People on the Move

Alexandre Pereira

Sara Cafaro

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that two attorneys have officially joined the firm. Former law clerk Alexandre Pereira and former real-estate intern Sara Cafaro sat for the Massachusetts State Bar Exam in late July and have since been sworn in to the Massachusetts Bar as of Nov. 19. Pereira joined Bacon Wilson as a law clerk in June 2023, gaining experience across multiple legal disciplines and discovering a strong passion for elder law and estate planning. During his time at Bacon Wilson, he earned his juris doctor degree with a concentration in transactional law from Western New England University School of Law in May 2024. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, magna cum laude, from Western New England University, achieved in 2021. Before joining Bacon Wilson, Pereira served as a legal assistant at Marta Law Offices in Ludlow, where he developed valuable expertise in estate planning and real estate. Beyond his professional pursuits, he has been an active community member, volunteering at Our Lady of Fatima Parish. He is excited to continue serving his community as Bacon Wilson’s newest associate attorney in the Elder Law and Estate Planning department. Cafaro began her journey at Bacon Wilson as an intern in the summer of 2022, working in the Corporate and Commercial Real Estate department at the Springfield office. She later transitioned to the Westfield office in the winter of 2022, continuing her practicum internship through 2024. She earned her juris doctor degree from Western New England University School of Law in May 2024. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Western New England University, completed through the accelerated 3+3 program. This innovative program allowed her to begin her law-school coursework during her senior undergraduate year, enabling her to graduate cum laude with her bachelor’s degree a year early in May 2022. During her academic career, Cafaro was recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Edward F. McBride Award and the CALI Award for Excellence in Evidence Law. She is excited to advance her career as Bacon Wilson’s newest associate attorney in the Commercial and Residential Real Estate department.

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Christopher Fager

Meghan Parnell

Florence Bank has hired Christopher Fager to serve as vice president and commercial loan officer, and Meghan Parnell to serve as vice president, credit manager, both in the Commercial Lending department. With 15 years of experience at banks in the region, Fager is skilled at commercial loan origination and analysis, portfolio management, and customer service. Over his career, he has worked with companies across all industries and has extensive knowledge with those in construction, manufacturing, nonprofits, auto dealership, logistics, dental, veterinarian, and wholesale distribution. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from UMass Dartmouth. Fager is active in the community, serving on the board of directors for the West Springfield Boys & Girls Club and Helix Human Services. He is a distribution committee member for the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and is so well-known as a youth coach in West Springfield that many people call him Coach Fager. Parnell will lead her team in the analysis of existing and proposed commercial loans and commercial loan portfolio management and assist the senior management team with loan policy, budgeting, strategic planning, and external support systems. Skilled in commercial credit and lending, financial analysis, team leadership, process improvement, and digital strategy, Parnell has served as a chief lending officer, senior financial product manager, business lending manager, and commercial credit officer. She holds an associate degree in mathematics from Holyoke Community College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UMass Amherst. In the community, Parnell has served Family Outreach of Amherst, the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School, and as treasurer of the Holyoke Community College Foundation. She was named to the BusinessWest 40 Under Forty class of 2014.

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Russ Kelly

LUSO Federal Credit Union announced that Russ Kelly has joined the team as Business Development manager and senior loan originator. A native of Scotland with more than 15 years of experience in the mortgage industry in both the U.K. and U.S., he brings a wealth of expertise and a dedication to client-centered service. In addition to his role at LUSO, Kelly is actively engaged in the local community as treasurer of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield. In this capacity, he ensures the profitability of programs and advocates for membership representation throughout the Springfield area. He is also a member and ambassador of the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce, where he encourages the patronage and membership of local businesses across Western Mass.

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Noah Forrest

OMG Inc., a leading global supplier of specialty fasteners, products, and technology for commercial roofing and residential construction applications, recently named Noah Forrest senior vice president and chief financial officer (CFO). In his new role, Forrest will work with the company’s senior management team to develop financial plans, forecasts, and budgets that support the company’s long-term strategic goals. Other responsibilities include preparing and presenting financial statements and reports to the company and to Steel Partners, its owner; managing the company’s cash flow and capital investments; evaluating acquisition opportunities as they arise; ensuring adherence to financial regulations and standards; and driving a plan to advance the company’s technology road map. In addition, he will manage the company’s finance and information-technology teams and assist the president in performing his responsibilities. He reports to John Ashe, president and CEO. Forrest has more than 20 years of financial, accounting, and strategic leadership experience with Stanley Black & Decker (SBD) and Raytheon Technologies. Most recently, he served as CFO of SBD’s Smart Storage Solutions, which includes the Vidmar, LISTA, and CribMaster brands, where he drove significant profitability improvement while stimulating an increase in organic growth. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance with a minor in information technology from Bentley University, and an MBA from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

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Amy Royal

Amy Royal, CEO of the Royal Law Firm, is now an arbitrator with National Arbitration and Mediation (NAM), which offers access to a panel of arbitrators and mediators consisting of former judges and attorneys from many fields. NAM has been named a top provider of alternative dispute resolution services in the U.S. for more than 10 years. Along with being a NAM arbitrator, Royal is licensed to practice in the state and federal courts in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York.

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Emily Meunier

Theodores’ Blues, Booze, and BBQ announced that longtime Head Chef Emily Meunier has joined the ownership team. This transition underscores the restaurant’s dedication to culinary excellence and its commitment to nurturing talent from within. Meunier has been a driving force in the kitchen since 2009. As co-owner, she will continue to spearhead the culinary team while introducing innovative menu offerings that reflect her deep love for barbecue and bold flavors.

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Hinckley Allen recently welcomed Katie McDonough as a partner in the firm’s Corporate & Business Transactions and Trusts & Estates practice groups. McDonough brings a wealth of experience advising clients on transactions, corporate structure, business planning and risk management, and trusts and estates. She was previously a partner at Egan, Flanagan & Cohen in Springfield. McDonough counsels a range of clients, including nonprofits, educational institutions, medical and professional service firms, family-owned businesses, and individuals. She provides actionable guidance on transactions and advises on corporate governance, entity formation, employment-law issues, and other business-related legal issues, developing strategies for business growth and long-term success. Additionally, her practice involves drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, representing clients in complex civil litigation, resolving partnership disputes, and assisting with estate planning and probate processes. McDonough was named to BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty in 2020 and has been recognized for her accomplishments by Best Lawyers Ones to Watch in Corporate Law since 2021. She is an active Hampden County Bar Assoc. (HCBA) member, having served on the board of directors and various committees, including the pro bono advisory committee and the HCBA legal clinic. She is active in the College of the Holy Cross Alumni Club of the Pioneer Valley. As a military wife, she maintains involvement in the local military veterans’ community; she is also a member of the St. Thomas More Society and serves on the board of the Western Massachusetts Catholic Foundation.

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Emily Gest

Former journalist and seasoned public-relations professional Emily Gest has been hired as associate vice chancellor for News and Media Relations at UMass Amherst. This is a newly created position that replaces that formerly held by Executive Director of Strategic Communications Ed Blaguszewski, who retired in June. Reporting to John Kennedy, vice chancellor for University Relations, Gest will oversee the university’s News and Media Relations office, which includes seven writers and editors, video production, and social media. Early in her career, Gest was a reporter for the New York Daily News, where she was a finalist, with other staff, for a Pulitzer Prize. She covered breaking news, including families of 9/11 victims, as well as health, entertainment, and general features. She has also worked for the Los Angeles Times and Mother Jones magazines. As a PR professional, Gest has extensive experience working in government, higher education, healthcare, and the law. Most recently, she served as senior director of Media Relations at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. For more than a decade, she worked at Rubenstein, a strategic-communications firm based in New York City, and she was also director of Communications for the Georgia State Department of Juvenile Justice and the DeKalb County solicitor-general.