With over 350 people present, 1Berkshire honored General Dynamic Mission Systems for Putting the Berkshires on the Map and presented the highly coveted 2018 Berkshire Trendsetter Awards at the eighth annual Celebrate the Berkshires event which was hosted at the newly opened Proprietor’s Lodge. The Trendsetter Awards recognize businesses, organizations, and individuals whose outstanding achievements and commitment have strengthened the economy and helped the Berkshires grow.
General Dynamics and Krystle Gallo, Photo Credit: Ed Acker
The Winners are:
In the Comprehensive Marketing Campaign category, Community Access to the Arts (CATA) took home the award for their robust social media and marketing campaign, new website, newsletters, and cohesive approach to brand. They continually work to nurture the creativity of over 700 people with disabilities through dynamic arts workshops and public events. Their 25th-anniversary marketing campaign both amplified and celebrated this work in a way that grew their engagement and fundraising successes.
The Newcomer of the Year award was presented to The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires for their high impact first year in operations. Operating out of Great Barrington, the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires helps nonprofits connect, learn and grow by acting as a clearinghouse for information and resources. By launching a dozen successful programs and becoming the “go-to” resource for nonprofit sector needs, they have helped the community of nonprofit practitioners feel supported and inspired. They have quickly become a driving force for collaboration, connections, and communications countywide.
The Brien Center was named Nonprofit Impact winner for their dedicated service in the behavioral health and treatment services sector. Their work with those living with serious mental illness and/or addiction has impacted and saved the lives of countless individuals whether through ongoing work or their emergency department for crisis intervention. Employing over 500 people at 25 locations countywide, they are one of the county’s largest non-profit organizations. The center serves 10,000 individuals who are treated and continue on as successful members and contributors to our society.
Winning the Creative Economy Standout award was WAM Theatre for being champions of human rights, working to create change by creating opportunities that focus on equal access through their dual mission. Not only do they create incredible theatrical events, but they contribute immensely through philanthropy, donating a portion of all proceeds from productions to organizations that benefit women and girls. Over the life of the organization, they have donated over $41,500 to 13 nonprofit organizations and have provided work for over 200 artists in the process.
Berkshire Agricultural Ventures received the Growing/Advancing the Berkshire Economy award for their dedication to the growth of food entrepreneurs throughout the region. Based in Great Barrington, Berkshire Agricultural Ventures provides financing and technical assistant for marketing and business development to food and farming entrepreneurs and businesses. In the last year alone, they have served over 27 local farms and businesses with technical assistance, flexible and below market rate loans, and matching grants, helping numerous entities and individuals to continue growing and thriving here in the Berkshire food landscape.
Krystle Gallo of General Dynamics was named the Under 40 Change Maker for her passionate and highly motivated work in local STEM initiatives that target young women. Active with the Flying Cloud Institute, the Youth Leadership Program, BCC’s STEM Café, the Feigenbaum Scholarship Committee, and local science fairs at BART, Taconic and Pittsfield High Schools, Krystle has left her mark on the lives of an incredible number of individuals in our region. Her ambition and hard work showcase exactly how one person’s passion can help to inspire and activate the potential in others.
The Entrepreneur/Visionary of the Year award was given to Stephen Boyd for his visionary leadership as both the CEO and Board Director of Boyd Technologies in Lee, and his role as chair, president and founding partner of the Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield. His vision has transformed Boyd Technology since taking over, creating an internship program to provide opportunities for the next generation. As leader of soon to be realized BIC, he has been integral in its formation, finance, and programming.
Closing out the evening, General Dynamic Mission Systems was recognized as the special honoree for Putting the Berkshires on the Map. For more than 60 years, General Dynamics has been supporting the U.S. Navy’s submarine and surface ship programs. General Dynamics Mission Systems has grown consistently for nearly 20 years in Pittsfield. Because General Dynamics is part of the traded sector industry (industries and companies who produce goods and services that are consumed outside of the Berkshires) the company’s growth impacts the Berkshires in two ways. First, the increase in jobs helps to attract and retain new and existing Berkshire County residents and second, the growth also acts as an economic multiplier, creating additional jobs in the region. For this reason, the impact of increasing 900 General Dynamics jobs can also be calculated as increasing 1800+ jobs in the Berkshires, definitively making a dramatic impact on the region, and helping to put the Berkshires on the Map.