AIC Announces Election of Seven New Members to Board of Trustees

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) welcomed seven new members to its board of trustees, effective July 1.

The newly elected trustees are Jason Corbin, Lee Craig, Kristi Hurley Reale, Matt Farkas, Maroun Hannoush, Kathleen Pittman, and Frank Roberts. Collectively, they represent extensive experience in business, finance, law, investment management, entrepreneurship, and executive leadership.

Corbin is president of J. Edward Staffing LLC, a Springfield-based executive and engineering recruitment firm. He has more than a decade of experience in talent acquisition and financial analytics, with prior roles at Cigna, MassMutual, Health New England, and Yankee Candle. He specializes in executive and engineering recruitment across the healthcare, insurance, and IT sectors, partnering with senior HR and business leaders to develop long-term talent strategies. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Westfield State University.

Craig is senior vice president and chief financial officer at Freedom Credit Union, where he oversees financial planning, lending relationships, and financial reporting. He previously served for 23 years as chief financial officer at MassMutual Federal Credit Union. He is a member of the Credit Union National Assoc., CFO Council, and Compliance Council, and previously served on Fiserv’s user advisory board. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Westfield State University.

Reale is a partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK), a regional accounting and advisory firm based in Western Mass. since 1948. With more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, including more than two decades with MBK, she has deep expertise in taxation, audit and assurance, technology/IT, and business valuation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Assumption University. Additionally, she serves on the board of the New England Society for Certified Public Accountants and is a member of CPAmerica and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Farkas is senior vice president and head of fixed income at St. Germain Investment Management in Springfield, with 20 years of experience in investment management and portfolio strategy. He previously held positions at Berkshire Bank and Alexandra Dest Capital Management. He joined St. Germain in 2014 and has been a key member of the firm’s investment leadership team since then. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Saint Michael’s College and a master’s degree in investment management from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business and holds the chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation.

Hannoush is CEO of Hannoush Jewelers, where he oversees 11 retail locations within the family’s 48-store regional jewelry organization. He also serves as CEO of Bert Hill Moving & Storage in Westfield. A second-generation business leader, he began his career with Hannoush Jewelers as a diamond specialist and sales representative before being appointed CEO in 2018. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from American International College.

Pittman is a partner at the consulting firm Agile Community Partners, specializing in economic development, primarily through tourism. She most recently supported the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield as a consultant and general counsel. Her legal and leadership career spans private practice, federal regulatory service, international development, and entrepreneurship. She holds a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in political science and Spanish from the College of the Holy Cross and a juris doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School, where she served as articles editor of the University of Chicago Legal Forum.

Roberts is president of Roberts Energy LLC, a Springfield-based energy company he founded in 2016. He previously held leadership positions with F.L. Roberts & Co., including controller and director of operations. A great-grandson of the founder of F.L. Roberts & Co., he established Roberts Energy to continue the company’s wholesale fuel operations, supplying motor fuels, heating fuels, and lubricants throughout the region. He earned a degree from Babson College.

In addition, AIC recognized two distinguished former trustees, Frank Colaccino and Gale Kirkwood, by conferring upon them the title of trustee emeritus in recognition of their longstanding service and commitment to the institution. The college also extends its sincere appreciation to retiring trustee John Rousou for his many years of dedicated service.