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Claudia Pazmany

Claudia Pazmany

Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services (MLKFS) named Claudia Pazmany as its new chief Development officer. She will be responsible for developing a sustainable institutional development effort to both support existing programs and expand them to serve the emergent needs of the organization’s clients. Pazmany had served as a volunteer member of the MLKFS development committee before being appointed to her new position. Pazmany, who most recently served as executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, brings a history of professional fundraising with a career total of raising more than $15 million in a development capacity for the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, Providence Ministries, and other organizations. She also serves as volunteer, advisory board member, and former board president of CHD’s Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, a development committee member of the United Way of Franklin & Hampshire Region, and as a 2020 and 2021 EforAll Pioneer Valley mentor. In 2021, Pazmany received a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives for her leadership role in supporting Amherst’s small businesses throughout COVID, leveraging more than $2 million in small-business assistance. She was honored with the Family 2022 Outreach Center’s Helen Mitchell Community Service Award for conceptualizing and implementing a program that provided restaurant relief while feeding families who were disproportionately impacted by COVID. She was also honored as a 2023 BusinessWest Difference Maker along with Amherst Business Improvement District Executive Director Gabrielle Gould for their partnership and leadership to build a stronger community throughout COVID. Pazmany earned a bachelor’s degree with concentrations in French and business from UMass Amherst, and an MBA from Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She earned a program leadership certificate from the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts’ Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact.

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Peter Banko

Peter Banko

The Baystate Health board of trustees announced it has appointed Peter Banko as Baystate Health’s new president and CEO. He succeeds Dr. Mark Keroack, who previously announced his plans to retire after serving as the system’s leader for 10 years. An executive experienced in leading multi-faceted health systems in markets throughout the country, Banko was chosen after an extensive national search by the board of trustees. Banko will officially join Baystate Health at the beginning of June. Banko most recently served as president and CEO of Centura Health in Centennial, Colo., which was part of the national CommonSpirit Health system. The $3.8 billion hospital and health-services system comprised more than 20 owned and affiliated tertiary and rural hospitals, an extensive network of physician partners, and numerous community-based services and clinics across Colorado, Kansas, and Utah. Banko, a native of New Jersey, started his calling in healthcare as a junior volunteer and has served in CEO-level roles for several health systems for nearly two decades. He has an industry reputation of leading innovation, transformation, integration, and partnerships with hospitals, physician groups, and health plans. He earned his bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Notre Dame and his master of health administration degree from the Sloan Program in Health Services Administration at Cornell University.

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Vicki Baldyga

Vicki Baldyga

Amber Messer

Amber Messer

Monson Savings Bank announced that Vicki Baldyga, former Ware branch manager, and Amber Messer, former assistant Ware branch manager, have transferred to the bank’s Wilbraham branch to take the helm as the new management team of the 100 Post Office Park location. Baldyga has 25 years of experience in the banking industry, 17 of which have been in branch management. She has been employed with Monson Savings Bank for five years. Committed to expanding her knowledge and skill set, she is currently enrolled in the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. New England School for Financial Studies and holds several diplomas and certificates from the Center for Financial Training. In her role as Wilbraham branch manager, she will be responsible for planning, organizing, and directing branch operations. She aims to foster an environment of teamwork and provide a high level of leadership to her team, as well as provide a high level of customer service with a positive, respectful, and courteous attitude. Baldyga is very involved in the local community, volunteering at Crossway Community Clothing Outreach, serving on the board of the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce, and donating blood to the Red Cross. Messer began her banking career as a customer service representative and teller at Monson Savings Bank six and a half years ago. Throughout her career, she has proven to be an asset to the bank and has achieved several promotions, ultimately attaining the position of assistant branch manager. In 2023, she was a nominee for Monson Savings Bank’s President’s Award. She was recognized by a peer for her commitment to customer and community service, teamwork, and excellence. She has also received several customer-service excellence awards during her time with the bank for going above and beyond. As the assistant Wilbraham branch manager, Messer will support Baldyga to manage the branch. She will also assist customers with their banking transactions, drawing on her extensive knowledge of bank products and services, while promoting an atmosphere of positive staff morale by inspiring trust and respect.

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Country Bank announced the appointment of Clare Ladue as the assistant vice president of the Customer Care Center. With 30 years of financial-service experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to her new role. Ladue graduated from Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. New England School of Financial Studies. She has a commercial lending certificate from the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. and numerous professional leadership certifications. Throughout her career, she has gained extensive experience in banking, including retail banking, deposit operations, commercial lending, and regional management, making her the ideal candidate to lead Country Bank’s Customer Care team. Her connection to the local community is evident through her previous involvement as an executive committee member of the Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce. She has also participated in numerous charitable initiatives, including the Walk of Champions, Junior Achievement, Rays of Hope, Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen, and Link to Libraries. Her dedication to making a positive impact aligns with Country Bank’s core values.

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Hector Suarez

Hector Suarez

bankESB recently hired Hector Suarez as assistant vice president, branch officer of its Sargeant Street office in Holyoke. Suarez grew up in Holyoke and Puerto Rico and has nearly 30 years of banking experience. He says he is passionate about providing a customer-first experience and brings an extensive background to his new role, where he will manage the Holyoke office team while fostering relationships within the community. Prior to joining bankESB, he was a vice president, branch manager at M&T Bank, People’s United Bank, and United Bank. Before that, he was a branch manager at Key Bank and First Niagara Bank, as well as a personal banker with Baybank, BankBoston, FleetBoston, and Bank of America.

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Seth Clark

Seth Clark

bankESB recently promoted Seth Clark to wire transfer officer, based in the 36 Main St., Easthampton office. Clark has 11 years of banking experience and has held a variety of positions since joining bankESB in 2013, including wire transfer manager, assistant branch manager, personal banker, and senior teller. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State College. Outside of work, he has been a part-time church organist in Westhampton and Holyoke for 20 years.

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Alignable, an online networking platform for business owners, invited its more than 8.7 million members to shout out local business leaders who have gone above and beyond guiding peers and supporting entire communities amid challenging economic conditions. The network announced that Judy Herrell of Herrell’s Ice Cream has again been elected Northampton’s 2024 Businessperson of the Year. Alignable’s 2024 Local Businessperson of the Year contest reached unparalleled participation levels, logging more than 309,000 votes, more than 64,000 recommendations, and more than 5,100 local winners across the U.S. and Canada. It was most popular competition Alignable has hosted in more than five years, marking a 40% jump in participation over 2023. Winners were commended for helping their peers and communities through a year with many challenges, including rising interest rates and rents, not to mention skyrocketing supply costs.

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Jessica Roncarati-Howe

Jessica Roncarati-Howe

The board of directors of Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts (DFSWM) announced that Jessica Roncarati-Howe is the organization’s new executive director, effective March 1. Candidates were vetted by a volunteer hiring committee and the board of directors. After four years with DFSWM, most recently as director of Programs and Operations before taking on the interim executive director role, Roncarati-Howe has an intimate understanding of the work of the organization. Before joining DFSWM, Roncarati-Howe held several leadership roles, including executive director of both the AIDS Foundation of Western Massachusetts and the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce. She has dedicated her career to promoting dignity and quality of life in the community and has 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, focusing on program development, management, board governance, and leading mission-based organizations toward maximum community impact. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and fine arts from Elms College and a master’s degree in nonprofit management and philanthropy with a certificate in fundraising from Bay Path University.

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Caolo & Bieniek Associates Inc. announced that Principal Bertram Gardner has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Donald & Lois Prescott Founders Award by the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee. This recognition is awarded annually to individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the youth, community, and mission of the club. Each year, the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee carefully selects community members who exemplify dedication and support toward the club’s vision. Gardner has been chosen as this year’s recipient in acknowledgment of his inspirational commitment, vision, courage, enthusiasm, and leadership. The Donald & Lois Prescott Founders Award, initiated at the Centennial Gala in 2012, honors the legacy of Lois Prescott and the late Donald Prescott, a longstanding member of the club’s board of directors.

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Shannon Ortona

Shannon Ortona

Monson Savings Bank announced the recent promotion of Shannon Ortona to Ware branch manager. In addition to her new role, Ortona will continue to serve as the bank’s IRA administrator. She is now based out of the Ware branch, located at 136 West St. Prior to joining the Monson Savings Bank family 11 years ago, Ortona began her banking career with Chicopee Savings Bank. After five years there, where she held the positions of full-time teller, senior teller, and head teller, she accepted the position of customer service associate supervisor in Monson Savings Bank’s Ware branch. During her tenure with the bank, Ortona has earned positions of increasing responsibility. She became the assistant branch manager of the Ware branch and became a certified IRA specialist through Ascensus. Prior to her most recent promotion, she worked as the Wilbraham assistant branch manager. In her new role, she will draw on her extensive experience and knowledge of retail banking. She will be responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the Ware branch’s operations. She will also aim to foster an environment of teamwork within the branch and provide her team with a high level of leadership. She will work with customers to conduct various banking transactions and help them reach their financial goals. Ortona is board member with the Ware Business Civic Assoc.

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Aaron Lansky, founder and president of the Yiddish Book Center, announced he plans to retire in June 2025. Lansky founded the Yiddish Book Center in 1980 as a 24-year-old graduate student, and since then, the organization has rescued more than 1.5 million Yiddish books, created educational programs that bring the language and culture to new audiences, documented the oral histories of more than 1,300 narrators, created a publishing imprint devoted to Yiddish translation, and much more. Susan Bronson, who has been the center’s executive director for 14 years and holds a doctorate in Russian and Jewish history, will succeed Lansky as president.

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Heather Rush

Market Mentors LLC recently welcomed Heather Rush to its team as associate creative director. She arrives with more than 20 years of experience in everything from graphic design, photography, and copywriting to creative direction, art direction, and brand development. In her previous roles, Rush has been immersed in all things creative, from storyboarding, strategizing, and conceptualizing to brand development and implementation, photography, and video shoots. Over the past six years, she managed a marketing team of designers and project editors and launched campaigns and products through digital and print channels. A graduate of Elms College with a degree in commercial arts, Rush is a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. She has received the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award for book-cover design and layout, and several awards for book-series design from BookBuilders of Boston, which also awarded her the 2017 iPad App UX/UI design award. An avid painter, she recently spent two weeks in Italy on a watercolor painting intensive. Active in the Hampshire County community, Rush is a team captain and team organizer/top-50 fundraiser for the Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage, a member of the Easthampton Farmers and Makers Market committee, and a volunteer with Easthampton Arts.

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Francis “Sandy” Dibble, John Pucci, and Jeffrey Roberts, attorneys at Bulkley Richardson, have been recognized by Super Lawyers for 20 consecutive years, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Massachusetts Super Lawyers. According to Super Lawyers, there are 42,635 attorneys registered with the Massachusetts state bar, but only 264 attorneys selected to Super Lawyers all 20 years, making this an elite group of 0.6% of attorneys in the state. Dibble, partner, has been recognized in the area of business litigation. He has tried and won, or favorably settled, significant cases for a wide range of clients throughout the U.S. Pucci, partner, has been recognized in the area of criminal defense: white collar crimes. He is one of Massachusetts’ top trial lawyers, representing individuals and companies in complex civil and criminal litigation of all kinds in both state and federal courts. Roberts, counsel, has been recognized in the area of estate & probate. He has handled many sophisticated estate-planning matters throughout his career, as well as corporate work and business transactions, primarily for closely held companies.

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Tech Foundry, the regional leader in IT workforce development and training, announced the appointment of 12 new members to its board of trustees. Hailing from a wide variety of professional backgrounds and including an alumnus of the organization’s 18-week IT support training program, the new slate of directors represents the diversity of the communities served by Tech Foundry. The organization welcomes Paul Nicholson (treasurer), Finance director at Wellfleet Insurance, and Briana Dawkins (clerk), associate attorney at Litchfield Cavo LLP in Simsbury, Conn. They join veteran officers Mike Walker (chair), retired financial-services professional at MassMutual Financial Group, and Delcie Bean (founder and immediate past chair), CEO of Paragus Strategic IT. New directors include Jay Ash, CEO of Mass Competitive Partnership; Everton Chin, director of IT at Travelers; Damon DePaolo, director of Human Risk Management at MassMutual; Samalid Hogan, CEO and principal consultant at Greylock Management Consulting; Xiaolei Hua, first vice president at PeoplesBank; Cindy Knowles, Strategy & Change Management lead at MassMutual; George Timmons, president of Holyoke Community College; and Hector Toledo, commercial lender and vice president at New Valley Bank. Patrick Streck, president and founder of Estli Consulting, returns to Tech Foundry after serving on the original board of advisors from 2013 to 2021. Salam (Sam) Zebian, Information Protection senior advisor at Cigna, graduated from Tech Foundry in 2017 and has been volunteering with the organization as a guest speaker since then. They join veteran board members Greg Bialecki, principal at Redgate; Ann McFarland Burke, owner of Ann McFarland Burke Consultancy; Dawn Creighton, Community Outreach officer at Liberty Bank; and Dianne Fuller Doherty, one of the original founders of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts.

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Hubert Benitez

Nicolle Cestero

Nicolle Cestero

American International College (AIC) announced that Hubert Benitez plans to step down as president of the college at the end of the current academic year on June 7. Frank Colaccino, chair of the AIC board of trustees, said Nicolle Cestero, who serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer at AIC, will be appointed interim president immediately. In his letter of resignation, Benitez said, “I made this decision by engaging in a deep process of prayer and discernment, and after thoughtful consideration and reflection with my family, I have decided to focus on the next chapter of our lives.” Colaccino said the tenure of Benitez’s service as president of the college was marked by a number of progressive actions designed to promote the mission of AIC and his effective leadership in the development of AIC Reimagined, the strategic plan that will guide the initiatives undertaken by the college during the coming years. Cestero, who will serve as interim president until the next president is identified, has been with AIC since 2011 when she joined as associate vice president for Human Resources. She has served the college as chief of staff and most recently as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Prior to joining AIC, her professional journey began in New York City at the Council on Foreign Relations, a leading nonpartisan foreign-policy think tank in the U.S., focused on disseminating information to members, government officials, and the public on matters of international significance. She holds an MBA degree from AIC, a master of arts degree from the University of West Florida, and a bachelor of arts degree from Mount Holyoke College. According to Colaccino, as COO, Cestero has overseen the day-to-day operations of the college and played a key role in implementing AIC’s strategic plan.

People on the Move

Phil Giguere

Tim Provost

Tim Provost

MP CPAs announced the promotions of Phil Giguere and Tim Provost to the position of partner with the firm. Giguere provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and trusts. He also has experience working with international affiliates on foreign tax issues. He specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and with private equity firms and their owners. Giguere joined the firm in 2006 and has more than 18 years of experience in business and individual taxation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration from Western New England University. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. He sits on the golf committee for Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island and the finance committee of Wellspring Cooperative, is a member of the Western New England University accounting advisory board, and volunteers his time with the Cory J Garwacki Foundation. Provost provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and trusts. He also has experience working with international affiliates on foreign tax issues. He specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and with private equity firms and their owners. He is also the director of Business Valuation Services at the firm. He works with clients looking to value their business for the buying and selling of a business, gifting ownership interests in a business, estate-tax issues or estate planning, and other business-valuation needs. Provost joined the firm in 2008 and has more than 15 years of experience in personal and business taxation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University and a master’s degree in accounting and taxation from American International College. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is also a certified valuation analyst and a member of the National Assoc. of Certified Valuation Analysts. He is active in the community as a volunteer board member of the West Springfield Youth Basketball Assoc.

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Andrew Sullivan

Florence Bank announced that Andrew Sullivan has joined the staff as vice president and commercial lender. Sullivan began his banking career as a credit analyst at a mutual bank in the region, but soon discovered an affinity for relationship building and helping commercial customers achieve their goals. Prior to joining Florence Bank, he served as a portfolio manager, small business loan officer, and commercial loan officer. He began his new role at Florence Bank in mid-October. The founder of the Andrew Sullivan Swing for a Cure Golf Tournament, which benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Sullivan holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business management and an MBA from Elms College. He is the chairman of the West of the River Chamber of Commerce.

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Erin Cleary

Erin Cleary

Greenfield Cooperative Bank announced the promotion of Erin Cleary to branch manager of its South Hadley branch. Cleary joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank in August 2022 as a teller and quickly earned a promotion to head teller four months later. This past July, she was named assistant manager. She attended Greenfield Community College. Cleary’s promotion is a reflection of the bank’s commitment to investing in its employees and fostering career growth from within. The bank recognizes the importance of having local leaders who understand the needs of their communities.

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Michelle Beaudette

Michelle Beaudette

Monson Savings Bank recently announced the hire of Michelle Beaudette as assistant vice president, Residential Operations officer. She will be responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the residential and consumer lending processing, closing, and operations. Additionally, she will help to foster an environment of teamwork and perform various loan-maintenance functions to ensure the accuracy and completeness of all records and documentation. Beaudette comes to Monson Savings Bank with 18 years of experience in banking and finance. She is a graduate of the New Seminary and holds a financial management certification from the U.S. Army Reserve Command. Prior to joining Monson Savings Bank, she worked at Millbury National Bank.

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Joseph Ford

Joseph Ford

Conval, a global manufacturer of high-performance severe service valves, recently announced that Joseph Ford has been appointed Engineering manager. Ford is a seasoned engineering leader with more than 30 years of experience in all aspects of product life cycle, including research and development, project management, product design, configuration control, and lean manufacturing. He previously served in similar capacities at Linde Advanced Materials Technologies (formerly Praxair) in Manchester, Conn.; CIRCOR Aerospace & Defense in Warren; and Baker Hughes, a General Electric company, in Oklahoma City. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Villanova University.

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Bay Path University recently announced Jacquida Mars has been appointed the new director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), which serves as a cultural resource for students, faculty, and staff, as well as providing direction and services for current and prospective students from underrepresented populations. Through creative and innovative programs, the office enhances cultural knowledge and produces a deeper appreciation for diversity and inclusion throughout the campus community. Before joining Bay Path, Mars served as assistant director of Alumni & Parent Engagement for Affinity & Identity Programs at Connecticut College, where she successfully developed a mentoring program for BIPOC students and alumni. Prior to her time at Connecticut College, she contributed to the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as the Career Programming manager/GA DEI at Trinity College. Mars earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and crime, law & justice from the University of Connecticut, and a master’s degree in public policy from Trinity College. She is currently enrolled in a doctorate program in educational leadership for social justice at the University of Hartford.

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Richard Kelly

Richard Kelly

MountainOne Bank announced the recent promotion of Richard ‘Dick’ Kelly, who has assumed the role of senior vice president, senior commercial risk officer. This newly created position supports MountainOne’s commitment to asset quality while enhancing its loan-approval process. Kelly now provides direct oversight of credit administration and of all portfolio managers across both of MountainOne’s geographic regions of the South Shore and the Berkshires. Additionally, he works directly with all commercial lenders on new and existing business loan relationships to help provide experienced guidance, perspective, and management of these credits. He originally joined MountainOne Bank in 2020 as senior vice president, commercial team leader for the Berkshires region and is a member of the bank’s senior leadership team. Kelly brings nearly 40 years of commercial lending, credit underwriting, and credit administration experience to this role. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. He is active in the Great Barrington community, currently serving on the Berkshire Community College Foundation board. Previously, he was involved with the United Way community representative), the Lions Club (member and past president), the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce (past treasurer), the town of Great Barrington, and the Wyantenuck Country Club (member and past president).

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Trent Rivers

Hometown Mortgage recently promoted Trent Rivers to equity and consumer loan manager, based in Easthampton. He has 15 years of banking experience, including his most recent role as loan specialist. He joined Hometown Mortgage as a consumer loan coordinator in 2017. Prior to that, he was a branch supervisor at NBT Bank. Rivers has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Westfield State University and completed coursework in the school of banking at the Pennsylvania Bankers Assoc.

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Jessica West

Trevor McCarthy

Trevor McCarthy

bankESB recently promoted Jessica West to assistant vice president, branch officer of its 36 Main St., Easthampton office. She has 31 years of banking experience. She was previously assistant vice president, branch manager in Amherst. Before that, she was branch manager at the Northampton Street, Easthampton office, and before that, assistant branch manager at the Belchertown office. She started at bankESB in 2002 as senior teller in Belchertown. West earned an associate degree in mechanical technologies from Springfield Technical Community College. She has been actively involved with the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst and Craig’s Doors, helping prepare free community breakfasts every week. She also volunteers at the Amherst Survival Center. She is currently a board member of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce. bankESB also recently promoted Trevor McCarthy to float retail manager. He has three years of banking experience and joined bankESB in 2020 as a teller. In his new role, he will manage the float staff at bankESB. He will be based in Easthampton but will float to all bankESB branches to support with supervisory needs. McCarthy has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Westfield State University.

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Market Mentors, LLC, a fully integrated marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, announced the addition of two Enfield, Conn. residents to its account-services team. Chelsea Shelander has joined the agency as an account executive, and Kaitlyn Smith has joined the agency as an account coordinator. Shelander provides client support and ongoing communication and research as well as proposal and presentation development. Prior to joining Market Mentors, she worked in public relations and brand management at BioSafe Systems and as a service and retention consultant for the Aspire Group at UConn Athletics. She earned an MBA at the University of Dayton in Ohio after receiving two bachelor’s degrees — one in business administration with a concentration in marketing, and one in sports management — from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. Smith liaises with the agency’s internal teams to identify client needs and develop and implement strategies to achieve their goals, using her organizational skills, attention to detail, and creative flair. Before coming to Market Mentors, she spent several years as an account manager for ADESA Boston, as well as a social-media manager for the DiGrigoli Companies. She earned her bachelor’s degree in media arts and analysis from Westfield State University.

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Jeannie Boudreau

Jeannie Boudreau

James Hagan, president and CEO of Westfield Bank, announced that Jeannie Boudreau has been appointed to the position of mortgage loan officer. She is responsible for Westfield, Holyoke, Huntington, and the surrounding communities, and will be based out of the bank’s 560 East Main St. location in Westfield. Boudreau will develop and maintain business relationships with prospective home buyers, Realtors, builders, and colleagues. Boudreau has more than 40 years of experience in the mortgage industry, holding multiple roles, including area manager and producing branch manager, prior to joining Westfield Bank. She is very involved in her community, serving as an affiliate member to the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley while also volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and Springfield Rescue Mission.

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Patricia Mullin

Patricia Mullin

Berkshire Bank recently welcomed Patricia “Patsy” Mullin as senior vice president of Cash Management Services. Mullin joins the bank with more than 45 years of experience in the financial and banking industry. She will cover the bank’s entire footprint. “Patsy is a great addition to the commercial Berkshire Bank team as she brings more than four decades of knowledge and experience from the banking and financial sector that will be beneficial to both her colleagues and the clients we serve,” said Scott Houghtaling, senior managing director of Business Banking.

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Mary Paier Powers

Mary Paier Powers

E. Spencer Ghazey-Bates

E. Spencer Ghazey-Bates

At its annual meeting on Dec. 6, the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MassNAELA) honored Mary Paier Powers and E. Spencer Ghazey-Bates with awards for their service and advocacy for seniors. Powers won the Deborah H. Thomson Advocacy Award, which recognizes a MassNAELA member’s efforts in advocating for elder issues in state government. She co-chairs the MassNAELA advocacy committee, establishing its legislative priorities. She was integral in hosting the organization’s first-ever legislative briefing at the State House in Boston and served as the event’s primary presenter. The John J. Ford Litigation Advocacy Award, which honors a member’s litigation efforts on behalf of seniors and MassNAELA, was bestowed on Ghazey-Bates for his dedicated involvement in MassNAELA’s MassHealth life estate valuation workgroup. He helped clients contest MassHealth’s valuation of their life estate in Superior Court, which led to MassHealth’s return to using the IRS valuation of a life estate.

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Braman Termite & Pest Elimination announced the upcoming retirement of Senior Vice President of Business Development Robert Guyette. During his more than 17 years with Braman, Guyette increased the company’s sales from $6.3 million to $18 million and grew it from 40 to 150 employees. During his time at Braman, Guyette said he is proudest of achieving his ACE (associated certified entomologist) certification, one of the biggest professional challenges he has ever faced. Prior to joining Braman as general manager in 2006, he was production manager at HP Hood in the milk and ice-cream divisions for nearly 26 years. He recently transitioned into his current role in preparation for retirement.

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At its Nov. 30 meeting, the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee selected its 2024 executive committee and welcomed two new members to its board. Michael Vogel of Westfield Bank will serve another year as president. Tracy Hebda of iSolved Benefits Solutions will serve as vice president. Dr. Jacqueline Pleet will serve as clerk. Roberto Nieves of Common Capital will serve as treasurer. And Jason Levine of Jason L. Levine Law, P.C. will serve the as an at-large member. Welcomed at the meeting to begin three-year terms on the board were Julia Marrero of Bacon Wilson, P.C. and Ann Dargie Gladd of Family Law of Western Massachusetts, P.C. They will be joining current members Alayna Anderson of Bacon Wilson, P.C.; Benjamin Garvey of HUB International New England LLC, Angela Gotay-Cheverez of Freedom Credit Union, Robert Houle of Unity Financial & Insurance Group, Sarah Mailhott of Polish National Credit Union, Malar Patel of Google, and Danielle Rosario of PeoplesBank.

People on the Move
Shandra Richardson

Shandra Richardson

Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) promoted Shandra Richardson to chief operating officer and senior vice president. She will direct all aspects of the bank’s operations, which include compliance, retail banking, marketing, deposit, electronic, and consumer loan operations, as well as developing and implementing new policies and procedures for the organizational systems management. Richardson has worked in the banking industry for more than 17 years. A UMass Amherst graduate, she received a bachelor’s degree in marketing and then went on to earn an MBA along with completing leadership and lean methodology executive education courses. She prides herself on being a lifetime learner and is continuously looking for ways to enhance her skills and those of the teams that she leads. Since joining GSB and moving to Western Mass. from Boston, Richardson has volunteered in numerous local causes, and in October, she joined the board of directors of Safe Passage. She also serves as a member of the Harvard Business Review advisory council, an opt-in research community of business professionals.

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Kylie Brown

Kylie Brown

Jessica Rodger Yim

Jessica Rodger Yim

Marcia Macklin

Marcia Macklin

Quincy Ryans

Quincy Ryans

The Royal Law Firm recently welcomed four new additions to its team: attorneys Kylie Brown and Jessica Rodger Yim and paralegals Marcia Macklin and Quincy Ryans. Brown is a litigator who focuses her practice on employment and other commercial litigation. She has successfully tried several cases to verdict and is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Yim has many years of experience in bankruptcy, commercial lending, banking, and commercial real-estate matters, and will work out of Boston. She is a graduate of Tufts University and Boston College Law School, and is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Macklin and Ryans also recently joined the Royal Law team as paralegals. They both have extensive experience in the court system.

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Kuhn Riddle Architects (KRA) recently welcomed Mallory Nurse to the firm as a member of its interior-design team. Having previously designed corporate workplace interiors and larger-scale projects, Nurse was interested in the slightly more intimate type of design at KRA. She loves projects that have a beneficial impact through education, community-oriented organizations, and residential buildings of all types. Nurse chose to study interior design in college and has never looked back. She is a graduate of Suffolk University with a bachelor’s degree in interior design and was awarded the Design Excellence commendation for her senior thesis project. She loves to pay close attention to the details of a project: lighting, scale, texture, and color. Her holistic approach to design focuses on fostering connection between people and the spaces in which they thrive.

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Karen-Louise Walker

Karen-Louise Walker

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) appointed Karen-Louise Walker as assistant vice president of Advancement and executive director to the STCC Foundation. Walker began her appointment at STCC on Dec. 4. She will be responsible for managing all aspects of STCC’s fundraising, philanthropy, alumni relations, and foundation-supported work, including overseeing communications and branding functions. She will work with President John Cook, administrators, and faculty to support the mission of STCC. Walker most recently served as vice president for Advancement at Alliance University in New York City. She previously served as vice president of Development at Ascentria Care Alliance, a nonprofit agency serving Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut. Prior to that, she served as executive director of Advancement at Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) in Worcester, where she was responsible for the management and oversight of all aspects of institutional advancement. During her tenure at QCC, she secured more than $45 million in grants, increased private giving by 30%, and tripled the QCC Foundation revenue. Her professional experience also includes serving as vice president of Programs for MLK Jr. Family Services, a nonprofit social-service agency supporting families and children throughout Western Mass.; executive director of the Council of Churches of Greater Springfield; and assistant EEO administrator for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services. She serves on various boards in Western and Central Mass.

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Brett Smith

Brett Smith

Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced the addition of attorney Brett Smith to its team of lawyers. Smith concentrates his practice on commercial finance and real estate, business organizations and planning, and land-use regulation. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Bentley University in 2019 and his juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law in 2023. He previously served as a legal intern at New Mexico Local Government Law LLC in Albuquerque. In 2022, Smith received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in corporate finance law. He co-founded and served as treasurer of the Sports and Entertainment Law Assoc. at Western New England University School of Law.

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Conval, a global manufacturer of high-performance severe service valves, recently announced the appointment of Andrea Bedard as HR manager and Mike Mikaelian as inside sales engineer. Bedard graduated from Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. She has enjoyed a solid career in human resources, including stints at TTM Technologies in Stafford Springs, Conn., as well as Health New England, E Ink Corp., KBE Building Corp., and Paychex. Mikaelian holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Western New England University and earned a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification from Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I. He previously served as design engineer at Judd Wire in Turners Falls, senior sales engineer and production manager at Dipwell Techware in Northampton, route service representative at Quest Diagnostics in Marlborough, and in various engineering and sales positions at BETE Fog Nozzle in Greenfield.

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Tiffany Raines

Tiffany Raines

bankESB recently promoted Tiffany Raines to vice president, retail administration. Raines joined bankESB in 2018 as assistant vice president, branch officer of the Holyoke branch and was promoted to vice president, branch officer in 2021. She has nearly 25 years of banking experience, including her previous roles as assistant vice president and banking center manager at PeoplesBank in West Springfield and Amherst. Raines brings extensive management and supervisory experience to her new role, with a focus on forging new customer relationships, customer service, training, and compliance. In this role, she will serve as the liaison between the bank’s branch network and as other departments across bankESB and its parent company, Hometown Financial Group, in order to foster communication, develop organizational awareness, and achieve operational excellence. She will also be responsible for managing the bank’s suite of deposit products. Raines currently serves on the board of the Care Center of Holyoke.

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Dr. Seth Gemme

Dr. Seth Gemme

Dr. Seth Gemme has been named the new chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Baystate Health. Upon approval by the provost and dean, he will also chair the Department of Emergency Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate. He most recently served as vice chair of Clinical Operations for the Baystate Health Department of Emergency Medicine. Gemme earned his MD degree from the University of Buffalo prior to completing his residency training in emergency medicine at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, R.I. He joined the Department of Emergency Medicine at Baystate Health in 2017 and has held progressive leadership positions since that time, including associate chief and Education director, Emergency Department, Baystate Noble Hospital; chief, Emergency Department, Baystate Wing Hospital; system vice chair of Clinical Operations for Emergency Medicine, Baystate Health; and as board member of Baystate Medical Practices. Gemme has earned several scholastic and teaching awards in his career to date, including the prestigious President’s Excellence Award in 2022 at Baystate Health. He has continued to serve for more than a decade as a member of the clinical policy committee of the American College of Emergency Physicians, contributing to the development of national consensus guidelines in emergency medicine. Most recently, he led the design and successful implementation of the ‘vertical model’ of care at Baystate Medical Center. This model of care utilizes oversized leather recliners for patients who can sit upright during their care while in the Emergency Department. Gemme will start in this new role in early January 2024. Dr. Niels Rathlev, who has held the position of chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Baystate Health for the past 15 years, will be staying on as a faculty member.

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Robert Gilbert Jr. has banged his last gavel as chair of the Holyoke Community College (HCC) board of trustees. After serving as a trustee for 12 years, including the last eight as chair, the retired chairman of Dowd Insurance Agencies of Holyoke retired after presiding over his last board meeting on Nov. 28. Gilbert was first appointed to the board in April 2011 by Gov. Deval Patrick, serving in various capacities, including chair of the audit committee and member of the finance committee. In October 2015, Gov. Charlie Baker named him board chair, succeeding Helen Caulton-Harris, commissioner of the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services. In his eight years as chair, Gilbert served alongside three HCC presidents: William Messner, who retired in 2016, Christina Royal, who retired in July, and George Timmons, HCC’s fifth and current president. Until Gov. Maura Healey names a successor, HCC trustee Vanessa Smith will serve as interim chair.

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Patrick Arguin

Patrick Arguin

Lathrop Community announced the appointment of Patrick Arguin as its new CEO. Arguin brings nearly 20 years of professional experience, starting his career as a physical therapist and then working for many years as a nursing-home administrator (NHA). His most recent position was NHA for Mary’s Meadow at Providence Place in Holyoke, which provides both short-term rehabilitation and long-term skilled nursing. Under Arguin’s leadership, that community achieved high-performing recognition in support categories, effective staffing, and best practices in resident safety. He was responsible for various aspects of the community, including managing staff, organizational finances and budgets, reporting to the board, and upholding the quality of service and attention to residents. Arguin, who has a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, officially joined the community on Nov. 27.

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The board of directors of Big Y Foods Inc. announced the appointment of Christian D’Amour as district director for 16 markets throughout Connecticut. In his new role, his focus will be to provide a best-in-class customer shopping experience and to create an environment in which Big Y employees grow and develop. His responsibilities include staffing, training and development, operational execution, sales strategies, and results. D’Amour began his career at Big Y at the age of 14 as a part time service clerk. After college, he was a sales and marketing representative for an insurance company based in Providence, R.I. He re-joined Big Y as a store director trainee in 2014. One year later, he was appointed assistant store director in Wilbraham. In 2016, he was promoted to store director in Southampton. He next went on to manage the Wilbraham market before being tapped as store manager at Table & Vine’s flagship location in West Springfield. In 2019, he was appointed a district sales and merchandising mentor for Big Y’s supermarket 15-store district throughout Western Mass. In this role, he was responsible for all sales, merchandising, and store team development across all departments. He also continued to oversee the operations of the company’s Table & Vine flagship, and most recently directed the company’s e-commerce platform.

People on the Move
Gene Kingsley

Gene Kingsley

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has named a cyber range manager for the Springfield Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCE) at Springfield Union Station. Following a comprehensive search, the college has hired Gene Kingsley, who will be responsible for a host of facility operations. Supported by local, state, and federal funding, the center is scheduled to open in 2024 and will serve as a regional center for Western Mass. and beyond. The CCE is a collaboration between STCC, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, and CyberTrust Massachusetts. The 6,000-square-foot CCE will include a cyber range, which is a simulated training environment, and a security operations center, which will be a support for Massachusetts municipalities to detect cybersecurity events in real time and respond quickly. Students who train at the CCE could move into paid internships or employment, where they would work with professionals to confront the growing global problem of cybersecurity threats. Kingsley’s experience includes managing Information Security at Reliant Medical Group. He also served as director of the Security Operations Center at UMass Amherst. He holds a master’s degree in Communications and Information Management from the Graduate School at Bay Path College and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Westfield State College and an associate degree from Holyoke Community College.

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Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced that Shareholder Michael Fenton has been named a Go To Lawyer in the area of Commercial Real Estate Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Fenton joined the firm in 2012 and focuses his practice in the areas of commercial real estate, business planning, commercial finance, and estate planning. He represents principals in business formation and succession planning, businesses in the purchase and sale of enterprises, lenders and borrowers in commercial financing transactions, developers in the acquisition and permitting of projects, and individuals in establishing comprehensive and sophisticated estate plans. With a background in taxes and a master’s degree in business administration, Fenton provides added value to clients with business-planning concerns. In addition, he has extensive land-use experience that includes zoning, subdivision, project permitting and environmental matters. A significant part of his practice revolves around estate planning, and he develops sophisticated estate plans to facilitate access to public services and the preservation of assets. Fenton is a graduate of Western New England University (WNE) School of Law, where he was a publishing editor of the Law Review and an Oliver Wendell Holmes full-tuition merit scholar. He is an adjunct professor for Corporate Finance at WNE School of Law, where he is also a board member of the Center for Social Justice. He serves on the Baystate Medical Center Community Advisory Council and has served as a member of the Springfield City Council since 2010.

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Kuhn Riddle Architects recently welcomed Salabat Khan and Ruoqi Zhong to its architectural team. Khan’s architectural interests began at MEASI Academy of Architecture in Chennai, India, where he acquired a strong foundation in design principles and cultivated his love for innovation. He completed his master of architecture degree at UMass Amherst in 2023. Khan’s approach to architecture is human-centric: he most enjoys creating designs that enhance the user’s quality of life and sense of belonging. His work is focused as well on contextual integration into the historic, cultural, and natural environment surrounding any project. Kuhn Riddle’s leadership noted that his collaborative design philosophy and appreciation of diverse perspectives integrates perfectly with that of the firm. KRA was recently awarded the prestigious Emerging Professionals Friendly designation from the American Institute of Architects. This award recognizes supporting emerging architects like Khan on their journey to registration and ultimate success in the architectural field. Ruoqi was drawn to Kuhn Riddle because she is inspired by architecture that connects to its surroundings, is public-oriented, and will make a positive difference in people’s lives. She will continue to follow her integrative, transformative design focus at KRA. She applies her expertise and attention to detail to K-12 educational projects, community organizations, and multi-family and private homes. Ruoqi received her bachelor of architecture degree in 2011 from Harbin Institute of Technology in Heilongjiang, China. In 2014 she was awarded two degrees at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne: master of architecture and master of science in civil and environmental engineering.

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Nathan Dion

Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) recently appointed Nathan Dion as digital PR analyst. Dion is an experienced video producer and is already telling local stories with GCAi’s new vlogging camera. Dion will continue to grow GCAi’s digital PR video services and subsidiary New England Corporate Video. He is a graduate of Westfield State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communication with a dual concentration in media arts and analysis and public relations. He also minored in graphic design.

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Square One recently elected a new slate of officers to its board of directors. The election was held at the agency’s annual meeting on Oct. 13. Taking on the role of chairperson is Corrine Ryan of Community Legal Aid. The vice chair seat will be filled by Colleen Stocks of Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center. Moving into the treasurer position is Julie Quink of Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C. Jessica Dupont of HealthOne Alliance/Alliant Health Plans will serve as the board’s clerk. New to the full board of directors are Shenell Ford, Terry Maxey, Edward Nunez, Gillian Palmer, and Aundrea Paulk. They will join existing board members Andrea Hickson-Martin, Amy Selvia Smith, Lavar Click-Bruce, Leonard Underwood, Kate Kane, Ryan McCollum, and Peter Testori.

People on the Move

Rebecca Todd

The Connecticut River Conservancy announced Rebecca Todd as its new executive director. Todd has most recently served as the executive director of New Hampshire’s Stonewall Farm, a nonprofit working farm and education center; however, her experience as an attorney has shaped most of her career. For more than 30 years, she has advised organizations, individuals, and businesses in matters related to environmental, educational, contractual, employment, and nonprofit management. She served as general counsel for Antioch University and as associate attorney general in the Office of the Attorney General in Washington in the Education and Ecology divisions, and litigated cases for the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund Inc. (now Earthjustice) and the Natural Resources Defense Council Inc. related to the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and hazardous-waste laws. She also teaches environmental law, legal advocacy, and other subjects nationally and internationally. In addition to these professional accomplishments, Todd grew up in the Connecticut River watershed, has raised a family while stewarding farmland along the river in New Hampshire, and is cultivating a new passion for the sport of rowing. CRC’s previous executive director, Andy Fisk, departed in the fall of 2022 after 10 years with the organization and is now the Northeast Regional Director at American Rivers. During this transitional time, CRC has been led by interim Executive Director and Director of Restoration Programs Ron Rhodes, who has been a member of the CRC staff for more than 12 years.

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Tania Barber

The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts’ trustees of the Order of William Pynchon announced Tania Barber, president and CEO of Caring Health Center, as this year’s Pynchon Medal recipient. She will receive the award at an event at Springfield Technical Community College on Monday, Nov. 13. Caring Health Center (CHC) is a Springfield-based care provider of affordable and equitable healthcare services. Barber began her career with CHC as a part-time switchboard operator in 1996. Through regular promotions during her 24-year tenure, she rose to become the organization’s leader in 2013. In addition, her belief in empowering women through education led her to establish the Tania M. Barber Learning Institute in 2023. Students of the institute will earn a salary as they receive training for careers in the healthcare field. In addition to providing a talent pipeline for an industry in dire need of trained workers, it will provide students with a pathway to well-paying jobs that also benefit the community. Barber is also the founder and pastor of Living Water Global Ministries, a non-denominational Christian church; EST.HER, a leadership consulting firm; and Daughters of Shared Vision, a faith-based counseling service for women. She has also served on a variety of local and regional boards, including the Springfield Technical Community College science degree program advisory board, Health New England, Florence Bank, and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.

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Maggie MacElhiney

Maggie MacElhiney

Geri McCarthy

OMG Inc. promoted Maggie MacElhiney to the position of director of Talent for the organization. In her new position, she is responsible for managing human-resource activities including talent acquisition and onboarding, talent development, performance management, compensation, succession planning, and workforce planning. MacElhiney has been with OMG since 2006, most recently as the senior Talent Development manager. She holds a master’s degree in adult education and human resource development from the University of Texas, Austin, and is a member of the Assoc. for Talent Development and the Society for Human Resource Management. OMG also promoted Geri McCarthy to the newly created position of director of Employee Engagement, where she is responsible for managing and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives; employee wellness and engagement programs; and general HR responsibilities. McCarthy has been with OMG since 2012 in a variety of roles, most recently as director of Operations, where she also headed the company’s DEI council and wellness committee. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business from American International College and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

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Claire Kelly

The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) announced the hiring of Claire Kelly as senior manager of Investor and Community Relations. She brings broad skills and deep experience in entrepreneurship, educational programming, and event management to the role. She also has a strong appreciation for the local community, having lived in the Pioneer Valley for the past 10 years. Before coming to the chamber, Kelly spent seven years as founder and director of Educational Experiences Abroad, a custom academic service provider that specialized in study-abroad programs, primarily in Cuba. An innovative self-starter, she successfully navigated the fast-changing regulatory environment in the U.S.-Cuba travel industry, and delivered educational experiences and programs for a diverse group of clients. Prior to that, she directed business-development activities and designed custom program at Amherst-based Spanish Studies Abroad. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Gettysburg College and a master’s degree in Spanish linguistics from Middlebury College.

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Dietz & Company Architects announced that Aditya Surendhra, AIA has completed the Architectural Registration Examination and met all of the requirements for architectural licensure in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As a licensed architect, he has been promoted from architectural staff to the position of architect. Surendhra joined Dietz & Company in 2020 and primarily works on multi-family housing projects, with his approach being a focus on building performance and resilience. His work includes existing-conditions laser scanning and modeling for historic projects, as well as projects in the commercial sector. He also takes the lead in managing and developing the firm’s in-house Revit software standards, including libraries and templates. Prior to joining Dietz, he earned his bachelor of architecture degree from Syracuse University. He also interned for firms in India and the U.S., where he worked on housing and historic-preservation projects.

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Ilana Steinhauer

Ilana Steinhauer

The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) announced Ilana Steinhauer, executive director of Volunteers in Medicine, as the 2023 Charles Kusik Award winner. The Kusik Award recognizes outstanding contributions to Berkshire County. Steinhauer has led Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) since 2014 as executive director and director of Medical Services. Volunteers in Medicine currently serves 1,700 uninsured patients, 90% of whom are immigrants. Their patient population has grown rapidly in recent years, with 400 new patients in 2022 and an expected 500 new patients in 2023. VIM’s patients range from newly arrived asylum seekers who need life-saving care to veterans who need dental work to essential workers who have lived here for decades. VIM manages this patient load with 17 staff members and more than 170 clinical and non-clinical volunteers who donate more than 10,000 hours annually. Steinhauer first moved to the Berkshires in 2006 after graduating from Wesleyan University. She began interning at Volunteers in Medicine and quickly realized she wanted to do patient care with this population. After taking prerequisites at Berkshire Community College, she moved to the Boston area to complete her nurse practitioner degree and began her career as a nurse with the Medical Group/Harvard Vanguard Associates in Beverly. In 2014, she moved with her family back to the Berkshires to become executive director at VIM. Bilingual in Spanish, she continues to provide direct patient care in addition to being the executive director.

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Tapestry announced the appointment of Mavis Nimoh as its incoming executive director. With more than 20 years of experience advocating for social justice and health equity, she brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to Tapestry. Nimoh joins Tapestry following her role as executive director of the Center for Health and Justice Transformation in Providence, R.I., where she led a team of experts in public health, physical and behavioral health, and the criminal legal system. She brings extensive experience in the public-health sector, including programs that support the uninsured and underinsured, HIV early intervention, testing and counseling, and prevention services focused on addressing systemic health inequalities. Her career also includes her role as associate professor at Brown University School of Public Health and her tenure at the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, along with her leadership as executive director of the Dauphin County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services. Her expertise in harm reduction and health equity aligns with Tapestry’s mission to provide non-judgmental, quality care for all.

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Amelia Holstrom

Amelia Holstrom

Attorney Amelia Holstrom of Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. has been recognized as one of the 2023 Top Women of Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. The Top Women of the Law program celebrates the outstanding achievements of exceptional women in the legal profession. Each year, the publication and accompanying event — scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 1 — honors women who have demonstrated great accomplishments in their field. Holstrom has been with Skoler Abbott since 2012 and was named a partner in 2019. She defends employers in litigation involving claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, wage-and-hour violations, contract disputes, and other employment issues. She also advises clients with respect to compliance challenges, personnel policies, and day-to-day employment issues, and provides custom training programs and materials on a variety of important topics, including harassment, paid and unpaid leave, and ADA accommodations. Holstrom is an active participant in the Greater Springfield community. She is chair of the Wilbraham Personnel Advisory Board and a member of the Wilbraham Commission on Disability, the boards of Clinical and Support Options Inc. and the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce, the board development committee for Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, and the personnel committee for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

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New England Public Media announced that six professionals recently joined the staff.

Vanessa Lima is NEPM’s new senior business manager. She comes to NEPM from the city of Springfield’s Administration and Finance Division, where she was a deputy project director. Prior to that, she worked with the Springfield Police Department, Baystate Health, and Boston Public Schools. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst.

Cathy Zimmerman joins NEPM as accounts payable clerk. She has been an accountant for more than 20 years, serving nonprofit and for-profit organizations, including the United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region, Argotec in Greenfield, and the Sisters of Providence Health in Holyoke. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Elms College.

Maria Burke is stepping into the role of senior major gifts officer. An experienced fundraising strategist, she served as director of Development at Springfield Symphony Orchestra for several years. She is also the founder of the WillPower Foundation, a regional nonprofit serving individuals living with disabilities in Western Mass.

Nancy Dieterich is NEPM’s interim director of corporate sponsorship. She has more than 40 years of experience working in public and commercial media, including serving as managing director of Local Corporate Sponsorship at GBH and general manager of Boston’s WCRB. She attended the College of Liberal Arts at Pennsylvania State University at McKeesport.

Jonthany Rivera and Jill McNally join NEPM as multimedia account executives. Rivera is a recent graduate from Westfield State University with a degree in communications focusing on journalism. McNally joins NEPM after spending 30 years in the broadcast industry in various roles. Most recently, she worked for Saga Communications for WRSI/WHMP, Rock 102, and other radio stations in marketing and sales. Before that, she worked at Connecticut stations WTIC and WTRC as an account executive.

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Chelsea LeBlanc

Chelsea LeBlanc

Market Mentors LLC, a fully integrated marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, announced the promotion of Chelsea LeBlanc, a Baltimore native who now lives in Windsor, Conn. She was promoted to account director in the Client Services department after joining the agency in February as an account executive. Before joining Market Mentors, LeBlanc served as a channel marketing director at a hospitality and food-services company with a focus on brand activation, process improvement, and project management. In her growing role as account director, she will bring her 15 years of experience and strategic skill set to client planning, agency processes, and more. A graduate of Western New England University with a degree in marketing communications/advertising, LeBlanc is a Smartsheet product certified user, Project Management Institute member, and project management professional candidate.

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Holyoke Community College (HCC) Criminal Justice Professor Nicole Hendricks was honored on Oct. 6 with an Inspiration Award from the African American Female Professor Award Assoc. (AAFPAA). Each year, the association celebrates a handful of Black female professors at its annual awards banquet, which this year was held at the Griswold Theater on the campus of American International College in Springfield. Hendricks, a 17-year faculty member at HCC, was one of four Black female professors recognized. Hendricks has served as chair of the Criminal Justice Department at HCC and teaches a variety of courses in that area, including criminology and women’s studies. She also teaches interdisciplinary courses as part of HCC’s Learning Communities program. For example, in “Reimagining Incarceration,” she and her teaching partner, Economics Professor Mary Orisich, explore mass incarceration through the lens of feminist social-justice theory, gender and sexuality studies, critical race theory, and political economy. Hendricks’ efforts to reimagine incarceration extend well beyond the classroom. Together, she and Orisich founded Western Mass CORE (Community, Opportunity, Resources, Education), a prison-education program based at HCC that seeks to facilitate pathways to college for people impacted by the criminal legal system.

People on the Move
Mae Stiles

Mae Stiles

Sadie Reynolds

Sadie Reynolds

Fierst Bloomberg Ohm recently announced a promotion and a new hire. Mae Stiles has become a partner of the firm after joining the firm as of counsel in 2019. A Northampton native, she has more than 15 years of experience and has worked for major New York and San Francisco law firms in complex commercial litigation, including anti-trust and intellectual-property matters, as well as a wide variety of business, corporate, and licensing transactions. She returned to practice law in Northampton in 2017 and is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Massachusetts, New York, and California. Sadie Reynolds has joined the firm as a litigation associate. Previously, she was the Legal Clinic director at the Hampden County Bar Assoc., where she assisted pro se litigants in a variety of matters, including housing and civil litigation; represented parties in Western Division Housing Court; created and developed programs to assist the underserved in Western Mass.; and expanded access to justice and legal services. She is a trained mediator with experience assisting litigants in Springfield District Court, mediating small-claim and summary-process matters.

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April Parsons

April Parsons

Greenfield Community College President Michelle Schutt announced the appointment of April Parsons as the next vice president of Academic Affairs. Parsons brings more than a decade of leading academic teams, as well as more than 20 years of experience in teaching in classrooms, including in high schools, community colleges, and universities. Parsons holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature with a certificate in women’s and gender studies, as well as an master of education degree in language education. Most recently, she taught as a professor of English at Northwestern Connecticut Community College (NCCC) and chaired the Department of Arts and Humanities. She also led a redesign of NCCC’s English curriculum and was a faculty lead through the NECHE regional accreditation process. Beyond Parsons’ professional roles, she’s also active in the community. She volunteers time at her local library working to expand literacy programs, and has helped the institution acquire and implement National Endowment for the Arts grant funding to conduct these efforts. She also works closely with incarcerated individuals, both in a professional and volunteer capacity. She recently served as the lead faculty member on a partnership between NCCC and the Connecticut Department of Corrections that helped bring college education to incarcerated individuals. She is a volunteer for the Prison Yoga Project, which brings yoga lessons into the prison community.

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Susan Levine

Susan Levine

Jewish Federation of the Berkshires announced the appointment of Susan Levine as the new Food Service director for its Connecting with Community kosher meals program that provides free, nutritious meals for the community (in-person, takeaway, and meals on wheels) year-round. Levine received a culinary arts degree at Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School in Lower Manhattan before interning at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Ariz. There, she learned healthy ways of using her culinary skills, which she applied during a long career in catering and corporate dining that included a recent stint working at the Executive Mansion in Albany, N.Y. A 20-year resident of the Berkshires region, Levine first learned about the federation’s kosher meals program when her parents stayed at her home in New Lebanon, N.Y. and attended federation-sponsored programs and lunches at Knesset Israel in Pittsfield. Now, she is taking over the kosher meals program that was helmed by Cindy Bell-Deane for the past 25 years.

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Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed Sean Buxton, Christa Calabretta, Allison Laughner, and Yevgeniy “Gene” Pilman to the firm. Buxton will practice in the Litigation department. He earned a juris doctorate (JD), summa cum laude, from Western New England University School of Law in 2022. He also earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Princeton University. He spent the last year as a judicial law clerk for Judge Ariane Vuono of the Massachusetts Appeals Court and previously was an intern at the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office and the Superior Court of New Jersey. Calabretta will focus her practice on Business and Healthcare matters. She is a 2023 graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law and also earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University and an associate degree from Suffolk County Community College. Laughner will split her time between the Trusts & Estates and Family Law departments. She graduated from Western New England University School of Law in 2023, where she was on the Law Review staff. She also earned an MBA at Western New England University and a bachelor’s degree from Smith College. Pilman will practice in both the Business and Real Estate departments. He earned a JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2015, where he was a Cordozo Scholar, and a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Hunter College City University of New York.

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Eric Padelford

Eric Padelford

Pittsfield Cooperative Bank announced the hiring of Eric Padelford as senior vice president and chief technology officer. In this role, he will oversee the Information Technology department and work closely with leadership on modernizing technology and platforms to increase efficiency and better serve the institution’s customers. Padelford joins the bank after serving as vice president, integration architect, and developer at Berkshire Bank for the last six years. He has more than 22 years of systems-architecture and development expertise, serving in IT and development roles at McGlinchey Stafford and Tech Valley DataPro LLC. He received his associate of applied science degree from Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, N.Y. and a bachelor’s degree in IT from SUNY Empire State College in Saratoga, N.Y.

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Kathy Martin

Kathy Martin

Glenmeadow, a provider of senior retirement lifestyle options, announced the appointment of Kathy Martin to the position of president and CEO, effective Oct. 1. She succeeds Anne Thomas in that role. Martin brings more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience. She is currently assistant provost for Accreditation and Administration at UMass Amherst and previously served Springfield College in several roles, most recently chief of staff. Her experience in higher education includes prior posts at Bay Path University, Susquehanna University, and Bucknell University. Her volunteer leadership experience includes membership on the board of directors of Glenmeadow and Link to Libraries. She is also a corporator of Square One. Martin earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education (sport management) from Keene State College and her master’s degree in physical education (athletics administration) and doctor of physical education degree (with a specialization in sport psychology) from Springfield College.

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The Wealth Transition Collective (TWTC) recently announced two additions to its firm. Ashley Hopkins has joined the firm as director of Client Services & Operations. In her role, she will be responsible for new business implementation and five-star concierge service to firm clients. She has more than six years of experience in the financial-services industry. Jennifer Cooke joined the Wealth Transition Collective as a retirement-plan advisor. In her role, she is responsible for all 401(k), 403(b), cash-balance and defined-benefit plan business, including employee education. She helps her clients stay in compliance with ERISA standards for employer-sponsored retirement plans. With more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of the retirement-plan business, she acts as a co-fiduciary on retirement plans for business owners throughout New England. Cooke is a certified retirement-plan specialist, a certified plan fiduciary advisor, and an accredited investment fiduciary.

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Gina Barry

Gina Barry

Earlier this summer, the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF), the only organization approved by the American Bar Assoc. to offer certification in elder law, announced that Bacon Wilson, P.C. attorney Gina Barry has successfully completed its examination leading to such certification. Certification in elder law — one of the fastest-growing fields in the legal profession — will assure the public that the attorney has an in-depth working knowledge of the legal issues that impact the elderly. Barry is now one of two Bacon Wilson attorneys to pass this certification exam. Attorney Hyman Darling earned his certification in elder law in 2008.

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Pittsfield Cooperative Bank recently hired Joseph Maffuccio II as vice president, branch administration. Maffuccio joins the Co-op after an accomplished 16-year career with Greylock Federal Credit Union. While at Greylock, he held several retail, market, and business-development supervisory and manager positions, most recently as vice president, market manager. Maffuccio received his bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. He is the past president of Tyler Street Business Group and currently coaches Pittsfield youth sports.

People on the Move
Kevin Hearn

Kevin Hearn

David Caruso

David Caruso

Westfield State University (WSU) President Linda Thompson has appointed Kevin Hearn as vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. Hearn will begin his duties on July 3. With 30 years of higher-education experience, his curricular and co-curricular leadership spans enrollment, student affairs, academic support, and communications. He most recently served as vice president for Enrollment Management at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, where he was responsible for leadership and management of all staff and operations within the offices of undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and international admissions, as well as the office of Financial Aid. Prior to this role, he served as vice president for Strategic Enrollment Management at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia and vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Niagara University in Lewiston, N.Y., and held leadership roles in Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Dean College in Franklin, Mass. Hearn earned his doctorate in education from Nova Southeastern University in Miami, his master’s degree in counseling and educational psychology from Rhode Island College in Providence, and his bachelor’s degree in political science from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. Westfield State also appointed David Caruso temporary provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, starting Aug. 1. With more than 35 years of higher-education experience, Caruso brings a strong background in the classroom, as a researcher, and an administrator. Prior to his retirement, Caruso served as president of Antioch University New England (AUNE) from 2006 to 2013. There, he led the successful implementation of the 2007-12 strategic plan and doubled the campus annual fund. He launched AUNE’s first successful Horace Mann Spirit of Service Awards ceremony that provides funds for the general scholarship endowment. He also served on the boards of the New Hampshire College and University Council and Campus Compact for New Hampshire. Previously, he was provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Worcester State University from 2002 to 2006. Earlier, he held faculty and administrative appointments at the University of Hartford, the University of Rhode Island, Purdue University, and Indiana State University. In 1995, he was awarded the American Council on Education Fellowship, a program designed to develop senior leaders in higher education. In 2014-15, he returned to Worcester State as interim provost. Caruso obtained his Ph.D. in Human Development at Cornell University and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Sonoma State University.

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Timothy Ferreira

Timothy Ferreira

Kevin Schechterle

Kevin Schechterle

On June 1, Gary Rome, president and CEO of Gary Rome Auto Group, promoted two internal employees. Timothy Ferreira has been promoted to chief operating officer of the company, and Kevin Schechterle has been promoted to general manager of Gary Rome Hyundai. Ferreira has been with the organization for 21 years as fixed operations manager, parts manager, and most recently general manager at Gary Rome Hyundai. He has played a significant role in the dealership’s success, with record-breaking months, high employee retention, and numerous awards, including cleanest dealership and #1 in customer satisfaction, and most recently the 2023 TIME Dealer of the Year Award and Hyundai Board of Excellence. He was instrumental in the design and build of the upgraded, 34,000-square-foot GDSI 2.0 Hyundai dealership in 2016; installation of the dealership’s solar field; and electric-vehicle infrastructure, which includes six level-2 chargers and two level-3 chargers; and he is currently overseeing the design and build of the 10,000-square-foot car wash, dog wash, and detail center on site. In his new position as COO, Ferreira will oversee the entire operational management of Gary Rome Hyundai, Gary Rome Kia of Enfield, and the new car wash, dog wash, and detail center, expected to open this fall. The position of chief operating officer is a newly created position for the auto group, due to the expediential growth of the dealerships and development of the new car-wash facility. Schechterle has been with Gary Rome Hyundai for nine years and held the positions of service manager, sales manager, and general sales manager. He will continue to expand his expertise in sales and daily operations of the dealership in his new role and is focused on customer satisfaction and employee retention. He will oversee all departments, including sales, finance, service, parts, business development, marketing, human resources, accounting, and corporate culture.

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Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed attorneys Julie Dick and Daniel Sacco to the firm. Dick is counsel in Bulkley Richardson’s family-law practice. She counsels individuals, couples, and families on all matters relating to domestic relationships. Prior to joining the firm, she was an attorney at Community Legal Aid, where she represented clients in probate and family courts and district courts as a part of the Family Law Unit. She earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Ohio State University in 2013, and a juris doctorate from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2016. Sacco is counsel in Bulkley Richardson’s litigation department, where he works with clients on preparing for administrative proceedings and trials. He has many years of experience helping public and private companies and educational institutions address regulatory compliance-related issues, including both responding to alleged compliance violations and developing compliance policies and programs. Prior to joining Bulkley Richardson, Sacco was a partner at Lindquist & Vennum in Minneapolis. Most recently, he was senior associate director of Research Compliance at UMass Amherst. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College in 1996 and a juris doctorate from the University of Maine School of Law in 2003.

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L. Alexandra Hogan

L. Alexandra Hogan

Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C. (DWPM) announced that attorney L. Alexandra Hogan will join the firm in an of-counsel capacity in the firm’s Springfield office, effective July 11. Hogan is a partner at Sabella Hogan, P.C. in Springfield. Prior to obtaining her license to practice law in 2008 and her juris doctorate at Western New England University School of Law, she earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies at Bay Path University. She represents individuals, businesses, insurers, and receivers in civil litigation, business, commercial real-estate, and bankruptcy matters. Hogan is actively involved in the community, presents on peer and judicial panels, and has been a member of several local boards and committees. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

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Catherine Rioux

Catherine Rioux

Monson Savings Bank (MSB) announced the recent promotion of Catherine Rioux to commercial loan officer. She will continue to be based out of the Monson Savings Bank Loan & Operations Center, located at 75 Post Office Park in Wilbraham, and will work to help borrowers secure financing for their business. She will be assisting throughout the entire lending process, from origination to closing and beyond. Rioux has worked in many departments of the bank. In 2006, she started her career in banking as a high-school intern in MSB’s Human Resources department. She later accepted a position as a receptionist, then moved to the Retail Banking department shortly after. In 2013, she joined the Residential Lending department as a residential loan servicer. In early 2015, she accepted a position in the Commercial department as a commercial loan servicer. She thrived in this department and would go on to become a junior credit analyst before being promoted to credit analyst and then commercial portfolio manager. Prior to her most recent promotion, she served as commercial portfolio officer. Rioux enjoys being involved in the local communities. She is a member of the Monson High School scholarship committee and supports local organizations, serving as a board member for I Found Light Against All Odds and volunteering for St. Patrick’s Church. She is a graduate of Western New England University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Additionally, she is a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies and the Springfield Regional Chamber Leadership Institute.

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Berkshire Agriculture Ventures (BAV) announced the appointment of Rebecca Busansky as its new executive director, following the successful tenure of interim Executive Director Glenn Bergman. Bergman’s leadership during a critical period at BAV resulted in significant advancement for the organization over the past two and a half years. Under his guidance, BAV experienced solid growth as he built a team of experts to lead BAV’s programs and successfully secured support for the organization’s initiatives. Bergman will collaborate with Busansky over the upcoming month to ensure a smooth transition. Busansky was formerly a program director at the Franklin County Community Development Corp. (FCCDC). Her work there focused on helping local farms thrive and increasing food access. She and her team launched the PVGrows Investment Fund, and she also managed the Massachusetts Food Trust Program.

People on the Move
Hannah Rechtschaffen

Hannah Rechtschaffen

The Greenfield Business Assoc. (GBA) hired Hannah Rechtschaffen as its newest association coordinator. With an extensive background in business development and creative placemaking, Rechtschaffen brings fresh energy to this crucial role in Greenfield’s business community. Rechtschaffen will focus her efforts on growing membership for the GBA — partnering with the city of Greenfield, the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, and others — to further define the role and value of the association in the greater ecosystem. As the county seat, the health of Greenfield’s business sector is a vital beacon for how the county as a whole continues to keep and attract residents, tourists, and business owners alike. Rechtschaffen currently chairs the Sustainable Greenfield Implementation Committee, which supports the use and implementation of the city’s master plan. She is also a member of the Downtown Greenfield Alliance and the Local Cultural Council. For the last four years, she worked as director of Placemaking for W.D. Cowls, growing the Mill District project in North Amherst through events, social-media marketing, commercial tenant engagment, community development, and the opening of a local artist gallery. She is a former member of the Amherst Chamber Board, a member of the BusinessWest 40 Under Forty class of 2022, and a graduate of the Leadership Pioneer Valley class of 2021.

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John Ciolek

John Ciolek

John Ciolek recently joined the team at Associated Builders in South Hadley, where he will be active in sales, finance, and administration. He will also spearhead activities in the Ciolek family’s commercial real-estate business. Associated Builders (AB) is a third-generation, family-owned, design-build general contractor that has served the Pioneer Valley for morenthan five decades. Founded by his father in the early ’70s, John’s three brothers — Michael, Paul, and Tom — have led AB for the past 30-plus years. This is a return to the company of sorts for John, as he worked with the field crews with his brothers throughout his high-school and college years, gaining practical knowledge of the construction business. John brings extensive experience in finance and strategy garnered over a long career in banking and corporate strategy. Most recently, he was head of Strategic Initiatives at NGL Energy, where he was responsible for the company’s M&A activities and its sustainability efforts. Prior to that, he had a decades-long career on Wall Street, over the course of which he served as a managing director in Investment Banking for Credit Suisse, JP Morgan, and Citigroup. He started his banking career as a corporate lender for Shawmut Bank in Hartford, Conn. before attending the University of Michigan, where he received his MBA. He received a bachelor’s degree in political economy from Williams College in Williamstown.

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Bulkley Richardson welcomed three law students to its 2023 Summer Associate Program. The robust program will introduce law students to the inner workings of a law firm, where they will receive mentorship from lawyers ranging from firm leaders and retired judges all the way through the ranks to junior associates, and gain exposure to real-life legal matters. This year’s summer associates are Alexandria Abacherli, who is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law and who earned a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College, where she double majored in government & law and international affairs; Andrew Loin, who is currently attending Western New England University School of Law, where he is on the WNE Law Review, and who earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and business: entrepreneurship from the University of Rochester; and Nicole Palmieri, who is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law, where she is on the Connecticut Law Review and is a University of Connecticut Scholar, and who received a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in American studies from Christopher Newport University. Each summer associate anticipates a spring 2024 law-school graduation.

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Brenna Breeding

Brenna Breeding

bankESB recently promoted Brenna Breeding to Digital Marketing officer. She joined bankESB in 2020 as Digital Marketing manager. In her new role, she will be responsible for digital marketing content strategy and development and corporate website management, and will serve as the relationship manager for third-party vendors. Breeding earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management from the University of Delaware and recently earned a marketing certificate from American Bankers Assoc. Bank Marketing School.

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bankESB recently announced that Joe Williams has been hired as vice president, commercial lender. Williams has 12 years of banking experience, including his most recent roles as AVP, business banking officer at PeoplesBank, and AVP, credit officer at United Bank. He holds a master’s degree in communication from Bay Path University and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and finance from Westfield State University. He serves as president of the East Longmeadow Baseball Assoc., as well as treasurer of the East Longmeadow Housing Authority.

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The Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council (EDC) announced the hiring of two new professionals, Kayla Soto and Aurora Pierangelo. With years of experience in their respective fields and a shared passion for driving growth and development in Western Mass., they are well-positioned to contribute to the mission of the EDC. Soto has joined the team as the new associate director of Economic Development and Special Projects. Originally from Manchester, Conn., she earned her bachelor’s degree in educational studies from Elms College and her master’s degree in higher educational leadership from Drexel University. With a professional background rooted in academia, community, and workforce development, she previously served as assistant director of Admissions and Collegiate Admission manager for Hillyer College at the University of Hartford, as well as the Lincoln Technical Institute and the Hartford Job Corps. She is also an accomplished entrepreneur with an online children’s clothing store. As a proud Latina businesswoman, Soto aspires to bring her diverse background and passion for growth to the EDC team. As associate director of Economic Development and Special Projects, she will be responsible for overall project and program management, planning, and leading events for the Western Massachusetts EDC, as well as building community and partnerships with regional leaders and stakeholders. Pierangelo joined the team as the new accounting specialist. With a diverse background and experience in managing complex organizations, she is responsible for managing various financial portfolios of the EDC. Previously, she served as assistant director of the Fraternity Managers Assoc. at the University of Rhode Island, where she managed 18 fraternity, sorority, and independent living-learning communities. There, she expanded house director training programs, managed new software implementations, and improved financial-management practices. A Western Mass. native, Pierangelo graduated with her MBA from Bay Path University and a bachelor’s degree in music theatre from SUNY Geneseo. She also manages a nonprofit, the Wilbraham Welcome Project. She is passionate about giving back to her community and excited to bring this same enthusiasm to her work with the Western Massachusetts EDC.

People on the Move
Candace Pereira

Candace Pereira

Florence Bank promoted Candace Pereira to the role of vice president, commercial lender. Since 2018, she has worked at Florence Bank as assistant vice president, commercial portfolio manager in the Commercial Lending department. In her new role, she will concentrate on commercial and industrial lending, as well as lending to women-owned businesses. Pereira holds an associate degree in finance from Springfield Technical Community College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She is currently pursuing an MBA from Isenberg as well. She began her career in banking in 2003 and has held various roles at mutually held and stockholder-owned banks in Western Mass., in both residential and commercial lending. Recently named an ambassador for the Springfield Regional Chamber, Pereira is also a member of the BusinessWest 40 Under Forty class of 2017, and she attended the Springfield Leadership Institute. She has served on various local boards over the last several years and has also volunteered as an athletic coach in East Longmeadow, where her daughter is a student.

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Dennis Gober, a longtime executive in hospital management, has been named chief operating officer of MiraVista Behavioral Health Center. Gober served previously as CEO in Oklahoma of Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital, whose campus in Oklahoma City provides inpatient psychiatric and residential services to children and adolescents, and its Bethany campus, which serves the mental-health needs of adults. Cedar Ridge is part of Universal Health Services, one of the largest providers of hospital and healthcare services in the country. Gober, who holds a master’s degree in community counseling, has held several other senior-level positions, CEO for Acadia Healthcare’s Rolling Hills Hospital in Ada, Okla., which provides mental-health and substance-use services for adolescents, adults, and seniors, and division director of community-based youth services for the state of Oklahoma. As a licensed behavioral practioner, Gober also served as the Director of the Community Works’ Norman Academy Day Treatment Program leading treatment teams, and providing individual, group, and family therapy. He received a master of education degree in community counseling and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma.

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Leanne Martin

Leanne Martin

BFAIR announced it has promoted Leanne Martin to assistant director of Day Habilitation. Martin began working for BFAIR in 2014 as a direct-care professional at the agency’s Day Habilitation program located in North Adams. In 2020, she was promoted to case manager for the Community Based Day Services (CBDS) program and later to the Day Habilitation program in the same role. In her new role, Martin is responsible for the everyday operation of the Day Habilitation program, which is designed to support members and their unique needs to increase independence and socialization, helping them participate as active and fully integrated members of their community.

People on the Move
Roy Sasenaraine

Roy Sasenaraine

Baystate Health and Lifepoint Behavioral Health, a business unit of Lifepoint Health, announced that Roy Sasenaraine has been named CEO of the new joint-venture behavioral-health hospital currently under construction in Holyoke. The 150-bed hospital, to be called Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital, is slated to open to patients in August. Most recently, Sasenaraine served as vice president of Operations for the central region of Spire Orthopedic Partners, where he led new construction, patient-access initiatives, and acquisition and integration work for Spire’s nine locations in Connecticut. Prior to his role at Spire, Sasenaraine served as vice president of Operations for Hartford Healthcare System’s East Region behavioral-health network. In this role, he oversaw 18 locations, including six school-based programs, two emergency departments, one inpatient psychiatric hospital, eight ambulatory locations, and one inpatient juvenile program. His leadership led to the implementation of a new care model for adolescent, pediatric, and adult patients in inpatient care along with the implementation of a new electronic medical record across all sites of care. Sasenaraine earned a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and a master’s degree in business administration, with a focus in healthcare administration, from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. He is a member of the board of directors for Health Assistance Intervention Education Network and previously served on boards for Advance Behavioral Health and Blue Ocean Healthcare LLC.

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Audrey Chechile

Audrey Chechile

Audrey Chechile has joined the bankESB Marketing department as its Marketing Communications manager. In this role, she will be responsible for managing internal and external communications content to drive brand awareness, engagement, and business development; managing the company’s marketing and sales-material development, inventory, and distribution; and managing bank-sponsored events and donations across the member banks of its parent company, Hometown Financial Group. She will be integral in supporting the Marketing department in providing the highest level of service and responsiveness to customers, communities, and business partners. Prior to joining bankESB, Chechile was the Marketing manager at an automotive dealership group in Northampton, and before that was Marketing manager at Canna Provisions in Lee. She has more than 10 years of marketing experience in complex, regulated environments with emphasis in design, public relations, project management, event planning, and more. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from SUNY Fredonia.

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Amherst College named Angie Tissi-Gassoway its new chief Student Affairs officer (CSAO) and dean of students. She will be responsible for all functions of the Office of Student Affairs, including residential engagement and well-being, housing and operations, identity and cultural resources, counseling and mental health, student activities and leadership, health and community safety services, accessibility, case management, community standards, new student programs and orientation, and immigration and visa services. Tissi-Gassoway has served as the interim CSAO since February, before which they served as the interim chief Equity and Inclusion officer for 14 months. They joined Amherst in July 2012 as an area coordinator in Residential Life and, since then, has held various roles in the offices of both Student Affairs and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), including director of the Queer Resource Center, assistant dean of students and director of Identity and Cultural Resources; and associate dean of students for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. During that time, Tissi-Gassoway co-led new-student orientation and co-developed the social-justice leadership LEAP program, founded and served as the inaugural director of the Queer Resource Center, and helped to establish a structure and expansion of the college’s cultural and identity resource centers, including the creation of the inaugural affinity-based graduation ceremonies. To reinforce the college’s commitment to inclusion and community, Tissi-Gassoway spearheaded the “I Belong” campaign, the Day of Dialogue on Race and Racism, the Amherst Reflects series, and the Cultural Heritage Committee. In the past year, they co-created and launched the Civil Rights and Title IX Office in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and worked with the provost’s office to recruit and retain a diverse faculty. They also currently chair the recently formed Campus Safety Advisory Committee. Prior to their tenure at Amherst College, they served in Mount Holyoke College’s Health Education office. Before that, Tissi-Gassoway worked at Oregon State University, where she first found her passion for community building, equity, and student engagement. She earned a master’s degree in education in social-justice education from UMass Amherst and a master’s degree in public health and bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University.

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Noemí Custodia-Lora

Noemí Custodia-Lora

Tony Hawkins

Tony Hawkins

Arlene Rodríguez

Arlene Rodríguez

George Timmons

George Timmons

The search committee evaluating candidates to succeed Holyoke Community College (HCC) President Christina Royal has whittled a field of 50 down to four. All four finalists have many years of experience in higher education and now hold top-level administration positions at community colleges in the Northeast, and all four are persons of color — two Latinas and two African-American men. They include Noemí Custodia-Lora, vice president of the Lawrence campus and Community Relations at Northern Essex Community College in Massachusetts; Tony Hawkins, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, Continuing Education, and Workforce Development at Frederick Community College in Maryland; Arlene Rodríguez, provost and vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts; and George Timmons, provost and senior vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at Columbia-Greene Community College in New York. Custodia-Lora, a former Biology professor, holds a PhD in physiology and endocrinology from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the Universidad de Puerto Rico. Timmons holds a PhD in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University, a master’s degree in higher education from Old Dominion University, and a bachelor’s degree in financial management from Norfolk State University. Hawkins, a former professor of Speech, Communication, and Theater, holds a PhD in higher education, leadership, and technology from New York University, a certificate of advanced study in administration, planning, and social policy from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, a master’s degree in speech communication from the University of Georgia, and a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Towson State University. Rodríguez, a former English professor, holds a PhD in English from UMass Amherst, a master’s degree in English from Lehigh University, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Fordham University. The HCC board of trustees is expected to vote to approve a new president at its next meeting on Tuesday, April 25.

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Megan Wehbe

Megan Wehbe

Kevin Jack

Kevin Jack

Market Mentors, the region’s largest marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, announced the promotions of two of its employees. Megan Wehbe was promoted from account executive to senior account executive/strategic planner, and Kevin Jack was promoted from digital marketing specialist to senior digital specialist. Wehbe, a graduate of Grand Valley State University in Michigan, has more than a decade of experience in new-business development and account management, including long-range planning, strategizing, and executing client projects and campaigns. With previous experience working on accounts for USAA and Audi, she now lends her expertise to a wide variety of clients at Market Mentors. A graduate of Temple University in Pennsylvania and holding Google Ads and Analytics certifications, Jack plans, executes, optimizes, and reports on digital marketing campaigns for clients across a gamut of industries, including healthcare, banking and finance, retail, manufacturing, and more.

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Western Mass.-based author J.D. O’Brien’s debut crime novel, Zig Zag, was recently released in hardcover by Schaffner Press, an independent publisher in Tucson, Ariz., with a paperback edition coming later this year. In Zig Zag, a botched marijuana-dispensary heist in the San Fernando Valley sends burned-out bail bondsman Harry Robatore deep into the Mojave Desert trailing two lovers on the run. What follows is a stoned journey across the dive bars, neon-lit motels, and lost highways of the American West, building to an explosive showdown at a ghost-town tourist trap. Since its release in February, Zig Zag has been named a Southwest Book of the Year by the Pima County Library and was a pick of the week by popular publishing-industry resource Shelf Awareness. Before returning to the Pioneer Valley, the author lived in Los Angeles for a number of years, including a stint in Van Nuys, the gritty neighborhood where much of Zig Zag is set. The book was also informed by several road trips through the Mojave Desert. O’Brien currently works as a copywriter at Darby O’Brien Advertising in South Hadley. He is working on a sequel to Zig Zag.

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John Jones Jr.

John Jones Jr.

Keith Allen

Keith Allen

The Springfield Thunderbirds announced the promotion of John Jones Jr. to Manager of Ticket Sales & Strategy. Jones joined the Thunderbirds as an account executive in ticket sales during the 2018-19 season. A former Division I letter winner in football at Florida State University, he will oversee the Thunderbirds’ award-winning Ticket Sales department in the areas of season tickets, group tickets, and individual ticket sales. He has annually been among the top ticket-sales representatives leaguewide over his four seasons with the organization. Additionally, the Thunderbirds welcomed Keith Allen as coordinator of Community Relations. Allen joined the Thunderbirds as an intern in Game Operations and Community Relations during the 2021-22 season following the completion of his degree from Southern New Hampshire University. He will assist the Thunderbirds and the T-Birds Foundation in charitable ventures throughout the Pioneer Valley, including appearances by team mascot Boomer and Thunderbirds players.

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Richard Segool, a pediatrician practicing at Pioneer Valley Pediatrics and co-founder of Health New England, is retiring from the Health New England board and from his practice, mostly. He will still see patients one day a week but is largely pulling away from his practice of 47 years. To honor his contribution to the local healthcare ecosystem, Health New England has made a $100,000 grant to the Baystate Division of Midwifery and Community Health’s Community Connections Program, to help with maternal and infant care. The focus could not be more personal for Segool, as he and his wife, Hélène, experienced the loss of a twin daughter at birth. In 1986, Baystate Medical Center, two other hospitals, and a group of physicians formed an innovative, co-owned health plan with a mission to improve the health and lives of the people in the communities they served. As one of the first to join the plan and a member of the charter corporation, Segool has helped guide Health New England as it evolved into the only local not-for-profit, hospital-owned health plan in the region. He has served on its board of directors since then.

People on the Move
Melvin Olivo

Melvin Olivo

Theo Streeter

Theo Streeter

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union recently announced two management-team promotions: Assistant Vice President of Information Technology Melvin Olivo and Information Technology Manager Theo Streeter. Olivo’s career at UMassFive began in 2020 as the Information Technology manager. In his new position, he will be responsible for the strategic, day-to-day oversight of Information Technology, ensuring efficient, secure, and service-oriented performance of the department. Streeter’s career at UMassFive began in 2014 as a Member Service specialist in the King Street, Northampton branch before moving on to various levels of Enterprise Support technician. He was most recently promoted to senior Enterprise Support technician in 2018 before accepting the role of IT manager. In his new position, he will be overseeing the Enterprise Support technical team, administering network infrastructure and software platforms, as well as hardware procurement.

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Brandon Roper

Brandon Roper

Camfour Inc. — a growing national wholesaler of firearms, ammunition, and accessories for the shooting-sports industry, with distribution centers in Westfield and Pflugerville, Texas. — announced the promotion of Brandon Roper to the position of president. In this new capacity, Roper will report to CEO Malcolm Getz and the ownership group. He will be responsible for leading the continued growth of the Camfour brand and team. Roper has been effecting change since first joining Camfour as vice president of Sales and Marketing. During that time, he is credited with a variety of accomplishments, including the complete rebrand of Camfour, sales execution during the market slowdown of 2022, the growth of the company’s sales team, and preparation of a three-year strategic plan.

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Shreyas Ovalekar

Shreyas Ovalekar

Terri Lindsey

Terri Lindsey

Krista Benoit

Krista Benoit

D.A. Sullivan & Sons Inc. (DAS), a general-contracting and construction-management firm serving the public and private sectors since 1897, is proud to announce three recent hires to the organization: Shreyas Ovalekar as estimator, Terri Lindsey as office administrator/HR, and Krista Benoit as project manager/engineer. Ovalekar joins DAS from Vantage Builders, where he was also an estimator. With more than seven years of experience, he brings vast knowledge and unique perspective to the DAS team. He earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from Western New England University. Before joining DAS, Lindsey was an office manager at Burke Chevrolet. She comes to DAS with experience and enthusiasm to contribute to an efficient, inclusive, and developing workforce. Benoit comes to DAS from Dietz & Company Architects Inc. Her diverse experience includes a wide range of projects on the architectural side of project design and delivery, and her expertise will be an asset to the DAS team.

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Unemployment Tax Control Associates Inc. (UTCA), a national unemployment-insurance service provider based in West Springfield with an office in Boston, announced that Principal Evan Murphy has been appointed to Connecticut’s Employment Security Advisory Board. The eight-member board advises state administrators on matters pertaining to the policy and administration of the Employment Security Division. A UTCA employee for more than 10 years, Murphy oversees analysis, implementation, and client-success efforts to reduce the cost and complexity of employer unemployment-insurance programs. He facilitates educational seminars for customers, industry associations, and various employer groups across the country. He has been instrumental in helping businesses of all sizes and scopes effectively understand and control their unemployment cost and compliance. Murphy was appointed by Connecticut state Rep. Jason Rojas, the majority leader of the House of Representatives.

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Scott Little

Scott Little

Berkshire Money Management (BMM) announced that Scott Little, financial advisor and vice president at the firm, has earned the behavioral financial advisor (BFA) designation. Behavioral financial advisors combine financial knowledge with psychology and neuroscience to increase their ability to coach clients in making rational, values-based decisions. Behavioral finance acknowledges that, while numbers are rational, people are not, which can make carrying out financial plans challenging for client and advisor alike. The BFA program was developed by Think 2 Perform to teach advisors to recognize their clients’ emotions and help them stick with their plans, even when those emotions run high. To earn the certification, advisors must complete two multi-part courses on behavioral finance, pass an online proctored exam, and complete 20 hours of continuing education to renew their status every two years. Little has been helping BMM clients build secure retirements for more than 20 years. He is a licensed financial advisor, a certified elder planning specialist, and now a behavioral financial advisor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics from MCLA.

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Everette Anderson

Everette Anderson

At its annual S.T.A.R. Awards & Safety Banquet on Feb. 28 Peter Pan Bus Lines honored 11 of its 1 million-, 2 million-, 3 million-, and 4 million-mile motor-coach operators. The brightest star was Everette Anderson, who has been a Peter Pan motor-coach driver for 53 years, since May 1970. Anderson is the second motor-coach operator in the history of this country to be inducted into the National Safety Hall of Fame for driving 4 million miles without any accidents. The first inductee was Peter Pan motor-coach operator Ed Hope in 2017. Four million miles is the equivalent of 40 trips around the earth. Other Peter Pan motor-coach operators honored at the S.T.A.R. Awards included Thomas Reckner and Paul Boie for for 3 million miles; Phillandor Knight, Dave Kollisch, Wayne Soloman, and Anthony Wilson for 2 million miles; and Syed Bukhari, Edward Caouette, Frederick Perry, and Horace Wright for 1 million miles.

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The Massachusetts State Lottery and the Boston Celtics recently honored Kashawn Sanders of Springfield as a Hero Among Us. Sanders uses the power of mentoring to help shape the future of today’s youth. Along with co-founder Tyrone Williams, Sanders established the Follow My Steps Foundation Inc., a nonprofit that provides mentoring programs, financial resources, and career and skill development to youth living in under-resourced communities throughout the Commonwealth. Through community service and a growing number of local events, Sanders is helping empower his students to give back to their own communities. In less than three years, his organization has devoted countless mentorship hours to more than 1,000 students, inspiring each of them to see and reach their full potential. For his commitment to uplifting youth vulnerable communities through mentorship, and in honor of Bill Russell’s legacy in the mentoring movement, Sanders was honored as a Hero Among Us on Feb. 12, when the Boston Celtics played the Memphis Grizzlies.

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Henry Thomas

Henry Thomas

Henry Thomas, who presided over the Urban League of Springfield for almost a half-century, announced his retirement last week. “I have had the privilege to spend my entire career supporting the Springfield community and creating countless spaces where our community can thrive, grow, and achieve excellence,” he wrote in a letter announcing his decision. “My dream has always been to serve, and I am so honored to have spent my life’s work with a civil-rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice.” Thomas was named one of BusinessWest’s Difference Makers for 2023, and will be honored at a gala on April 27. He joined the Urban League in 1971 as youth coordinator. In 1974, at age 25, he became the nation’s youngest leader of a national Urban League affiliate. One of his key areas of focus throughout his career has been education, and not just through Urban League programs; he also served for 13 years on the UMass Amherst board of trustees — including two and a half years as board chair — and was a co-founder of New Leadership Charter School. Under his watch, Urban League initiatives have included include education and youth-development initiatives, as well as programs for economic and workforce development, health and wellness, and seniors. Also in the vein of education and workforce development, Thomas established Step Up Springfield, a teacher-development program in Springfield; is funding (along with his wife, Dee, a former teacher and principal herself) a $50,000 scholarship for Black youth from Springfield; and tackled a two-year assignment with the National Urban League as its vice president for Youth Development, with a primary focus of youth development within inner-city communities. Another one of Thomas’ successes was bringing Camp Atwater in North Brookfield — the oldest overnight camp for Black youth in the U.S. — back to life in 1980 after a period of dormancy. The camp celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021.

People on the Move
Danielle Ren Holley

Danielle Ren Holley

Danielle Ren Holley, noted legal educator and social-justice scholar, will become the 20th president of Mount Holyoke College on July 1. The board of trustees unanimously elected Holley following a thorough and inclusive search process. Holley is the first Black woman in the 186-year history of Mount Holyoke College to serve as permanent president, and the fourth Black woman in history to lead one of the original Seven Sisters colleges. Since 2014, she has served as dean and professor of law at the Howard University School of Law. She is widely viewed as having renewed Howard’s historically important law school and raised its stature and visibility as a leading educator of social- and racial-justice lawyers. Prior to joining the Howard School of Law in 2014, Holley served as distinguished professor for Education Law and associate dean for Academic Affairs at the University of South Carolina. Earlier in her career, she served on the faculty of Hofstra University School of Law and practiced law as an associate at Fulbright & Jaworski in Houston. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School, and she was a law clerk to Judge Carl Stewart on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She currently serves as co-chair of the board of directors of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She also sits on the boards of the Law School Admissions Council and the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science. She is a Liberty Fellow through the Aspen Global Leadership Network and was also a fellow with the American Council of Education at Brown University in 2021-22, and currently serves on the board of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta.

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Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. recently announced nine promotions: Samantha Calvao and Andrea Latour to associate; Mallory Beauregard, Olivia Calcasola, Lauren Foley, Keara Moulton, Kelly Moulton, and Francine Murphy to senior associate; and Sarah Rose Stack to director of Marketing & Recruiting.

Samantha Calvao

Samantha Calvao

Andrea Latour

Andrea Latour

Mallory Beauregard

Mallory Beauregard

Olivia Calcasola

Olivia Calcasola

Lauren Foley

Lauren Foley

Keara Moulton

Keara Moulton

Kelly Moulton

Kelly Moulton

Francine Murphy

Francine Murphy

Sarah Rose Stack

Sarah Rose Stack

• Calvao started her career as a paraprofessional at Meyers Brothers Kalicka and was recently awarded the PwC LLP Scholarship by the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. She received her associate degree in accounting from Holyoke Community College and her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Southern New Hampshire. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA).

• Latour began her career with Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. in February 2011. She primarily focuses on client bookkeeping and writeup work including monthly reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and quarterly payroll returns and tax filings, as well as preparing corporate and personal tax returns. She received her associate degree from Becker College and is a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Beauregard began her career with Meyers Brothers Kalicka and has been a member of the MBK team for three years. She works on a diverse range of engagements, including not-for-profit, commercial, and review and compilation engagements. She received a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting from UMass Amherst and is currently studying for her MBA at UMass Lowell. She is also a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Calcasola has been a member of the taxation department at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) for one year. Prior to MBK, she worked for two years as a senior corporate tax associate for a Boston-based firm. In her new role, she will be working on larger, multi-state returns and strengthening her niche in business taxation. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from UMass Amherst and is a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Foley started her journey with accounting at Meyers Brothers Kalicka in 2020. She focuses on commercial and individual tax returns as well as compilation and review engagements. She graduated from UMass Lowell with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in accounting. She is also a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Keara Moulton began her career with Meyers Brothers Kalicka as a tax intern in January 2020. In addition to being a member of the tax department, she is a leader in the firm for various community-service and corporate-culture initiatives. As a senior associate, she will be working on more complex tax returns and helping clients prepare for deadlines throughout the year, as well as expanding her knowledge in the firm’s cannabis niche. She received her bachelor’s degree in accounting and sports management summa cum laude from Elms College and is currently studying for the CPA exam. She is also a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Kelly Moulton has worked in public accounting since 2020 and works on a diverse range of engagements, including accounting and audit, not-for-profit, and HUD engagements. In her new role as a senior associate, she will be leading more engagements as an ‘in-charge’ and also be taking on more detail review. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and accounting from Elms College and is a candidate for an MBA in accounting at Fitchburg State. She is a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Murphy joined MBK in 2013 with significant tax-preparation experience and a special focus in tax preparation for not-for-profit organizations and individuals. She will be taking on a larger leadership role with the firm’s tax-exempt clients, preparing larger 990 returns and reviewing smaller tax-exempt clients. She will also have more opportunities to assist with tax-planning and tax-projection projects for a wide breadth of clients and prepare more complex corporate consolidated returns. She holds an associate degree in accounting from Holyoke Community College and is a candidate for a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University. She is also a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Stack joined Meyers Brothers Kalicka in early 2020 to spearhead its marketing and recruiting efforts. With more than 15 years of digital marketing, design, and communications experience, she brought a unique perspective to the firm and attracted new talent. In her new role as a director, she will be expanding the marketing department, enhancing the niche-development program, and developing a new marketing advisory service line. She earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from UMass Amherst and is a candidate for a master’s degree in communication with two concentrations, digital communication and corporate and nonprofit communication, from Johns Hopkins University. She is a member of the Assoc. for Accountant Marketing, the American Marketing Assoc., and CPAmerica, and is the marketing committee co-chair for the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

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Laura Freeman

Laura Freeman

Kelly Galanis

Kelly Galanis

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed two new colleagues to its Institutional Advancement team: Laura Freeman as manager of Stewardship and Donor Relations, and Kelly Galanis as manager of Advancement Services. Prior to HCC, Freeman worked as the Alumni Relations program coordinator at UMass Amherst and VIP Services representative at MGM Springfield. She brings extensive experience to the development team in event planning (virtual and in person), project management, scholarship administration, and volunteer management. She holds a master’s degree in strategic fundraising and philanthropy from Bay Path University and attended Nichols College for her bachelor’s degree in business administration. In her new role, Galanis will provide leadership and direction for the Advancement division’s fundraising operations, including database management, prospect research and moves management, advancement reporting, gift recording, data integrity, and data security. She joins HCC with more than 20 years of experience in higher education, including 14 at Westfield State University. She holds a master’s degree in communication and information management and is currently pursuing her doctorate in education in higher education leadership and organizational studies at Bay Path University.

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Joshua Griffing

Joshua Griffing

Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR Hand Dryer, announced that Joshua Griffing has been promoted and will serve as the director of International Sales in addition to his current role as director of Marketing. He joined the Excel Dryer team in 2022 as director of Marketing, bringing more than two decades of experience in sales and marketing for international organizations. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University with a degree in international business, Griffing has held roles including executive vice president at Sportika Export, president of Raw Food Central LLC, and director of Sales and Marketing at Joining Technologies Inc. In his new role at Excel Dryer, he will be responsible for managing the export sales team, creating targeted territory-expansion plans, negotiating key account agreements, and increasing brand awareness globally.

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Nikki Beck

Nikki Beck

Peggy Twardowski

Peggy Twardowski

CitySpace recently welcomed two new members to its board’s executive team. Nikki Beck will serve as CitySpace’s vice president, and Peggy Twardowski is the new clerk of the organization. Beck has been a board member of CitySpace since 2017. She is the production manager for the Smith College Theatre Department and also works at the Academy of Music and as a freelance stage manager. She is passionate about connecting theater organizations and has been sending a weekly newsletter of theatre events (Pioneer Valley Theatre News) since 2015. A Mount Holyoke College graduate and CitySpace board member since 2021, Twardowski is the Business Information director for the video-game industry’s largest representation agency, Digital Development Management, where she oversees research and data services. She has sought ways to actively promote the arts in the area, using her experience from top-grossing video-game crowd-funded campaigns to advise regional creators on Indiegogo and Kickstarter campaigns. Previously, she organized the Paint & Pixel Festival, a small press expo for regional children’s book illustrators, comic artists, and web comic creators.

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Craig Shrimpton

Craig Shrimpton

Earlier this month, Cohn & Company Real Estate added Craig Shrimpton to its team of real-estate professionals. He brings more than 25 years of service in information security and technology consulting. Shrimpton is a veteran and a member of the Realtor Assoc. of the Pioneer Valley and the National Assoc. of Realtors.

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Whittlesey, an assurance, advisory, tax, and technology firm, recently welcomed the newest manager to its team. Alanna Madsen, CPA is the latest tax professional to join the firm’s growing leadership team. Madsen has more than 14 years of public accounting experience and expertise in tax, accounting, and advisory services for closely held businesses, nonprofit organizations, and high-net-worth individuals. She holds a bachelor of business administration degree and a master’s degree in accounting from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She is a member of the American Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

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Heather Dameworth

Heather Dameworth

Lora Thayer

Lora Thayer

bankESB recently announced that two of its employees have been promoted to officer. Heather Dameworth has been promoted to cash management and government banking administrator officer. Dameworth joined bankESB in 2021 as cash management – government banking administrator. She has more than 18 years of banking experience, including roles in accounting, call centers, and retail. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from UMass Amherst. Lora Thayer has been promoted to commercial loan administrator officer. Thayer joined bankESB in 2003 as a teller and was promoted to loan servicing specialist in 2006. She joined the commercial team as commercial loan administrator in 2017 and was promoted to senior commercial loan administrator in 2021. She is also a member of the Hometown Financial Group checking acquisition team.

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Naomi Aina

Whittlesey, a leading public accounting firm, announced the promotion of Naomi Aina, CPA to Assurance manager. She brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and commitment to providing exceptional service to clients. Aina has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting, with a practice concentration in nonprofits. She joined Whittlesey in 2014 after working at Lester Halpern & Company, P.C. for 14 years. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA). She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from American International College and a master’s degree in accounting from Western New England College.

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Hogan Technology announced the addition of two new team members. Kyle Partridge, an experienced IT support technician and Air Force veteran, is working with the IT support team in service and projects. He has a great understanding of the network environment and is very familiar with the company’s tech stack. Corey Harris is now director of IT. His roles and responsibilities will be to guide Hogan’s growth and nurture its IT team as the company expands its marketplace. He has more than 15 years of experience and is skilled at simply explaining complex solutions.

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David Gadouas

David Gadouas

bankESB recently announced that David Gadouas has been hired as assistant vice president and branch officer of the bank’s State Street, Belchertown office. Gadouas has more than 15 years of banking experience. Prior to joining bankESB, he was employed by Bank of America, where he served as vice president and financial center manager. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Westfield State University.

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The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce welcomed five new board members at its first meeting of 2023 last month. The new board members are Erin Cahillane, Jillian Duclos, Ebru Kardan, Nanci Newton, and Amanda Shafii. Cahillane is the Amherst Fund coordinator at Amherst College and president of the Northampton St. Patrick’s Assoc. She received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Keene State College and a master’s degree in communications and new media marketing from Southern New Hampshire University. Duclos is vice president of Operations for Roberto’s in Northampton. After earning a bachelor’s degree in politics at Mount Holyoke College, she explored many different paths, moving away to work in politics, then public relations, then for nonprofits. Kardan is senior director of Diversity Communications and Events at UMass Amherst. She holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and art history from Rutgers University. At UMass, she provides leadership and oversight for internal and external visibility efforts of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, and implements campus-wide campaigns that strategically advance the university’s strategic goals around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Newton is a licensed massage therapist and owner of the Healing ZONE Therapeutic Massage in Hadley. She studied at the Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge and holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Westfield State College. A member of the chamber for more than 20 years, she is active in the local nonprofit community, volunteering for many events for Cancer Connection, Safe Passage, and others, in addition to her work with the chamber. Shafii is the owner of CopyCat in Northampton. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology/neuroscience from UMass Amherst, where she also minored in sociology.

People on the Move
Andrew Coston

Andrew Coston

Elms College has named higher-education executive Andrew Coston the college’s new vice president of Student Affairs. Reporting directly to the president, Coston is responsible for the strategic oversight and management of the college’s Student Affairs office. Coston is joining Elms from Gustavus Adolphus College (GAC) in Saint Peter, Minn., where he recently served as assistant dean of students and executive director of GAC’s Center for Career Development. Prior to that, he was director of Career Services at Cecil College in Maryland. In his new role at Elms, Coston is responsible for providing leadership, management, and supervision to the dean of students, the director of Campus Ministry, the director of Residence Life, and director of the Health Center. Additionally, he is a member of the president’s cabinet. Coston has more than 20 years of higher-education experience in student affairs and career services. He holds a doctoral degree in education from Morgan State University in Maryland, a master’s degree in school counseling from Loyola College in Maryland, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Assumption College in Worcester.

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Heather Arbour

Heather Arbour

Monson Savings Bank recently announced the promotion of Heather Arbour to the role of assistant vice president, BSA/Fraud officer, and Compliance manager. Arbour has been with Monson Savings Bank for 15 years, previously serving in the role of BSA officer and Compliance manager. In her new role, she is responsible for overseeing the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money-laundering programs for the bank and ensuring compliance with banking regulations. Additionally, she manages the Retail Operations department and serves on the bank’s compliance, CRA & fair lending, and IT steering committees. Arbour is a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College, where she earned highest honors, was a dean’s list recipient, and received an associate degree in business administration. She is currently enrolled in the American Women’s College at Bay Path University, where she is an honors student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration and minoring in criminal justice, while serving as a peer mentor. In 2021, she graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies with honors. As a volunteer and co-treasurer for the Monson and Palmer Salvation Army and a dedicated parent volunteer for the Monson Parent Teacher Student Assoc., she is committed to contributing to local communities.

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The Springfield Thunderbirds announced the return of Steve Forni as the team’s public-address (PA) announcer inside the MassMutual Center. A native of Agawam, Forni began his pro-hockey announcing career with the Springfield Falcons in 2015 and held the position with the Thunderbirds from 2016 to 2020. During the 2021-22 season, he served as one of the PA voices of the NHL’s Boston Bruins at the TD Garden. He also currently serves as the PA voice of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.

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Kristina Hamel

Kristina Hamel

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union recently introduced the newest addition to its senior management team: Kristina Hamel, who joins UMassFive as vice president of Human Resources. Hamel comes to UMassFive from Shriners Hospitals for Children in Springfield, where she worked for the past 20-plus years, overseeing up to 250 employees and more than 150 volunteers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in human resource management from Bay Path University and has earned her Senior Professional Human Resource certification. At UMassFive, Hamel will oversee all employee hiring, training, recognition, and diversity program efforts.

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Pioneer Valley Financial Group (PVFG) recently appointed Kelly Haber and Karen Nogueira to partner. Haber began her journey at PVFG in 2016 as director of Compliance. Armed with her FINRA series 7, 66, and 24 designations, she was quickly promoted to chief operating officer. Nogueira started her career at PVFG in 2006 as a sales assistant. With strong dedication and loyalty to the client experience, she was promoted to director of Client Relations.

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Justin Goldberg

The Royal Law Firm announced it recently welcomed attorney Justin Goldberg to the team. Goldberg received his bachelor’s degree from Hartwick College, his master’s degree in teaching with secondary mathematics certification from Simmons College, and his juris doctor from Western New England University School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in the state of Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

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Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR hand dryer, announced that Scott Kerman has been hired as business development manager – specifications. In this new role, Kerman will work with the Excel Dryer Sales and Marketing teams to grow profits; nurture, retain, and support partner relationships; conduct demonstrations and sales presentations; and much more. Kerman, a graduate of Arizona State University, has more than 30 years of experience in sales and business development. He has extensive product knowledge with numerous construction market segments and will tap into this experience at Excel Dryer to help grow and support the construction team’s annual profit by leveraging data in construction platforms.

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Friends of Children Inc. presented Clare Higgins, executive director of Community Action Pioneer Valley and former mayor of Northampton, with its 2022 Changemaker Award at a dinner on Oct. 26 at the Garden House in Look Park. Higgins is being presented with the Changemaker Award to celebrate her accomplishments, advocacy, and impact. She has been a steadfast advocate for vulnerable people in the Pioneer Valley, including children and young people served by Friends of Children, since 1993. Higgins began her service in the Pioneer Valley as a member of the Northampton City Council beginning in 1993. She served as mayor of Northampton from 1999 to 2011. Friends of Children is dedicated to improving the lives of children and young adults impacted by foster care or juvenile-justice involvement. There agency addresses the needs of high-risk children who are not readily supported by systems designed to protect them and encourage their full participation in society.

People on the Move

MP CPAs recently announced the promotions of six team members.

Sharon Blazejowski

Sharon Blazejowski

Sharon Blazejowski was promoted to senior audit manager. She manages audits, reviews, and compilations for small to medium-sized businesses. She specializes in and is a key leader for Massachusetts charter school and non-profit organization engagements, including yellow book and single audits. Blazejowski joined the firm in 1996 and has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration from American International College. She is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA).

Phil Giguere

Phil Giguere

Phil Giguere was promoted to senior tax manager. He provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients including individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and trusts.  He also has experience working with international affiliates on foreign tax issues. He specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and with private-equity firms and their owners. Giguere joined the firm in 2006 and has more than 16 years of experience in business and individual taxation.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from Western New England University.  He is a certified public accountant and a member of AICPA and MSCPA. He sits on the golf committee for Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island and the finance committee of Wellspring Cooperative, and volunteers his time with the Cory J Garwacki Foundation.

Eun Mi Kwon

Eun Mi Kwon

Eun Mi Kwon was promoted to senior tax manager. She provides tax compliance and planning services to a diverse group of clients in the U.S. and abroad, specializing in estate and trust taxation. She has more than 15 years of experience in personal and business taxation. Kwon holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea and an MBA with a concentration in accounting from the University of Massachusetts. She is a certified public accountant and certified financial planner, and a member of the AICPA. Active in the community, she serves on the finance committee for the Amherst Survival Center.

Jeff Laboe

Jeff Laboe

Jeff Laboe was promoted to tax manager. He provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, trusts, partnerships, and corporations. He specializes in working with private-equity firms and their owners, as well as high-net-worth clients and their families. Laboe joined the firm in 2010 and has more than 12 years of experience in personal and business taxation and holds a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Iowa State University. He became an enrolled agent in the spring of 2021.

Tim LaFalam

Tim LaFalam

Tim LaFalam was promoted to tax manager. He provides planning and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, estates, trusts, corporations, and partnerships. He has built solid and trusting relationships with countless clients. LaFalam joined the firm as an intern and started full-time in 2016. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western New England University, and he leads the firm’s efforts in continuing a mentoring and recruiting relationship with the university. He has taken the lead in many fundraising and community-service activities that the firm participates in, including coordinating the firm’s United Way annual pledge, South Park Inn program, and Children’s Study Home Secret Santa.

Joe Oliveira

Joe Oliveira

Joe Oliveira was promoted to senior tax manager. He provides quality tax services to high-net-worth clients. His experience includes successful representation before the Internal Revenue Service and other taxing authorities, planning for life events, and estate planning. Oliveira holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut. He is a certified public accountant in both Connecticut and Massachusetts, and is a member of the AICPA and the Connecticut Society of CPAs. He is the treasurer of the Suffield, Conn. chapter of the Girl Scouts of Connecticut and an active member of Sacred Heart Church in Suffield.

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Sam Skura, MPH, MBA, a healthcare professional with more than 25 years of clinical leadership experience, has been named president of Baystate Medical Center and senior vice president of Hospital Operations for Baystate Health. His appointment becomes effective Sept. 12. In his new role, Skura will join the senior leadership team and serve as a member of the president’s cabinet, reporting directly to Marion McGowan, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Baystate Health. Skura has an extensive background in hospital leadership and most recently served as chief operating officer reporting to the president at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. In previous roles, he served as senior vice president of Ambulatory and Clinical Services and chief administrative officer at BIDMC. Prior to BIDMC, Skura was vice president of Clinical Operations at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, reporting to the chief operating officer. He served on the leadership team of a combined group practice of more than 500 physicians and a 335-bed inpatient hospital. He also held administrative roles at Cambridge Health Alliance, where he provided oversight to senior leadership for 16 community health centers and practice sites and a three-campus Emergency Department. He was administrative director for Steward Health Care (formerly Caritas Christi Health Care System) in Boston, where he provided management for the largest emergency-medicine group in Massachusetts, trending more than 240,000 annual visits. Skura also held managerial roles at Brigham & Women’s Hospital/Partners Healthcare in Boston and Fallon Healthcare System in Worcester. Skura earned an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, a master’s degree in public health from Boston University, and a bachelor of arts and economics degree from Brandeis University.

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Andrew Cade

Andrew Cade

Margaret Mantoni

Margaret Mantoni

Evan Plotkin

Evan Plotkin

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced that three new members have been elected to the SSO’s board of directors: Andrew Cade, Margaret Mantoni, and Evan Plotkin. Cade is the senior vice president of the Urban League of Springfield Inc., which serves the Greater Springfield African-American community by advocating for and providing model services that enhance the academic and social development of young people and families, promoting economic self-sufficiency, and fostering racial inclusion and social justice. Apart from his job at Urban League, Cade also serves as president of the Springfield Cultural Council. Mantoni is president and CEO of the Loomis Communities. She served for 30 years as the organization’s CFO prior to taking her current position. She is a certified public accountant and worked in a local accounting firm for eight years before joining the Loomis Communities. She serves on the Audit Committee of the United Way of Pioneer Valley, is a member of the LeadingAge Massachusetts board, and serves on the Capital Projects Planning Committee for the city of West Springfield. Mantoni has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and an MBA from Western New England College. Plotkin is president of NAI Plotkin, a full-service brokerage and property-management company. He has extensive experience in all aspects of property management and commercial brokerage, including commercial office buildings, medical office buildings, industrial buildings, shopping centers, and condominium/residential management. Plotkin is one of the lead organizers of the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival and the City Mosaic project, as well as the force behind Art & Soles. He was recently named the 2022 Richard J. Moriarty Citizen of the Year by the Springfield Regional Chamber. He has served on the boards of the Springfield Museums and Holyoke Community College.

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Carolyn Martinez

Carolyn Martinez

Carolyn Martinez has been promoted to assistant executive director of Christina’s House, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and social services for homeless or near-homeless mothers and children. Martinez has served as program manager and brings firsthand experience to Christina’s House as a program graduate. Before joining the team, she worked in community healthcare settings for several years and has completed certificate programs in child behavioral health and community health. She will work alongside founder Linda Mumblo to expand the mission and assist the Christina’s House family to reach their fullest potential. Christina’s House also announced it is seeking candidates for the new community development and administrative assistant roles, and that Executive Director Shannon Mumblo intends to transition from her role. In its 10th year, Christina’s House operates two homes in Springfield. It continues its mission to educate, embrace, and encourage families in the program to develop the life skills needed to become self-sufficient as they transition from homelessness to stable environments. Through the program, women and their children participate in programs that include financial counseling, job-skills development, parenting, conflict resolution, and building healthy eating and exercise habits.

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Holyoke Community College (HCC) Anthropology Professor Vanessa Martínez is the recipient of the 2022 Antonia Pantoja Award from the Latino Scholarship Fund of Western Massachusetts. The award, named after the noted Puerto Rican organizer and education activist, was presented on June 23 at the Latino Scholarship Fund’s 32nd annual meeting at the Log Cabin. The organization presents the award annually to an individual who has made a profound and significant contribution to education, demonstrating a dedication to the academic achievement of Latinx students. Martínez is co-director of HCC’s Honors Program and co-founder of the Women of Color Health Equity Collective, a Springfield-based nonprofit. In addition, her HCC classes frequently engage with community groups and Holyoke schools through service-learning projects. She has been teaching at HCC since 2006. In January, she also received the 2022 Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award from Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. Martínez was born in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbus State University, a master’s degree from Georgia State University, and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts. In 2011, she received the Latino Teaching Excellence Award from then-Gov. Deval Patrick, and was selected in 2015 as a Leadership Fellow by the American Anthropological Assoc.

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Melissa Breor

Melissa Breor

The Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce announced Melissa Breor as its new executive director. Breor spent four years at the Northampton Chamber of Commerce. Inspired by her work there leading the launch of Hampshire County tourism platforms, she co-founded Western Mass Beer Week in 2016 to celebrate the economic impact of the region’s burgeoning local craft-beer industry. After her time at the chamber, she worked as the assistant director of Marketing and later interim director at the UMass Amherst Fine Arts Center, finding new ways to connect, grow, and measure audience development. Most recently, she worked for Gateway City Arts in Holyoke as Press & Outreach coordinator, as well as in customer service at various businesses in the region.

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Andrew Sullivan

Andrew Sullivan

Freedom Credit Union recently announced the promotion of Andrew Sullivan from commercial loan officer to assistant vice president, member business lending. Sullivan has been with Freedom since 2019 and is based in the main office in Springfield. He will continue his role providing financing for new and existing business members along with managing the existing commercial-loan portfolio. Sullivan earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting/business management and an MBA from Elms College. He is also the founder of Andrew Sullivan’s Swing for a Cure to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

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Fierst Bloomberg Ohm LLP recently made several personnel announcements.

Michael Simolo joined the firm as a partner. A graduate of Hobert College and Cornell Law School, he has 20 years of experience in corporate matters, tax, estate planning and administration, probate litigation, and related areas. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, and New York.

Daniel Fierst has become a partner of the firm. A graduate of the University of Colorado and UMass Dartmouth School of Law, he began his career as in-house counsel for Wargaming.net in Austin, Texas. Since joining the firm in 2016, he has focused on assisting film, television, and video-game clients with their transactional, licensing, and intellectual-property matters. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Florida.

Frederick Fierst and David Bloomberg were recently named 2022 Massachusetts and New England Super Lawyers. Fierst was honored in the entertainment and sports category for the 15th consecutive year, and Bloomberg in the category of real estate. Super Lawyers is a rating service of lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are limited to the top 5% of lawyers in each state.

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Tricia Serio

Tricia Serio

Tricia Serio has been named provost and senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at UMass Amherst. She started her new position on July 18. Serio previously served as dean of the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) and associate chancellor for Strategic Academic Planning. Serio joined UMass as dean of CNS in 2017 after serving as professor and head of the department of Molecular And Cellular Biology at the University of Arizona. Her professional honors include the 2016 Mid-career Award for Excellence in Research from the American Society for Cell Biology, the Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences for 2003-07, and the National Cancer Institute’s Howard Temin Award for 2001-06. In 2022, she was selected to be a fellow in the American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the pre-eminent scientific institution in the U.S. Serio earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from Lehigh University and a master of philosophy degree and Ph.D. in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale University. She was a postdoctoral fellow in molecular genetics and cell biology at the University of Chicago.

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The Assoc. for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) awarded the 2022 Ellen Stewart Career Achievement Award in Professional Theatre to Tina Packer, founding artistic director of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox. The award is named for American theater director and producer Ellen Stewart (1919-2011) and is awarded annually to an individual primarily based in professional theater, honoring a career of distinguished service to the field. “Tina Packer’s Shakespeare & Company develops and performs classical and contemporary works, houses one of the largest theater-in-education programs in the Northeast, and offers year-round actor-training opportunities,” ATHE Executive Director Aimee Zygmonski said. “She has developed transformative training methodologies and, for four decades, been an advocate of collective storytelling, both nationally and in her local community.”

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Matthew Valliere

Matthew Valliere

James Hagan, president and CEO of Westfield Bank, announced that Matthew Valliere has been appointed branch manager and retail banking officer at the bank’s 26 Arnold St. branch in Westfield. Valliere will be responsible for overseeing customer service; retail and business product sales, including mortgage originations; as well as business development and community outreach. Other responsibilities include managing general operations and employee development within the branch. Valliere graduated from Springfield Technical Community College in 2007 with an associate degree. In 2014, he completed the Connecticut School of Finance and Management. He spent time as a retirement services representative and assistant branch manager with other financial institutions before joining Westfield Bank in 2020 as an assistant branch manager at the 47 Palomba Dr. location in Enfield.

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St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced that the team has hired Kevin Maxwell as general manager of the club’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, as well as a pro scout. Maxwell joins the Blues organization following 14 seasons in the scouting department with the New York Rangers. Since 2011, Maxwell had served as the Rangers’ director of Professional Scouting. New York reached the Stanley Cup playoffs in 10 of Maxwell’s 14 seasons in the organization, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Maxwell was a third-round selection by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1979 NHL draft following an All-American season at the University of North Dakota. After an eight-year professional playing career, he jumped into the scouting ranks, spending three seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers scouting department from 1988 to 1991. Following a brief stint as the head coach for the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings in 1991-92, Maxwell spent the last 30 years in NHL scouting roles with the Hartford Whalers (1992-96), New York Islanders (1996-2006), Dallas Stars (2006-08), and Rangers (2008-2022). He has served as the director of Professional Scouting for the Whalers, Islanders, and Rangers over his tenure as an executive.

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Chris Nadeau

Chris Nadeau

Chris Nadeau recently joined O’Connor & Drew, P.C. as a tax manager. He brings with him more than 15 years of experience in public and private accounting and is regularly retained to provide business valuation, advisory, and taxation services to closely held businesses, professional service firms, and medical practices. He also has extensive experience in succession planning, corporate and partnership taxation, and individual taxation. Nadeau previously spent seven years at a regional accounting firm as a manager-director and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Westfield State University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants, the National Assoc. of Certified Valuation Analysts, and the Institute of Management Accountants.

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bankESB recently promoted Karen DeMaio to assistant vice president, IRA and Operations Risk Management. DeMaio joined bankESB in 2006 as an IRA specialist and was promoted to IRA and Deposit Services officer in 2014. She is responsible for IRA services, vendor management, business-continuity planning, and insurance for the Hometown Financial Group family of banks, which includes bankESB, bankHometown, and Abington Bank. Prior to bankESB, DeMaio served as senior Marketing analyst at Friendly Ice Cream Corp. and as senior auditor at KPMG Peat Marwick. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western New England College, completed the certified public accounting exam, and earned her Certified IRA Services Professional designation. She currently serves as vice chairperson for the town of Southwick Finance Committee and is a board member of Westfield Credit for Life.

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Ashley Rollins

Ashley Rollins

American Eagle Financial Credit Union (AEFCU) announced the appointment of Ashley Rollins as vice president of Consumer Lending. In her new role, Rollins will focus on all aspects of lending, including consumer and real-estate originations, collections, process improvement, automation, and loan reporting. Rollins assumes her new role at AEFCU with more than 11 years of experience in financial-services operations, quality control, and consumer loan products. She most recently served as Loan Administration officer for Justice Federal Credit Union in Washington, D.C. She earned certificates from the National Assoc. of Federally Insured Credit Unions Management and Leadership Institute and the Harvard Business School Leadership Academy, as well as a Yellow Belt certification from Lean Six Sigma. During her time in the D.C. region, she volunteered at the Central Virginia Food Bank and taught financial-literacy classes at Richmond, Va. elementary schools.

 

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Community Access to the Arts (CATA) announced the appointment of Kelly Galvin as program director. She joins current CATA staff members Jeff Gagnon and Kara Smith, who have been promoted to the program director position, to create a new, three-person arts leadership team at the nonprofit, reporting to Executive Director Margaret Keller. CATA strategically restructured staff roles to develop a shared program leadership model, following the retirement of long-time staff member Dawn Lane, coupled with vigorous growth in CATA’s arts programs serving people with disabilities. The three-person arts leadership team will work closely with Keller to seize opportunities and provide inclusive arts programs for people with disabilities across the Berkshires and Columbia County. Galvin joins CATA as an accomplished director, producer, and teaching artist. She has been a company member with Shakespeare & Company since 2008 and served as the artistic associate at WAM Theatre. As a director and producer, she has led acclaimed productions at Shakespeare & Company, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, the Theater at Woodshill, and Gloucester Stage, and assisted at regional theatres including the Guthrie and Asolo Repertory Theatre. She is the founder of the rig, an organization in Western Massachusetts working to create connections through the arts and to redistribute cultural resources to a larger portion of the community.

People on the Move
Kyle Toelken

Kyle Toelken

Jean Monska

Jean Monska

Florence Bank hired Kyle Toelken as assistant vice president and branch manager of the Belchertown branch and promoted longtime employee Jean Monska to branch manager of the Easthampton branch. Toelken was hired in May and has 12 years of banking experience. Committed to community involvement, he has volunteered with Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, helping present lesson plans to school-aged children. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Franklin Pierce University. Monska has worked for Florence Bank since 2002. Before the promotion to branch manager, she served as assistant branch manager in the Hadley location for 14 years. In March 2020, she was promoted to senior assistant branch manager before transferring to the Easthampton branch in the same role. She holds an associate degree in business administration from Holyoke Community College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southern New Hampshire University. She is also a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies. In 2005, Monska was named to the Florence Bank President’s Club. The honor recognizes superior performance, customer service, and overall contribution to Florence Bank.

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Bay Path University announced the promotion of Michael Giampietro to senior vice president for Finance and Administrative Services. Giampietro joined Bay Path in 2006 as vice president for Finance and Administrative Services following a 16-year career at Holyoke Community College. A member of the university’s executive staff since arriving at Bay Path, he oversees significant areas of the university, including budget development, human resources, student financial services, facilities and capital planning, the bursar’s and controller’s offices, campus public safety, procurement, auxiliary services, and enterprise risk management. He also serves as staff liaison to a number of Bay Path board of trustees committees and has participated on New England Commission on Higher Education teams evaluating other accredited institutions. Currently, Giampietro serves on the finance committee at Baystate Health, and previously sat on the town of Longmeadow audit and capital planning committees, as well as the finance committee for St. Mary’s Parish in Longmeadow. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in public administration from UMass Amherst, and also attended the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard.

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Thomas Dowling

Thomas Dowling

Whittlesey announced the promotion of Thomas Dowling, CPA to partner. He is the newest member to join the growing leadership team. Dowling joined Whittlesey in 2017 and has more than 15 years of public accounting experience with a concentration in assurance, advisory, and tax services for nonprofit organizations and closely held businesses. He has expertise in advising clients on internal controls, fraud risk assessments, and strategic planning, and actively participates in the nonprofit and manufacturing niches. Outside of work, he is a committee member for the Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island Swish Night. Dowling earned a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and a master’s degree in taxation from Bentley University. He is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants, as well as the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

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Julie Copoulos, executive director of the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, announced that she will step down from the organization on Aug. 19. “Since 2019, I have been supported and challenged by an adaptable and sharp board of directors, cohesive membership, and motivated municipal partners,” Copoulos said. “Together we have served the Chicopee business community in a meaningful and measurable way. I am humbled to have been in your service.” The Greater Chicopee Chamber is actively seeking an executive director who is committed to Chicopee business and community and has a strong background in business, advocacy, and leadership, she noted. To chamber members, she added, “thank you for remaining the heartbeat of our community.”

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Peter Picknelly IV

Peter Picknelly IV

Lauryn Picknelly-DuBois

Lauryn Picknelly-DuBois

Peter Pan Bus Lines’ Peter and Melissa Picknelly announced that their son, Peter Picknelly IV, has been promoted to director of Safety & Security. While in high school and college, Peter IV has worked in both Operations and Customer Service. He recently graduated magna cum laude from Western New England University with a degree in business management. He joins his sister, Lauryn Picknelly-DuBois, who was recently named controller for Peter Pan Bus Lines.

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MOSSO (the Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra) has named Maestro Kevin Rhodes, former music director of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO), the ensemble’s artistic advisor. Rhodes’ contract was not renewed by the SSO in 2021, ending his tenure as music director at 20 years. Rhodes was recently appointed chief conductor of the Slovak National Opera and Ballet in Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia, giving him an artistic leadership role in a European city noted for its cultural diversity. He will continue to serve as music director for the Traverse City Symphony Orchestra in Michigan and as principal conductor of Boston’s Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra. He has been a presence in the major musical capitals of Europe for more than 25 years, with credits including the Paris Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Berlin State Opera, La Scala of Milan, the Dutch National Ballet, the Verona Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet, and many others.

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Nicole Acevedo

Nicole Acevedo

Eastern States Exposition (ESE) announced that Nicole Acevedo is the newest addition to the organization’s Marketing department as Communications & Social Media manager. Acevedo graduated from Western New England University in May 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing. Over the course of her collegiate career, she served as assistant editor of the Westerner, the university’s newspaper; served as hospitality chair for Spring Event, the campus’s largest music festival; wrote and voiced two scripts for WAMC Northeast Public Radio; and was a two-time winner of the BOLD Media Festival’s written category for her prose poems. In her new role, Acevedo will be responsible for print publications and projects, content creation for all social-media platforms, and maintaining a positive and effective presence across the digital spectrum.

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Jane Ralph, executive director of Construct Inc., has been elected to the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) board of directors, succeeding Liana Toscanini of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires as regional representative. The transition will take place in September. The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network is a statewide organization dedicated to uniting and strengthening the entire nonprofit sector through advocacy, public awareness, and capacity building. MNN represents over 600 members and recently visited the Berkshires to provide policy and program updates. Ralph joins the board as Toscanini concludes a six-year stretch, the term limit for MNN board members.

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Wilbraham & Monson Academy has named former prep and collegiate standout and renowned coach Annie Kandel as head coach of its girls lacrosse team. Kandel will take the helm of the program at the start of the 2022-23 school year. Kandel will also assume the role of director of Parent Programs for the Academy and will coordinate advancement and development efforts with parents, alumni parents, and grandparents. She brings an array of experience in admissions, athletics, and student life from within the boarding school world to WMA. Kandel joins WMA after successful coaching stints at Groton School, Stuart Country Day School, Tabor Academy, Cheshire Academy, Stoneleigh-Burnham School, and the University of Colorado. She has led her teams to multiple state and New England championships as well as an undefeated, untied season. She also coaches for the Baystate Bullets Lacrosse Club. She is a product of independent schools, having been a standout athlete in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse at Governor’s Academy before excelling in both field hockey and lacrosse at Lehigh University. She earned league, regional, and All-American honors in lacrosse and was named the Lehigh University Outstanding Athlete her senior year. She was also honored as a member of the Patriot League All-Decade team and played for the U.S. Women’s National Team in 1992-93.

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Patrick Carpenter

Patrick Carpenter

With extensive experience in resource development at Holyoke Community College, Boston College, Elms College, and Westfield State University, Patrick Carpenter is joining New England Public Media (NEPM) as senior director of Development. Most recently, he served as director in Institutional Advancement at HCC, where, under his leadership, annual giving increased dramatically, new-donor participation grew substantially, and a multi-year capital campaign was designed. Carpenter was the first Major Gifts officer at Westfield State University and increased private support of endowed funds through his major and planned giving work. He is a sponsor liaison for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education District 1, president of the Southampton Youth Athletic Assoc. board of directors, and has served as president of the Elms College Alumni Assoc. Carpenter holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Elms College and a master’s degree in higher education administration from Bay Path University. He currently teaches sociology at Elms College as a member of its adjunct faculty.

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Holyoke Community College (HCC) Anthropology Professor Vanessa Martínez is the recipient of the 2022 Antonia Pantoja Award from the Latino Scholarship Fund of Western Massachusetts. The award, named after the noted Puerto Rican organizer and education activist, was presented on June 23 at the Latino Scholarship Fund’s 32nd annual meeting at the Log Cabin. The organization presents the award annually to an individual who has made a profound and significant contribution to education, demonstrating a dedication to the academic achievement of Latinx students. Martínez is co-director of HCC’s Honors Program and co-founder of the Women of Color Health Equity Collective, a Springfield-based nonprofit. In addition, her HCC classes frequently engage with community groups and Holyoke schools through service-learning projects. She has been teaching at HCC since 2006. In January, she also received the 2022 Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award from Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. Martínez was born in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbus State University, a master’s degree from Georgia State University, and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts. In 2011, she received the Latino Teaching Excellence Award from then-Gov. Deval Patrick, and was selected in 2015 as a Leadership Fellow by the American Anthropological Assoc.

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Florence Hearing Health Care (FHHC) recently hired two new team members: Susan Pepin-Phillips, practice manager; and Dr. Cassandra Falvey, audiologist. They join Dr. Jennifer Sowards, audiologist and founder; Dr. Anna Niemi, audiologist; and Robin Verteramo, receptionist. Pepin-Phillips forged a career in marketing at two local community banks before moving into practice management at a local dental practice five years ago. She will be responsible for running the business side of the practice, but with her marketing eye, she’ll also be focused on making sure the brand is represented well in the running of the business. Falvey came to Florence Hearing from Baystate Health in Palmer. She has always been drawn to the field of communication sciences and disorders, earning a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in communication sciences and disorders from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y. in 2015. She then returned home to Western Mass. and earned her doctorate in audiology at UMass Amherst in 2019. Falvey completed her fourth-year externship at Baystate Wing Hospital and Medical Centers, where she continued to work and serve patients until joining the team at Florence Hearing Health Care. She holds a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Assoc.

People on the Move
Kevin Day

Kevin Day

Florence Bank announced that president and CEO Kevin Day will retire on Nov. 25, and a focused search is underway for a new leader. Day took over as president in January 2020 and became CEO in May of the same year. When Day took the helm at age 64, he promised that nothing would change at the bank. Little did he know he’d be called upon to usher Florence Bank through some of the most tumultuous times in history, including a pandemic and the resulting financial strife. Day led the bank in ensuring that countless homeowners and businesses were able to defer their payments during the pandemic and in helping business customers connect to grants and other available funding. These measures helped customers navigate the financial turmoil and gave them much-needed time to adjust to new financial situations. The bank also expanded over these past two years, opening a branch in Chicopee, creating a work-from-home program for employees, and granting hundreds of thousands of dollars to nonprofit organizations in the Valley. Day joined Florence Bank in 2008 as chief financial officer, responsible for finance, facilities, and risk management. His responsibilities expanded to include compliance in 2013, residential lending in 2014, and retail banking in 2016. He was also promoted to executive vice president in 2016.

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Aieshya Jackson

Aieshya Jackson

Karon Forde

Karon Forde

The board of directors of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services has elected Aieshya Jackson as president, and the organization announced that Karon Forde has been appointed director of Youth Programs. Jackson is a business manager for the Springfield Library Department and has more than 15 years of financial-services experience. She is a graduate of Bay Path University, where she earned a master’s degree in healthcare management. She also attended the Connecticut School of Finance and Management. Forde had served as the Community Center director for the Police Athletic League in Brooklyn, N.Y. She has more than seven years of experience working directly with youth as well as serving as an administrator of after-school programs. She earned a bachelor’s degree in values, ethics, and social action from Allegheny College.

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The Dowd Agencies announced the promotion of Jack Dowd from account executive to vice president of Personal Lines. Dowd has been with the agency since 2016 and represents the fifth generation to join the family business. He graduated from Saint Michael’s College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and received his MBA from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business. A licensed property and casualty insurance producer, he achieved his certified insurance counselor (CIC) designation in 2019. In addition, he has participated in the 18-month Agents Sons & Daughters Training Program for underwriting at Quincy Mutual Insurance. In his community, he serves on committees for the Brightside Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He is also a member of the board of directors for Boys Scouts of America, Western Massachusetts Council, where he serves as the risk management chair.

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Lisa Wray-Schechterle

Lisa Wray-Schechterle

Holyoke Medical Center announced the appointment of Lisa Wray-Schechterle as the hospital’s director of Community Benefits. Wray-Schechterle joins the hospital from Pyramid Management Group, where she served as the marketing director of the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside for more than 20 years. She holds both a master’s degree in communication and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University. She serves as a marketing committee member for Girls Inc. of the Valley, a board member of the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, and an advisory board member for the Holyoke Community College School of Business. Holyoke Medical Center Community Benefits provides programs and services to improve health in communities and helps to increase access to healthcare. Wray-Schechterle succeeds Kathy Anderson as director of the department following Anderson’s retirement.

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William Burke III

William Burke III

The Springfield College board of trustees recently announced the outcome of its 2022-23 board election results during its annual spring meeting. William Burke III was re-elected as chair of the board of trustees. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola College and an MBA from Loyola College Sellenger School of Management. Other trustees elected to the board include Mark Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia in Alpharetta, Ga.; Pia Flanagan, chief of staff to the CEO at MassMutual in Springfield; Peter Pappas, a wealth management associate at Morgan Stanley in Springfield; Suzanne Robotti, founder and president of MedShadow Foundation in New York, N.Y.; Terry Powe, principal of Elias Brookings School in Springfield; Anthony Sarage, a podiatrist and partner at Western Massachusetts Podiatry Associates in East Longmeadow; Denise Alleyne, retired vice president for Student Services at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill; Douglass Coupe, retired vice president of State Street Global Investor Services of Boston; Samantha Hourihan, student trustee and a physical therapy major; Gizzelle Abanador, student trustee-elect and a biology major; and David Henke, student trustee-elect and a secondary education major.

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Tiffany Appleton has been named president of the board of directors at Dakin Humane Society in Springfield. Appleton joined the board in 2017 and served as its secretary from 2020 to 2022. She is currently the associate director of Employer Relations at UMass Amherst, a position she has held for the past two years. Prior to that, she was a director of the Accounting and Finance Division at Johnson & Hill Staffing Services in West Springfield from 2016 to 2020. Appleton earned both a master’s degree in science education and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at UMass Lowell. She previously served as a board member at the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley from 2018 to 2020.

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Adam Hogan

Adam Hogan

Adam Hogan has joined Bulkley Richardson as the firm’s controller. In this management role, Hogan will execute all financial and tax-related activities for the firm, including development of the annual operating budget; partnership reporting; successful collaboration with his team for billing, payables, and receivables; and working closely with firm leadership to contribute to the growth and overall success of the firm. Previously, Hogan held the positions of CFO, controller, and staff accountant at several area businesses. He holds both a master’s degree in accounting and financial planning and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Elms College.

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Elizabeth Hillis

Elizabeth Hillis

The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS) welcomed Elizabeth Hillis, Business Development associate at WWLP-22 News, to its board of directors. “I’m excited to share my skills with the board and learn new things about the area,” Hillis said. “I’m thrilled to be able to help with the amazing events our organization has to offer. Being a Springfield YPS member is a great way to develop your network, meet other professionals, and become more involved in your community. I can’t wait to get started.”

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Evan Collins joined Lee Bank as a mortgage originator and will be working out of the Pittsfield branch. Collins was previously employed as a sales associate at Piretti Real Estate and Stone House Properties. He has been involved in real-estate sales in Berkshire County for seven years and said he is looking forward to exploring a different side of the local real-estate market in his new position.

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BK Investments Hotel Group announced the promotion of Karen Warren to regional director of Operations. Warren will be responsible for the management of the hotel portfolio. She will have responsibilities for a range of brands, including Residence Inn Chicopee, Hampton Inn Chicopee, Tru by Hilton Chicopee, and Holiday Inn Express in Brattleboro, Vt. Vickie Maryou has been promoted to general manager of Residence Inn Chicopee to succeed Warren.

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Gisenia Stewart

Gisenia Stewart

ServiceNet’s diversity coordinator, Gisenia Stewart, will join a group of experts, leaders, and community members to spearhead the Baby Bonds Task Force, a group charged by the state treasurer, Office of Economic Empowerment, and Economic Empowerment Trust Fund to provide recommendations for creating a Baby Bonds initiative in Massachusetts. Baby Bonds is an initiative that provides government-supported trust funds for children. When account holders reach adulthood, they can access their fund and spend it on assets that can grow over time or generate wealth (e.g., higher education, buying a home, starting a business, etc.). Studies show that Baby Bonds can help close the racial wealth gap. The Task Force’s diverse, cross-sector group includes people who have expertise and lived experience in racial wealth equity, community engagement, child welfare, and asset-growth initiatives. The Task Force will be chaired by former Massachusetts State Treasurer Shannon O’Brien.

People on the Move

Greenfield Community College recently announced that Michelle Schutt will serve as the college’s 11th president, effective July 18. Currently serving as the vice president of community and learner services at the College of Southern Idaho (CSI), the state’s first Hispanic Serving Institution, Schutt was chosen from a competitive pool of four highly-qualified candidates. Schutt’s appointment was approved by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education on June 21. “From the moment I began researching Greenfield Community College, I was immediately drawn to the campus’s core values,” she said. “I am honored by the opportunity to serve Greenfield Community College as its next president and I look forward to ensuring that we meet the evolving needs of the students, employees, alumni and community members we serve.” Schutt will be taking the helm of GCC from Richard Hopper, who has served as interim president since August 2021. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, Schutt has held leadership roles in all facets of education, including student affairs, academic services, and community learning. Schutt’s visionary leadership throughout her career has produced measurable enrollment and retention results. Notably, Schutt oversaw an enrollment increase of 3% at CSI during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, despite nationwide decreases due to the pandemic and an expected institutional decline of 15%. Schutt is steadfastly dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, showcasing them throughout her career. At CSI, she undertook efforts to improve Latinx student enrollment, which grew by nearly 9 percent during her tenure, created greater access to non-English speaking services across all departments, and petitioned for gender-neutral restrooms on campus. In addition to her most recent role as vice president of community and learner services, Schutt has served in a number of roles at CSI since 2015, including as vice president for student services. She has also taught college-level courses each semester and worked closely with state legislators on a variety of issues facing education. Prior to her work at CSI, Dr. Schutt held positions at Penn State University, the University of Wyoming, Hanover College and St. Cloud State University. Schutt holds a bachelor’s degree in English education from Upper Iowa University, master’s degrees in teaching and social responsibility from Emporia State University and St. Cloud University, and a doctorate in education and human resource studies from Colorado State University. She attended the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University and was a 2021-2022 Aspen Institute Rising Presidents Fellow.

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Lauren Rainville

Lauren Rainville

Amanda Walsh

Amanda Walsh

Nicholas Kubacki

Nicholas Kubacki

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Lauren Rainville, Amanda Walsh, and Nicholas Kubacki have been accepted into the Law Clerk program for the 2022-2023 school year. Bacon Wilson created the clerkship program more than 40 years ago to allow law school students to gain experience and mentoring in the legal profession. Many Bacon Wilson attorneys began their careers after their clerkship experience. The program is unique as it lasts for a year. Typically, clerks begin at the firm at the end of their second year of law school and stay through their third year. Clerks use their law school training to conduct important research assignments with attorneys in all practice areas. The clerks are an integral and important part of the firm and participate in various firm events during their time at Bacon Wilson, P.C. Rainville joined Bacon Wilson, P.C. in May. A Western New England University School of Law Candidate for Juris Doctorate in May 2024, she ranks in the top 25th percentile of her class and is the treasurer for the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. She earned her bachelor of Science degree, cum laude in Business Management from Bay Path University, in 2016. Her previous experience includes negotiations and settlements with claimants’ attorneys and pro-se claimants on personal and commercial auto damage, and injury losses in Connecticut. She has volunteered her time as an educator for Junior Achievement in Connecticut and Western Mass. from 2016 to 2018, and as a camp volunteer at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut in 2019. She is interested in pursuing a career in real estate law. She is a member of Western New England’s Real Estate Law Association and will be participating in the Western New England University’s Law School Real Estate Practicum in the Spring of 2023. Walsh joined the firm in May, and will be eligible for her Juris Doctorate in May 2023, from Western New England University School of Law. She spent two years at the University of London in Richmond, Surrey, as a transfer student and then earned her Bachelor of Political Science and Economics Degree, cum laude in May 2020 from Simmons University in Boston. Recently, she served as a fellow for The State House, and as a Blue Lab associate to the Liberty Square Group in Boston. She was elected 1L and 2L day class representative from September 2020 to May 2022. She has been interested in becoming an attorney since the age of 10. She has expressed interest in litigation and trust and estates. Kubacki joined Bacon Wilson, P.C. in May, and will be eligible for his Juris Doctorate in May 2023, from Western New England University School of Law. He earned his bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, summa cum laude in May 2020 from Western New England University. He also was named to Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society for Student-Athletes. He is currently a teaching assistant in the Academic Success Center at Western New England, as well as a member of the Real Estate Law Association. Recently, he served as a legal intern for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and as a Victim Witness Advocate intern at the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office.

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The Massachusetts Colleges Online (MCO) consortium announced that Anne Goodwin of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) received a Course of Distinction (COD) Award on June 2. The Course of Distinction awards are given annually to recognize excellence in design and delivery of online and hybrid courses across multiple categories. Goodwin designed and taught ‘Nutrition for Healthy Living,’ integrating individual and small-group activity, and providing authentic, humanized connections to support students’ engagement and academic success in an asynchronous environment.

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Mary-Beth Cooper

Mary-Beth Cooper

Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper will serve as a voting member on a new NCAA Board of Governors, the highest governance body of the NCAA. The board members will assume their duties on August 1. Cooper, the lone Division III delegate, was selected by the NCAA following the new NCAA constitution that was adopted in January by member schools and conferences. The new board includes nine voting members: four from Division I (at least one school president and one conference commissioner), one from the Division II Presidents Council, one (Cooper) from the Division III Presidents Council, two independent members and one graduated student-athlete. Cooper became the 13th president of Springfield College in August 2013. Known for her volunteer leadership, Cooper has served on the President’s Council of the NCAA, serves on the NIL Committee: NCAA Federal and State Legislation Working Group, and has been the president of the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).

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Mychal Connolly

Mychal Connolly

At its recent commencement ceremonies, Holyoke Community College honored entrepreneur Mychal Connolly with its Distinguished Service Award. Connolly is co-founder of Stinky Cakes, a newborn baby gift company, and creator and chief brand ambassador of StandOutTruck.com, a digital mobile advertising and marketing agency. Connolly has served as an alumni mentor for the HCC Alumni Champions Mentorship Network, and last year established an annual scholarship through the HCC Foundation for business and marketing majors. He has also worked as a volunteer for HCC’s annual “Together HCC — Drive to Change Lives” fundraising campaigns. “Myke can be found talking about the impact of a Holyoke Community College education all across our region – in boardrooms, with aspiring leaders, and all along the streets of western Massachusetts thanks to the Stand Out Truck,” said President Christina Royal said. “He is a champion for HCC and we are pleased to celebrate his service to the college by recognizing him as this year’s Distinguished Service Award winner.”

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The Cohn & Company Real Estate Agency announced that Brian Marchand has joined its team of real estate professionals. Prior to working with Cohn & Company, Marchand was a real estate agent in the Albany, N.Y. area.

Daily News


SPRINGFIELD — Peter Pan Bus Lines has announced promotions involving two fourth-generation members of Picknelly family leadership at the Springfield-based company. 

Peter B. Picknelly, has been named director of Safety & Security. He recently graduated from Western New England University, and previously worked in customer care and operations for the company. 

Also, Lauryn Picknelly has been promoted to controller. She previously worked in Customer Care prior to graduating from Providence College. After graduation, she served as assistant controller, and has now been promoted to controller. 

People on the Move
Darlene Rodowicz

Darlene Rodowicz

The Berkshire Health Systems board of trustees announced that a leadership transition will take place at BHS early in the new year. David Phelps, president and CEO, announced that he will leave BHS in early 2022, concluding a 31-year career of service to the local community, with 28 as the system’s chief executive. The 20-member board unanimously voted to appoint Darlene Rodowicz as the next president and CEO. Bart Raser, chair of the board, highlighted key successes from Phelps’s distinguished career as CEO, including rehabilitating the financial resources of the once-troubled health system, implementing substantial technological and facility improvements such as the Crane Center for Ambulatory Surgery and the BMC Cancer Center, building BHS’s affiliated long-term-care company, developing important clinical partnerships like Berkshire Medical Center’s membership in the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative, and cultivating important relationships with local and state leaders that elevated the status and reputation of Berkshire Health Systems across the Commonwealth. Raser also praised Rodowicz as a strong leader with more than 30 years of experience in healthcare, a deep knowledge of the Berkshire community, and a sterling reputation among government leaders and healthcare colleagues across the Commonwealth. He particularly highlighted her leadership in orchestrating BHS’s successful pandemic response over the past two years. Rodowicz joined BHS in 1984 and served in various positions of increasing responsibility, including as chief financial officer from 2005 to 2020, when she was appointed executive vice president. She holds an MBA from Western New England College and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from UMass Amherst.

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Tyler Humphrey

Tyler Humphrey

Viktoriia Protsyk

Viktoriia Protsyk

Troy Tanzer

Troy Tanzer

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Tyler Humphrey, Viktoriia Protsyk, and Troy Tanzer have joined the firm as associate attorneys. Humphrey is a member of Bacon Wilson’s business, corporate, and finance team. He has significant experience in business matters, including real-estate transactions, business formations, and dispute resolution. He has been practicing law for seven years, having earned his juris doctor degree cum laude from Suffolk University Law School in 2015, and a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State College in 2012. He was named to the Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch list for 2021-22 in the area of banking and finance law. Protsyk is a member of Bacon Wilson’s estate planning and probate team. She is licensed to practice in both Massachusetts and Connecticut, and will sit for the Florida bar exam in February 2022. Fluent in both Russian and Ukrainian, she received her juris doctor degree cum laude in 2021 from Western New England University School of Law, and earned a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Central Connecticut State University in 2018. Tanzer is a member of Bacon Wilson’s land use, zoning, and development team. He earned his juris doctor degree in 2021 from Western New England University (WNE) School of Law, having also earned an MBA the same year from WNE. He received his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from WNE in 2017. He volunteers his time to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance clinic in Springfield, providing assistance with tax-return preparation and electronic filing. He works primarily from Bacon Wilson’s Amherst location.

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Henry “Joe” Long Jr.

Henry “Joe” Long Jr.

American International College announced that Henry “Joe” Long Jr. joined AIC as associate vice president for Institutional Advancement on Nov. 29. Long will oversee all development operations, including major gifts, planned giving, annual giving, grants, advancement services, and constituent records. With more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, team building, and securing major and planned gifts, he comes to AIC from UMass Amherst, where he served as the executive director of Development for Libraries. At UMass Amherst, he partnered with a dedicated staff to enhance philanthropic support for all three library locations and strengthen donor stewardship and communication. Prior to UMass, Long worked at Springfield College for more than a decade with success in major giving, athletics development, and parent giving. Additionally, he has held numerous advancement leadership roles at Plymouth State University, including alumni director and interim director of advancement. Long served as a member of the board of directors for the Council of Advancement and Support of Education, District I, from 2009 to 2016, and currently serves on the African American Development Officers (AADO) network and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Diverse Philanthropy and Leadership Conference committee. His wife, Moira Long, is the head women’s volleyball coach at Springfield College.

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Douglas Scanlon

Douglas Scanlon

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Douglas Scanlon to the college’s Institutional Advancement team as its first development and external communications coordinator. Scanlon comes to HCC after serving for seven years as communications specialist in the Development office at Springfield College. Before that, he worked as assistant director of Institutional Marketing for Elms College in Chicopee. At HCC, he will be responsible for creating print, digital, and event-related messaging to support donor engagement, community engagement, and fundraising. He started on Nov. 29. Scanlon holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from St. Bonaventure University in New York.

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Rosey Mazza

Rosey Mazza

LUSO Federal Credit Union recently announced the appointment of Rosey Mazza as vice president of Lending, as well as the promotions of Wilbraham staff members Timothy Tracy and Stephen Lopes to branch manager and assistant branch manager, respectively. Mazza has close to 20 years of retail banking experience and previously served as LUSO’s Lending department manager for more than 14 years. As the newly appointed vice president of Lending, she will oversee the planning, directing, and organizing of the strategic and operational activities of LUSO’s retail and commercial lending programs. LUSO also promoted two Wilbraham-based member service representatives. Tracy has served the community as a senior member service representative at the Crane Park branch for the last four years. As branch manager, he will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the branch with Lopes’ assistance. Lopes began his career with LUSO in 2017 as a member service representative at the main branch and transitioned to the Crane Park location in 2020 as the head teller.

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Steve Herrell, founder of Steve’s Ice Cream in Somerville and Herrell’s Ice Cream in Northampton, announced the release of his new book, Ice Cream and Me. The book is somewhat biographical and contains stories from his 41 years as an innovator in the ice-cream industry. It is illustrated by local artist Allie Martineau. Herrell started ice-cream making at his business, Steve’s Ice Cream, in 1973, offering a creamy and dense ice cream and originating the mix-in. He created such notable flavors as Cookies ‘n’ Cream and Heath Bar Crunch. These innovations revolutionized the ice-cream industry. Ice Cream and Me is available at Broadside Books, A2Z Science and Nature, and Booklink Booksellers, all in Northampton; Amherst Books in Amherst; Odyssey Bookstore in South Hadley; and on Amazon.

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Yamilca Nogué

Yamilca Nogué

The Children’s Study Home (CSH) announced that Yamilca Nogué has been named the new director of Community Relations and Development. She joins the CSH senior leadership team and will work closely with the Executive Director and CEO William Dávila. Nogué brings more than a decade of experience in nonprofit and human services. Prior to joining the Children’s Study Home, she worked as a fundraising event coordinator for a large Western Mass. program and during that time also supervised its homefinding team, recruiting foster homes. She has a passion for working with and advocating for children. In addition to her professional experience, she has remained actively involved in her community and serves as a volunteer for the WNBA Her Time to Play program. Nogué is the first woman of color and first Latina to hold this position. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in counseling foundations and her MBA at Bay Path University. She is also a licensed social worker in the state of Massachusetts.

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Mary Cate Mannion

Mary Cate Mannion

Willie Ross School for the Deaf (WRSD) announced that Mary Cate Mannion has joined the school’s board of trustees. Mannion works for Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) and is a former news anchor and reporter for Western Mass News. Mannion said her hard-of-hearing sister is part of the inspiration behind her joining the school’s board of trustees. Her sister underwent surgeries and gained more language access through hearing aids and the use of American Sign Language (ASL), and is now an educator at a school for the deaf and hard of hearing on the West Coast. Mannion is a public relations analyst and video producer with eight years of storytelling experience. She previously worked as a news reporter for WMTW-TV in the Portland, Maine area, and prior to that was at Western Mass News. She earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Emerson College.

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Mary Akers

Mary Akers

The board of directors of Work Opportunity Center Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals with developmental disabilities obtain employment in the community and promoting social inclusion, has appointed Mary Akers as its new executive director. Akers replaces long-term Executive Director Robert MacDonald, who retired after 40 years. Following a 15-year career at American International College, where she served as associate athletic director and senior woman administrator, Akers joined Work Opportunity Center as its first assistant executive director in February 2015. She has held the position of interim executive director since January 2021. Akers holds an associate degree in business management from Elizabethtown Community College, and she received both her bachelor’s degree in business and MBA from American International College.

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Carolyne Hannan

Carolyne Hannan

Comcast has named Carolyne Hannan senior vice president of the company’s Western New England Region, leading a team serving more than 300 communities across Connecticut, Western Mass., Vermont, Western New Hampshire, and New York. In this role, Hannan is the top executive responsible for all aspects of the business, including customer experience, sales, marketing, operations, and financial performance. Hannan, who has held a series of progressively more senior management positions at Comcast over the past 17 years, returns to the Western New England Region, where she previously served as vice president of Sales and Marketing from 2008 to 2010. In her most recent role, Hannan served as vice president of Sales & Marketing for Comcast’s Freedom Region, which serves customers across Greater Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Northern Delaware.

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United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region has added four new members to its staff team, allowing it to enhance its work with partner organizations, donors, and general operations. The new hires will augment the organization with their combined experience in leadership, education, marketing, donor relations, database management, and accounting. They are all eager to be part of a nonprofit that impacts the community in a positive way. Jenny Coeur will serve as United Way’s program coordinator, Jenna Farrell as donor relations manager, Jennifer Nhong as database assistant, and Cathy Zimmerman as the organization’s bookkeeper. Coeur, who began her work at United Way in mid-July, was previously a teacher and Math Department chair at Applewild School in Fitchburg. She has 13 years of experience in public and independent education as a community-focused teacher, program developer and coordinator, and department chair. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Hampshire College and a master of education degree from UMass Amherst. Farrell took on her role as donor relations manager in mid-September and will apply the experience she gained in the nonprofit world at UMass Amherst and skills she honed while working at for-profits in marketing and event management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University. Nhong started in her new role in early October and will help manage United Way’s database. She worked for 13 years at MicroTek, a nonprofit cable manufacturing company in Chicopee, in production, quality, and planning and management. Zimmerman has worked as an accountant for Temp-Pro, Argotec, Sisters of Providence, and Holyoke Medical Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Elms College. She began her new role in early October.

People on the Move
Nancy Creed

Nancy Creed

After more than a decade serving the Springfield Regional Chamber (SRC) and overseeing the region’s economic growth, Nancy Creed is stepping down from her position as chamber president to help care for her elderly mother. Creed served as the president of SRC since 2016, and as vice president of Marketing and Communications for five years prior to her appointment as president. She successfully navigated the chamber through several challenges, the most recent being the COVID-19 pandemic. During Creed’s tenure, she repositioned the chamber as a regional organization for businesses in Western Mass., creating a channel for the voices of the Pioneer Valley to be heard by key stakeholders in the eastern part of the Commonwealth. Creed developed a successful future for SRC by establishing educational programming for businesses and dynamic networking opportunities for professionals, engaging members across all industries, creating a minority business council to better support the growing business sector, and issuing informative legislative updates for the community that are now pillars of the chamber’s mission and will continue after her departure. To ensure an orderly transition, Creed will remain president until either a successor is appointed by the chamber’s board of directors, or no later than April 21, 2022. The board has engaged a search committee and recruiter to find the best candidate to serve as the next president of the Springfield Regional Chamber.

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Teressa Bezenar

Teressa Bezenar

Garrett Kelly

Garrett Kelly

Melanson announced the hiring of two of its newest managers, Teressa Bezenar, CPA, CFE, and Garrett Kelly, CPA. Bezenar has been in the accounting profession for more than two decades and recently joined Melanson’s Commercial Services team. Her focus is in taxation for individuals, corporations, flow-through entities, and estates, and she has extensive knowledge in construction and real-estate businesses. She received a master’s degree in accounting and a graduate certificate in forensic accounting at Southern New Hampshire University in 2017 and received a bachelor’s degree in accounting at Metropolitan State University in 1998. She earned her CPA licensure in Minnesota in 2002 and Missouri in 2020. In 2018, she became a certified fraud examiner. She holds memberships with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Assoc. of Certified Fraud Examiners, the Minnesota Society of Certied Public Accountants, the National Society of Leadership and Success, and Delta Mu Delta. She spends some of her spare time volunteering with the American Legion Auxiliary, American Legion Riders, Minnesota Patriot Guard, and Knots of Love. Kelly has been a tax accountant for more than five years and has joined Melanson’s Commercial Services team in Merrimack, N.H. He provides tax planning, compliance, and prep for high net-worth individuals and a variety of businesses. His other areas of focus include bank taxation, real estate, and flow-through entities. He received his master of taxation degree at Baylor University in 2016 and a bachelor of business administration degree, accounting in 2015. In 2018 he received his CPA licensure. He is a member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. Before his recent move to New Hampshire, he enjoyed working with and volunteering his time as a youth leader at his church.

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Alicia Valentine

Alicia Valentine

Florence Bank promoted Alicia Valentine to the position of assistant vice president and cash-management relationship officer. She brings 15 years of banking knowledge to her new position. In this role, she will provide support to the bank’s commercial customer base by utilizing her in-depth knowledge of cash-management products and services while proactively developing existing relationships and new business opportunities. During her tenure at the bank, Valentine has been the recipient of the President’s Award, which is given to employees who demonstrate superior levels of performance, customer service, and overall contribution to the bank. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Assumption College. She is also an active member of her community, serving as a board member for Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts.

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W.D. Cowls Inc. recently welcomed Arthur Haskins as director of Real Estate and Community Development. With a career spanning more than two decades, Haskins has worked on all facets of real estate and community building. He has overseen the completion of numerous mixed-use, commercial, and residential developments in New England and has a strong understanding of real-estate development, with expertise in new-construction management, affordable housing, residential brokerage, land sales, permitting, homeowner associations, property management, and conservation land trusts. Most recently, for Beacon Communities, Haskins managed North Square’s residential development, construction, completion, and 100% lease-up of 130 new residential units, which include one-, two-, and three-bedroom affordable apartments for households both 50% and 30% below area median income. His initial efforts in Amherst were related to developing a residential community on the campus of Hampshire College, marketing and completing all initial pre-sales related to Hampshire’s cultural-village concept for Veridian Village. Haskins draws from multi-generational Haskins family sawmill and timberland roots in the Quabbin Valley of Massachusetts. He grew up in Greenfield and spent four years attending school in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Scott Keiter

Scott Keiter

Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park announced the addition of a new member to its board of trustees: Scott Keiter, president of Keiter Corp., a construction company based in Florence. His wealth of knowledge in building, development, sales, operations, and human resources made him a unanimous choice to join the team. Keiter has served on other community boards, including the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, New England Support Team, Smith Vocational & Agricultural School, and the Cutchins Programs for Children and Families. He brings his commitment to the community, family, sustainability, and progress to Look Park’s volunteer board, which also includes Sharianne Walker, Michael Wall, Nancy Reeves, Robert Ostberg, Anthony Villani, and Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz (ex-officio).

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Scott Branscomb

In a move to support growth, outreach, and overall program quality, the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club (PVRC) hired Scott Branscomb as head coach. Branscomb, who speaks Spanish and English, will work with PVRC Executive Director Ben Quick and organization leadership to continue PVRC’s post-pandemic recovery. Branscomb rowed competitively for UMass, where he graduated with dual degrees in Spanish and comparative literature before earning a master’s degree in teaching from the University of New Hampshire. In his 14 years of rowing experience, he has served community and club programs in a variety of roles. He worked the last four years in Connecticut as director and head coach of Middle School and Development Programs for Greenwich Crew. Among his achievements there, he operated an outreach program for students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Greenwich Public Schools. At the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club, Branscomb returns to the waters of the Connecticut River, where he first rowed, and to his roots in the nonprofit world, where he feels at home.

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Monson Savings Bank recently announced the hiring of William Toth as branch manager of the East Longmeadow location at 61 North Main St. Toth will be assisting customers with all of their banking needs, including loan applications and closing needs of borrowers. Additionally, he will be responsible for planning, organizing, and directing branch operations, as well as fostering an environment of teamwork. He has been in the banking industry for 26 years, with his experience in retail banking spanning 19 of those years. He most recently served as branch manager of Arrha Credit Union’s West Springfield location. There, his responsibilities were to oversee the day-to-day operations of the branch, while assisting new and current members with their financial and banking needs. He assisted members with consumer-loan applications, credit-card requests, and home-equity line of credit questions and document closing. He served as the primary resource to employees and oversaw the training of new and current branch staff. Toth has strong roots in the local communities, and is involved with the West of the River Chamber of Commerce, East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce, and the Security & Loss Prevention Assoc. He is a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College with an associate degree in business administration.

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Jaren Makuch

Jaren Makuch

OMG Roofing Products has expanded its customer service department with the addition of Jaren Makuch as a customer service representative. In his new position, Jaren is responsible for assisting customers placing orders and in funneling product and technical questions to the organization. He is initially responsible for working on national key accounts as well as supporting the company’s Mid-West sales region. He reports to Karen Young, customer service manager. Makuch brings more than 10 years of customer-service experience to OMG. He joined OMG Roofing from Baystate Health, where he was a customer service representative for six years. Earlier, he was a customer service representative at FM Facility Maintenance in Hartford, Conn. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State University.

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Kimberley Lee, vice president of Resource Development and Branding for the Mental Health Assoc. Inc. (MHA), has accepted Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi’s invitation to join his newly created Community Advisory Board to provide long-range planning and support for the Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center in Chicopee. The regional correctional facility houses both pre-trial and sentenced women primarily from Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester, and Berkshire counties and offers a range of integrated clinical services and specialized programs that address rehabilitation. Cocchi outlined the board’s mission as one of developing long-range planning for the facility and building relationships and resources to assist women as they re-enter the community. Lee, who joined MHA in 2018 as its first vice president of Resource Development, is well-known for her work in the nonprofit sector. She previously served in communications and development roles for several other locally based nonprofit organizations, including CHD, Square One, the Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Community United Way.

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Square One recently elected a new slate of officers to its board of directors. The election was held at the agency’s annual meeting on Oct. 15. Taking on the role of chairperson is Andrea Hickson-Martin of Bay Path University. The vice chair seat will be filled by attorney Corrine Ryan of Community Legal Aid. Moving into the treasurer position is Kate Kane of Northwestern Mutual, assisted by Julie Quink of Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C. Colleen Stocks, assistant superintendent of the Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center, will serve as the board’s clerk. New to the full board of directors are Lavar Click-Bruce of the city of Springfield Mayor’s Office and Leonard Underwood of Upscale Socks and Upscale Photography.

People on the Move
Arwen Staros Duffy

Arwen Staros Duffy

Arwen Staros Duffy, currently assistant vice president for Development at the University of Southern California (USC), has been named vice chancellor for advancement at UMass Amherst. Duffy will begin her new position Nov. 15. Duffy has served in her leadership role at USC since 2014. She oversaw record fundraising efforts for the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Gould School of Law, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Price School of Public Policy, Rossier School of Education, and Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work as part of the Campaign for USC. Previously, she served as senior vice president for Development and External Affairs at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. A Yale University graduate in art, she was also vice president of Advancement for the California Institute of the Arts, where she earned her MFA in 1994. Duffy began her career in higher-education advancement at UCLA, where she secured support for the School of the Arts and Architecture and College of Letters and Science.

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Andrew Tulis

Andrew Tulis

Florence Bank promoted Andrew Tulis to the position of assistant vice president and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) officer at the main office in Florence. Tulis is a 10-year employee of Florence Bank and brings extensive knowledge and skills to his new position. In this role, he will be responsible for ensuring compliance with laws and regulations by developing and adhering to policies and procedures that oversee the bank’s BSA program, anti-money-laundering program, and Office of Foreign Asset Control compliance. Tulis studied at New York University, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He attended the New England School for Financial Studies at Babson College, graduating with honors in 2016.

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Caroline Cay Adams

Caroline Cay Adams

Caroline Cay Adams, education director for the Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center, received the Janet McCoy Excellence in Public Education Award from the American Assoc. of Zookeepers during a virtual presentation held Aug. 31. Adams was honored for her work creating Kids Go Wild, a multi-week, hands-on education program that is delivered to children in schools and afterschool programs throughout Western Mass., specifically targeting at-risk youth. Kids Go Wild provides a fun, interactive way for children to learn about different animal species through cross-hatched science, literacy, and art lessons, with each lesson meeting educational standards set by the Massachusetts Board of Education. During the pandemic, Adams adapted Kids Go Wild into a virtual program, showcasing the flexibility and versatility of the program.

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Jeff Resnikoff

Jeff Resnikoff

Theresa Raleigh

Theresa Raleigh

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union introduced the two newest additions to its senior management team: Jeff Resnikoff, vice president of Lending, and Theresa Raleigh, vice president of Human Resources. Resnikoff comes to UMassFive with more than 13 years of experience in the credit-union world following his long tenure at Hudson Valley Credit Union in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Over his 13-year career there, he rose from Contact Center representative to eventually become the assistant vice president of Consumer Lending. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from State University of New York at New Paltz. Resnikoff takes over a loan portfolio of $400 million and will oversee all functions of the Consumer Lending department at UMassFive. Raleigh comes to UMassFive from SeaComm Federal Credit Union in upstate New York, where she served as vice president of Human Resources for the past 16 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. She will oversee all employee hiring, training, recognition, and diversity program efforts at UMassFive.

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Michael Moran

Michael Moran

Barr & Barr, a national construction-management firm, announced the appointment of Michael Moran as the new executive vice president and director of Operations for the New England Region. Moran brings more than 30 years of experience in executive leadership, construction, real-estate development, and operations from multiple industries to Barr & Barr. He began his career after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned in the Civil Engineer Corps (Seabees) of the U.S. Navy. He has worked in recreation, hospitality, health and wellness, and healthcare, where he last served as president and chief administrative officer of Baystate Health’s Eastern Region. Stephen Killian, the current director of Operations of the New England Office for more than 18 years, strategically grew the company within the New England Region. He will be staying on to assist Moran in the transition, and will focus on key projects in the region.

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Kim Lyons

Kim Lyons

Dalkia Aegis, EDF Group, a leading provider of co-generation technology in the Northeast, hired Kim Lyons for the role of Client Relations manager. In this position, she will help Dalkia Aegis build and maintain relationships with current customers to better understand their goals and manage client needs. She joins the team with more than 15 years of experience in client-management positions. Lyons is a graduate of UMass Amherst with a degree in psychology and sociology. She spent more than 15 years as a strategic accounts executive serving the automotive industry, providing advanced consultative needs analysis, sales, and long-term service. In her new role, she will manage the current accounts of Dalkia Aegis, helping clients achieve and maintain the best results from their investment.

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Joseph Tiraboschi has been promoted to deputy chief at Springfield College. He has been a member of the Springfield College Police Department since 2017, most recently serving as administrative lieutenant, where he supervised more than 40 personnel members, including officers and dispatchers. In addition, he managed all crime statistics, managed certification in accordance with the Massachusetts State Police, and directed all department policies and procedures. Prior to his role as administrative lieutenant, Tiraboschi worked as detective sergeant, overseeing all criminal and non-criminal investigations, while also taking on the responsibilities of background investigator, internal-affairs investigator, and sexual-assault investigator. A 2013 graduate of the Massachusetts State full-Time Police Academy, Tiraboschi transitioned from a Springfield College Police Department dispatcher to a full-time police officer in 2013. He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Springfield College in 2010, and he is currently on pace to earn his master’s degree in counseling from Springfield College in 2022.

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Lisa Murray

Lisa Murray

Citizens Financial Group named Lisa Murray its Massachusetts president, succeeding Jerry Sargent, who will continue to oversee New England and upstate New York as Citizens’ Northeast Region executive. Murray, who has been at Citizens for 24 years, leads a team that provides strategic and financial advice to not-for-profit organizations and professional-services clients such as legal, accounting, and consulting firms. As Massachusetts president, she will represent Citizens in an official capacity across the Commonwealth and continue to report to Sargent. Murray has been working with the Pine Street Inn, the largest homeless-services provider in New England, for more than 20 years and is currently a member of its board of directors. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable and the Mass Taxpayers Forum, and is on the board of the Economic Development Advisory Committee in her hometown of Lexington. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.

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William Dziura

William Dziura

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM) announced the hiring of a new development director, William Dziura. He will work to plan and evaluate fundraising campaigns and activities; secure financial support from individuals, foundations, and corporations; and develop further relationships with the community. Dziura earned a bachelor’s degree in English and history from Elms College and a master’s degree in English literature from Trinity College. Most recently, he held the position of director of Annual Giving at the Elms, while simultaneously working as an adjunct professor. Prior to his career in fundraising, he worked as an eighth-grade English teacher at Mater Dolorosa School in Holyoke, and director of Student Engagement and Leadership at the Elms.

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Western New England University (WNE) College of Engineering Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Dr. Andrea Kwaczala has been named an Engineering Unleashed 2021 Fellow by the Kern Foundation. The honor recognizes faculty for their contribution to engineering education, specifically entrepreneurial engineering. This grant will support the Making with Purpose Workshop Series. These are monthly hands-on events running throughout this academic year. The workshop is intended to introduce students to the entrepreneurial mindset in an inclusive community within the makerspace facilities within the College of Engineering. Some activities align with Kwaczala’s research in assistive technology, such as building rapid prototypes of body-powered prosthetic devices and low-tech assistive technology to improve activities of daily living. Other activities are geared toward understanding a product’s marketspace and learning about manufacturing in scale-up, such as glowing LED pumpkins for Halloween decor and laser-cut jewelry to sell at the holidays. The projects are intended to promote technical skills and coach students to use a growth mindset. Engineering Unleashed is a community of 3,800 faculty members from 160 institutions of higher education, powered by KEEN, a 50-partner collaborative that shares a mission to graduate engineers with an entrepreneurial mindset who are equipped to create societal, personal, and economic value. The Engineering Unleashed faculty-development workshops are elements of KEEN’s multi-institutional activities. Kwaczala is one of 27 individuals from institutions of higher education across the country to receive this distinction.

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Country Bank President and CEO Paul Scully announced the appointment of four prominent business professionals to its board of trustees and four new corporators from local businesses within the communities it serves. Attorney Richard Maynard, owner of the Law Offices of Richard H. Maynard, P.C., and Elizabeth Rappaport, partner at Century Investment Co., both from Western Mass., have joined the board of trustees. New trustees from Central Mass. include Ross Dik, owner of Knight-Dik Insurance in Worcester, and Stacy Luster, general counsel and assistant to the president of Worcester State University, who will also serve as a corporator. Newly appointed corporators include Jennifer Cooke, director of Retirement Plans at CIG Private Wealth Management; Melissa Fales, Loan Program coordinator at Quaboag Community Development Corp.; William Trudeau, executive vice president and partner at HUB International LLC; and Kyriakos Konstantaki, co-founder and principal at Amcomm Wireless.

People on the Move
Lynn Gray

Lynn Gray

Holyoke Mall recently welcomed Lynn Gray back to the shopping center as its new general manager. She brings more than 25 years of experience in the shopping-center industry. She has held various roles over her combined tenure with Pyramid Management Group, including customer service representative, receptionist, Marketing assistant, assistant Marketing director, Marketing director, and, most recently, general manager of Hampshire Mall. In addition to her numerous years of experience with Pyramid Management Group, Gray held various roles over the span of 10 years with General Growth Properties, now Brookfield Properties, including director of Field Marketing for the East Region. Gray is a graduate of Holyoke Community College with an associate degree in business administration. A lifelong resident of Western Mass., she is actively involved with several community and nonprofit organizations. She serves as president of the board of directors for the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce and the board of directors for the Amherst Boys and Girls Club. She is also a CDH International Massachusetts ambassador and volunteers for CHERUBS, the support division of CDHi. Bill Rogalski, outgoing general manager of Holyoke Mall, retired on June 30 after 19 years in the position.

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Elizabeth Wambui

Elizabeth Wambui

Increasing diversity in the construction workforce is an important topic and has become a measure of each project’s success, just like schedule, budget, and safety. To that end, Fontaine Bros. Inc. has named Elizabeth Wambui to serve as the company’s director of Diversity, Inclusion & Impact. Wambui will play a critical role in leading the company’s projects and project teams to maximize opportunities for minority- and women-owned business enterprises as well as attracting a more diverse workforce. Fontaine Bros. will be partnering with unions, trade schools, and other community partners to more actively promote and provide opportunities for diverse and local residents. She will immediately step in and support Fontaine’s work across the Commonwealth, including the new $242 million Doherty Memorial High School project and the new $75 million DeBerry-Homer Elementary School in Springfield. Before joining Fontaine, Wambui served as director of Advancement at Nativity School of Worcester (a longtime Fontaine community partner). A graduate of North High School and the College of the Holy Cross, she is passionate about engaging with the community. She currently serves as a board member at the Bancroft School, Shine Initiative, Women in Development of Central Massachusetts, Worcester Historical Museum, and YWCA. She is also a Mechanics Hall Modern Mechanics Guild member, a Worcester Art Museum corporator, and has served as a Greater Worcester Community Foundation early childhood committee member and scholarship community reviewer. She was part of the Leadership Worcester class of 2016-17 and has been recognized in the Worcester Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty.

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Dr. Ann Errichetti

Dr. Ann Errichetti

Bay Path University announced that Dr. Ann Errichetti has been appointed associate provost and dean of the School of Education, Human and Health Services, and will begin her role on Aug. 23. Errichetti returned to New England in the summer of 2018 after successful careers in healthcare management and in cardiology. Most recently, she served as the chief operations and academic officer at Presence Health, a $2.6 billion Catholic health system in Chicago with 12 acute-care hospitals, more than 25 senior-living facilities, and 16,000 employees. She was a core member of the turnaround team that improved operating performance by $200 million and led to a successful acquisition by Ascension Health in 2018. Prior to joining Presence Health, Errichetti served as CEO of St. Peter’s Hospital and Albany Memorial Hospital in Albany, N.Y.; president of Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Ill.; and president of Advocate South Suburban in Hazel Crest, Ill. In addition to her role as president, she held the position of chief academic officer for Advocate Health Care, serving as the liaison between three medical-school affiliates and more than 600 medical residents and fellows. She was also an associate dean at Rosalind Franklin University, Chicago Medical School. Errichetti graduated from Fordham University, received her M.D. degree from Harvard Medical School, and earned an MBA from Clark University. Her husband, Dr. Mark Keroack, was a medical-school classmate and currently serves as president and CEO of Baystate Health in Springfield.

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Harmony Cross

Harmony Cross

Holyoke Community College has named Harmony Cross its first dean of Student Development, Engagement and Inclusion. This new position combines the responsibilities of two previous jobs at the college — dean of students and director of Retention and Student Success — with an increased emphasis on education equity. Before coming to HCC, Cross served as director of the New York State Education Department’s Higher Education Opportunity Program at Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, where she managed and developed holistic services and high-impact practices for students who might not have considered attending college because of their academic and economic backgrounds. Prior to that, she worked as program director for the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club in the Bronx and area coordinator for 15 coed residential facilities at Widener University in Chester, Pa. She has also taught college-level, first-year transition courses and leadership classes and coached students on conflict resolution and mediation techniques. Cross earned her master’s degree in educational leadership with a concentration in higher education at Temple University and holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from North Carolina Central University, where she was a Division I collegiate athlete in track and field. She is currently working on her Ed.D. in higher education administration at Bradley University.

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Tony Ieraci

Tony Ieraci

Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR Hand Dryer, has added a new director of Marketing to the team. A seasoned professional with 24 years of experience, Tony Ieraci will be responsible for helping Excel Dryer create and execute long-term marketing strategies that will help grow the brand. Ieraci has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in marketing from Western New England University. He has spent the last two decades working in marketing and communications for leading manufacturers like Scapa North America and Dymax Corp. Ieraci will now head up the marketing team at Excel Dryer to develop and implement effective global communication plans that advance the company’s business goals and objectives.

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Adam Baldwin

Adam Baldwin

Arrha Credit Union announced the Adam Baldwin has been named Springfield branch manager. Baldwin has more than seven years of banking experience and been recognized throughout his banking-industry career as a rising star with superior service awards. He is also a Rotarian with the Springfield Rotary Club. “I am excited to be part of the Arrha Credit Union family and serving the Springfield community and its members,” Baldwin said. “I look forward to providing caring service, offering rewarding membership benefits to existing and new members, and growing these relationships.”

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Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed Dr. Lisa Harty as an associate in the firm’s litigation and professional malpractice groups. Harty earned a bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College in 2001, an M.D. degree from St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine in 2009, and a juris doctor degree from Western New England University School of Law in 2020. “As an attorney who has earned degrees in both medicine and law, Lisa brings a unique perspective to our healthcare and medical professional clients,” said Mike Burke, chair of Bulkley Richardson’s professional malpractice group. “She will add tremendous value to our team.”

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Sharale Mathis

Sharale Mathis

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Sharale Mathis as its vice president of Academic and Student Affairs. Mathis was most recently the dean of Academic and Student Affairs at Middlesex Community College in Connecticut, where she was previously a tenured professor of Biology, course coordinator, department chair, and STEM Division director. At Middlesex, she taught both lab and non-lab science classes on campus, online, and in hybrid formats. She was an early adopter of open educational resources, utilizing online resources for supplemental instruction, designating that course as no cost to students. Mathis earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Eastern Connecticut State University, a master’s degree in biomedical sciences from Quinnipiac University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Hartford.

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The Hitchcock Center for the Environment announced William “Billy” Spitzer as its new executive director. He brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership experience in the areas of science education, climate communication, and network building along with a vast network of national and international connections. Spitzer will be influential in the continued growth and impact that the center has seen in recent years as it continues on its mission to educate and inspire action for a healthy planet. Spitzer comes to the center as the former vice president for Learning and Community at the New England Aquarium, where he was responsible for applying learning and social-science research across education programs, exhibits, visitor experience, and community outreach for more than 20 years. Working with organizations such as the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network, and North American Assoc. for Environmental Education, he has been involved in many successful collaborative projects with a focus on environmental education and awareness along with the promotion of public engagement in climate change. In 2014, Spitzer was recognized by the White House as a Champion of Change for Engaging the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders. In 2016, he received a Visionary Award from the Gulf of Maine Council for innovation, creativity, and commitment to marine protection. He holds a Ph.D. in oceanography from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

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Matthew Sosik

Matthew Sosik

Matthew Sosik was recently elected to the 20-member board of directors of the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc., the only association representing FDIC-insured community, regional, and nationwide banks serving consumer and business clients across the Commonwealth. Sosik is the CEO of Hometown Financial Group Inc., a $3.4 billion mutual multi-bank holding company based in Easthampton. He also serves as president and CEO of bankESB, a subsidiary of Hometown Financial Group. Sosik joined Hometown Bank, now bankHometown, in 1996 after five years as a bank examiner with the FDIC. In 2013, he became the president and CEO at bankESB and began to build Hometown Financial Group through a combination of organic growth strategies and merger-and-acquisition transactions. He is also a board member for the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, whose mission is to work with communities to create innovative policy and financing solutions that provide affordable homes and better lives for the people of Massachusetts. He also serves on the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council and is a member of the board of directors of COCC Inc., a technology company headquartered in Southington, Conn., that serves the financial industry.

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Daniel Burger

Daniel Burger

Christina Gonzalez

Christina Gonzalez

Daniel Burger has joined OMG Roofing Products as a product engineer for the company’s solar business. In his newly created position, Burger is responsible for creating and managing technical support for rooftop solar and pipe-support products, including product design, testing, and voice-of-customer feedback. He will also support product-certification efforts with the International Code Council, Factory Mutual Global, and others, as well as support application engineering at engineering, procurement, and construction firms. Burger brings solid environmental-related engineering experience to OMG. For the past few years, he was with the Dennis Group as a site civil engineer. He holds an engineering degree from the University of Hartford. Meanwhile, OMG Roofing Products also announced it has hired Christina Gonzalez as a product manager. She is responsible for developing sales and marketing opportunities for new and existing OMG discretionary products throughout the company’s extensive network of independent roofing distributors across the U.S. For the past four years, Gonzalez has been an associate product manager with the FastenMaster Division of OMG Inc., where she led cross-functional teams to help commercialize several new products annually. Earlier, she was in a management-training program with Sherwin Williams. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Eastern Connecticut State University.

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East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed Grace Barone as its executive director. Barone is an experienced business-development leader in senior living as well as a past small business owner of a successful bridal boutique for 17 years. She said she is always struck by the power of community and what can be achieved when working together, and she looks forward to unlocking opportunities to bring people together, share ideas, and learn from one another to promote business environments that foster economic growth. The chamber serves the communities of East Longmeadow, Hampden, Longmeadow, Ludlow, and Wilbraham.

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Country Bank recently announced the recipients of the 2020 President’s Platinum Award. The bank’s recognition program, CB Shines, encourages staff members to be on the lookout for co-workers who embody the bank’s corporate values of integrity, service, teamwork, excellence, and prosperity. Within this program, an employee can receive different levels of recognition: Silver Spotlight (awarded anytime), Gold Star (awarded quarterly), and President’s Platinum (awarded annually). The 2020 President’s Platinum award was presented to both Dianna Lussier, Risk Management officer, and Nicholas Thompson, assistant manager, Customer Care Center.

People on the Move
Shannon McCarty

Shannon McCarty

Bay Path University announced that Shannon McCarty will join the university as vice president for Academic Affairs, effective July 12. Her appointment comes after a comprehensive nationwide search led by the firm Academic Search and supported by a 12-member faculty and staff cross-functional search committee. McCarty comes to Bay Path from National University in La Jolla, Calif., where she serves as vice president, Teaching and Learning, and associate vice president for the Center of Innovation. Prior to that, she held several positions of increasing responsibility over 10 years at Rio Salado College in Tempe, Ariz., from residential faculty, Biology, to faculty chair, Physical Science Department, to her last appointment as dean of Instruction and Academic Affairs. As vice president for Academic Affairs, McCarty will be responsible for creating a shared vision that fosters innovation in an environment of collegiality and cooperation; developing a sustainable business and educational model that strengthens the fiscal health of the institution, building on existing assets in response to changes in the macro-environment; championing diversity equity and inclusion at the policy and curricular level to create a welcoming environment for all students, faculty, and staff; and ensuring alignment of curricular content and modalities with student and workforce needs. McCarty earned her Ph.D. in professional studies from Capella University, her master of education degree in educational leadership from Arizona State University, and her bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Arizona.

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Shai Butler

Shai Butler

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) named an interim vice president of Advancement and External Affairs, a leadership position that oversees institution-sustaining efforts, engagement writ large, and strategic communication. Shai Butler, who starts June 7, will work closely with STCC President John Cook to support the college’s mission. In this role, Butler will carry a portfolio that includes fundraising, governmental relations, strategic marketing, branding, and communication. The role also ensures deep connections with the STCC Foundation, and Butler carries the dual title of executive director of the STCC Foundation. Butler most recently served as vice president for Student Development at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y. Butler led the creation of the division of Student Development at the College of Saint Rose, where she had worked in various leadership roles since 2007. For many years, she served as the chief diversity officer. She began her career in higher education at the University at Albany – State University of New York, where she worked for over a decade, and where she previously earned a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in educational administration and policy studies. In 2014, she earned a doctoral degree in law and policy at Northeastern University in Boston. A speaker, writer, and influencer on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as women’s leadership, mentorship, sponsorship, and professional development, Butler is an executive contributor for higheredjobs.com. In addition, her research on educational access for low-income students opened the door for her to join 60 educators at a 2014 White House conference on increasing the number of youth and traditional college-aged students of color majoring in STEM fields.

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Julie Quink

Julie Quink

The Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA) announced that Julie Quink, CPA, CFE, was elected to the board of directors for its 2021-22 fiscal year. Quink is managing principal at Burkhart, Pizzanelli, P.C., where she is responsible for attestation practices, including performing and supervising engagements. The MSCPA board of directors is a group of 19 elected members that sets policies, manages programs, and oversees activities that benefit the 11,000-member organization and accounting profession in Massachusetts. With more than 30 years of experience in public accounting and three years of private, corporate accounting experience, Quink performs and consults on fraud and forensic engagements. In addition, she is involved in the accounting and consulting aspects of the practice and manages engagements of various sizes and complexity. She also performs services relative to forensic and fraud-related engagements.

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The Applied Mortgage team announced that Branch Manager Lindsay Barron LaBonte has been recognized as the number-one loan originator at a mortgage company in Western Mass., for both the number of units and volume of loans funded for 2020. The May 24 special section of the Warren Group’s Banker & Tradesman magazine features the top Massachusetts loan originators of 2020. The list of rankings is pulled from the National Mortgage Licensing System public records for Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. Barron LaBonte and her team at Applied Mortgage have been ranked as the top loan originator at a mortgage company for both 2019 and 2020. “I am incredibly thankful for both the continuous community support throughout the years and also the committed work of my team here in Northampton and at HarborOne Mortgage,” she said. “We are proud to carry on the Applied Mortgage legacy as a second-generation, family-managed branch which continues to serve the home-ownership needs of our Western Mass. community.”

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Samuel Ortiz

Samuel Ortiz

Country Bank announced that Samuel Ortiz has joined its Commercial Lending division. A 40-year veteran of the commercial-lending industry, Ortiz is an experienced business-development leader serving Western and Central Mass. He earned an associate degree in business administration from Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and has attended various banking and financial programs throughout his career, including the School of Finance and Management at Fairfield University. He is also a Certified Internal Auditor. Prior to joining Country Bank, Ortiz worked for Common Capital, where he was responsible for all aspects of business-loan operations. He also owned his own consulting firm, where he provided small-business loan underwriting, as a consultant, to the Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund in Greenfield.

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Visiting Angels of West Springfield announced that Alissia Prefontaine was named Caregiver of the Month for March. She has been with Visiting Angels since November 2015 and has had more than 30 clients in that time. As the agency notes, “Ali specializes in committing to many small cases, meaning that she must form a personal bond with a wide number of clients and quickly adjust to each individual situation. She is always willing to help pick up shifts and new clients; as a result, she has dealt with a wide variety of situations and always knows exactly what to do in order to best assist her client. Whether caring for clients with dementia, on hospice care, or simply providing companionship, Ali is warmhearted and caring. For example, Ali once had a client she was very attached to. When this individual unfortunately passed away, Ali was there to support the husband as well as each and every grieving family member.”

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Sara Ugalde

Sara Ugalde

Following a national search, Wilbraham & Monson Academy (WMA) named former prep and collegiate standout Sara Ugalde head coach of its inaugural girls’ ice hockey team. Ugalde will take the helm of the program beginning July 1. A hockey MVP as a player at Westminster School, Ugalde helped lead Middlebury College to NESCAC championships in 2011 and 2012. Her experience with collegiate hockey coaching includes assistant women’s ice hockey coach at Trinity College, Williams College, and Colby College. She was director and coach of the Connecticut Junior Rangers and assistant coach for the NWHL Connecticut Whale, and has helped run multiple hockey camps throughout the country.

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Bulkley Richardson has enhanced the firm’s summer associate program, welcoming four law students this summer. Briana Dawkins is currently attending Western New England University School of Law and earned a bachelor’s degree from Curry College, summa cum laude, in 2018. She was an intern at the U.S. Department of Labor and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. Sean Buxton is currently attending Western New England University School of Law. He is a 2019 graduate of Princeton University, cum laude, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He was an intern at the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office and for Judge Alberto Rivas in the Superior Court of New Jersey. Shriti Shah is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law. She received a master of management studies degree in 2017 from K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, and a bachelor of commerce degree in 2004 from SIES College of Arts, Science and Commerce, both affiliated with the University of Mumbai. Jacob Kosakowski is currently attending Suffolk University School of Law. He is a 2018 graduate of UMass Amherst, summa cum laude, and served as an intern for Chief Justice Paul Dawley and the Child Abuse Unit of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. Summer associates are introduced to the inner workings of a law firm, receive mentorship from lawyers ranging from firm leaders and retired judges to junior associates, and are exposed to real-life legal matters. All of this year’s summer associates anticipate a spring 2022 graduation from law school.

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American International College (AIC) announced it has promoted Nicolle Cestero, Matthew Scott, Jessica Chapin, and Michael Eriquezzo, and welcomed Velmer Burton Jr., Jennifer McDonough, and Louis Izzi Jr. to its leadership team.

Nicolle Cestero

Nicolle Cestero

• Cestero has been promoted to chief operating officer, executive vice president, and retains her title as chief of staff. Among the responsibilities in her newly expanded position, Cestero will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the college, while continuing to serve as advisor to the president, playing an integral role in implementing AIC’s strategic plan. Cestero will oversee the college’s legal matters and support presidential and institutional initiatives. She serves on the president’s cabinet and all individual board committees. Additionally, she will play a key role, in collaboration with the board of trustees, in the nationwide search for retiring President Vince Maniaci’s successor.

Matthew Scott

Matthew Scott

• Scott has been serving as vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students since July 2020. He will add Title IX coordinator to his area of responsibilities. With that addition, he will be the designated official from AIC with primary responsibility for coordinating compliance with Title IX, including providing leadership for Title IX activities; consultation, education, and training; and helping to ensure that the institution responds appropriately, effectively, and equitably to Title IX issues. As vice president and dean of students, Scott oversees the Division of Student Affairs, which includes Student Life, the Saremi Center for Career Development, and Dexter Health and Counseling Services.

Jessica Chapin

Jessica Chapin

• Chapin has been promoted to director of Athletics and will oversee all aspects of AIC athletic programs. Chapin joined AIC in 2014 as the compliance coordinator. Among her duties, she is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the athletics department, including oversight of compliance with ensuring NCAA Division I and Division II rules and bylaws, retention, financial aid, and new-student recruitment, collaborating with offices across campus. She is the Title IX deputy coordinator for Athletics. In 2017, Chapin was appointed to a four-year term with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Management Council.

Michael Eriquezzo

Michael Eriquezzo

• Eriquezzo has been promoted to director of Marketing and Communications. He will have oversight of all aspects of institutional digital and traditional marketing, web, and public-relations functions for the college, including the semi-annual Lucent magazine with a circulation to more than 30,000 alumni. Eriquezzo came to AIC as the art director and senior designer in 2017 from Go Graphix in East Longmeadow, where he served as project manager and creative lead, and the Children’s Study Home, where he was the external communications manager.

Velmer Burton Jr.

Velmer Burton Jr.

• Burton joins AIC as executive vice president for Academic Affairs. As part of his responsibilities, he will advance the academic priorities and goals of the college in a fiscally responsible manner, balancing expenses and revenues and managing growth, with an emphasis on new and enhanced programming, student learning, and quality of instruction in a student-centered, culturally diverse, and inclusive environment. He will oversee undergraduate and graduate degree programs in AIC’s School of Business, Arts and Sciences; School of Education; and School of Health Sciences. He comes to AIC from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he served as senior vice chancellor of University Strategy and Performance and professor of Criminal Justice.

• McDonough joins AIC as vice president for Institutional Advancement. She brings nearly 40 years of experience in the advancement profession, incorporating institutional leadership positions and philanthropic consulting services focusing on campaigns and ongoing development, as well as alumni-engagement program planning, implementation, and assessment; talent development; and leader and partner involvement. As a former executive associate with Bentz Whaley Flessner, a national and international fundraising consulting and services company, McDonough served an extensive number of diverse private and public higher-education institutions across the country, including AIC.

Louis Izzi Jr.

Louis Izzi Jr.

• Izzi will lead the Yellow Jackets as the vice president for Athletics. He joins AIC from the University of Bridgeport (Conn.), where he served as vice president for Athletics and Enrollment Management since 2019. While at Bridgeport, Izzi was responsible for the strategic planning, leadership, development, and operational and personnel management of the university’s NCAA Division II athletics program, providing management oversight and direction of all operations and strategies related to undergraduate, graduate, domestic, international, and online recruiting efforts. Additionally, he worked closely with the university’s Office of Institutional Advancement to cultivate and steward gifts for the Athletics department.

 

People on the Move
Thomas Downey

Thomas Downey

Peter Moran

Michael Cardaropoli

Michael Cardaropoli

The law firm of Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan and Blakesley announced that attorneys Thomas Downey, Peter Moran, and Michael Cardaropoli have been made partners in the firm. Downey is a graduate of Norwich University. He holds both an MBA and a juris doctor degree from Western New England College. He is admitted to practice law in the state courts of Massachusetts and before the Social Security Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents. He has been with the firm since 2003. Moran obtained his bachelor’s degree at Boston College and his juris doctor degree at Boston University School of Law. For more than 30 years, he has focused his area of practice on workers’ compensation law, and has been with the firm since 2005. Cardaropoli joined the firm in 2008, concentrating his practice in workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, and personal-injury litigation. He received his bachelor’s degree in business from American International College and his juris doctor degree from Western New England University. He is the vice chair of the MBA Workers’ Compensation Committee.

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Lisa Carpenter

Lisa Carpenter

Bacon Wilson announced that Lisa Carpenter has joined the firm as the new executive director. She comes to Bacon Wilson with more than 20 years of experience in legal administration and management in the Kansas City area, with specialized skills and expertise in law-firm management and operations. She works directly with Bacon Wilson’s managing shareholder, Kenneth Albano, on all aspects of directing the firm’s five offices. Before joining Bacon Wilson, Carpenter served as office administrator for Littler Mendelson P.C.’s Global Service Center in Kansas City, Mo., as well as its Kansas City local practice office. Prior to that, Carpenter worked for 14 years in operations management at the Kansas City headquarters of Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP, a large international product litigation firm with more than 16 locations. Carpenter holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Friends University and is a member of the Assoc. of Legal Administrators (ALA), where she has published multiple articles.

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Dr. David Brown

Dr. David Brown

Dr. David Brown has begun serving as the interim president and CEO at Cooley Dickinson Health Care. Brown steps in to lead the organization after Joanne Marqusee announced her resignation in January following seven years of service to Cooley Dickinson. Brown, chief of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), will serve in an interim capacity while a search is conducted for a permanent president and CEO. Brown will continue to oversee the MGH Department of Emergency Medicine as well as maintain his major administrative and committee roles at both MGH and Mass General Brigham. After receiving his undergraduate degree at Princeton and then his medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1989, Brown began his career in emergency medicine as an intern at MGH, later becoming vice chair, then department chair. He is the MGH trustees professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a diplomate of both the American Board of Emergency Medicine and the American Board of Internal Medicine, and a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. He has also served for many years as the physician for the New England Patriots.

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Jeremy Forgue

Jeremy Forgue

Jonathan Applefield

Jonathan Applefield

Tracy Belanger

Tracy Belanger

Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. recently welcomed attorney Jeremy Forgue and two paralegals, Jonathan Applefield and Tracy Belanger, to its team. Forgue received his law degree from Western New England University School of Law, where he was drawn to business and employment law and was the managing editor of the university’s Law Review. Prior to joining Skoler Abbott, he was a law clerk for the Massachusetts Housing Court. He enjoys preparing employers for new and changing laws to prevent compliance issues, such as reviewing existing policies for vulnerabilities and assisting in open-forum discussions. As a paralegal, Applefield provides broad administrative support to the attorneys and their clients. Before joining the firm, he worked for 16 years as a legal assistant in Manhattan, a job he held while earning graduate and postgraduate degrees in art history at Columbia University. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College in Maine. Belanger, also a paralegal, earned her associate degree in administration of justice and a certificate of achievement with an emphasis on the law and public policy at Pasadena City College in California, where she was a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society. She then pursued her bachelor’s degree in criminology, law and society from the School of Social Ecology at the University of California Irvine, followed by completion of an ABA-accredited paralegal studies program and an externship at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

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Morgan Stanley announced that John Pappas, a senior vice president and financial advisor in its Wealth Management office in Springfield, has been named to the firm’s prestigious Century Club, an elite group composed of the firm’s top financial advisors. The appointment recognizes his consistent creativity and excellence in providing a wide range of investment products and wealth-management services to his clients. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides access to a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses, and institutions, including brokerage and investment advisory services, financial and wealth planning, cash management and lending products and services, annuities and insurance, and retirement and trust services.

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Paul Shepardson

Paul Shepardson

Monson Savings Bank announced the promotion of Paul Shepardson to digital systems officer. In that role, he is responsible for overseeing Monson Savings Bank’s electronic banking services and support. Additionally, he is responsible for staying up to date on cutting-edge and convenient digital banking options that could be offered to the bank’s customers. Shepardson began his career in the banking industry with Monson Savings Bank 10 years ago. He initially worked as a customer service associate before being promoted to customer service representative. He later became the bank’s first business banking administrator and e-banking specialist. Since then, he has excelled in the electronic-banking department. He is a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies.

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Kim Alli

Kim Alli

Andrew Bresciano

Andrew Bresciano

Tina Flagg

Tina Flagg

Panna Royal

Aleta Smith

Aleta Smith

Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) announced the promotions of Kim Alli to vice president and commercial loan officer, Andrew Bresciano to first vice president and commercial loan officer, Tina Flagg to assistant vice president and commercial loan administration manager, Panna Royal to vice president and senior network administrator, and Aleta Smith to commercial lending assistant. Alli is responsible for meeting with local business customers to determine their financial needs and helping them with a wide range of commercial-loan products and services. Her position also includes developing new strategic relationships for business development, as well as establishing commercial account relationships with area small businesses and serving as an ambassador for the bank with the community. She is a member of the GSB PPP loan task force and the bank’s contributions committee. Bresciano is responsible for working with local business customers to assist them with their credit needs, including commercial credit lines, commercial real estate and development loans, operational and equipment loans, and inventory loans. Last year, he was appointed to the leadership team managing the bank’s PPP loan task force. Flagg is responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the loan assistants and loan-servicing specialists in the bank’s Commercial Loan department to ensure quality customer service. In addition to monitoring the department workflow, she performs a broad variety of duties related to the documentation, regulatory-compliance requirements, and servicing of commercial loans throughout their life cycle and provides customer service and administrative support to commercial-loan customers and lenders. She is also a member of

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield-based law firm Egan, Flanagan & Cohen, P.C. announced that it has promoted Attorney Katie Manzi McDonough to partner.

McDonough’s law practice includes estate and business planning, non- profit governance, trust and probate administration, and general corporate law. She worke with a wide range of clients including non-profit boards, family-owned businesses, and families whom she can help through the estate planning and probate process.

She began her career first as an analyst for J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. in New York and then as transactional lawyer for Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, LLP, a Wall Street law firm routinely ranked among the best firms internationally.

“Katie’s client service is extremely dedicated and thorough,” said Attorney Paula C. Tredeau, head of the firm’s Estate Planning and Probate practice.

McDonough joined Egan Flanagan & Cohen in 2017. She brings experience in navigating complex organizations and transactions to our community. “When Katie returned to Western Mass. with her young and growing family, we were excited at the prospect of adding her to our team,” said attorney Maurice Cahillane, managing partner of Egan, Flanagan & Cohen. “Katie’s hiring and promotion proves EFC’s ability to attract, recruit, and retain world- class, locally grown talent.”

McDonough attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester and Seton Hall University School of Law, graduating magna cum laude from each. She is a graduate of Longmeadow High School, and now resides in Longmeadow with her husband, Michael, and their two sons.

McDonough was recently elected to serve on the board of directors of the Hampden County Bar Association. She is an active member of the Holy Cross Club of the Pioneer Valley, the St. Thomas More Society, and St. Mary’s Parish in Longmeadow. 

People on the Move
Michele Cabral

Michele Cabral

Michele Cabral, a former accounting professor and interim dean of Business and Technology at Holyoke Community College, has been appointed the new director of Training & Workforce Options, a workforce-development partnership between HCC and Springfield Technical Community College. Cabral succeeds Jeffrey Hayden, who maintains his position as HCC’s vice president of Business and Community Services. As director of TWO, she will also continue in her position as director of the Massachusetts Casino Career Training Institute (MCCTI), the gaming school HCC runs jointly with STCC and MGM Springfield at 95 State St. in Springfield. Before being named director of MCCTI last fall, Cabral served as interim dean of Business and Technology at HCC, where she was a member of the project team that helped bring the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute to life. Cabral holds a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State University and an MBA from Elms College. She joined the faculty of HCC in 2014 as a full-time professor of accounting.

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Kevin Bramlett

Kevin Bramlett

Adam Cincotta

Adam Cincotta

As part of the previously announced organizational change to position the company for future growth, OMG Inc. promoted Kevin Bramlett and Adam Cincotta into new business-unit leadership positions for the Roofing Products Division. Each will oversee all facets of their respective business unit, including strategic sales and marketing activities, planning, forecasting, and manufacturing, as well as business-unit profit and loss. Bramlett was named director of the metal accessories business unit, which is predominantly OMG EdgeSystems, the company’s line of fascia, coping, and water-control products. Bramlett has been with the company since July 2012, most recently as the manufacturing manager for the OMG edge business. Before joining OMG, he was a mechanical engineer with Thermo-Fisher Scientific. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Cincotta was named director of the adhesives/solar business unit, which includes OlyBond Adhesives, the industry’s popular line of insulation and fleece membrane adhesive, as well as its OMG PowerGrip line of solar anchors. He joined OMG Roofing Products as a product manager in 2014, and was promoted to group product manager in 2017. Before joining OMG, he was with Lenox Tools/Newell Rubbermaid, where he worked as a senior product manager. He holds a bachelor’s degree in applied economics and management from Cornell University and an MBA from UMass.

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Kelly Marcroft

Kelly Marcroft

Kelly Marcroft, Holyoke Medical Center’s director of Emergency Services, has been selected to join an expert panel to improve patient safety in emergency medicine. The panel was convened by the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety, a Massachusetts state agency that catalyzes the efforts of providers, patients, and policymakers working together to advance the safety and quality of healthcare. The goal of this expert panel is to develop, aggregate, and disseminate practical recommendations and tools to support the efforts of Massachusetts acute-care hospitals to advance the safe delivery of emergency care in their facilities. The panel will deliberate on and endorse a set of core safety competencies that all Massachusetts emergency departments should foster, as well as create a set of best-practice standards, tools, and resources to share throughout the greater emergency-medicine community in Massachusetts. The expert panel consists of nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and doctors from several hospitals throughout the state, including Baystate Health, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Lowell General Hospital, Sturdy Memorial Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, and UMass Memorial Medical Center. The group first met on June 26 in Boston and will continue to meet monthly over the next year.

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Angela Barahona

Angela Barahona

Country Bank announced that Angela Barahona has joined its Commercial Banking division as vice president of Business Development and Cash Management. She brings 17 years of experience in the industry, having held various positions over the years in customer service, management, municipal and government banking, business development, and corporate cash management. She is currently working toward her associate degree from the New England College of Business and Finance with a concentration in business adminstration. Barahona began her financial-services career at Country Bank in 2001 in its retail banking area. A relocation in 2006 to the eastern part of Massachusetts brought her to State Street Bank Corp. in its wire division and later to Century Bank. For the last 13 years at Century, she held various positions working her way through the ranks, where she found her passion in helping business customers.

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Clare Lamontagne

Clare Lamontagne

Holyoke Community College recently welcomed Clare Lamontagne as its new dean of Health Sciences. Lamontagne, a registered nurse who holds a Ph.D. in nursing, brings 40 years of experience to HCC as a nursing educator, administrator, clinician, and consultant. For the past seven years, she has been a member of the full-time nursing faculty at UMass Amherst, having also served there as director of the undergraduate nursing program. She began her career in 1978 as a charge nurse at Ludlow Hospital after earning her associate degree in nursing from Springfield Technical Community College, where she worked as a member of the nursing faculty from 1988 to 2011. Lamontagne holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from American International College, a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Connecticut, and a Ph.D. in nursing from UMass Amherst. She has also worked as a nurse at Baystate Medical Center and as a volunteer at the Pioneer Valley Free Health Clinic in East Longmeadow, and has taught in the nursing programs at UConn, Elms College, and Baystate Health.

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Alta Stark has been named director of Communications for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield. She is responsible for developing, writing, and producing various printed and electronic publications, providing printed materials and signs, publicity for events, advertising, and technical support. She will also work to cultivate and maintain relationships with local, regional, and national media, as well as Catholic media, and produce content for the Sisters of St. Joseph social-media sites. Stark is a communications professional with more than 30 years of experience in marketing, advertising, public relations, and the news media. Most recently, she taught graduate-level online courses in public relations for Western New England University. Previously, she served as the director of Marketing & Public Relations for JGS Lifecare in Longmeadow, successfully rebranding the 106-year organization and helping launch the Sosin Center for Rehabilitation. Stark has also served as senior Communications specialist for Baystate Health and Communications director for the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (now the Springfield Regional Chamber) and the Western Mass. Economic Development Council. She also spent nearly a decade producing award-winning broadcast news in several markets in the Northeast, including WWLP 22News. Stark holds a master’s degree in television, radio, and film with a concentration in broadcast news from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, and graduated cum laude from Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts with a bachelor’s degree in advertising design.

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Claudia Pazmany

Claudia Pazmany

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County (BBBSHC), a program of CHD, announced the appointment of Claudia Pazmany as its new advisory board president. Pazmany, the new executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, joined BBBSHC as an advisory board member in May 2016. She served on the development committee and led the efforts to celebrate outgoing Executive Director Renee Moss, while simultaneously serving on the search committee to hire her replacement, current Executive Director Jessie Cooley. “Claudia’s successful 17-year history in professional fundraising has made her a true steward of her craft in philanthropy, and this is part of what drew her to us,” said Cooley. “Claudia is also passionate about the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters, with contagious enthusiasm and innovative ideas, and she will help lead us into the next phase of our program’s growth.”

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Krish Thiagarajan, an expert on marine renewable energy and energy-producing offshore structures, has been appointed to the endowed chair in Renewable Energy in the UMass Amherst College of Engineering. Thiagarajan will collaborate with state Department of Energy Resources staff on renewable-energy research and projects. His studies focus on harvesting energy from waves in marine environments, and his expertise will broaden and strengthen the research program in renewable energy at UMass Amherst, which has long been a national leader in wind energy. Thiagarajan came to UMass Amherst last spring after serving six years as the presidential chair in Energy at the University of Maine, where his research attracted more than $22 million in funding. At Maine, he also led the Marine Ocean and Offshore Research (MOOR) Group, which studied how human-made structures interact with the complex ocean environment. Thiagarajan completed his bachelor’s degree in naval architecture at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras. He earned a master’s degree in ocean engineering at Memorial University of Newfoundland before pursuing further graduate studies at the University of Michigan, where he was awarded master’s degrees in mechanical engineering, and naval architecture and marine engineering, as well as a Ph.D. in naval architecture and marine engineering.

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Mika Nash has joined American International College (AIC) as executive vice president for Academic Affairs. She comes to AIC from Champlain College in Vermont, where she served as dean of Continuing Professional Studies. Nash has more than 20 years of experience in the field of higher education, with the majority of her career spent in senior leadership. In her most recent role, she was tasked with the development and administration of all academic and operational responsibilities associated with running the Continuing Professional Studies academic unit with management oversight for all curricula, academic programs, academic policies, articulation agreements, eLearning, faculty recruiting, training and development, and building student, family, and academic support services. A particular area of interest and scholarship for Nash continues to be technology innovation to expand the student experience and engagement in course content. Prior to joining Champlain College in 2007, Nash served as dean for the School of Hospitality and Restaurant Management at the New England Culinary Institute. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Vermont. She has a doctorate in higher educational leadership and policy studies.

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Scott Higgins

Scott Higgins

Erin Wilde

Erin Wilde

HUB International New England, LLC, a division of HUB International Limited, a global insurance brokerage, recently announced that Scott Higgins joined the agency as an account executive for Commercial Lines, and Erin Wilde has come on board as a client relationship manager. Both will work in the East Longmeadow office. Higgins will be responsible for servicing medium- to large-sized businesses with a focus on property and casualty products. Having first started his career as a collision repair manager with GM for more than 20 years, he has a vast background in providing settlements for collision repairs. From there, he held various positions with MetLife and MetLife Financial. Wilde will work closely with the HUB New England Employee Benefits team to service existing clients with marketing, benefits communications, regulatory requirements, cost-saving measures, and enrollment, as well as assisting with new prospects. Having worked in the employee-benefits field, including stops at Bank of Tampa and Sullivan Benefits, she has a background servicing nonprofits.

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Springfield Technical Community College announced that Erica Eynouf was named dean of Library, Matthew Gravel was named dean of Academic Initiatives, and Inder Singh was named assistant vice president/chief Information officer. Eynouf joined the college in September 2012 as a reference library, and had served as interim dean of Library Services since August 2017. She holds a master’s degree in library science from Simmons College in Boston. She received her bachelor’s degree in critical social theory from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley. Gravel was most recently dean of Enrollment Management. He joined STCC in August 2001 as the director of Academic Advising, became registrar in March 2005, and was promoted to dean of Curriculum in January 2012. Among his job responsibilities, he will plan and manage academic initiatives and program review efforts. He earned a master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a bachelor’s degree in English from UMass Dartmouth. Singh had served as interim AVP/CIO since January. Previously, he served as CIO at Union County College in New Jersey and worked in IT leadership positions for 28 years at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He holds an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., and earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Delhi University, India.

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Kathleen Anderson

Kathleen Anderson

Holyoke Medical Center announced the appointment of Kathleen Anderson as the hospital’s director of Community Benefits. She begins her new role on Aug. 27, providing programs and services to improve health in communities and helping to increase access to healthcare. She will succeed Helen Arnold following her retirement after a 42-year career with Holyoke Medical Center. Anderson most recently served as president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and its affiliated Centennial Foundation. Prior to that, she served as Holyoke’s Planning and Economic Development director, as well as chief of staff for two Holyoke mayors. She serves on the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development’s Economic Assistance Coordinating Council, and chairs both the Holyoke Salvation Army and Economic Development Partners of the Western Mass. Economic Development Council.

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The duMONT Co. and Hassay Savage Co. announced the promotion of Cynthia Cote to president of both companies. Cote joined duMONT with new ownership in 2016 as the company’s chief financial officer. Both duMONT and Hassay Savage companies are leaders in linear industrial broaching technology. In 2018, the companies will break ground on a new manufacturing facility to prepare for additional growth through research and development as well as acquisition. In addition to her accomplishments in manufacturing, Cote and her husband own and run a construction company and a real-estate management company in Shelburne Falls.

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HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts recently named Kathy Casagrande as director of Case Management and Mary-Anne Schelb as Business Development director. These leadership-team members will support initiatives to uphold high-quality patient care at the 53-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital located at 222 State St., Ludlow. Casagrande has been a social worker and case manager in a hospital setting for more than 30 years. She received her bachelor’s degree in social work from Western New England College in 1985 and began her career at HealthSouth Western Massachusetts in March 1996 in the capacity of discharge planner. She was promoted to case manager in 1997. Schelb serves as director of Marketing Operations at HealthSouth Western Massachusetts. She began her career with an accounting certification from St. John’s School of Business and found herself drawn to a more health- and wellness-based path as a holistic health practitioner holding master/teacher certifications from the International Center for Reiki Training. In addition, she is a certified cranial sacral therapist in Profound Neutral from the Neurovascular Institute.

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Zoar Outdoor recently trained five new guides to lead its canopy-tour experience in a 40-hour process that covered topics from safety to assessing the guest’s state of mind. All five guide candidates aced written exams and technical drills on June 15, the last day of the training. Hired for the remainder of the season, which ends in November, were Brian Schempf, Matt Drazek, Haley Rode, Abby Schlinger, and Tynan Hewes. All of the trainees had previous experience riding a zipline, and they all also had outdoor experience ranging from hiking to mountain climbing. Zoar currently has 43 guides for its zipline canopy tour, which was the first zip tour in southern New England.