Trendsetter Awards2024-09-23T10:55:31-04:00

Trendsetter Awards

The Berkshire Trendsetter Awards recognize outstanding initiatives, talented people, and innovative organizations moving the Berkshires forward. The award ceremony occurs each year at our Celebrate the Berkshires event, honoring the incredible, indelible, and iconic Berkshire region.

Berkshire Trendsetter Awards Nominations

Nominations for the 2024 Trendsetters closed June 14.

Berkshire Trendsetter Awards Categories

Driving Visitor Engagement

Tourism is a critical economic engine, and marketing is the fuel that makes it roar. This award is presented to a creative and effective program/event that achieved results locally and further afield, helping to maintain the Berkshires as a top visitor destination to the direct and indirect benefit of our region’s businesses.

Nonprofit Collaborator

The best things we do in the Berkshires, we do together. In that spirit, this award is presented to a nonprofit organization whose efforts brought partners to the table, herded all the cats, and built a coalition to improve the region’s quality of life.

Visionary of the Year

Clarity of purpose and the fortitude to follow through are essential components of an entrepreneur’s toolkit from founding to exit strategy and beyond. This award is presented to a Berkshire business founder/owner whose company, organization, or project is leading the way and making waves in their industry.

Advancing Our Economy

This award is presented to a project that pushed the envelope in bringing new jobs or people to the Berkshires, has brought previously underrepresented voices to the table, or has had a positive impact on the workforce of a single employer, employee segment, or the Berkshires as a whole.

Under 40 Change-Maker

This award is presented to a member of the Berkshire community under the age of 40 who is making a difference through leadership, team building, and problem-solving skills, with a heightened awareness of key issues affecting our region.

Breaking the Mold

“The Way We’ve Always Done Things” is comfortable, but not always applicable in 2024. This award is presented to an organization, program, or individual working in the Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 clusters that is thinking outside the box to shatter siloes and forge a new path through collaboration.

Previous Berkshire Trendsetter Awards Recipients

  • 2024 – The Fairbank Group
  • 2023 – Mill Town
  • 2019 – TOURISTS
  • 2018 – General Dynamic Mission Systems
  • 2017 – The Community of North Adams
  • 2016 – Tanglewood/BSO
  • 2015 – Hotel on North
  • 2014 – Berkshire Health Systems
  • 2013 – The Clark
  • 2012 – Jacob’s Pillow
  • 2011 – Solid Sound Festival at MASS MoCA

September 19, 2024 at Pittsfield Municipal Airport, Pittsfield, MA

  • Driving Visitor Engagement – Norman Rockwell Museum
  • Visionary of the Year – Second Chance Composting
  • Under 40 Change-Maker – Marina Dominguez
  • Nonprofit Collaborator – Latinas413
  • Breaking the Mold – Dri
  • Advancing Our Economy – Moresi & Associates
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: The Fairbank Group

September 14, 2023 at Berkshire Theater Group’s Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield, MA

  • Enhancing Visitor Engagement – Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health
  • Breaking the Mold – Blackshires
  • Nonprofit Collaborator – Elizabeth Freeman Center, Inc.
  • Entrepreneur/Visionary of the Year – Balderdash Cellars
  • Under 40 Change-Maker – Lorena Dus
  • Growing/Advancing the Berkshire Economy – Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: Mill Town

September 26, 2019 at Jiminy Peak, Hancock, MA

  • Creative Economy Standout – Steve Sears
  • Innovative Marketing Campaign – Lee Bank
  • Newcomer of the Year – Theory Wellness
  • Nonprofit Impact – Roots Rising
  • Entrepreneur/Visionary of the Year – Margaret Keller
  • Under 40 Change-Maker – Jess Sweeney
  • Growing & Advancing the Berkshire Economy – MASS MoCA
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: TOURISTS

September 13, 2018 at Proprietor’s Lodge, Pittsfield, MA

  • Creative Economy Standout – WAM Theater
  • Comprehensive Marketing Campaign – Community Access to the Arts (CATA)
  • Newcomer of the Year –Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires
  • Nonprofit Impact – The Brien Center
  • Entrepreneur/Visionary of the Year – Stephen Boyd
  • Under 40 Change-Maker – Krystle Gallo
  • Growing & Advancing the Berkshire Economy – Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV)
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: General Dynamics Mission Systems

September 14, 2017 at Bloom Meadows, Williamstown, MA

  • Creative Economy Standout – Jacob’s Pillow
  • Comprehensive Marketing Campaign – Shakespeare & Co.
  • Newcomer of the Year – State Senator Adam Hinds
  • Nonprofit Impact – McCann Technical High School
  • Entrepreneur/Visionary of the Year – Tad Ames
  • Under 40 Change-Maker – Jessica Vecchia
  • Growing & Advancing the Berkshire Economy – Allegrone
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: The Community of North Adams

September 15, 2016 at Tanglewood, Lenox, MA

  • Creative Economy Standout – Blue Q
  • Comprehensive Marketing Campaign – City of North Adams
  • Newcomer of the Year – Methuselah
  • Nonprofit of the Year – Berkshire Family YMCA
  • Entrepreneur/Visionary of the Year – Paul LeBlanc of Zogics
  • Under 40 Change-Maker – Christina Barrett of BCC
  • Growing & Advancing the Berkshire Economy – Unistress
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: Tanglewood/BSO

September 10, 2015 at The Stationery Factory, Dalton, MA

  • Nonprofit Impact – Multicultural BRIDGE
  • Growing/Advancing the Berkshire Economy – Berkshire Innovation Center
  • Creative Industries Innovation – Charter the Berkshires
  • Entrepreneur/ Visionary of the Year – Onyx Specialty Papers
  • Under 40 Change-Maker – Sen. Ben Downing
  • Newcomer of the Year – Berkshire Yoga Dance and Fitness
  • Comprehensive Marketing Campaign – Berkshire International Film Festival
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: Hotel on North

September 9, 2014 at The Pittsfield Airport, Pittsfield, MA

  • Creativity and Innovation – Lymphedivas
  • Newcomer of the Year – No. Six Depot
  • Nonprofit of the Year – Berkshire United Way
  • Public Relations – Briarcliff Motel
  • Overall Marketing Campaign – Jiminy Peak
  • Young Professional Making a Difference – Pete White
  • Growing/Advancing the Berkshire Economy – Berkshire Community College
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: Berkshire Health Systems  

June 26, 2013 (Wednesday)at Spice Dragon, Pittsfield, MA

  • Creativity and Innovation – Big Head Books
  • Young Professional Making a Difference – Brad Felix
  • Public Relations – The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home
  • Marketing on a Shoestring – Tara Consolati Marketing +pr
  • Nonprofit of the Year – Community Access to the Arts
  • Growing/Advancing the Berkshire Economy – The Clark
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: The Clark

June 7, 2012 (Wednesday) at Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Lenox, MA

  • Overall Marketing – 10×10 on North Festival
  • Inspiring a Community – Berkshire County ARC
  • Workforce Development – Berkshire Health Systems
  • Marketing on a Shoestring – Charter the Berkshires
  • Public Relations – Lenox Wedding Tour
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: Jacob’s Pillow

  • Online Marketing – Barrington Stage Company
  • Inspiring a Community – Cultural Pittsfield
  • Advertising – Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
  • Public Relations – Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute
  • Marketing on a Shoestring – TSUBO Massage
  • Putting the Berkshires on the Map: Solid Sound Festival at MASS MoCA