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Date: 11/30/2023
WESTFIELD — The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce has given Christina Beeke its Sixth Man Award for her devotion to the business group.
On Nov. 15, at the group’s annual dinner at Shaker Farms Country Club, the insurance agent received the award in person. Executive Director Amanda Waterfield presented it to her, along with Chamber President Dino Gravanis.
The decision to award her was made by the board of directors.
“I define the ‘sixth man’ as someone who’s not a starter but comes off the bench more often than the other players,” Waterfield told Reminder Publishing.
Waterfield described Beeke as a Chamber member who embodies community and small business. Calling her “a great networker,” she said she advocates for the Chamber, even outside of Westfield.
“Christina makes the Chamber a priority in her regular life and so it makes a difference to us,” she said.
Beeke said to Reminder Publishing that she was both “happy and surprised” to receive the award. A member for 10 years, this is the first award she has won an award from the Chamber. She thanked the nominating committee.
Beeke is an independent insurance agent. She works at home and is passionate in her specialty, helping the elderly navigate Medicare. She focuses especially on helping her clients save money.
“When you can help somebody find the right plan and they end up saving because of it, that’s huge,” she said.
Beeke spent 23 years working in travel before switching industries in 2013. Unable to find travel jobs, she found herself with interviews at insurance companies and decided to give it a try. She worked at Aflac, where she learned the basics of the business.
While working at Aflac, she joined the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce. Beeke said her boss offered to pay for her membership if she attended events, which the company saw as sales opportunities. For the first five years, she attended every event she could.
In 2013, she also joined the Chamber Events Committee. She helps plan events, such as golf tournaments, and volunteers at the events. She is also tasked with encouraging people to come to events.
The coronavirus pandemic caused Beeke to discover her passion in Medicare and leave Aflac. Medicare, she said, was unlike the regular insurance field, because it is less about sales and more about advice. She still serves a few clients from Aflac.
Nowadays, she attends events less frequently. She can be found at After Five Connections, breakfasts, and the mayor’s coffee hour.
Besides the Chamber, Beeke advocates on behalf of two other organizations: the Jacob’s Ladder Business Association, which represents businesses in the Hilltowns, and the Woman Business Owners Alliance, of Springfield.
“Part of it is showing up and building those relationships with different people, but it’s also knowing that different organizations are a different fit for different people,” she said.
The Westfield Chamber, Beeke said, is good for Westfield businesses and shows their diversity. Jacob’s Ladder creates products like a combination hiking map and business directory. At the Woman Business Owners Allinace, there was a Power of 100 Women event in January, where 100 female business owners gathered to network with each other. Events like that help uplift women’s business, as female business owners face different challenges than male ones, she said.
Beeke advocates for these organizations because it helps her be part of the community. Born and raised in Westfield, and with no plans to live anywhere else, she can’t imagine not promoting where she lives.
“It’s good for everybody because if you bring business to the area and you promote the area, it’s a better place to live,” she said.
Asked how to save money on Medicare plans, Beeke encouraged people to call her at 413-977-6016. She does not charge for her services, something she said people are surprised to learn.
Other Chamber members cited on Nov. 15 were Kimberley Betts, of Betts Plumbing & Heating Supply, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award; Rick Rheault, of Integrity Merchant Solutions, who won the Member of the Year Award; Westfield on Weekends, this year’s nonprofit of the year; and Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport and the Air National Guard 104th Fighter Wing, joint winners of the Business of the Year Award. The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce represents the business community of Westfield, Southwick, Blandford, Chester, Granville, Huntington, Montgomery, Russell and Tolland.