People on the Move

Florence Bank’s incoming President and CEO Kevin Day said his 11 years with the bank will allow for a smooth transition for employees, customers, and the community. He stressed that he and the board are committed to keeping the bank independent. “Where the bank is and where it is going will not change. I am 100% committed to the mutual form of ownership,” Day said. “Remaining mutual is what allows our culture to exist. As a mutual bank, we can’t be forced into a sale or merger with another bank. We have the flexibility to do what is right, not just what’s profitable.” Day has 37 years in the banking industry and has been in senior management for 34. He came on board at 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. When he was promoted to executive vice president, also in 2016, Day was supervising 90% of the bank’s personnel. Immediately after earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration at UMass Amherst, Day worked for five years as a CPA for the accounting firm Arthur Young & Co. In 2016, he graduated from the Executive Development Program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and he is a 2018 graduate of the ABA Wharton Executive Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Day became president on Jan. 29, replacing John Heaps Jr., the longest-serving president and CEO of Florence Bank. When Heaps retires on May 1, Day will also become CEO. Active in the community, Day is currently a member of the board of directors and the finance committee for United Way of Hampshire County, a board member for the Springfield Rescue Mission, a member of the finance committee for Westfield Evangelical Free Church, and board president for the Northeast Center for Youth and Families.

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Nicole Gagne recently joined the Center for Human Development (CHD) as its new chief operating officer, bringing a wealth of compliance knowledge and a strong history in supervision from both clinical and administrative standpoints. As COO, Gagne will work in partnership with the CEO to support and guide other leaders across the organization in their efforts to launch initiatives and help their respective departments and programs, and thus the agency, continue to move forward. Additionally, Gagne will oversee all of CHD’s compliance efforts. Backed by her extensive experience with compliance work, she will be critical in the creation, strengthening, and revision of organization processes and systems. Most recently, Gagne served as president and CEO of Community Healthlink Inc., a position she held for four of her eight years with the organization. Gagne has also been a consultant for the House of Peace and Education, served in executive roles with Montachusett Opportunity Council and North Central Human Services, and has years of experience as a direct-care worker earlier in her career. She holds a master’s degree from Assumption College in counseling psychology with a concentration in cognitive behavioral therapy with children and families. Gagne has also served as a board member on the Assoc. of Behavioral Health (ABH) and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. With ABH, she has worked on some of the planning around Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders’ work to revamp ambulatory services.

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Kristin Leutz announced she is leaving Valley Venture Mentors after more than two years as CEO. VVM board member Chris Bignell will step into the role of interim CEO on March 1 as the organization begins the search for a permanent director. Bignell has been a mentor, volunteer, and startup founder, as well as a partner in the Alchemy Fund. Leutz plans to remain engaged with VVM on various projects as she moves on to her next professional role as a consultant and executive director of the Startup Champions Network, a national membership organization supporting entrepreneurship ecosystem builders. This past year marked significant leaps forward for VVM, Leutz said, including opening the Valley Venture Hub, the new co-working space that anchors the Springfield Innovation Center; relaunching a new mentorship program that has engaged more than 40 people in learning and mentorship; graduating 15 high-growth startups in the VVM accelerator; and creating a groundbreaking collegiate summer accelerator for Pioneer Valley students, co-hosted with colleagues at the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship at UMass Amherst.

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Thomas Maulucci, professor of History at American International College (AIC), has been named secretary of the board of directors for the Springfield Public Forum. In this role, he is a member of the executive committee. He joined the board in 2012. Maulucci graduated from Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. with a bachelor’s degree in international relations, economics, and German. He attended Yale University, where he received a master of arts, a master of philosophy, and a doctorate in modern European history. Joining the faculty of AIC in 2006, he first became affiliated with the Springfield Public Forum while arranging events co-sponsored by the college and the Forum.

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Rosemarie Ansel, executive director of River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC), has announced Kelly Gloster as its senior grants director. In this new role, she will oversee all grant programs to ensure the organization’s funded programs are compliant with grant rules and regulations based on the terms and conditions set by each funding organization. Gloster is also the program director for both River Valley Counseling Center’s School-Based Health Centers and HIV/AIDS Project. Prior to joining RVCC, Gloster was an assistant vice president of Grants and Government Relations at Landmark College in Vermont. She brings more than 20 years of grant-writing and grant-administration experience, and owned her own grant consultancy. She maintains a certificate in financial research administration. She also has extensive experience in the nonprofit and mental-health sectors, having worked as a foster-care supervisor, residential case manager, and crisis hotline counselor. Gloster received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UMass Amherst and a master’s degree in social work planning, policy, and administration from Boston College.

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Vonetta Lightfoot, Multicultural Afairs operation manager at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), will be honored for her contributions to the community at the 100 Women of Color Gala & Awards on Friday, April 3. The event, to be held at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford, Conn., recognizes women of color in business, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, government, and public service, and their impact on the lives of people in Western Mass. and Connecticut communities. Others at STCC who received the award include Denise Hurst, vice president of Advancement and External Affairs, and Lidya Rivera-Early, director of Community Engagement. In her role as Multicultural Affairs operation manager, Lightfoot brings a diverse range of speakers and performers to the college, from jazz musicians and actors to journalists and acclaimed authors. She said she is proud to expose students and the community in Springfield to the Diversity Series at STCC. Lightfoot took the role of managing the Diversity Speaker and Performance Series after her mother, Myra Smith, retired. The award is presented by Eleven28 Entertainment Group.

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Steve Kaplan was awarded the Paul Harris Award by the Rotary Club of Holyoke on Feb. 18 at the Delaney House in Holyoke. Paul Harris Fellowships are awarded as recognition for donations of $1,000 to the Foundation of Rotary International. The foundation utilizes the funds raised to support Rotary International humanitarian efforts throughout the world. The recognitions are named in honor of Paul Harris, the Chicago businessman and visionary who formed the first Rotary club and began what has become an organization with more than 22,000 clubs and more than 1 million members. Both Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike are eligible to receive Paul Harris Fellowships. While anyone may make a donation and receive a Paul Harris recognition, the Holyoke Rotary Club has chosen to utilize its credits to honor some of its own members for their service to the club and the community. A recipient must be a humanitarian, willingly participate in Rotary Club activities over an extended period of time, be a person whose daily actions personify the Four Way Rotary Test, display initiative, and be a leader. Consideration is given to Rotary activities at the district, national or international level; volunteer participation in civic and/or religious groups; and volunteer service to town, city, state, or federal government.

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John Moore, a Springfield artist, was recently recognized at the Massachusetts State House as the winner of the Assoc. of Developmental Disabilities Providers’ (ADDP) 2020 Legislative Calendar cover contest. Moore is a member of Pyramid, a day habilitation program at Viability in Springfield. He was among 31 artists — all of whom have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, including autism or brain injuries — who submitted their artwork for entry into the contest. The ADDP calendar is an annual project that features compelling stories from its member provider agencies and legislators’ birthdays. It is distributed to both the House of Representatives and Senate, and its association members statewide. As part of his winnings, Moore was recognized in front of approximately 300 people, including state legislators, during ADDP’s Legislative Luncheon, held last month at the Massachusetts State House. ADDP hosts the annual luncheon to outline its budget priorities for the upcoming fiscal year and to honor its Legislators of the Year.