joel Doolin, MiraVista’s executive vice president

    At a time when behavioral-health issues, substance misuse, and family and workplace stressors are all on people’s minds, the need for responsive services is higher than ever. MiraVista Behavioral Health Center in Holyoke has been meeting those needs since 2021 with an array of inpatient psychiatric services, outpatient substance recovery programs, and community outreach to educate people about mental wellness and the resources available to achieve it. On the next BusinessTalk episode, BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar talks with Joel Doolin, MiraVista’s executive vice president, about these services, his passion for behavioral health, and why there’s still progress to be made when it comes to talking openly about mental health and overcoming the stigma too often associated with it. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

    19 min
  • BusinessTalk with Chris Kelley, MGM Springfield’s president and COO

    Many people vividly remember their excitement when MGM Springfield opened its doors five years ago — as well as the early returns, which didn’t meet the lofty expectations casino proponents had laid out, followed by the pandemic shutdown and, later, a halting return to activity. What people might not realize is that the casino’s last three quarters have been its best, while legal sports betting and an impressive recent slate of music and comedy shows bode well for an even stronger future. On the next installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar sits down with Chris Kelley, MGM Springfield’s president and COO, about rising expectations, how to continually improve the customer experience, the challenge of maintaining a large workforce, and much more. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

    21 min
  • BusinessTalk with Dr. Andrew Lam, retinal surgeon with New England Retina Consultants

    Dr. Andrew Lam has forged an intriguing dual career. The first is in

    medicine, as a retinal surgeon with New England Retina Consultants, an
    attending surgeon at Baystate Medical Center, and an assistant professor
    of Ophthalmology at UMass Medical School. But he’s also turned his
    lifelong passion for history into four acclaimed books: two in the realm
    of historical fiction, and two nonfiction works about the
    often-surprising lives behind modern medical advances. On the next
    installment of BusinessTalk, Dr. Lam talks with BusinessWest Editor Joe
    Bednar about his latest work, The Masters of Medicine, and how he
    goes about bringing history to life on the page — when he’s not helping
    patients salvage and improve their sight, that is.
    It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

    24 min
  • BusinessTalk with Matt Flink president of Appleton Corp.

    These are interesting and challenging times for commercial real estate

    and property management, and an equally intriguing chapter in the career
    of Matt Flink, who took the reins as president of Appleton Corp. last
    year and seeks to steer the firm, one of the venerable O’Connell
    Companies, into continued growth. On the next episode of BusinessTalk,
    Matt joins BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar for an energetic, wide-ranging
    conversation about what goes into effective property management, the
    leadership skills he’s honed from both his past roles and coaching youth
    sports, the ways in which the post-pandemic world is changing the way
    people work … and much more. It’s must listening, so tune in to
    BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

    24 min
  • BusinessTalk with Chikmedia’s Meghan Rothschild

    Even with a strong background in marketing, Meghan Rothschild had

    reservations about launching her own business. But once she took the
    leap in 2013, she had plenty of confidence in her vision for the
    company: one of fierceness, attitude, and constant learning in the
    service of helping clients — many of them women business owners as well —
    reach the next level through better branding and messaging. As
    Chikmedia celebrates its 10th anniversary, Meghan joins BusinessWest
    Editor Joe Bednar on the next installment of BusinessTalk for a
    wide-ranging conversation about the challenges of entrpreneurship, the
    evolving world of marketing, and her important work in the realm of
    skin-cancer awareness. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk,
    a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

    24 min
  • BusinessTalk with Valley Blue Sox General Manager Tyler Descheneaux

    It’s not easy building a sports franchise that wins on the field while

    consistently growing its attendance and presence in the community. But
    the Valley Blue Sox, which has brought collegiate summer baseball to
    Holyoke since 2008, has certainly done both. On the next installment of
    BusinessTalk, as the team makes a late-season playoff push, General
    Manager Tyler Descheneaux joins BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar for a
    wide-ranging discussion of what it takes to build a roster; how the team
    is connecting with families, businesses, and nonprofits through
    promotions and community outreach; how attendance has been ticking back up since the pandemic; and much more. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

    24 min

About BusinessTalk

From the publisher's feed

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.