Daily News

Don Eaton

LEE — Toole Insurance Agency recently welcomed Don Eaton as an account executive. With more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, his primary focus will be helping Toole Agency clients in construction and other related sectors in Massachusetts and Eastern New York by delivering innovative solutions through the Toole Guard risk-assessment process, allowing them to make informed risk-management and finance decisions. Eaton holds the certified insurance counselor (CIC) and construction risk insurance specialist (CRIS) designations.

“We are very pleased to welcome Don to the Agency,” agency President John Toole said. “Don has vast experience as a risk adviser and great success in the insurance industry that will enhance our client experience.”

Eaton began his career as a direct writer for a midwestern mutual insurance company, where he received extensive training and achieved national recognition as a top performer. He then transitioned to working in the agency system as an independent agent in Western New York specializing in commercial lines before his most recent position as a regional vice president for one of the largest alliances of independent agents in the U.S.

The Toole Agency is licensed in more than 33 states to provide insurance and risk-management solutions to both individuals and businesses. Besides delivering insurance products, the agency also focuses on identifying and providing education, tools, and solutions to reduce clients’ total cost of risks.

Daily News

GREENFIELD — Michael Tucker, CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank (GCB) and its Northampton Cooperative Bank division, recently announced a number of promotions.

Mary Rawls was elected executive vice president, Compliance. She also serves as the bank’s BSA officer and co-CRA officer. She first joined GCB in 1994 and has more than 26 years of experience in banking. She is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies at Babson College, the Massachusetts Bankers Bank Compliance Academy, and numerous Center for Financial Studies courses.

Michael Turley was elected executive vice president and chief financial officer. He has more than 40 years of experience in banking, most recently with GCB since 2013. He is a graduate of Union College in New York and has an MBA with a concentration in finance from Western New England University. He will be solely responsible for supervising the staff in the accounting and treasury functions within the bank. He will also officially become treasurer when Colleen Bugbee retires this May.

Janet Rosenkranz was elected senior vice president and credit officer. She joined the bank in 2016 as credit officer. In addition to her five years at GCB, she has more than 20 years of experience at two other banks before joining GCB. She has a bachelor’s degree in economics from UMass Amherst and will graduate from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania this summer.

Alyssa Dansereau was elected assistant vice president and assistant controller. She joined GCB’s Accounting department in 2016. She is a graduate of Holyoke Community College and Western New England University with degrees in accounting.

Melissa Tetreault was elected assistant vice president, senior mortgage originator. She has a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst and is a graduate of New England School for Financial Studies at Babson College. She has more than 18 years of experience with GCB in two tours, having rejoined the bank in 2018.

In addition to these officer elections, the bank announced several other promotions made as part of the annual review process.

Deborah Marvel has been promoted to senior operations specialist. She joined GCB as a teller in 2002. Since 2009, she has worked in both the Deposit Operations department and Loan Servicing department prior to this latest role in Operations.

Erica Josephson has been promoted to credit analyst III. She has been a credit analyst at various banks since 2016, most recently a senior credit analyst at Berkshire Bank. She joined GCB as a credit analyst II in 2019. She is a graduate of the University of Vermont.

Marjorie Smith has been promoted to credit analyst III. She joined GCB as a teller in 2010 and has been working in loans since 2012 and in the credit department since 2016. She is a graduate of Houghton College in New York.

Benjamin Viens has been promoted to credit analyst II. He joined GCB in 2018 as a teller and has been in the credit department since 2019. He is a graduate of Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I.

Daily News

CHICOPEE — Elms College announced plans to hold an in-person celebration for its 90th commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 15.

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, the ceremony itself will be limited to graduates only and is not open to the public. Each graduate will be allowed to have one car containing up to four guests located in specific parking areas separate from where the commencement will be held. To keep foot traffic to a minimum, no other guests will be allowed on campus. Social-distancing guidelines will be enforced, and everyone must wear a mask.

The procession will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. in the Keating Quadrangle, and the program will begin at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be livestreamed on the college’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/elmscollege, for those watching from their cars or from home.

“We are delighted to celebrate the tremendous accomplishments of the class of 2021 and hold the 90th commencement ceremony in person on our campus grounds,” said Harry Dumay, president of Elms College.

This year’s commencement speaker is Haitian-American novelist and short story writer Edwidge Danticat, who will deliver her address remotely from her home in Miami. She has been praised for her spare, emotionally evocative prose and for highlighting the stories of the Haitian diaspora. Her first novel, Breath, Eyes, Memory, which deals with questions of racial, linguistic, and gender identity in interconnected ways, was an Oprah’s Book Club selection.

The 90th commencement ceremonies will also include the awarding of an honorary degree to Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi, a 2013 graduate of the Elms College MBA program.

Additional events are being planned during the week of May 10 to celebrate the class of 2021. These events will follow appropriate safety guidelines and are not open to the public. For more details on Elms College’s commencement activities, visit commencement.elms.edu.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) is now accepting applications for a new, three-bedroom home in Holyoke. Construction will begin this year. The deadline to apply is June 10. For more information, including an application, visit habitatspringfield.org.

“My hope is that every lower-income family that wants to own their own home knows about the GSHFH home-ownership program,” said Deborah O’Mara, GSHFH Family Services manager. “With all kinds of support from staff and volunteers, these selected partner families successfully work toward closing, and after, they live many happy years in their own homes.”

GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through home ownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. Habitat’s mission to provide homeownership opportunities to low-income families is unique as it requires partner families to work alongside the community that is reaching out to help them. GSHFH has helped roughly 100 local families realize their dream of homeownership over the last 34 years.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — In light of Gov. Charlie Baker’s recent announcement that most, if not all, restrictions on events will be lifted effective Aug. 1, BusinessWest has made the decision to move its annual 40 Under Forty gala, originally scheduled for late June, to Thursday, Sept. 23 at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke.

“We make this move because … well, we want as many people as possible to celebrate with the class of 2021,” said George O’Brien, editor and associate publisher of BusinessWest. “This gala has always been an event — one of the biggest and best on the calendar in Western Mass. for many years. We can’t predict the future, but we firmly believe that we can stage a larger, better event — one worthy of this class of rising stars, and this region — in September than we can in June.”

The class of 2021 will be introduced to the region in the magazine’s May 12 issue. Additional details on the Sept. 23 gala will be forthcoming. Tickets, which will go on sale later this spring, will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest, in partnership with Living Local, has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Episode 63: May 10, 2021

BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien begins a series of shows devoted to the 40 Under Forty Class of 2021 by talking with top scorer Jessica Bossie, primary care doctor for Health Services for the Homeless

BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien begins a series of shows devoted to the 40 Under Forty Class of 2021 by talking with top scorer Jessica Bossie, primary care doctor for Health Services for the Homeless. The two discuss the critical work that this agency carries out, the many challenges involved with treating the homeless population, and the many ways this program is not only helping the homeless, but bringing down the cost of care for everyone by treating the homeless where they are, and not in the ER. It’s must listening, so join us on BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Living Local.

 

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