NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Local victims of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme - the largest investment fraud in United States history - should see some of their money returned.

Barbara Picower, the widow of a Florida businessman who was the biggest beneficiary of the ploy, agreed on Friday to return $7.2 billion in profits back to the victims. The total is more than a third of the total amount stolen and would allow for most victims to get at least half of their money back, the Boston Globe reported.

Local residents who were conned are:

The late Dorothy Becker of Williamstown.
The Ranzer family of Williamstown.
David Albert of Pittsfield.
Michael Albert of Lenox.
Irwin and Ellen Dolkart of Lenox.
Turbi Smilow of Lee.

A complete list of victims from the state is located here.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual meeting this Friday, Dec. 17, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in the Crowne Plaza ballroom. Themed "Leadership," the meeting will honor various community and chamber members..

Outgoing Board Chair Karen Zink, president of Berkshire Gas, will call the meeting to order at 7:30. The agenda will include the election of directors and officers, a salute to the outgoing chair and a welcome from the incoming chair Gerard Burke, president of Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc.

The 2010 Esther Quinn Award, in memory of Esther Quinn, a former chamber volunteer and advocate for volunteer efforts, will be presented to June Roy-Martin, Communications and Business Development manager at Quality Printing Company. Former North Adams Mayor John Barrett III and outgoing state Rep. Daniel E. Bosley will each be presented with the 2010 Francis H. Hayden Award. The Hayden Award honors the memory of Francis Hayden, a two-term president of the Northern Berkshire Chamber who made significant contributions to the community as president and through his involvement with several other organizations.

This year’s annual meeting is sponsored by Berkshire Bank, TD Bank, Legacy Banks, SABIC Innovative Plastics, CornerStone, and Quality Printing.

The chamber’s 2010 members of the month will also be presented with certificates of recognition. The 2010 members of the month are Boys & Girls Club of Pittsfield, Miss Hall’s School, Charter Oak Consulting Group, Richard Fabozzi “Presents”, Berkshire United Way, Inc., Northern Berkshire United Way, Mission Bar + Tapas, Bascom Lodge, Pine Cone Hill; The Annie Selke Companies, and Bisque Beads & Beyond.

Tickets are $30 per person and include a breakfast buffet. The event is open exclusively to members of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce. To register, call 413-499-4000, e-mail choyt@berkshirechamber.com or register at www.berkshirechamber.com.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — More than a year after announcing the construction of a BJ's Wholesale Club on Hubbard Avenue, the Braintree developer secured a $9.2 million construction loan for the project this weekend.

Reported on Monday by Waltham-based Bostonsf.com, Cape Breton Corporation and Saxon Partners worked with real estate intermediary Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. to get the loan through Sovereign Santander Bank.

The developers plan to build a 85,188-square-foot freestanding building and fueling station behind Berkshire Crossings.

The project was announced in October of 2009 when Robert MacPherson, president of Cape Breton, said the group will begin the formal permitting process aiming to break ground in 2010. It will be the county's first BJ's club and City Hall said it would create about 120 new jobs. The closest BJ's clubs to Berkshire County are in Greenfield, Springfield and Albany, N.Y.

BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. is a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the East. The company, now in its 25th year, currently employees more than 20,000 team members and operates 180 clubs in 15 states from Maine to Florida.

Formed in 1998, Saxon Partners is a retail and residential developer focused on the New England region and Cape Breton Corporation is a real estate development company specializing in the site acquisition and local permitting of retail buildings and shopping centers.

BJsAnnouncement

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass — After four years working at In Touch Day Spa, beautician Karen Brown has ventured off on her own.

Brown signed a lease at a 173 Water St. suite in mid-October and eight weeks later on Dec. 2, opened her own salon, "U".  She said Wednesday most of her former clients have already found her and business has started strong. Though she does not expect all of her former clients, she does expect to gain some at the new location.

Co-owner Jodi Spencer and Brown perform designer cuts, coloring, dimensional hair color, keratin treatments, shampooing and blow drying, facial waxing and manicures.

Networking events, workshops and seminars for the month of December are listed below. Got an upcoming business event? Send it to info@iberkshires.com.

There will be a Holiday Open House on Wednesday, Dec. 1, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Viale Florist, 99 Wahconah St., Pittsfield. The event is open to the public, and will include refreshments and an hourly drawing for wreath, poinsettia and holiday centerpiece prizes. For more information, call 413-442-6956.

Berkshire Creative will hold a "Sparkle!" celebration on Thursday, Dec. 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Crane Model Farm, 191 Main St., Dalton. The evening includes complimentary food, giveaways and auctions. Admission is $25 prior to the event, $35 at the door. Register at sparkle2010.eventbrite.com.

The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual meeting and holiday party on Wednesday, Dec. 8, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Ward's Nursery and Garden Center, 600 S. Main St., Great Barrington. The meeting starts at 5; the party starts at 5:30. Space is limited; registration is required here. For more information, contact Christine Ludwiszewski at sbcc@rnetworx.com or 413 5284284.

Berkshire Young Professionals will hold a networking social at Mezze Bistro and Bar, 777 Cold Spring Road (Route 7), Williamstown, on Thursday, Dec. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. The event includes complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar; make sure to bring along plenty of business cards for networking and the door prize drawing. Gifts for the Hillcrest Educational Centers' Holiday Wish Program will be collected at the event. Visit www.hillcrestec.org or call 413-499-7924, ext. 133 for more information.

Early registration is encouraged; register at www.berkshirechamber.com. If you have problems registering, call 413-499-4000, ext. 26 or email choyt@berkshirechamber.com.

Berkshire Visitors Bureau will hold an open forum discussion on destination weddings on Tuesday, Dec. 14. Attendees are encouraged to share their  ideas on ways to increase the visibility of the Berkshires as a destination wedding location and brainstorm creative ways to provide collaborative resources to serve this market. The forum takes place from 3:30 to 4:30 at Cranwell Resort Spa and Golf Club, 55 Lee Road, Lenox. RSVP to dmossman@berkshires.org.

Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will host a members-only "Chamber Nite" on Wednesday, Dec. 15, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Central Block Building, 75 North St., Pittsfield. Attendees will be able to explore The New Berry Place, On A Roll Cafe and Deidre's. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar will be provided. Register at www.berkshirechamber.com.

The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual meeting on Friday, Dec. 17, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Pittsfield-Berkshires. This year’s theme is "Leadership." The agenda will include the election of directors and officers, a salute to the outgoing chair and a welcome from the incoming chair Gerard Burke, president of Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. Various awards will be presented during the meeting. Tickets are $30 per person and include a breakfast buffet. The event is open exclusively to members of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce. To register, call 413-499-4000, e-mail choyt@berkshirechamber.com or go to www.berkshirechamber.com.