People on the Move
Brett Brbovic
MountainOne announced the appointment of Brett Brbovic as senior vice president and chief financial officer of MountainOne Financial, MHC and its subsidiary, MountainOne Bank. Brbovic will join the leadership team operating from the company’s headquarters in North Adams. In his capacity as chief financial officer, Brbovic oversees MountainOne’s financial strategy, operational efficiency, and balance sheet risk management. Reporting directly to President and CEO Robert Fraser, he works closely with other senior leaders to align financial and operational goals with the organization’s strategic vision. Brbovic joins MountainOne with more than 18 years of experience in the financial services industry. A graduate of Western New England University with a master’s degree in accounting, his career spans leadership roles in accounting, financial strategy, and executive management, most recently serving as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Berkshire Bank and its parent company, Berkshire Hills Bancorp. He succeeds Steve Owens, who announced his retirement from MountainOne following a 14-year tenure as chief financial officer, chief operating officer, and chief information officer.
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Michael Deere
Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced that attorney Michael Deere has joined the firm as an associate. Deere, who officially began on Sept. 8, will support the firm’s work across estate planning, bankruptcy, and probate litigation, with an anticipated long-term focus in trusts and estates. Deere brings a distinctive professional background shaped by nearly 20 years in academia. Prior to entering the legal field, he served as an associate professor of philosophy at Salem State University, where he spent 18 years teaching, researching, and directing curriculum, including 10 years as director of Bioethics Programming and three years as department chair. His scholarship and presentations have been featured nationally and internationally, including invited talks in Italy, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. During his tenure, Deere taught courses in ethics, existentialism, philosophy of art, logic, writing at all levels, and critical reasoning. He later designed and taught courses in legal reasoning, legal writing, and analytical thinking, experience he now applies directly in his legal practice. A non-traditional law student, Deere attended Boston College Law School, where he earned his juris doctorate in 2025. He was a contributor to the law school’s “Impact” blog and continued to teach full-time during his legal studies. He previously earned a PhD in philosophy from Penn State University, funded by the prestigious Jacob Javits Fellowship, and holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.
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Country Bank announced the promotions of Ben Leonard, Pat O’Hara, Ryan Nauman, and Sam Pursey. Leonard was promoted to senior vice president, commercial banking executive. He will lead the Western and Eastern Commercial Banking teams, oversee targeted commercial growth strategies, and drive cross-functional sales alignment. With more than 24 years of experience, he previously served as team leader for the Western Region. He held senior leadership roles at Wells Fargo Bank. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Wells Fargo’s Credit Management Training Program, he also serves as vice chair on the board of Revitalize CDC. O’Hara was promoted to first vice president, Commercial Banking team leader – East Region. He will lead the Worcester-based commercial team, manage a portfolio of business clients, and expand Country Bank’s commercial presence in key regional markets. With more than two decades of experience at Citizens Bank, Santander, and Bank of America, he brings deep market knowledge and strong local business relationships, supported by active involvement with the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Corridor 9/495 Chamber of Commerce. Nauman was promoted to first vice president, Commercial Banking. He has been a key contributor to Country Bank for seven years, building strong relationships and supporting local businesses. With more than 27 years of experience, his deep ties to the Greater Springfield and Connecticut business communities will continue to drive growth and strengthen the bank’s regional presence. Pursey was promoted to vice president, Commercial Banking. A nine-year member of the Country Bank team, he serves businesses in the Worcester market with a consultative, community-centered lending style. His volunteer work, including Be Like Brit in Haiti and numerous hours spent with nonprofit efforts throughout Massachusetts, exemplifies the mank’s mission to make a difference.
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Brian Canina
At its recent annual meeting, the members of the Connecticut Bankers Assoc. (CBA) unanimously elected the association’s officers and board members for the 2025-26 term, including Brian Canina, president and chief operating officer of PeoplesBank, as a director at-large. Joining PeoplesBank in 2009, Canina has since served in a variety of positions, including controller, executive vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer before becoming president and COO in 2024. Prior to joining the bank, he served as an audit senior manager at Wolf & Company, P.C. The mutual bank he leads has more than $4 billion in assets and 21 banking centers in both Massachusetts and Connecticut. PeoplesBank is expected to open two additional banking centers in New Britain and Hartford, Conn., as well as an operations center at the Hartford City Place II location, in 2026. Canina is a graduate of Bryant University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, and CIS. He also attended the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking and holds a certificate in executive leadership and strategic thinking issued by the Wharton School.
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Stone & Lime Historic Restoration Services, a landmark restoration specialist, announced it has hired Justin Billings to join its leadership team as vice president of Operations. Billings will oversee historically sensitive and landmark restoration projects across the Stone & Lime portfolio, which includes significant preservation programs among both public and private clients. Billings joins Stone & Lime after two decades in construction management with one of the region’s largest general contractors, managing both new construction and renovation projects. His passion for preservation makes him a natural fit for the Stone & Lime leadership team, and he has overseen notable projects like the restoration of the Trinity College Long Walk, multiple renovation and restoration projects at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, and repairs and updates to the Travelers Tower, all in Hartford, Conn. In addition to his deep project management experience, Billings is also a LEED-certified professional. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
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Keith Tatlock
Keith Tatlock, CFP of Command Wealth Management, has earned recognition as a 2026 Signature Club qualifier by its financial solutions firm, Cambridge Investment Research Inc. The Signature Club distinction acknowledges financial professionals who demonstrate excellence in serving clients while upholding the independent spirit the defines Cambridge, the firm noted. The 2026 Signature Club conference in Bonita Springs, Fla. brings together qualifiers and Cambridge senior leadership for a multi-day event focused on growth, connection, and shared learning. Featuring networking opportunities, interactive educational sessions, and thought-provoking speakers, the conference offers participants the opportunity to gain fresh insight and deepen their industry expertise, empowering them to continue serving their clients at the highest level.
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James Hagan, president and CEO of Westfield Bank, announced the promotion of Michael Harrington to senior vice president and senior lender for the state of Massachusetts. This appointment recognizes his consistent and strong leadership and his impact on the bank’s growth and success. Harrington, who previously served as senior vice president and team leader of Middle Market CRE Lending, has been promoted to senior lender and will be responsible for the bank’s commercial lending activities in the state of Massachusetts, including overseeing the bank’s Massachusetts portfolio and new business development, as well as handling his current duties. With more than 33 years of banking and commercial lending experience, Harrington joined Westfield Bank in 2007. Prior to that, he served as a commercial lender and credit analyst at the former Westbank.
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Following a merger with Cain Hibbard & Meyers on Dec. 1, Bulkley Richardson welcomed seven new attorneys to the firm, including five partners and two counsel. Lucy Prashker, partner, counsels clients on a wide variety of business and intellectual property issues. Much of her practice is devoted to advising clients in the fields of health law, nonprofit law, and general business law, where her clients include artists and writers, manufacturers, emerging technology companies, nonprofit organizations, and healthcare providers. She is also an experienced litigator, handling complex commercial and employment cases in both state and federal courts in Massachusetts and New York. Vicki Donahue, partner, represents businesses and individuals in the purchase and sale of businesses, commercial financing (including tax-exempt bonds and historic tax credit financing), corporate governance, and general business counseling. She has experience in solar projects, representing property owners through drafting and negotiating leases and power purchase agreements for large-scale solar installations. She also has an active residential and commercial real estate practice, including zoning analysis and permitting, environmental law, commercial real estate development, and tax abatements and tax appeals. Dennis LaRochelle, partner, has close to three decades of experience handling complex litigation and has successfully litigated several multi-million-dollar disputes in the Massachusetts federal and state courts, earning a reputation as one of the top trial lawyers in Berkshire County. With proficiency in family law, he regularly represents clients in all aspects of domestic relationships, from divorce and child custody disputes to drafting prenuptial agreements and divorce settlements, as well as guardianships to adoptions, resolving disputes creatively and effectively. Jennifer Carpenter, partner, is an accomplished litigator, responsible for cases in both state and federal courts. She has extensive experience representing hospitals, long-term care and residential treatment facilities, and families as they navigate the nuanced and often complex guardianship process. Jeff O’Connor, partner, is a seasoned litigator, trial lawyer, and strategic counselor. For more than 15 years, he has guided medical and legal professionals, businesses, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations through complex civil litigation, agency proceedings, risk management challenges, and regulatory minefields. Diane DeGiacomo, counsel, is an experienced trial and domestic relations lawyer. She has defended businesses in employment discrimination complaints statewide before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, and has tried civil cases in federal court, superior court, and probate court regularly. Susan Herman, counsel, has more than 40 years of trial and appellate experience in both the public and private sectors. She spent much of her career with the Maine Office of the Attorney General, where she advised state agencies and represented the state of Maine in state and federal court on a variety of civil matters. In 2015, she was named division chief for the Civil Litigation Division of the Maine Attorney General’s Office, handling constitutional challenges to state laws and rules, civil rights cases, tort claims, civil appeals, amicus, and multi-state litigation. In 2019, the attorney general named Herman chief deputy for the office, where she worked closely with the attorney general on high-priority and sensitive matters relating to client state agencies, the Governor’s Office, the Legislature, and members of the public. Four years later, she was nominated by Maine’s governor to serve as a member of Maine’s Civil Service Appeals Board, which was confirmed by the Maine Senate, and the governor appointed her chair of the board. In 2024, she was reappointed and confirmed for an additional four-year term.
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Polish National Credit Union (PNCU) announced the promotion of eight team members to new leadership roles within its branch network. They include Diane Afonso, assistant vice president, area manager; Zaneta Grasakis, assistant vice president, area manager; Ela Vickers, branch manager II and IRA manager; Betzaida Gonzalez, branch manager, Front Street, Chicopee; Carmen Santos, branch manager, Wilbraham; Nathan O’Connor, branch manager, East Longmeadow; Diany Morales, assistant branch manager, Wilbraham; and Elizabeth Henke, assistant branch manager, Hampden. These leaders bring decades of combined experience in retail banking, member service, operations, and community engagement.
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Tim Grader
Colleen Kucinski
Hannah Rechtschaffen
Mary Siano
At its November meeting, the Greenfield Community College (GCC) Foundation welcomed four new members to its board: Tim Grader, Colleen Kucinski, Hannah Rechtschaffen, and Mary Siano. Grader, a real estate investor, broker, and property manager, is the owner of Cohn & Co. Real Estate and Stillwater Real Estate Services. A GCC alumnus, he brings a deep commitment to regional revitalization, historic preservation, and lifelong learning. Kucinski, executive director of the Literacy Project, has spent more than 25 years advancing educational access through leadership in higher education and philanthropy, including 18 years at GCC and eight years at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. Rechtschaffen, executive director of the Greenfield Business Assoc., is a leader in creative placemaking and community development. Her background includes strategic roles with W.D. Cowls and the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation, where she built partnerships that drive local economic growth. Siano, a social worker and civic leader, has dedicated her career to community service and advocacy. She has served on local boards and committees including the Greenfield School Committee, the Community Health Center of Franklin County, the Literacy Project, and the League of Women Voters of the Greenfield Area. A longtime GCC volunteer and annual campaign co-chair, she continues to strengthen community engagement across Franklin County. Departing members Deb Berryere (president), Ann Barker (vice president), Jacqui Zuzgo, and Savitri Rambissoon were recognized for their commitment to the college and the foundation’s mission of supporting student success. Succeeding them in leadership, the board elected James Fitzgerald as president and Jane Wolfe as vice president. Fitzgerald and Wolfe both joined the foundation board in 2023 and bring experience in business and community service.
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Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Professor of Business Anthony Rondinelli has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for his dedication, achievements, and leadership in accounting and education. Rondinelli graduated from STCC with an associate degree in business administration and finance and was recognized in the National Dean’s List for academic achievement. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State University and two master’s degrees in management and accountancy from Western New England University, graduating summa cum laude. He built a wide-ranging career in business and finance, serving as a district sales and marketing manager for Stop & Shop supermarkets and later holding senior consulting and accounting positions with MassMutual Financial Group, Lincoln Financial Group, GE Financial Assurance, and Corbin & Tapases, P.C. In 2013, after several years teaching part-time at local colleges, Rondinelli returned to STCC as an adjunct professor and then became a full-time faculty member in 2014. Today, he is a full professor of Business, teaching a range of courses in accounting, personal income tax, finance, marketing, and management, and advising students in STCC’s Business Club. He is also president of Anthony Rondinelli Tax and Accounting Services LLC, which provides tax and accounting support for individuals, small businesses, and nonprofits; contributes regularly to online personal finance platforms; and serves on numerous campus committees and the STCC Foundation board.
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MassMutual announced it has elected Michael Rollings to the company’s board of directors. Rollings most recently served as chief financial officer and managing director of Finance at the Vanguard Group, a position he held from 2016 until his retirement this past June. In that role, he led financial strategy and planning for the global asset investment manager with more than $11 trillion in assets under management and oversaw more than 1,800 people across corporate financial functions, including treasury, financial planning and analysis, accounting operations, and fund financial services. During his tenure, he served as a strategic advisor to Vanguard’s CEO, board of directors, and other key stakeholders, while also leading a transformation of the company’s corporate and fund financial operations to best support investment and shareholder return. Prior to his time at Vanguard, Rollings held leadership roles at MassMutual for 15 years, including leading the company’s Capital Markets and Treasury Operations team and serving as chief financial officer from 2006 to 2016. He has served on several boards throughout his career, including the Financial Accounting Foundation, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield Museums, and the Georgetown University board of regents. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in business from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg School of Management.
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Courtney Robbins
Community Bank welcomed Courtney Robbins as branch and Community Development manager of the bank’s newest Massachusetts location at 1387 Boston Road in Springfield. She will lead strategies to support branch growth and expand business opportunities, while also handling day-to-day operations and guiding staff hiring and training. She will play a key role in fostering relationships with customers and community partners; delivering comprehensive personal, business, and government banking products and solutions; and supporting the bank’s continued expansion throughout Western Mass. Before joining Community Bank, she was a leader at several other financial institutions, overseeing daily operations, managing staff and business development, and maintaining branch profitability. Robbins is active in the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce, Randall’s Ludlow Boys and Girls Club, Rick’s Place, and Dress for Success. She earned her degree in accounting from Framingham State University.
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Corrine (Corky) Sysun
UMassFive College Federal Credit Union announced that Corrine (Corky) Sysun has joined the credit union as a senior business relationship manager on the Commercial Services team. Sysun brings more than 20 years of experience in business banking and commercial lending, most recently serving as a Business Banking officer at TD Bank. Her expertise includes commercial real estate and commercial and industrial lending. Earlier in her career, she spent more than a decade as a branch manager and Business Development manager. In her new role, Sysun will work closely with members and community partners to grow commercial relationships, support lending initiatives, and contribute to UMassFive’s strategic goals.
