GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Bookloft and the American Institute for Economic Research are sponsoring an event with financial journalist and local author Eric J. Weiner. Weiner will be at AIER's headquarters Friday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. to speak and to sign copies of his new book "The Shadow Market," published by Scribner.

America's economic confidence has been deeply shaken by the Great Recession. But while the media has focused on such factors as consumer-debt levels, unemployment, and the government bailout of banks, an entirely different phenomenon has arisen — the arrival of the "Shadow Market," a multitrillion-dollar network of super-rich, secretive, and largely unregulated financial vehicles that are quietly buying up the world, piece by valuable piece.

Weiner reveals in his new book how these investors, many of them foreign countries, are increasingly controlling the global economy and seizing power from the United States in ways that our government cannot stop and about which the average American knows nothing.

Weiner has covered business and economic issues for 15 years as a writer and editor. A former columnist and reporter for Dow Jones Newswires, he has written for The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Village Voice, and countless other major publications. He is the author of the critically acclaimed "What Goes Up: The Uncensored History of Modern Wall Street as Told by Bankers, Brokers, CEOs, and Scoundrels Who Made It Happen." He is also a contributor to the news and opinion website The Huffington Post. He and his family live in Great Barrington.

The talk is open to the public. AIER is located at 250 Division St. Call The Bookloft at 413-528-1521 or AIER at 413-528-1216 for more information.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western Massachusetts Electric Company's medium and large commercial and industrial customers who choose Basic Service will see increased electric supply prices beginning in October as a result of the latest round of competitive bidding. Medium and large C&I customers will see a fixed rate of 8.051 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, an increase of just under a penny per kWh over the current fixed rate of 7.052 cents. 

The energy supply was solicited in the open energy marketplace for those customers who have not chosen to purchase their energy supply from a competitive supplier.  The increase in supply price reflects the projected seasonal price of energy at the time of bidding in July.

"For medium and large business customers who choose Basic Service, our role is to competitively procure the energy supply in the marketplace," said Peter Clarke, president and chief operating officer of WMECo. "We encourage business customers to seek out suppliers who may be able to offer better supply rates directly."

WMECo purchases electricity for its Basic Service customers through an open competitive bid process. Basic Service is for customers who have not chosen to purchase their electricity in the open marketplace. The competitive bid process for medium and large C&I customers occurs every three months. For residential and small business customers, the bidding is conducted every six months.

WMECo, part of the Northeast Utilities System (NYSE:NU), serves approximately 200,000 customers in 59 communities throughout Western Massachusetts. For more information: www.wmeco.com.

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

On Wednesday, Sept. 1, Michael Ryan, founder and CEO of Sampco Companies and Brilliant Graphics Group, both in Pittsfield, will discuss “Using Technology to Transform Mature Markets,” during the fifth event in the Visionaries Breakfast series sponsored by BBQ: Berkshire Business Quarterly.

The event begins at 7:30 a.m. with networking and conversation with members of the business community over a light breakfast, followed by Ryan’s presentation and a tour of the facility. Michael Zivyak, founder and publisher of award-winning publications Berkshire Living and BBQ: Berkshire Business Quarterly, will host the event.

The event will be held at Sampco Companies, 56 Downing Parkway, Pittsfield. Tickets are $25; reservations are required. Call 413-443-8200 for more information or to register.

Berkshire Enterprises will offer a free Business Breakfast Forum entitled "Now What?—Planning to Make Money the Rest of the Year" on Thursday, Sept. 2 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in the Third Floor Board Room at 1 Fenn St., Pittsfield.

Intended for business owners and managers, the forum will focus on what people are doing and plan to do to attract business now that summer is coming to a close. The forum will be lead by Steve Fogel, program director of Berkshire Enterprises.

Anyone interested in attending should register by contacting Steve Fogel at sfogel@berkshireenterprises.com or by leaving a message at 413-236-2141. Space is limited and reservations are required.

Spark!, the networking group for members of the creative economy, will hold a networking event at the Mount, 2 Plunkett St., Lenox, on Thursday, Sept. 2 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. For more information, contact info@berkshirecreative.org or call 413-822-8324.

The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will host the 7th Annual Women in Business Luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 8 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Berkshire Hills Country Club in Pittsfield.

Kemp, will be the event’s keynote speaker. Kemp has held positions as Superior Court Trial Attorney and District Court Trial Attorney in Berkshire County as well as Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx District Attorney’s office in New York. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University School of Law and a B.A. in English from Providence College. She is a member of the Human/Animal Violence Education Network and Berkshire Community College Criminal Justice Advisory Committee. She also is an adjunct faculty member in the Criminal Justice Program at Berkshire Community College.

Amanda Rae Busch, a senior editor at Berkshire Living Magazine, will be the emcee. Busch joined the founding staff of the award-winning regional lifestyle and culture magazine in December 2004. Three office relocations and various titles later, she is now the publication’s senior editor, writing feature articles on food, wellness, eventsand personalities; penning a monthly shopping column and restaurant spotlights; planning editorial content; editing every word in each issue; shooting the rare photograph; and occasionally co-hosting the popular "Rest of the Story" series of public forums.

Due to an unforeseen conflict, Joan McMenemy was unable to speak at this year’s Women in Business luncheon, as was originally announced. The public is welcome to attend this event.  The cost is $30 for chamber members and $45 for nonmembers and includes a plated lunch. The luncheon is sponsored by TD Bank and Zonta Club of Berkshire County.

To register, call 413-499-4000, ext. 26, e-mail choyt@berkshirechamber.com or go to www.berkshirechamber.com.

Allen Jezouit and Jeff Stripp of Berkshire Direct will conduct the free training session "Google Local Search and Your Business" on Wednesday, Sept. 8 from 8 to 10 a.m. at The Orchards Hotel, 222 Adams Road, Williamstown. The event is free for Williamstown Chamber of Commerce members, $25 for others. RSVP here.

The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will hold a Business After Hours on Thursday, Sept. 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the American Institute for Economic Research, 250 Division St., Great Barrington. RSVP to visitor@rnetworx.com.

The Zonta Club of Berkshire County will meet on Monday, Sept. 13 beginning at 5 p.m. at Patrick's Pub on Park Square in downtown Pittsfield.  The guest speaker will be Cindy Haddad, a pharmacist who was the successful plaintiff in the Haddad vs. Wal-Mart discrimination lawsuit. The meeting includes a brief networking time, business meeting, speaker and dinner.

Zonta International is a worldwide service organization working to advance the status of women.  Guests are welcome at all meetings, but reservations are required for dinner.  For more information, contact berkshire@zontadistrict1.org.

The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce will host "A Meet-and-Greet with Adam Falk," president of Williams College, on Monday, Sept. 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Williams College Museum of Art. Admission is $10 per person; reservations are required to info@williamstownchamber.com or 413-458-9077. There will be hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.

Lee Bank and the L. V. Toole Insurance Agency will host “Workers’ Compensation: A CPA’s Guide,”a seminar for certified public accountants on Tuesday, Sept. 14 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Pittsfield Country Club.

The seminar will be presented by Kevin Ring, lead workers’ comp analyst for the Institute of WorkComp Professionals, as well as John Toole, president, and Kim Baker, account executive, from the L. V. Toole Insurance Agency.

This highly interactive seminar will focus on the critical factors that create errors and overcharges in employer’s workers’ compensation insurance premium. With this knowledge, CPAs can improve their clients’ ability to manage workers’ compensation insurance—a major source of expense and frustration for many business owners.

Participants will receive four continuing professional education (CPE) credits from the Institute of WorkComp Professionals, a registered sponsor of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). Continental breakfast will be served. Registration cost is $150.

To register, go to www.regonline.com/compseminar. For more information, call Heather Forman at 413-243-0089.

The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will host Chamber Nite at Hillcrest Educational Centers, located at 788 South St., Pittsfield, on Wednesday, Sept. 15. Networking will be from 5 to 7 p.m. The event is free to Berkshire Chamber members; attendees are encouraged to bring along plenty of business cards for networking and to be eligible for the door prize drawing. Call 413-499-4000 or e-mail choyt@berkshirechamber.com to register.

The Lenox Chamber of Commerce will hold a general membership meeting on Thursday, Sept. 16 at Cranwell Resort. The evening includes a cocktail hour from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., with cheeses, fruits and cookies and a cash bar. The general meeting will begin at 7:30. RSVP by Sept. 6 to the Lenox Chamber, 413-637-3646 or info@lenox.org.

Berkshire Visitors Bureau will host a Tourism Talkback session on Monday, Sept. 20 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, 187 Marshall St., North Adams. The theme of the open forum will be "Marketing the Berkshires to Generation X."
 
Attendees are invited to visit the galleries before or after the session, which is free and open to all businesses in Berkshire County. For more information, call 413-743-4500.

The Northern Berkshire Business and Professional Women will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Williams Inn, located at the junction of routes 7 and 2 in Williamstown. The scheduled speaker is Mary Valquez-Stack, who will discuss the virtual office support industry. Admission is $25 and includes dinner; for meal choices and to make a reservation, contact Maureen Riley Moriarty at 413-743-0432 or rileymoriarty@yahoo.com.

The Center for Ecological Technology (CET) will present a "Greening Your Business" workshop Tuesday, Sept. 28 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge. Jamie Cahillane, program manager of waste reduction and recycling programs, will lead the workshop and discuss case studies from several Berkshire businesses.  Jim Hunt from the Red Lion Inn will share some of his experiences. Businesses will be given tools and resources to take away and use at their locations. This workshop is sponsored by the USDA, RDA and the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce.

Admission is $15 for Southern Berkshire Chamber members and $20 for nonmembers.  Registration is required. Contact Cahillane at jamiec@cetonline.org or 413-445-4556, ext. 14 by Friday, Sept. 24.

Partnerships In Employment is hosting an employer recognition breakfast at the Berkshire Hills Country Club on Wednesday, Sept. 29 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. to recognize regional employers for supporting the employment of individuals with disabilities. State Sen. Benjamin Downing will be speaking as well as presenting awards for exemplary practices and demonstrated commitment. This event is sponsored by the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and is free for registrants. RSVP by Sept. 15 to April Morgan at amorgan@bcarc.org or 413-443-1038, ext. 31.

The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce will co-host a Business After Hours event with Images Cinema and the Williamstown Film Festival on Thursday, Sept. 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Images Cinema, 50 Spring St., Williamstown. Executive directors Sandra Thomas (Images Cinema) and Steve Lawson (Williamstown Film Festival) will provide brief overviews of their organizations, and a sampling of WFF shorts will be screened.

Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy organic popcorn, real butter and an advance look at the festival's 12th season (Oct. 15-24). Admission is $10 per person; contact the Chamber at info@williamstownchamber.com or call 413-458-9077 to register.

ADAMS, Mass. — The 130-year-old Simmons Furniture is thinking 21st century with addition of a third venue that will offer customized options for the more discriminating consumer.

The company will open a 25,000 square-foot store in the Allendale Shopping Center in Pittsfield this fall that will offer some of its classic brand lines along with new additions focused on health and sustainable living.

"We have some great lines of custom furniture that we don't currently carry," general manager Donna Riley told us on Tuesday. "I think it really is something unique for the county."

Riley said the decision to open the new location was based on trends the company is seeing in consumers. They're more concerned with healthy living, selecting furniture and materials suited for their lifestyles and looking to spend money that may once have been used on getaways into "remaking their homes in a way that's about really living in them."

"We're noticing more and more people are coming in and want to do something more custom. They're thinking about how it affects their health," she said. That puts the focus on so-called green and organic materials and American-made and imported lines that offer greater customization and more versatile applications. It will also include accessories by local artists. And sometimes old is new, she said, such as the use of glider rockers to aid people suffering from diabetes and otehr leg circulatory problems.

"We're kind of going back to the way we did business in the old days, in the '70s," she said, recalling how her mother Phyllis Riley bought the Adams store in 1973 and began putting her own flourishes on the merchandise.

The new shop joins the 15,000 square-foot showroom in Adams and the 20,000 square-foot store in the Pittsfield Plaza, which will become more of an outlet. The three stores will provide a wide range of price points to ensure furniture offerings for every size pocketbook, said Riley. "I think there's room in the marketplace for all the furniture stores. "

In a statement, Phyllis Riley said, "This new location, named 'Simmons Lifestyle Furniture,' will hearken back to the roots of the original intent of the company: stylish, customizable, unique furniture at affordable prices."

The new store is expected to open in October; Riley wouldn't say which storefront in the center it's moving into because the current occupant has not yet announced it's relocating.

BOSTON — The job growth continues in the state as the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reports that the private sector added 19,200 jobs in July, the largest monthly job gain in the private sector in 20 years. Governmental employment dropped by 6,000, signifying the reduction in temporary Census jobs.

Overall, the state's preliminary figures show 3,197,800 jobs, an increase of 13,200 jobs. The This marks the sixth straight month for job gains, with 60,200 jobs added since December.

The total unemployment rate held at 9.0 percent in July. The Massachusetts unemployment rate remains below the 9.5 percent national rate which was also unchanged over-the-month.

The gains were made in all nine job sectors; the largest gains wre in Leisure and Hospitality; Trade, Transportation and Utilities; Manufacturing; and Professional, Scientific and Business Services.
 
The July job growth follows on a revised 2,800 jobs gain in June, previously reported as a 500-job gain. Over-the-year, jobs are up 36,600 (or 1.2 percent) with private sector jobs up 32,500 (also 1.2 percent).

Trends for jobs, unemployed residents, the unemployment rate and unemployment insurance claims continue to indicate signs of improvement for the commonwealth's economy.

Local area unemployment statistics for July 2010 will be released on Tuesday, Aug. 24. Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi.