Initiative with the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce reaches $250,000 milestone in community impact

WEST SPRINGFIELD—For the fifth consecutive year, Keiter is proud to support the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce with another $25,000 donation to fund the annual Keiter Card promotion.

The initiative has generated a quarter of a million dollars in direct economic impact on the Northampton community since its inception in 2021.

The Keiter Card allows consumers to receive $50 in local spending power for just $25, effectively doubling the impact on participating small businesses. The Northampton Chamber will contribute $5,000 to the campaign this year as well, increasing the benefit to the local economy to $60,000. 

“This milestone is a testament to what’s possible when businesses and communities work together,” said Scott Keiter, CEO of Keiter and former Northampton Chamber board member. “The Keiter Card supports local spending, keeps dollars circulating close to home and helps small businesses stay strong—and that benefits everyone.”

The 2025 Keiter Card promotion launches Monday, Aug. 4. Cards can be purchased exclusively at the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, located at 99 Pleasant St., Northampton, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Supplies are limited, and customers must request the Keiter Card at the time of purchase.

The promotion applies only to $25 Northampton Gift Card purchases and is limited to one per customer, per transaction. The Northampton Gift Card is accepted at more than 131 local businesses, including restaurants, shops, services, and spas.

Keiter is a family-owned construction services firm known for managing complex projects. The company operates across a variety of sectors, including higher education, industrial, healthcare, commercial, multi-family, and residential developments. 

Keiter has been named “Best Place to Work” in the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s Readers’ Choice awards, which have recognized Keiter for 11 years, and the firm has received multiple Valley Advocate Best Of awards, Super Sixty Awards presented by the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce, and it was most recently named one of New England’s Fastest Growing Companies by The Boston Globe.

For more details, contact the Chamber at 413-584-1900.

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Initiative seeks to inject $50,000 into the local economy

FLORENCE—To reaffirm its commitment to community, Keiter recently announced a $25,000 donation to the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce for its annual Keiter Card promotion. This initiative, now in its fourth consecutive year, seeks to inject over $50,000 into the local economy. 

Through this promotion, Keiter’s contribution enables consumers to receive $50 in spending power with the purchase of a $25 Northampton Gift Card. 

As the longtime Florence contracting and construction management company expands to West Springfield, Keiter remains committed to the Northampton area. 

“Our ties to the Pioneer Valley run deep, and we are honored to play a role in its ongoing success,” said Scott Keiter, CEO of Keiter and a former Northampton Chamber board member. “Giving back is ingrained in our company culture, and initiatives like this allow us to express our gratitude to a community that has given so much to us, our families and our employees.” 

The 2024 Keiter Card promotion will begin Monday, Aug. 5, and Keiter Cards will be available while supplies last. Cards can be purchased only at the Chamber offices at 99 Pleasant St., Northampton, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Those interested must request a Keiter Card upon purchase. 

The promotion is applicable only to $25 Northampton Gift Card purchases with a limit of one card per customer, per transaction. The Northampton Gift Card is accepted at over 115 local businesses, spanning restaurants, shops, services and spas. 

For further information, please visit Keiter.com or contact the Chamber at 413-584-1900. 

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Initiative could inject roughly $60,000 into the local economy

FLORENCE— Keiter Corporation will donate $25,000 to the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce for a promotion that will allow consumers to purchase a $25 Northampton Gift Card and receive $50 in actual spending power.

This is the third consecutive year Keiter has launched the initiative, donating $10,000 in 2021 and doubling the investment in 2022. A $5,000 gift from the chamber’s Neighborhood Revitalization Fund will be added to Keiter’s contribution to continue stimulating the local economy beyond the pandemic.

The 2023 gift card promotion, “Building Our Community Together,” launches on Wednesday, Aug. 9 and runs while supplies last. The $25 Keiter Gift Cards will be sold exclusively at the chamber office at 99 Pleasant St., Northampton, during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Consumers must mention that they want a Keiter Gift Card, and the promotion applies only to $25 Northampton Gift Card purchases. (A $50 gift card would not be valued at $100, for instance.) There is a limit of one card per customer, per transaction. 

Last year’s “Strengthen the Community” promotion was a huge success. In three days, the cards sold out, and the program infused $50,000 into the local economy — a welcome boost to area businesses. Inspired by the community’s enthusiasm and participation, Keiter plans to build on the momentum.

“After the campaign’s success over the last two years, we’re thrilled to invest even more in our community this year to keep Northampton thriving,” said Scott Keiter, founder and president of Keiter.  “Our community matters to us.”

Based in Florence, Keiter has provided general contracting and construction management services in the Pioneer Valley since 2010 for its commercial and residential projects. Keiter Builders, the commercial and industrial division of the company; Keiter Homes, offering residential construction; Hatfield Construction, providing site work; and Keiter Properties, the real estate arm, are all under one Keiter umbrella at keiter.com.

Scott Keiter is a member of the Greater Northampton Chamber’s Board of Directors and its Finance Committee, so he is personally aware of the financial challenges that area businesses can experience. 

The Northampton Gift Card is currently accepted at more than 100 local businesses, including restaurants, shops and spas.

To learn more about the Keiter card, visit Keiter.com or call the Chamber at 413-584-1900.

For more information about Keiter, visit www.hatfieldconstruction.com.

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This donation is twice the amount of the first and will benefit businesses and consumers in the region

FLORENCE—For the second time in two years, Keiter Corporation has made a sizeable donation to the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce for a promotion that allows consumers to purchase a $25 Northampton gift card and receive $50 in actual spending power. 

The most recent gift of $20,000—twice the amount of that made in August 2021—was made to provide economic stimulus in the post-pandemic era and also create goodwill in the community. Billed as the “Strengthen the Community with a Keiter Card” campaign, the latest donation will be supplemented by a $5,000 contribution from the Chamber’s Community Revitalization Fund; this means 1,000 of the double-valued gift cards will be sold.

The promotion will launch on August 9 and the $25 Keiter Gift Cards will be sold while supplies last. Cards will be sold only at the Chamber offices at 99 Pleasant St. in Northampton on weekdays between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Consumers must mention that they want a Keiter Card, and the promotion applies only to $25 Northampton gift card purchases. (A $50 gift card would not be valued at $100, for instance.)

There is a limit of one card per customer, per transaction.

“Our community matters to us,” said Scott Keiter, founder and president of Keiter. “This is where we live and where our families live, and the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on all of us. After the campaign’s success last year, we’re thrilled to invest even more in our community this year to keep Northampton thriving.”

Based in Florence, Keiter has provided general contracting and construction management services in the Valley since 2010 for its commercial and residential projects.

Keiter is a member of the Northampton Chamber’s Board of Directors and its Finance Committee, so he is personally aware of the financial challenges that local merchants continue to experience post-pandemic.

Last year’s “Kickstart the Community” promotion was a huge success. In eight days, the program infused $27,500 into the local economy. “That was an unprecedented boost to local businesses in the wake of the pandemic,” Keiter said. “The community’s engagement and participation inspired us to help with recovery once again.” 

Keiter Corporation’s tagline is “Develop. Build. Manage.” It reflects what Keiter is doing in the community through these investments.

The Northampton Gift Card is currently accepted at over 80 local businesses, including restaurants, shops, service locations, spas, and other establishments.

To learn more, visit Keiter.com or call the Chamber at 413-584-1900. 

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Effort to benefit Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, local merchants, and area consumers

FLORENCE—Keiter Corporation has donated $10,000 to the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce for a promotion that will allow consumers to purchase a $25 Northampton gift card and receive $50 in actual spending power.

This investment by Keiter, aimed at helping to continue to boost the local economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be supplemented by a $2,500 contribution from the Chamber’s Community Revitalization Fund, allowing for 250 of the double-valued, $25 Northampton gift cards to be sold.

Billed as a “Kickstart the Community with a Keiter Card” campaign, the promotion will launch on Aug. 12. The $25 Keiter Cards will be sold exclusively at the Chamber offices at 99 Pleasant St., Northampton during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Consumers must mention that they want a Keiter Card, and the promotion applies only to $25 Northampton gift card purchases. (A $50 gift card would not be valued at $100, for instance.)

There is a limit of one card per customer, per transaction.

“We care about our community and where we live,” said Scott Keiter, founder and president of the Keiter Corporation with his wife, Jill, director of finance. “Our families are here. Our business is here. We saw this as an opportunity to raise awareness about our business in a way that benefits the local business community and consumers. We’re trying to reinvest in a different way.

“COVID-19 was not fair,” he added. “Some industries, people, and families were hit significantly harder than others. We see this as a way to help people get back out there and feel better about having a nice meal and spending some time in downtown Northampton. Let’s continue to build the positive energy downtown and support our business community.”

Based in Florence, Keiter has provided general contracting and construction management services in the Valley since 2010 for its commercial and residential projects.

Scott Keiter is a member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors and its Finance Committee, so he is personally aware of the financial hit that local merchants took during the pandemic.

Knowing the gift card program has been successful, he thought an investment focused on it would be a win-win-win for his business, the Chamber, and shoppers around the region who have also been hard-hit.

“We see this as a positive way to invest in our community,” Keiter added. “Things are coming back to life. It’s another little piece of the puzzle. Another piece of forward movement. We hope this is very successful and triggers a cascade of other organizations getting involved in doing similar things.”

Keiter Corporation’s tagline is “Develop. Build. Manage.” “We believe our tagline reflects what we are doing in the community through this investment,” Keiter said.

The Northampton Gift Card is currently accepted at 65 restaurants, shops, and other establishments. Additionally, twenty-five Keiter Cards will be given away via an online promotion on the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s website gazettenet.com.

To learn more, visit Keiter.com or call the Chamber at 413-584-1900.

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Area residents can sign up for Valley Placemaker in person on April 7, 14 and 21 or online anytime at valleyplacemaker.com

NORTHAMPTON—The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce has launched a program that rewards people with merit points for shopping at local businesses. Individuals who sign up for Valley Placemaker online or in person during the month of April are eligible to win one of four $50 Northampton gift cards.

One unique aspect of the Valley Placemaker program allows shoppers to redeem their merits for prizes at any of the roughly 25 participating Valley Placemaker businesses—not necessarily at those in which they shopped.

“It doesn’t take long to earn enough merits to redeem them for really cool stuff,” explained Suzanne Beck, executive director of the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce.

Beck said the program is aimed at giving people another reason to shop in their own communities and combating the urge to buy online. “We have a lot of residents in this region who are passionate about our local, independent businesses. We are excited to bring them the opportunity to get rewarded for the loyalty they show as local consumers.”

To create a Valley Placemaker rewards account, shoppers can go to www.valleyplacemaker.com  and follow the simple steps that are outlined.

Alternatively, people can sign up in person at Thornes Marketplace on April 7, 14 and 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside the front entrance. Volunteers will assist in the sign-up process and provide information about the program. Each week in April, new Valley Placemaker participants will be entered to win a $50 Northampton gift card.

Shoppers will earn 20 merits on their first visit to a participating store.

As people earn the merits, they can redeem them for a variety of rewards outlined on the Valley Placemaker website. For example, for 12 merits, shoppers can get a cookie at Sylvester’s or Roberto’s restaurants, or for 1,000 merits, they can get a $100 gift certificate to Eastside Grill.

Beck said that since Valley Placemaker was launched in fall 2017, roughly 3,000 residents have signed up, collectively earning about 100,000 merits. About 35 rewards have been distributed.

“That’s a lot of people buying local, and that’s a really good thing,” Beck said.

Stefanie Krantz of Florence is one local resident who is taking advantage of the Placemaker program.

Krantz signed up for Placemaker when it launched in the fall. “I’m a huge supporter of shopping locally, and I was excited that the incentive program started in Northampton,” she said. “I’ve accumulated a lot of merits and have been able to get discounts in local stores. It’s worked very well for me and has supported my vision of shopping locally.”

Krantz has about 100 merits after also redeeming some for a water bottle at Cornucopia and a $10 gift certificate for Go Berry. “I’m very happy to keep business local,” she said.

Valley Placemaker currently has participating businesses in Northampton and Hadley but is attracting interest from business owners in Amherst and Easthampton as well.

“People have a lot of choices about where to shop,” said Stephanie Carlson, marketing manager at Cornucopia in Northampton, which has been participating in the Valley Placemaker program since it launched. “Loyalty programs are an effective tool, but I love the idea of it being a reward for shopping locally in general, rather than at one specific store.”

Carlson said Valley Placemaker shoppers are excited to earn merits and redeem them for $10 or $20 Cornucopia gift cards, or a two-piece box of chocolates. Likewise, at The Healing Zone Therapeutic Massage in Hadley, owner Nanci Newton is offering several items, including $20 coupons for shoppers who earn 200 merits.

“I love knowing that I can be a part of helping to promote shopping locally,” Newton said. “I’m hoping people who have that ‘shop local’ mindset will seek out Valley Placemaker businesses.”

The list of participating businesses includes: 25 Central, A Child’s Garden, A2Z Science & Learning Store, Baker’s Pin, Belly of the Beast, Broadside Bookshop, Cathy Cross, CLINIC Alternative Medicines, Cornucopia, dmg {Don Muller Gallery}, Eastside Grill, Gazebo, GoBerry, Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce,  Jackson & Connor, LLC, JoiaBeauty, Inspirit Crystals, Northampton Bicycle, Rebekah Brooks, Roberto’s, Silverscape Designs, Sylvester’s Restaurant, The Healing ZONE Therapeutic Massage, The Pilates Studios, and WEBS—America’s Yarn Store.

Northampton is one of the first four regions in the country to offer Placemaker. Originally launched in Portland, Oregon, in 2010, Placemaker’s mission is to strengthen neighborhood business districts and thus support the local economy. Founders Michael and Katrina Scotto di Carlo hope the concept will grow to include miniature Placemaker networks around the world, with merits being transferable among all locations.

Local, independent businesses interested in being part of Valley Placemaker may contact Beck at  suzanne@explorenorthampton.com.

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And very wise.

I oversee the Republican newspaper’s Voices of the Valley column (want to be featured in it? Email me and let me know.)

The column runs every Monday in the Republican’s Business tabloid, and it offers a unique opportunity for free promotion in one of the largest print publications in circulation in western Massachusetts.

Yes, I said free. (Better email me.)

Recently, I featured Julia Mines, the owner of Life and Performance Coaching of West Whately. After her feature ran, Julie sent me a handwritten thank you note, letting me know that her Voices entry triggered her phone to start ringing—with all the right people on the other end of the line, she said.

I will always remember Julia now, and I think of her with admiration. I have heard from others who have worked with her as clients that she has helped them feel more successful, and I will work to help her make more new connections.

Showing gratitude will thus help you grow your business, and it will make you feel good, too.

There are many reasons to say thank you in business, such as when a friend or a colleague passes you a referral; whether or not it evolves into closed business doesn’t matter. A referral means someone thought enough of you to recommend you, and that’s a gesture that deserves a pat on the back.

Thank colleagues who have the inclination and take the time to write a recommendation for you—for a job, entry into grad school or in a post on a social media platform. Thank the person who invites you to come along to a networking meeting.

An email will suffice as a means for communicating your thanks, but notes like Julie’s add a higher level of class. Sending a small gift—such as a plant or a gift card—also will make an impression. And if you get a gift card that can be used in downtown Northampton or Easthampton, you will win friends there too as you support your community and its locally owned operations.

I saw Julie recently at an Arrive @ 5 event held by the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, and I thanked her profusely for her note. She said she sends thanks such as that all the time to folks and was surprised to hear from me that everyone I feature in Voices of the Valley doesn’t send me a hearty thank you.

Take your business or organization to a new level and start taking the time to give thanks when it’s due and when it might simply be a pleasant surprise that raises your profile a notch—or 10.

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Molly, 22, graduated from Plymouth State University in May with a degree in early childhood education, and she is working at Smith College’s Sunnyside Child Care, at least for the summer months.

Molly has her sights set on travel, though, so she is looking into international au pair programs as well as job opportunities on the west coast.

She recently learned the value of networking by attending a Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce Arrive @ 5 with me; she brought her best friend, another recent college graduate, Alison Winkler, along with her.

The event was at Godard’s Red Hen Farm/Mineral Hills Winery in Northampton, and so the girls were especially pleased to join me. In the first minute, they met a friend of Ali’s sister Raina. It turns out Jaime Allen, who was there representing Adquest Digital Marketing, recently completed a stint as an au pair. She provided Molly with a resource for a program abroad, and now Molly has one more organization to research and query.

Ali, who went to school for graphic design, also came away having made a connection with a new business owner who needs a logo.

Poof. I say that’s why they call it net-working—because it works. (Yes, and also because it is work in and of itself.)

I’m always telling my interns about the importance of relationships. I talk to them about treating everyone they meet with respect, and I highly recommend they find ways to stay in touch with colleagues, professors and supervisors.

Your ability to get a first job, a job that’s a step up or to grow a business is all found in the quality of your relationships and the grace and integrity you bring to them.

And those relationships often begin at a networking event. Take the time yourself to attend an Arrive @ 5-type event in Northampton or in your own community. I’m sure you will make at least one good connection and find it was good to get out and net-work.

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