People on the Move
Paul Lambert
Heather Caisse-Roberts
Paul Lambert, president and CEO of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO), has announced his retirement, and the SSO board announced that Heather Caisse-Roberts, currently the organization’s chief operating officer, will assume leadership of the SSO. Lambert, whose retirement is effective Oct. 1, will stay on as a creative consultant to the SSO and to Caisse-Roberts. Caisse-Roberts joined the orchestra in 2022, during its post-pandemic resurgence, and has since held a series of senior leadership roles — from Development and Grants associate to chief Development and Operations officer and, most recently, COO. Lambert joined the SSO at the start of 2022 after serving for nearly 20 years in an executive position at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, initially as vice president of Guest Experience and Programming and then as vice president of Enshrinement Services & Community Engagement. Under his leadership, two labor agreements with musicians were completed, and an annual Juneteenth concert was added to the symphony season. Lambert will receive the distinguished William Pynchon Award in October, and he and Beth Welty, president of Local 171 of the American Federation of Musicians, were jointly honored by BusinessWest as Difference Makers in 2024. In her previous roles with the SSO since 2022, Caisse-Roberts has played a pivotal role in driving the strategic growth and sustainability of the organization, overseeing development and grants, sponsorships, box office, office administration, and marketing. She fosters a patron-centric culture within the organization, ensuring that the needs of the internal structure are balanced effectively. Prior to the SSO, Caisse-Roberts focused the past decade of her career on fundraising for community nonprofits in Western Mass. as senior director of Development at New England Public Media. She also spent years at American International College (AIC) as executive director of Institutional Advancement. In addition to her work with the SSO, she also served as Development director for the internationally acclaimed Young@Heart Chorus.
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James Kelly
Polish National Credit Union (PNCU) announced that President and CEO James Kelly will retire effective May 31, 2026, concluding a 20-year tenure of leadership. This carefully planned transition follows five years of succession planning to ensure PNCU’s continued growth and commitment to its mission. Under Kelly’s leadership, PNCU has achieved significant milestones, including substantial growth in membership and assets, the introduction of innovative financial services, and a steadfast dedication to community engagement. The PNCU board of directors has reaffirmed its commitment to the organization’s culture by exclusively considering internal candidates for the next president and CEO. Kelly will remain actively engaged through May 2026, supporting teams, mentoring future leaders, and ensuring a seamless transition.
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Tim LaFalam
MP CPAs recently announced the promotion of Tim LaFalam to senior tax manager at the firm. He provides planning and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients including individuals, estates, trusts, corporations, and partnerships. He specializes in working closely with high-net-worth clients, as well as private equity firms and their owners. LaFalam joined the firm as an intern in 2015 and started full-time in 2016. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Western New England University (WNE), and leads the firm’s efforts in continuing a mentoring and recruiting relationship with WNE. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. LaFalam is treasurer of Link to Libraries and has also taken the lead in many fundraising and community service activities in which MP CPAs participates, including coordinating the firm’s annual United Way pledge, South Park Inn program, and Children’s Study Home secret Santa.
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Maureen Buxton
New Valley Bank & Trust announced the addition of Maureen Buxton to its team at the Sixteen Acres office. With more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry, she brings a strong track record of customer service and leadership within community banks throughout the region. Throughout her career, Buxton has held both frontline and management positions, consistently demonstrating a commitment to providing exceptional service and building lasting relationships with customers. Her deep understanding of community banking and dedication to customer care make her a valuable addition to New Valley Bank & Trust as it continues its growth. In addition to her professional accomplishments, she is a longtime community volunteer. Her current and past civic roles include treasurer of Cigars for Soldiers, member of the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, chairperson of the Chicopee Parks and Recreation Commission, and member of the board of directors for the Chicopee Athletic Hall of Fame.
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Country Bank announced the appointment of Christopher Stevens as its new first vice president, Compliance & CRA officer. His extensive background in regulatory compliance and community reinvestment is expected to strengthen the bank’s commitment to integrity, customer trust, and community impact. Stevens brings more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, including his most recent role as senior associate at KPMG in Boston. There, he assisted large financial institutions with their highest-priority consumer compliance initiatives, helping clients strengthen internal audits, monitoring and testing programs, lending reviews, and regulatory remediation. His extensive professional background includes serving as a retail branch manager, a bank compliance examiner at both state and federal agencies, and a subject matter expert in compliance. He has led numerous compliance reviews covering the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Community Reinvestment Act, truth in lending, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Flood Protection Act, fair lending, and unfair deceptive acts and practices, among others.
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Richard Tremblay
Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Richard Tremblay as its assistant vice president of People and Talent. In his new role, Tremblay oversees the office of People and Talent, formerly known as Human Resources, part of the division of People, Culture, and Equity. He comes to HCC with more than two decades of experience in human resources, most recently as Human Resources manager for Prefere Melamines LLC in Springfield. Before that, he served as director of Human Resources at Helix Human Services, formerly the Children’s Study Home, in Springfield, and senior Human Resource administrator at Square One in Springfield. He has also taught psychology at American International College as an adjunct professor. He started his position at HCC on July 28. Tremblay holds a master’s degree in human resource development from American International College and a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Northern Michigan University. He is also a certified life coach and recently completed training with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in conducting internal investigations and handling discrimination complaints.
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Daryl Johnson
Attorney Daryl Johnson has joined Pullman & Comley, LLC as an associate in the firm’s Real Estate and Business and Finance practices. She will be based in Pullman & Comley’s Springfield office. Johnson has nearly a decade of experience in real estate and corporate law and has guided clients through complex property deals, contract negotiations, and corporate structuring. Prior to joining Pullman & Comley, she was with the Western Mass. firm Fitzgerald Law, where she handled all aspects of commercial and residential real estate, including representation of buyers, sellers, borrowers, and lenders, including. but not limited to, private financing and lending, seller financing, refinances, 1031 exchanges, and SBA 504 debentures. Johnson’s experience also includes drafting and reviewing purchase and sale agreements, leases, and corporate governance documents, as well as conducting title reviews and resolving title issues in collaboration with national title insurance underwriters. Earlier in her career, she was an associate attorney at the Springfield firm Bacon Wilson, gaining valuable experience advising individuals, real estate investors, and commercial lenders on matters involving real estate transactions, corporate formation and governance, and selling and purchasing real estate from trusts and estates. She began her legal career serving as general counsel to Shelton Brothers Importers, a beer importer in Belchertown. Johnson became a corporate board member of the YMCA of Greater Springfield in 2024 and was a trustee for the Springfield International Charter School from 2018 to 2024. She is also a participant and fundraiser for the annual Syrup Stampede, which benefits Empty Arms Bereavement. She earned her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Elms College, and received her juris doctorate, cum laude, from UMass Law School.
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Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that attorney Alexandre Pereira recently received a 4.8 out of 5 rating from the National Business Institute for his presentation in the course “Estate Planning for Clients with Minor Children.” Pereira specializes in elder law, estate planning, long-term care planning, probate, and special needs estate planning. Known for crafting personalized legal strategies, he ensures that each client fully understands the significance of every document and decision in their planning process. This recognition highlights his expertise and dedication to providing clients with clarity, confidence, and peace of mind for their futures.
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Jean Deliso
Jean Deliso, CFP, from the Connecticut Valley General Office of New York Life, has been listed on the 2025 Forbes Top Financial Security Professionals Best-In-State list for Massachusetts. The individuals named to this list of professionals were chosen based on many criteria considered by an independent research firm. A New York Life agent for 30 years, Deliso received recognition for helping her clients in a world in which wealth preservation and protection matter more than ever. Deliso is a member agent of the Nautilus Group, an exclusive, advanced planning resource for estate conservation and business continuation strategies and a service of New York Life. Members of the Chairman’s Council rank in the top 3% of New York Life’s sales force of more than 12,000 licensed agents in sales achievement. Deliso currently serves on the investment committee of Baystate Health and is a past chair of its foundation board. She also serves on and is the past board chairman of the Community Music School of Springfield and the past board chairman of the YMCA of Greater Springfield. She is a graduate of Bentley University.
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Jodie Gerulaitis
Country Bank announced that Jodie Gerulaitis, first vice president of Community Relations, has received the President’s Platinum Award — the bank’s highest internal recognition, presented through its Above and Beyond program. With more than 30 years of service, Gerulaitis has played a vital role in the bank’s community engagement efforts, consistently demonstrating professionalism, passion, and a clear sense of purpose. Colleagues across the Bank recognize Gerulaitis for her collaborative spirit and dependability. She actively mentors peers, supports community giving initiatives, and ensures that both internal team members and community partners are informed, engaged, and appreciated. Meanwhile, her impact spans far beyond her official role. She actively represents Country Bank at community events and leads financial literacy efforts through various programs and committees. She serves on multiple nonprofit and educational boards, including the United Way Woman’s Initiative, Junior Achievement, Juniper Outreach, and the Ecotarium. In 2024, she was honored as a Community Champion by the Worcester Red Sox for her outstanding work in the nonprofit sector. Gerulaitis is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies, the American Bankers Assoc. (ABA) Bank Marketing School, and the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking. She also holds an executive certificate in management and leadership from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a Wharton leadership certificate.
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Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C. (DWPM) announced the retirement of longtime shareholder and managing partner W. Garth Janes. The firm has also announced that Jesse Belcher-Timme and Rebecca Thibault will jointly assume the roles of managing partners. After starting his career in Washington, D.C. at a top global law firm, Janes joined DWPM in 1988, became a shareholder at the firm in 1994, and a managing partner in 2018. At DWPM, Janes built and nurtured close, professional relationships with his business clients and represented many small family businesses that are household names in the Western Mass. area, counseling them through challenges and successes. Belcher-Timme and Thibault jointly became managing partners as of July 1. Belcher-Timme has been with DWPM since 2008 and has been a shareholder since 2017. His litigation practice includes business litigation, corporate disputes, and zoning appeals in state and federal courts throughout Massachusetts. He also represents various Western Mass. municipalities. Thibault has been with the firm since 2014 and has been a shareholder since 2021. She concentrates her practice on representing and advising businesses and institutions in corporate and transactional matters. She counsels a broad range of clients, including educational institutions, nonprofit entities, and privately held businesses in various sectors and industries. She provides counsel on a variety of corporate matters, from entity formation and corporate governance to financing, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, environmental, and general contract negotiations.
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Kelsey McDonald
Kinga Guberow
Michele Alston
Glenmeadow Inc., a provider of senior retirement lifestyle options, announced several key leadership promotions, effective Aug. 1, that align with its continued focus on wellness and person-centered care. Kelsey McDonald has been promoted to assistant vice president for Health and Wellness. In this expanded role, she will continue to lead Glenmeadow’s comprehensive wellness initiatives while also overseeing Health Services and Glenmeadow at Home. Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing the organization’s wellness vision, and this promotion reflects confidence from Glenmeadow leadership in her ability to foster even greater integration across health and wellness programs. Kinga Guberow has been named director of Wellness. She will continue to lead all aspects of wellness and remain a highly visible and valued presence in the state-of-the-art Vitality Hub, inspiring residents and staff alike. Michele Alston has been promoted to director of Finance. Since joining the Glenmeadow team in 2022, she has played a critical role in supporting the organization’s ongoing financial strength. In her new role, she will lead essential projects such as the annual audit and purchasing, along with the day-to-day operational needs of the finance department.
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Attorney Paula Almgren, founder of Berkshire Law Group, is the author of a new book, Eldercare the Rules — Navigating the Legal, Financial, Medical, Housing and Care Maze, published by Laurel Ridge Press. More than 37 million Americans are providing unpaid eldercare for someone, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Almgren has not only seen it firsthand with her own clients as an estate planning, elder law and life care attorney, but lived it with own late mother, who died of Alzheimer’s disease. The experience so transformed her life and law practice she was inspired to write the rulebook on eldercare.
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Maria Luker
Hometown Mortgage, a division of bankESB, announced that Maria Luker has been named one of MassHousing’s top loan originators for the fiscal year July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025. Luker earned recognition as a Platinum Level originator — one of only two in Massachusetts. MassHousing, Massachusetts’ affordable housing agency, named Luker the top loan originator in Essex, Middlesex, and Norfolk counties, and one of the top originators in the state. This recognition highlights her commitment to expanding access to homeownership, particularly among low- and moderate-income families. With nearly 30 years of lending experience, Luker has leveraged her deep knowledge and passion to simplify the borrowing process and support clients through every step of their homebuying journey.
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Jay Brennan
Market Mentors LLC, a fully integrated marketing, advertising, and public relations agency with offices in Massachusetts and Florida, appointed Jay Brennan as Business Development manager, supporting the agency’s continued growth in South Florida and beyond. Based in the agency’s West Palm Beach, Fla. office, Brennan is responsible for driving new business, building strategic relationships, and helping align the agency’s capabilities with client goals. He also plays a key role in developing business plans. Brennan is a resident of Miami’s Brickell neighborhood. Prior to joining Market Mentors, he was an account executive at Digital Media Solutions, where he led a successful sales team and consistently exceeded revenue goals, combining strong sales instincts with a creative, client-first mindset.
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Glenmeadow Inc., a provider of senior retirement lifestyle options, announced the nine recipients of the 2025 Age of Excellence Awards: Celebrating Success Over 60. The program honors remarkable individuals over age 60 who continue to make a profound impact in their communities. The nine honorees include Aaron Mendelson, who, after a successful career as a financial advisor, has emerged as a dynamic advocate for education and a powerful connector in Western Mass.; Beth Cardillo, a leading advocate for innovative and compassionate care for older adults, who embodies vitality, purpose, and inspiration; Betty Huckowicz, dean of the School of Continuing Education and dean of Student Success at Elms College, and also the founder of Meghan’s Light, an organization dedicated to supporting the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis, established in memory of her daughter; John Delaney, founder and director of Ride to Remember Springfield, an annual cycling event honoring fallen first responders, whose passion and energy drive the event’s continued growth each year; Bob Perry, who, since retiring from Myers Brothers Kalicka, has devoted his energy and dedication to serving the Greater Springfield area through the nonprofit he co-founded, Friends on a Mission, and whose practical approach and genuine commitment have made a meaningful impact on the community; Ruth Griggs, the driving force behind the Northampton Jazz Festival, reflecting the broader impact she’s made since retiring from her marketing firm and her ability to turn vision into reality; Sabra Ramsdell, the driving force behind the Springfield Rescue Mission and a tireless advocate who sees the potential in everyone and serves with heart, grace, and unwavering commitment; the first caregiver recipient, Betty Alban, a devoted mother, grandmother, and caregiver to her 97-year-old mother, as well as a lifelong teacher, an unsung hero, and a story of resilience and strength; and honorary recipient Rick Sullivan, chosen in recognition of his 11 years as president and CEO of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council. The class of 2025 is being honored on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at the Springfield Country Club. To purchase tickets, visit glenmeadow.org/age-of-excellence-awards.
