Departments People on the Move

People on the Move

Shannon Rudder

Shannon Rudder

The Providence Ministries for the Needy Inc. (PMN) board of trustees named Shannon Rudder executive director of PMN’s multi-human-services agency. First appointed interim director in May, Rudder previously served as executive director for MotherWoman Inc. in Hadley for four years. Prior to that, she was associate director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal Inc. in Buffalo, N.Y. “Shannon’s leadership, contagious enthusiasm, solid business acumen, strong operational skills, team-building focus, and dedication to building strong community relationships will advance our mission into the bright future ahead,” said Jean Zaleski, board chair. Rudder is currently on Springfield Technical Community College’s Foundation board; Mama’s Voice, a community-based participatory research project with Holyoke Community College; the grant review committee for United Way of Pioneer Valley; and United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council, and is an instructor at Bay Path University and Cambridge College. In addition, she has served as a guest lecturer at Springfield College, Smith College, and UMass School of Regional Planning. BusinessWest included Rudder in its 40 Under Forty class of 2016. “We are thrilled to have Shannon as our new executive director,” said James Wall, chair of PMN’s personnel committee. “She brings a great breadth and depth of experience that will help take Providence Ministries to the next level.” PMN is a member of the Sisters of Providence Ministry Corp. and is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization serving the Holyoke community with programs to feed, clothe, and shelter the poor and marginalized. These include Kate’s Kitchen, foodWorks at Kate’s Kitchen, Broderick House, Loreto House, McCleary Manor, Margaret’s Pantry, and St. Jude’s Clothing Center.

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Anthony Hayes

Anthony Hayes

Following a nationwide search, Anthony Hayes has been selected as the new general manager for public broadcaster WGBY in Springfield. Hayes comes to WGBY with nearly two decades of executive experience in public TV and radio in Connecticut and Washington, D.C. He succeeds Rus Peotter, who retired last fall after leading the station for 15 years. “Anthony is a visionary leader, and his extensive background in strategic development and engaging with audiences will advance WGBY’s mission and vital role in the community and across the region,” said Liz Cheng, Television Stations manager for the WGBH Educational Foundation, which includes WGBY. Hayes will lead the station in its strategic planning, editorial operations, and community engagement, serving its public-media mission of advancing the educational and cultural life of Western New England. “As a highly accomplished media executive, Anthony’s management skills, experience, and style will be a great fit for WGBY. His industry knowledge and community focus will be of tremendous value in leading our public-media initiatives,” said Crist Myers, chair of the WGBY board of tribunes. Most recently, Hayes served as senior vice president for Engagement at Connecticut Public Broadcasting in Hartford, which includes CPTV and WNPR, where he guided fund-raising and sponsorship initiatives to develop new strategic opportunities and growth. Prior to that, he was at WAMU-FM, American University Radio, where he oversaw the sponsorship sales division and designed and implemented integrated fund-raising, communications, and outreach strategies, locally and nationally, that increased stakeholder engagement. Earlier in his career, he was with WETA, public TV and radio in Arlington, Va., where he managed corporate marketing and developed non-traditional revenue initiatives. “I couldn’t be more pleased to have this opportunity to magnify the impact of this exceptional organization,” said Hayes. “I will work collaboratively and strategically to build upon WGBY’s rich history and advance its core mission, focusing on building a stronger community through engagement, learning, and understanding. I believe WGBY is poised to expand its reach throughout Western New England, and I am eager to lead the charge.” Hayes holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the New York Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree in media entrepreneurship from American University. He will join WGBY on July 10.

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Mike Hamel, owner of Summit View Banquet House and Hamel’s Creative Catering, has been named 2017 Business Person of the Year by the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. Hamel’s Creative Catering was established in 1990, but the Hamel family business roots go back to 1963, when his family owned and operated Hamel’s Market in South Hadley and Edgar’s Market in the Churchill section of Holyoke. “Mike is an exemplary model of a home-grown success story. This is a great story of small business success,” said Kathleen Anderson, president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. “It includes a family legacy, following a passion, having a dream, and overcoming obstacles to achieve something significant and lasting. We are very proud of Mike and his family, and congratulate them on this achievement.” The award has been presented annually to an outstanding business person who is community-oriented, is innovative, possesses a high degree of integrity, and for business accomplishments in Greater Holyoke’s business community. Marge Manton, treasurer and CFO of Loomis Communities and chairman of the chamber board of directors, also announced the selection of Harry Montalvo of bankESB to receive the Henry A. Fifield Award for Voluntary Service to the Chamber. The award is named for the late Henry A. Fifield, former Amped executive and civic leader who served in leadership positions with the chamber. Montalvo’s service includes the chamber ambassador committee, the board of trustees of the Chamber Centennial Foundation, and chamber liaison between the two chamber boards. Montalvo has also been a mentor to many of the Chamber Foundation’s SPARK Launch Class graduates. Both award winners will be honored at the Business Person of the Year and Fifield Volunteer Award Dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. at the Delaney House. Information can be found online at holyokechamber.com or by calling the chamber office at (413) 534-3376. Everyone is invited to attend.

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Sarah Jordan

Sarah Jordan

James Kelly, president and CEO of Polish National Credit Union (PNCU), announced that Sarah Jordan has joined the credit union as a marketing specialist. Jordan’s responsibilities include internal and external communications, marketing and public-relations campaigns, community relations, and website management. She comes to PNCU from Westfield Bank/Chicopee Savings Bank, where she served as marketing coordinator. She is a graduate of the University of Hartford with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and has held marketing and communication assignments with the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, where she is a member of the marketing committee; the Barney School of Business Leadership Council; and the National Society of Leadership and Success – Sigma Alpha Pi. She has also been an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, the Spaulding After School Program, and Loaves and Fishes. “We look forward to Sarah’s success in promoting Polish National Credit Union and its products and services to both current and future members,” said Kelly. “We are pleased to welcome her to our team.”

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Grace LaValley

Grace LaValley

Grace LaValley, who earned her doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree in the inaugural DNP class at Elms College, had a paper accepted to the American Assoc. of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) for a podium presentation at AACVPR’s 32nd annual meeting in October, where it is a candidate for the conference’s Beginner Investigator Award. The paper Lavalley will present at the AACVPR conference was her capstone project in the DNP program at Elms College. Each DNP student is required to complete a scholarly capstone project that contributes to the field of nursing. The project topics are related to the areas of nursing where they currently work or areas in which they have a particular interest. Lavalley’s project earned her the 2017 DNP Capstone Award from Elms College, which honors a DNP student who has developed a distinguished capstone project that demonstrates scholarly rigor, innovation, and outcomes that improve health or health-related outcomes for a specific population, and has the potential to advance nursing science, practice, or policy. The paper is titled “A Telephone Intervention to Improve Patient Return Rates in Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Pilot Study” and focuses on cardiac rehabilitation, or CR. “Cardiovascular disease accounts for 17.3 million deaths per year, a number projected to reach 23.6 million by 2030,” Lavalley said. CR improves patient outcomes and reduces risk in the earlier post-discharge period, but it remains highly underused, she added. Despite its benefits, many patients are at risk for not following the CR program, for a variety of reasons. She and her colleagues decided to investigate whether a telephone call focused on patient motivation, education, risks, and goal setting would improve return rates among patients identified as at risk for non-adherence to the CR program. “Telephone interventions are known to be an important tool to provide support and help overcome barriers after discharge,” she noted. They studied 100 patients in Baystate Medical Center’s outpatient CR program and found that those who received the telephone call were more likely to attend their second session of CR as scheduled, compared with patients who did not receive this intervention (80% versus 51%). The overall return rate was higher in the intervention group as well. “This straightforward strategy represents an attractive adjunct to current management of outpatient CR patients,” she said. Lavalley’s coauthors are Heidi Szalai, Dr. Quinn Pack, and Andrew Storer, associate professor of Nursing at Elms. Their paper will be published in the September/October 2017 issue of the AACVPR’s Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention. Storer was the capstone chair for Lavalley’s project; he supervised the project from the development stage through implementation and analysis. The project, he said, “has made a positive impact in the quality of care for the patients, institutions, and communities served.” Added Lavalley, “this project may be of great value to other cardiac rehab programs around the nation, particularly in this complex healthcare environment.”

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Paulo Marques

Paulo Marques

LUSO Federal Credit Union announced that Paulo Marques, senior loan originator, ranked fourth among top loan originators by volume for credit unions in Western Mass., with loan volume of $23.4 million. He also ranked fourth for top loan originators by number of loans for credit unions in Western Mass., with 156 loans. These results were reported by the Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman.

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Deborah Jordan of Shamrock Financial in Wilbraham was named 2017 Affiliate of the Year by the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV). The announcment was made during the association’s annual awards banquet held June 8 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. As the highest honor given to an affiliate member, the award is bestowed upon the one person who has shown outstanding service and devotion to the organization during the past 17 months in the areas of affiliate-related association activity, community service, and business activity. A member of RAPV for five years, Jordan has served on the affiliate/Realtor, Education Fair & Expo, and community service committees. Her committee involvement includes the annual Benefit Golf Tournament, Playhouse Build for the Boys and Girls Clubs, and blanket and book drives to benefit Shriner’s Hospitals for Children – Springfield. Jordan’s additional community activities include serving as president-elect for the Ludlow Rotary Club, volunteering with Revitalize CDC, and serving on the Buy Springfield Now Committee to promote home ownership.