People on the Move

Eastern States Exposition announced two appointments, naming Robert Kelley director of Operations and Cliff Hedges director of Public Safety. A graduate of Agawam High School, Kelley continued his education at Holyoke Community College before starting his career at ESE in 1975. Over the past 25 years, Kelley has served ESE as its contractor coordinator, overseeing numerous capital-improvement projects. Under his direction, 10 new buildings were constructed, including the Mallary Complex East and West, the food court, the Visitors’ Center East and West, the Transportation Center, the indoor warm-up horse ring, the Young Building and two wine and cheese barns now known as the Farmers Market. He also supervised the installation of air conditioning in the Better Living Center and Young Building, and a heating system in Mallary Complex. Additionally, he directed projects involving moving all electricity from overhead to underground and the installation of a new sewer and storm-drain infrastructure. As director, he will oversee all grounds operations, including maintenance, construction, landscaping, and contractors, and continue to supervise all building projects on the grounds. Hedges has an extensive, 31-year background in federal and local law enforcement, having retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2012 after 26 years as a special agent and a supervisory special agent, spending 21 of those years in the FBI’s Springfield office. He also served as a patrolman and subsequently a detective on the Crimes Against Persons Unit with the Dallas Police Department. Hedges comes to the Exposition from his most recent position as regional director of Compliance and Privacy at Regional Care Capella HealthCare in Brentwood, Tenn. He was a healthcare compliance, privacy, and risk specialist focusing on state and federal regulatory guidance, rules, and regulations. A graduate of the University of Louisville, he earned a bachelor’s degree in justice administration. He also holds a master’s degree in communications and information management from Bay Path University, where he was an adjunct professor of Criminal Justice. Hedges received the Presidential Integrity Achievement Award for Investigations for his work on the public corruption initiative in Springfield. He has also received multiple awards from the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for investigative techniques and a Special Team Award from the New England Narcotics Assoc. In 2002, he was named the Cliff Zundel Citizen of the Year for the town of Longmeadow for his involvement in girls’ youth sports.

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PeoplesBank announced the appointment of Gulasar (Guli) Niyazova as a mortgage consultant representing the West Springfield, Westfield, and Russian-speaking communities. In her new position, Niyazova will guide home buyers through the process of obtaining the right mortgage quickly and efficiently. As a mortgage professional, she said her goal is to not only provide a smooth process, but also to help select the mortgage that is most beneficial to each customer. “Guli brings a wealth of professional experience to her new position as a mortgage consultant for PeoplesBank,” said James Sherbo, senior vice president of Consumer Lending. “She values customer service as her top priority, and, because of her experience and Russian-language fluency, she is a valuable addition to the PeoplesBank lending team.”

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The American Council on Education (ACE) announced that Carol Leary, president of Bay Path University and author of Achieving the Dream: A How-to Guide for Adult Women Seeking a College Degree, will receive the 2019 Donna Shavlik Award. The award will be presented ACE2019, ACE’s 101st annual meeting in Philadelphia, during the Women’s Leadership Dinner on Saturday, March 9. In 1994, Leary became president of Bay Path, a private institution offering all-women undergraduate degree programs (on campus and online) and co-educational graduate-degree programs. Under her leadership, Bay Path became a university, established more than 30 graduate and post-graduate degrees, and launched the American Women’s College, the first all-women, all-online baccalaureate program in the nation. She also established the Carol A. Leary Endowed Scholarship Fund for First Generation College Students. Although neither graduated high school, Leary’s parents instilled in her the importance of education and a love of learning. With their support and encouragement, she attended Boston University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and later earned a Ph.D. at American University in Washington, D.C. This upbringing contributed to her advocacy for women, particularly those for whom circumstance and environment might hinder success. Presented annually, the Donna Shavlik Award honors an individual who demonstrates a sustained commitment to advancing women in higher education through leadership and career development, campus climate, and mentoring.

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Riverside Industries Inc., a nonprofit agency empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live rich and full lives, announced Susan Lapointe is the new director of Development and Community Relations. In her new role, Lapointe oversees fundraising, development, public and community relations, and marketing for Riverside. Fundraising will include Riverside’s annual signature fundraiser auction event, as well as annual campaigns, major gifts, planned giving, capital campaigns, cultivation, and stewardship. An accomplished business owner, Lapointe comes to Riverside with a strong entrepreneurial background. Her recent career as owner and creative director of TurningLeaf Design included branding and marketing for many nonprofits and businesses in the Valley. In addition to running her business, her community involvement included serving as director and president of the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce, chairperson for the Hampshire County Regional Tourism Council, development and marketing chair for the Easthampton Cultural Council’s annual Cultural Chaos event. Her community development also included volunteer and marketing consulting for Riverside as well as serving as a board chair and member of Riverside for many years.

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On the same day the Berkshire Museum opened more than 100 years ago, the museum will welcome Jeff Rodgers as its new executive director on April 1. Rodgers brings more than 20 years of museum experience to the Berkshire Museum’s top job. He currently serves as provost and chief operating officer of the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, Fla. Rodgers has served in a number of roles at the South Florida Museum. Since 2016, he has held broad leadership responsibilities for strategic planning, creating innovative programming, fundraising, and conducting outreach across the community to build and sustain crucial partnerships and collaborations. A former teacher, he also served in a variety of roles at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, including as director of the Moveable Museum Program. Rodgers was the unanimous selection after a four-month search led by the museum’s board of trustees.

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The Valley Blue Sox announced that former major-league pitcher Mike Trombley has been named special advisor to the team. Trombley, 51, spent 11 seasons in the majors with the Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and Los Angeles Dodgers. A 14th-round draft pick in the 1989 MLB draft, the right-handed pitcher would go on to earn his undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1990. The Wilbraham native appeared in 509 major-league games, primarily working out of the bullpen. He logged a 4.48 earned run average in 795.2 innings of work while notching 44 career saves. He is now the owner of Trombley Associates – Investment and Retiring Planning, and Trombley Associates – Bookkeeping and Payroll Services, located in Wilbraham. In his new advisory role, Trombley will serve as a mentor to Blue Sox players both on and off the diamond. He will also assist the coaching staff and front office throughout the season.

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Clinton Mathias, associate professor of Pharmacology at Western New England University, was named the recipient of the American Assoc. of Immunologists’ (AAI) Distinguished Service Award for 2019. Mathias is being recognized for outstanding service to the immunology community as director of the AAI High School Teachers Summer Research Program in Immunology from 2012 to 2108. A formal award presentation will take place in May at the Immunology 2019 conference in San Diego. Mathias is on the faculty of Western New England’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. For the past six years, he spearheaded the AAI’s efforts to support summer research for high-school teachers, connecting them with AAI mentors from coast to coast, many of them world-renowned scientists. Teachers emerge from the summer program with curricula based on their research experience they could then implement in the high-school classroom.

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The Martin J. Clayton Insurance Agency recently welcomed Michael Regan as principal of the agency and vice president of Sales. He comes to the agency with more than 13 years of experience in the insurance business. “Mike is an outstanding addition to the team and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the agency.  His commitment to the highest standards of customer care and business ethics makes him an ideal fit for Clayton Insurance Agency,” said President Daniel Sullivan. Regan was recently awarded the Henry Fifield Volunteer of the Year Award for outstanding community service. He is very active in the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce.

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Columbia Gas of Massachusetts announced that Mark Kempic will assume the role of president and chief operating officer, effective May 1. Steve Bryant, who has been serving as president of Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, announced his retirement, also effective May 1. Since January, Kempic has served as chief operating officer for Columbia Gas of Massachusetts. From September 2018 to January, he was a key part of the leadership team for the Greater Lawrence area restoration efforts. He has more than 35 years of experience in the energy industry and has served in a broad range of functions, including information technology, engineering, gas supply, corporate planning, and regulatory policy. Most recently he served as NiSource chief transformation officer (CTO), responsible for enhancing NiSource’s efforts to integrate processes and technology across the company’s seven-state footprint. He also previously served as president of Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania and Columbia Gas of Maryland. He holds a law degree from Capital University School of Law, a bachelor’s degree in computer and information science from the University of Pittsburgh, and an associate degree in solar heating and cooling engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

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Coldwell Banker Upton-Massamont Realtors (CBUMR) announced the addition of Realtor Diana Adair to its roster of professional real-estate agents serving Franklin and Hampshire counties. Adair started her real-estate career 30 years ago and has purchased several homes, remodeled six properties, and bought investment rentals. In addition, she has accomplished millions of dollars in real-estate sales. She grew up in Belchertown, lived on a farm, and inherited her great love of land from her father, Howard Mann. In 1992, she started, owned, and operated Heartland Farm in Amherst, which gave lessons, held summer camps, and trained and sold hunter/jumpers. Adair is a member of the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley, the National Assoc. of Realtors, and the Massachusetts Assoc. of Realtors.

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USA Archery announced the coaches for its newly redesigned teen training program, the Regional Elite Development (RED) program. Kyle Forbes Bissell, owner of Amherst Archery Academy, has been appointed reserve coach for the Eastern Region. Bissell will work with a head coach and three additional coaches with the goal of making this a successful training program for dedicated Olympic recurve archers ages 13 to 17. He founded Amherst Archery Academy in 2011 and now coaches archery full-time, year-round.