Gregg Desmarais
Vice President and Store Manager, TD Bank; Age 35
Gregg Desmarais
“But I tend to see the silver lining in things and try to change bad situations into good ones,” he told BusinessWest.
Last April, he recruited a team of volunteers from TD Bank to landscape and paint an elderly widow’s home during the Revitalize Community Development Corp.’s National Rebuilding Day. They were unable to finish their work due to freezing rain and bitter cold, but he convinced them to volunteer again the following Saturday.
“It’s so rewarding. I take advantage of any opportunity I can to get out of my suit and tie, get my hands dirty, and give back to the community. I want to make Springfield as healthy, safe, and beautiful as it can be,” said the RCDC board member, who served as chairperson for three years during the Community Foundation’s annual Valley Gives fund-raiser.
Desmarais’ dedication and passion for people have helped him succeed at TD Bank. He started four years ago as an assistant store manager in Agawam, was promoted to manager and assistant vice president of his hometown bank in Westfield, and was later chosen to lead the institution’s flagship office in downtown Springfield in 2013.
Since that time, he has been assigned to high-profile projects and won many accolades. He was a 2012 TD Bank nominee for the CEO Leadership Award; feted as a TD Bank Top Performer in 2012, 2013, and 2014; and selected to attend the bank’s prestigious TD Leadership Training Program.
Desmarais also earned two quarterly ‘Wow Stars,’ which recognize top performers in specific areas within a seven-region area with more than 100 offices.
He said his parents instilled a strong work ethic in him, and family is his highest priority. He and his wife Michelle are parents to 2-year-old Ryan, and the family roots hard for the four-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.
Desmarais is a former member of the United Way of Pioneer Valley’s grant approval board and wakes up every day wanting to do better than the day before. “I love helping people get their dream home and plan for retirement,” he said. “I also love helping people stay in their homes when they can’t afford necessary repairs. Any opportunity I have to give back to the community makes me feel good.”
— Kathleen Mitchell
