Berkshire Trendsetter Winners Announced at 1Berkshire’s Celebrate the Berkshires

BERKSHIRE COUNTY, MA – 1Berkshire – September 26, 2019 – With over 300 people present, 1Berkshire honored TOURISTS for Putting the Berkshires on the Map and presented the highly coveted 2019 Berkshire Trendsetter Awards at the ninth annual Celebrate the Berkshires event which was hosted at Jiminy Peak. The Trendsetter Awards recognize businesses, organizations, and individuals whose outstanding achievements and commitment have strengthened the economy and helped the Berkshires grow.

The Winners are:

In the Innovative Marketing Campaign category, Lee Bank took home the award for their compelling in-house, locally-produced branding campaign featuring Lee Bank employees having fun and enjoying authentic experiences with local business customers, thereby promoting local businesses through storytelling, playfulness and partnership.

The Newcomer of the Year award was presented to Theory Wellness for opening the first recreational cannabis dispensaries in the Berkshires, attracting over 65,000 visitors from nearby states and contributing over $1M in taxes and impact fees to the town of Great Barrington in its first 6 months of operation.

Roots Rising was named Nonprofit Impact winner for founding the only teen-run farmers market in the country, providing teens with authentic and accessible job opportunities and enhancing community building and teen empowerment through work with farms, food pantries and the Pittsfield Farmers Market.

Winning the Creative Economy Standout award was Steve Sears (Stationery Factory) for validating the concept and starting a movement of Berkshire mill conversions into attractive repurposed space for businesses, events, live music, food and beverage, and for making the Berkshires a destination for top-notch live acoustic music.

MASS MoCA received the Growing/Advancing the Berkshire Economy award for their massive investment and redevelopment in the Berkshires, creating the largest contemporary art museum in the country, contributing over $50M annually in economic impact to the region, and instigating a North Adams revival.

Jess Sweeney was named the Under 40 Change Maker for her work creating an environment for local and emerging artists to thrive in the northern Berkshires through the Common Folk Artists Collective, while empowering teens in leadership and decision making through ROOTS teen center and leading the inaugural O+ Festival to address the gap in health services for freelancers and artists.

The Entrepreneur/Visionary of the Year award was given to Margaret Keller for leading the massive expansion of Community Access to the Arts’ inspirational work, increasing people served by 70%, doubling their base of financial support and launching their first-ever capital campaign/facilities project to give artists with disabilities their own campus in Great Barrington.

Closing out the evening, TOURISTS was recognized as the special honoree for Putting the Berkshires on the Map in recognition of the substantial contribution that they have made to the Berkshire economy. TOURISTS is a hotel and riverside retreat inspired by the classic American roadside motor lodge, set in North Adams at the confluence of the Mohawk Trail, the Hoosic River, and the Appalachian Trail. Designed for the 21st-century traveler, the 48-room property is a union of design and nature, home to woodland trails, riverbank vistas, sculptural installations, unique food experiences, and more. Both a haven and trail head, TOURISTS connects guests with their best leisure selves and and serves as a vibrant base camp for exploration and adventure. Since opening in August of 2018, TOURISTS has welcomed nearly 10,000 guests to North Adams, many on their first visit to the region.

Photos will be available 9/27.

About 1Berkshire
1Berkshire is a county-wide organization focused on economic development and promotion of the region as a preferred place to visit, to live, and to grow a business. It provides programs that connect businesses with each other and with potential customers, as well as works to develop future leaders and support entrepreneurs. For more information, visit 1Berkshire.com.