People on the Move

The PeoplesBank board of directors announced that bank President and CEO Douglas Bowen will retire in July 2016, to be succeeded by Thomas Senecal, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. The board’s leadership-succession plan calls for Senecal to become president at the bank’s annual meeting in February 2016. Bowen will become chairman and CEO at that time. Senecal will be named president and CEO in July 2016 upon Bowen’s retirement. During this transition period, Bowen will remain active in his position and the bank’s management and strategy implementation. Bowen joined PeoplesBank in August 1975 as a teller in the management-development program. He has since worked in almost every department at the bank. In 1986, he started the Commercial Lending department and, in 2002, was named executive vice president and chief lending officer. He was named president and CEO in 2007 and, since that time, has led the bank to its current position in the market, with more than $2 billion in assets and a substantial track record of innovation, community support, environmental sustainability, and employee engagement. Under Bowen’s tenure, PeoplesBank opened six branches, three of which are LEED-certified; has financed more than $80 million in sustainable-energy projects; and has been named a “Top Place to Work” by the Boston Globe three years in a row. The bank was also named a “Top Charitable Contributor” by the Boston Business Journal seven years in a row. The American Bankers Assoc. gave PeoplesBank a Community Commitment Award for its environmental-sustainability efforts in 2013. The Boston Globe also named Bowen a “Globe 100 Innovator” in 2011. In 2009, BusinessWest named Bowen one of its first Difference Makers. Meanwhile, Senecal possesses more than 25 years of progressive financial experience. In his current position, he has managed all accounting, financial reporting, and treasury and facility operations. He has overseen asset growth of the bank from $460 million to $2 billion in 2015. In addition to Senecal’s responsibility for the Finance department, as the COO, he will oversee the Retail, Operations, Internal Control, and Risk Oversight functions. Early next year, he will also be responsible for the Commercial and Consumer Lending, Cash Management, and Human Resources functions. Senecal holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UMass Amherst. He also attended the Tuck Executive Program at Dartmouth College. He is a certified public accountant and a U.S. Coast Guard veteran. He currently serves on the boards of directors of Holyoke Community College, where he is chair of the investment committee; Loomis Communities Inc.; and the Hampshire Regional Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the advisory council of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, and is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank – Boston advisory panel. “Under his leadership, I am confident that our customers, our staff, and our future are in very capable hands,” said Bowen, making a statement on behalf of the bank’s board of directors. “Tom and I believe in our bank’s mutual charter. We will remain a mutual bank going forward — committed to helping our customers achieve financial success and to serving the community. It is our mutual charter that powers our values. It is also the structure that allows us to invest in innovation, to contribute to nonprofit and civic causes, to support environmental sustainability, and, perhaps most important of all, to help our associates grow and succeed. Our mutual charter has served us well for 130 years, and it is the key to our future as well.”
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James Hagan, president and CEO of Westfield Bank, announced several recent changes to the bank’s retail and commercial banking staffs:
• Carla DiLoreto has joined the bank as Manager of the Enfield, Conn. office. DiLoreto has nearly 10 years of retail banking experience. Prior to joining Westfield Bank, she was Banking Center manager of the Somers, Conn. office of Webster Bank. While serving there, she was inducted in the Somers Women’s Club, where she helped raise money for its scholarship and charitable-giving programs;
• Greg Musante has been hired as Assistant Branch Manager and Business Specialist in the Holyoke office. Musante has 15 years of banking experience in commercial and mortgage lending. Most recently, he was mortgage bank officer at Webster Bank and also held the positions of cash management analyst and business specialist at Bank of America. A graduate of Greenfield Community College and Plymouth State College, he is an active member of several area chambers of commerce;
• Christopher Fager has joined the bank as Assistant Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer. Fager joins Westfield Bank following a successful six-year career at Citizens Bank, where he served as both branch manager and business banking officer. In his new role, he will be responsible for developing and managing commercial banking relationships. A graduate of UMass Dartmouth, he is active in local chambers of commerce;
• Sean Millane, previously Manager of the bank’s Enfield office, has been promoted to Commercial Loan Officer. Millane has 15 years of banking experience and joined Westfield Bank in 2014 as manager of the Enfield branch. Previously, he was branch manager and business development officer of the Ellington and East Windsor, Conn. offices of Rockville/United Bank. In addition to his professional accomplishments, he is president of the East Windsor (Conn.) Chamber of Commerce and treasurer of the North Central Connecticut PTSD Foundation; and
• Jeffrey Lomma, previously Assistant Manager and Business Specialist in the Enfield office, has been promoted to Branch Manager of the Tower Square office in Springfield. Lomma joined Westfield Bank in 2007. Prior to being named branch manager of the Tower Square office, he served as assistant manager and business specialist at the bank’s Enfield branch. A graduate of Western New England University, he is active in the community, serving as treasurer of the North Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce and board member for both the Springfield Performing Arts Development Corp. (Symphony Hall and CityStage) and the Springfield Hockey Heritage Society.
“I am pleased to announce these exciting changes to our retail and commercial banking staffs,” Hagan said. “At Westfield Bank, we are committed to delivering the best possible banking experience for our retail and commercial customers in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. In addition to their proven accomplishments, Carla, Greg, Chris, Sean, and Jeff truly epitomize what better banking’s all about.”
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Square One recently announced the addition of two senior-level individuals to its leadership team:
• Joining the organization as Vice President of Development is Kristine Allard. She will oversee the nearly $10 million organization’s fund raising, communications, and program development. She comes to Square One from the YMCA of Greater Springfield, where she led the fund-development and communications team, as well as family-center operations. In addition to fund raising, grant writing, and special-event planning, she has an extensive background in marketing and media relations. Allard is active on a number of community boards and committees, including Leadership Pioneer Valley and the Baystate Academy Charter School. “We are very pleased to welcome Kris to Square One,” said Joan Kagan, president and CEO. “She brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and talent to our organization. Her enthusiasm, positive energy, and team spirit are contagious, making her a great addition to our team. Kris is a true asset to Square One, and we are fortunate that she has joined us.”
• Also joining the Square One team is Frank Tate III. As Food Service Director, Tate will develop menus and oversee daily food preparation for the organization’s 400 preschool and after-school program participants, assuring compliance with government regulations and Square One’s commitment to encouraging a healthy lifestyle. Tate comes to Square One following senior-level positions at YSET Academy in Springfield and the Early Childhood Centers of Greater Springfield. “We know that proper nutrition is a critical part of every child’s ability to succeed academically, physically, emotionally, and socially,” said Kagan. “Frank’s extensive experience and expertise make him a perfect fit to help fulfill our mission. Not only does he bring knowledge, creativity, and a diversity of nutritious food to our kitchen, but also a cheerful disposition that our staff and families have come to embrace.”
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Moriarty & Primack, P.C. announced several promotions and additions to the firm. The new hires include Dahimeli Mercado, Associate; Jonathan Normand, Associate; and Laurie Bonano, Associate. Meanwhile, Timothy Provost has been promoted to Manager, and Daniel Duncan has been promoted to Senior Associate.
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Springfield Falcons President Sarah Pompea recently announced five front-office staff promotions:
• Chris Thompson has been promoted to Senior Vice President. Thompson will continue to oversee the team’s corporate sales with an expanded focus on driving ticket sales. In his new role, he will be working closely with Pompea in the day-to-day operations of the organization;
• Cortney Hersom has been promoted to Vice President. Hersom is currently responsible for all Falcons financials and human resources. In addition, she will take a stronger lead in the daily operations of the office;
• Andy Zilch has been promoted to Manager of Communications/Broadcasting. Zilch, the Falcons’ play-by-play broadcaster, also has responsibilities in ticket and corporate sales. He will oversee the team’s communications and community-relations efforts and act as the primary media contact for the Falcons;
• Marija Ward has been promoted to Manager of Ticket Operations. Ward oversees all aspects of the organization’s ticket operations and serves as the box-office liaison. She has been tasked with streamlining the ticket department, increasing efficiency, and enhancing the fan experience; and
• Luke Pawlak has been promoted to Manager of Game Operations/Creative Services. Pawlak spearheads all creative aspects for the organization and will also be able to utilize new technology this season to enhance the fan experience. He has cultivated a positive leadership role with the team’s game-night staff.
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Erika Kaftan has been appointed assistant Director of Educational Services at the Willie Ross School for the Deaf. She succeeds Linda Carfora, who is retiring after more than 20 years at Willie Ross. Kaftan will oversee the Mass. Comprehensive Assessment System Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt) portfolios and the School-to- Work program. She also will assist in supervising and evaluating staff, hiring new staff, and reviewing and approving quarterly progress reports. Prior to joining Willie Ross last month, Kaftan was the individualized education plan (IEP) coordinator at the EDCO Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Newton. She also worked as a teacher for the deaf at the high-school level at EDCO. Kaftan began her career as a paraprofessional and substitute teacher for elementary-school students at a charter school in California. She received her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from California State University, Northridge, with a focus in American Sign Language, and went on to earn two master of education degrees, from Boston University in deaf education and from Endicott College in organizational management. The Willie Ross School for the Deaf provides a comprehensive educational program stressing academic excellence that focuses on the development of students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth from the early childhood level through high school. Willie Ross serves students at its main campus in Longmeadow and at its partnership campus located in the East Longmeadow public schools. Mainstreaming opportunities are provided at the partnership campus.
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Burkhart Pizzanelli announced the promotion of Julie Quink to Managing Principal. Quink has more than 20 years serving clients in the public accounting industry along with several years in private industry. She received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Elms College and recently returned to her alma mater as an adjunct professor in the MBA program. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Mass. Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Assoc. of Certified Fraud Examiners. She also serves on the Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee, the finance committee for the East Quabbin Land Trust, and the board of directors for the Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce. In addition to her firm management responsibilities, Quink will continue to actively serve clients, primarily in the accounting and auditing area and as a specialist in forensic accounting. She succeeds Richard Burkhart, who is a co-founder of the firm and has served as managing principal from its inception in 1986. Burkhart will continue to provide his clients with service and expertise as a principal of the firm, sharing his 40 years of experience in public accounting.
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HUB International New England, a division of HUB International Limited, a leading global insurance-brokerage, risk-advisory, and employee-benefits firm, announced that Cynthia Squires has joined HUB International New England as manager of Select Business for small to medium-sized business accounts in the Commercial Lines department. Squires will be responsible for the day-to-day management and servicing of small-business accounts, providing oversight and direction to commercial-lines staff, leading quality-control and product-analysis processes, managing departmental retention and acquiring new-business goals, keeping abreast of the latest industry changes and trends, while providing the highest level of service standards and value to clients. She will be based in the East Longmeadow office. Most recently, Cynthia served as a Commercial Lines account executive for Goss & McLain Insurance Agency, where she had worked for almost 30 years. She started her career in the Personal Lines department as a customer-service representative, then worked her way up the ranks to Personal Lines manager and Marketing manager. She then switched over to the Commercial Lines department, where she worked for five years on small and medium-sized accounts. “HUB International New England is dedicated to building a team of experts with local market specialization and industry experience,” said Timm Marini, president of HUB International New England, formerly FieldEddy. “Cynthia brings a wealth of insurance knowledge with her, which will synergize well with our Commercial Lines team. Her extensive knowledge of the insurance industry and leadership skills will provide our clients with value-added solutions and innovative products that are specific to this market.”