People on the Move
Tom Senecal
Tom Senecal recently announced he will retire at the end of 2025 after more than 35 years in the banking industry. PeoplesBank, which he joined in 1995, has grown from a $450 million institution to almost $7 billion at the bank’s mutual holding company. The board of directors of PeoplesBank and the board of trustees of PeoplesBancorp, MHC have unanimously approved a succession plan resulting from the retirement of Senecal at the end of 2025. He currently serves as chairman and CEO of PeoplesBank and PeoplesBancorp, MHC. The CEO role will be filled by Todd Tallman, who will also remain CEO of Cornerstone Bank. Brian Canina will remain president of PeoplesBank and become president of PeoplesBancorp, MHC. Daniel Zona, currently president of Athol Savings Bank, will become president of Cornerstone Bank once the merger of Athol into Cornerstone is completed. Senecal will retain his role as the chairman of the board of directors of PeoplesBank and chairman of the board of trustees of PeoplesBancorp, MHC beginning in 2026.
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Mary Lou Vredenburg
Miah Dreger
Springfield Technical Community College announced the appointments of two new academic leaders, Mary Lou Vredenburg as dean of the School of Liberal and Professional Studies, effective July 7, and Miah Dreger as dean of the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), effective Aug. 4. Vredenburg was most recently associate dean of Faculty at Connecticut State Community College’s Manchester campus. Prior to her role in Connecticut, she served as associate dean of Arts, Humanities, Mathematics, and Social Sciences at Brightpoint Community College in Virginia. She was also a full-time faculty member at SUNY Oneonta. A community college graduate, she began her academic journey at SUNY Orange. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Binghamton University and earned her PhD in humanities from Florida State University. Dreger joins STCC following a career in Connecticut, most recently as interim associate dean of Engineering, Science, and Technology at Central Connecticut State University. She previously served in key leadership roles within the Connecticut State Community College system, including interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at the system level and dean of Academic and Student Affairs at Capital Community College in Hartford. Before transitioning into administrative roles, she spent more than a decade as a full-time faculty member at the community college level. She earned her doctor of education degree in educational leadership from the University of Hartford, holds a master’s degree in technology education from Central Connecticut State University, and received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Houghton University.
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Emily Leonczyk
The Markens Group Inc. (TMG), a nationally accredited association management company headquartered in Springfield, announced a transition in ownership to Emily Leonczyk. For many clients and community partners, this news will come as no surprise: Leonczyk has been leading day-to-day operations for more than three years. She now serves as president and CEO, carrying forward a legacy of success established by founder Ben Markens. Founded in 1988 to serve trade and manufacturing associations in fiber-based sustainable packaging, TMG’s roots remain firmly planted in that industry. That foundation has enabled the company to expand its support to a wide range of professional, manufacturing, and medical associations, while remaining true to its original mission: helping member-driven organizations thrive. The company also established the annual Markens Mutuality Award. The inaugural award was presented to Ben Markens to commemorate the transition, recognizing his visionary leadership, ability to bring people together, and steadfast belief in the power of belonging and mutuality. As part of the award, TMG will make an annual donation to a nonprofit chosen by each recipient. This year, the first donation will be made to the Mary Lyon Foundation, a cause close to Markens’s heart.
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Belt Technologies, a manufacturer of PureSteel custom metal belt conveyor solutions, announced that Ryan Elliott has joined the company as vice president of Operations. Based in Agawam, Elliott will oversee operations at both Belt Technologies and its Canadian sister company, Wire Mesh Belt. With more than 20 years of experience in the metals and manufacturing industries, Elliott previously served as president of aerospace components manufacturer HarcoSemco and president of Deringer-Ney, a producer of precious metals and components. Earlier in his career, he held roles across commercial, engineering, and senior leadership positions. At Belt Technologies, Elliott is responsible for overseeing the operational activities of both plants, directing the companies to achieve their production and financial targets. He works closely with manufacturing, purchasing, and quality teams to maximize resources and ensure customer expectations are met or exceeded. Key areas of focus include integrating Wire Mesh Belt into Belt Technologies’ systems and culture, driving improvements on the factory floors, and fostering open communication across the workforce. Elliott earned dual degrees in materials science and physics from Alfred University and holds multiple patents related to advanced materials applications.
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Christian D’Amour
The board of directors of Big Y Foods Inc. announced the appointment of Christian D’Amour as senior director of Supermarket Operations. He will be responsible for the oversight of the five supermarket districts. He began his career at Big Y at the age of 14 as a part-time service clerk. After graduating from college, he worked as a sales and marketing representative for an insurance company based in Providence, R.I., then rejoined Big Y in 2014 as a store director trainee. Within a year, he was promoted to assistant store director at the Wilbraham store. In 2016, he was named store director in Southampton, later returning to manage the Wilbraham location. He was then selected to lead Table & Vine’s flagship store in West Springfield. In 2019, he was appointed district sales and merchandising mentor for Big Y’s 15-store district in Western Massachusetts. In this role, he oversaw sales, merchandising, and team development across all departments, while continuing to manage operations at Table & Vine. In 2021, D’Amour took on leadership of Big Y’s e-commerce platform, a role he held through 2023. He was subsequently appointed district director, overseeing 16 Big Y locations across Connecticut. He holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Michael’s College in Vermont and spent a semester studying at the National University of Ireland at Galway.
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Gary Talbot
UMassFive College Federal Credit Union is celebrating mortgage loan officer Gary Talbot’s recognition as a silver level MassHousing loan originator for FY 2025. UMassFive became an approved MassHousing lender in 2023, and in his first year, Talbot was recognized at the Bronze Level. Advancing to Silver this year reflects not only his dedication to serving UMassFive members, but also the strong momentum of a program that is making a meaningful difference for homebuyers across Massachusetts. MassHousing, an independent agency established in 1966, provides financing for affordable housing throughout the Commonwealth. Its programs offer valuable tools such as down payment assistance, affordable loan terms, and unique mortgage insurance. FY 2025 marked a record-breaking year for MassHousing, with 3,768 loans funded.
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Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed three associates to the firm. Nicole Palmieri, Johannah Huynh, and Cameron Reis, all previous summer associates with the firm, returned this fall as associates. Palmieri and Huynh will concentrate their practice in litigation, while Reis will focus on transactional work, including business, mergers and acquisitions, construction, and healthcare. Palmieri earned a juris doctorate, cum laude, from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2024, where she was on the Connecticut Law Review and a University of Connecticut Scholar. She spent the past year clerking with the Connecticut Appellate Court. She received a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in American studies from Christopher Newport University. Reis recently earned a juris doctorate, magna cum laude, from Western New England University School of Law, where he concentrated his studies on transactional law and served as an editor of the Law Review. He was an Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. Scholar, a CALI award recipient, and was awarded the CATIC Foundation Award for Excellence in Real Property Coursework. He earned a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in criminal justice at Pace University. Huynh also recently earned a juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law, where she received the Best Oral Advocate Award and was a member of the National Moot Court team. In addition to being a former summer associate, she served as a law clerk at Bulkley Richardson during her last year of law school. She earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from UMass Amherst in social thought and political economy.
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Vanessa Ford
Saryah Brantley
Elijah Ballard Deon
The African Hall Committee of Springfield Museums announced that Vanessa Ford, vocalist, composer, and arts leader, is this year’s Ubora Award recipient, and — for the first time in the history of the awards — two Springfield students were selected to receive the Ahadi Youth Award: Saryah Brantley and Elijah Ballard Deon. Ford is a dynamic performer whose career spans music, public service, and community health. She is also a faculty member at the Community Music School of Springfield and the director of the Trust Transfer Project, a nationally recognized initiative that mobilizes artists to address public health through creative expression. She also serves as board president of Blues to Green Inc. and is a board member of Common Wealth Murals and member of the Brianna Fund for Children with Physical Disabilities gospel planning team, as well as a member of the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts Youth Mental Health Advisory Coalition and the New England Teaching Artist Collaborative steering group. Brantley, a recent graduate of Hampden Charter School of Science, is an exceptional student and leader who has persevered through personal challenges with resilience and determination. She has excelled academically, taking four AP courses, maintaining a 4.38 GPA, and earning certificates of scholastic achievement. She is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Spelman. Ballard Deon distinguished himself as an exceptional scholar and leader throughout his years at Rise Early College High School. Consistently earning first honors, he graduated as valedictorian of his class this past spring and challenged himself by enrolling in Rise’s early college program in partnership with Springfield Technical Community College.
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Aditya Surendhra
Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced that architect Aditya Surendhra has earned the credential of LEED accredited professional with a building design and construction (LEED AP BD+C) specialty through the U.S Green Building Council (USGBC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting sustainability in the built environment. The LEED AP BD+C designation denotes proficiency in current sustainable design, construction, and operations standards, and signifies expertise in green building and a LEED rating system. In order to achieve LEED certification, Surendhra completed a rigorous, multi-part exam to prove his knowledge on the subject. He joined Dietz & Company Architects in 2020 as an architectural associate and is now an architect in its Cambridge office, where his focus is on design and project management for multi-family housing and community centers.
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Country Bank announced that Sarah Yurkunas, assistant vice president, commercial lender, has been named the inaugural recipient of the PFS Community Champion Award. This newly established award honors an individual who demonstrates an exceptional commitment to volunteerism, both through Country Bank-sponsored initiatives and through personal dedication to causes that hold deep meaning for them. Yurkunas was nominated by a colleague for her extraordinary volunteer service and recognized for her compassion and commitment to Second Chance Animal Services. Since 2018, she has devoted more than 347 hours of personal volunteer time at the shelter, arriving every Sunday morning, even in the rain, snow, or on holidays, to clean kennels and feed, brush, and comfort animals in need. In addition, she has contributed more than 70 hours volunteering at Country Bank-sponsored community events since 2023. As part of this recognition, and in honor of Country Bank’s former president and CEO, Paul Scully, who retired in 2024, Yurkunas was able to direct a $2,000 donation to a charity of her choice. She selected Second Chance Animal Services, extending her impact even further.
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Tracy Bentley-Root
Bay Path University announced the appointment of Tracy Bentley-Root as the new program director of Occupational Therapy. Bentley-Root brings more than two decades of teaching, research, clinical practice, and administrative experience to her new leadership role in Bay Path’s master of occupational therapy (MOT) program. Bentley-Root joined Bay Path as interim program director in July 2024. A licensed and board-certified occupational therapist since 1997, she earned both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in occupational therapy from D’Youville College and a doctorate in health science from the University of Indianapolis in 2022. She has presented her work at national and international conferences, including the American Occupational Therapy Assoc. and the upcoming 2026 World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress in Bangkok. Her research focuses on fieldwork education, interprofessional collaboration, cognitive intervention, and evidence-based practice. Her work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the D’Youville University Faculty Award for 2021-22. In addition to her university roles, Bentley-Root has served in a variety of clinical and leadership capacities, including as corporate director of Rehab Clinical Resources at Amedisys Home Health. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Occupational Therapy Assoc. and the New York State Occupational Therapy Assoc.
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Amy Ganci
Greylock Federal Credit Union announced the hiring of Vice President, Business Banking Officer Amy Ganci, who joins the credit union’s Business Banking team. As part of the Business Banking team, Ganci will originate and underwrite commercial loan products and collaborate on business development activities, serving as an advisor for Greylock’s members by providing insight and support to small businesses. She will interface with loan applicants, act as account officer for existing credit union relationships, and manage all aspects of business development. Ganci has nearly 25 years of experience in business banking; her most recent role was vice president at PeoplesBank, where she managed a robust portfolio of client relationships, developed new relationships and expanded existing ones, and worked closely with branch partners to provide solutions to both new and existing clients. An active participant at her church and children’s schools, Ganci holds an associate degree in business from Greenfield Community College and has completed extensive coursework in business/financial management, psychology, and sociology from Westfield State University.
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Community Action Pioneer Valley (CAPV), the federally designated anti-poverty agency serving Franklin and Hampshire counties, announced that Lev BenEzra has been selected as the organization’s new executive director following an extensive search. She will succeed Clare Higgins, who retired in July after nearly 14 years of leadership. BenEzra will begin her new role on Oct. 27. Since 2019, she has served as executive director of the Amherst Survival Center, where she led the organization to become the largest direct-service food security organization in Western Mass. From 2008 to 2019, she served as program manager and then department director of CAPV’s Youth and Workforce Development programs. During her previous tenure, she successfully grew the department, strengthened program outcomes, and built lasting partnerships across the region. Her community involvement extended beyond her direct role, as she co-chaired the Communities that Care Coalition and actively participated in numerous other regional coalitions and CAPV internal committees, including strategic planning initiatives. BenEzra holds a master’s degree in management of mission driven organizations.
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Claire Sanders
Willie Ross School for the Deaf (WRSD) announced a new chair of its board of trustees. Claire Sanders is the second deaf chair of the board in the school’s history, following the late George Balsley II, who served as chair until his passing in early 2025. Sanders, who has been teaching in the field of American Sign Language and deaf studies for more than 25 years, serves as a Deaf Studies department chair and a professor of Language and Culture at Holyoke Community College. She has also taught at numerous colleges, including Hampshire College, Keene State College, Mt. Wachusett Community College, River Valley Community College, and Greenfield Community College. Sanders holds a master’s-level national certification from the American Sign Language Teachers Assoc. In addition to her service on the WRSD board, she is a board member of the Western Massachusetts Assoc. for the Deaf and has led workshops related to the growing field of deaf studies.
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Country Bank and the WooSox Foundation recently announced the 2025 WooStars, a program that supports nonprofit leaders throughout the region. Country Bank and the Worcester Red Sox recently recognized five local WooStars and the nonprofits they are affiliated with at Polar Park. They include Joe Firmani of Operation Service, Anthony Bizzotto of Revive of the USA Inc., Robert Alves of Wicked in Pink, Donna Marratta of Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry Inc., and Tom Slicklen of Provision Ministry. Each nonprofit was presented with a $5,000 donation. The WooStars program allows community members to nominate outstanding individuals to recognize their contributions to the communities they serve and to contribute to the nonprofits they support. Now in its fifth year, this program has recognized 41 WooStars, providing $205,000 in donations.
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Stacy Roman
MountainOne Insurance Agency announced the promotion of Stacy Roman to vice president, personal lines operations manager, reflecting the agency’s long-term priorities of professional enrichment, internal mobility, and leadership excellence. Roman has been instrumental in shaping the direction of the agency’s personal lines operations with her strong leadership and operational expertise. She has led the agency through acquisitions, data conversions, and the creation of more efficient workflows. Her problem-solving instincts and ability to improve both client and employee experiences make her an invaluable member of the leadership team.
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Polish National Credit Union (PNCU) announced that Dominika Jasinska, recently crowned Polish Miss Massachusetts 2026, will represent the Commonwealth at the Miss Polish America national competition. Jasinska, a member of PNCU, won the Massachusetts title earlier this month, captivating judges with her grace, intelligence, and deep connection to her Polish heritage. The Polish Miss Massachusetts Pageant, held annually in Holyoke, celebrates young women of Polish descent aged 18 to 25, offering scholarships and a platform to showcase cultural pride and leadership. Jasinska’s victory marks a significant milestone, and she is poised to make a strong impression at the national level, where she will compete against other talented Polish-American women for the Miss Polish America title. In addition to her national competition preparations, Jasinska will participate in the Pulaski Day Parade in New York City on Sunday, Oct. 5 and the Pulaski Parade in Northampton on Monday, Oct. 13.
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Richard Merrifield Jr.
Freedom Credit Union announced that Richard Merrifield Jr. has joined its Ludlow branch as branch officer, where he leads a team focused on delivering exceptional service and personalized financial solutions for members. Merrifield brings more than a decade of experience in banking and credit unions, with a strong background in branch operations, lending, and community engagement. Before joining Freedom in 2025, he served as banking center assistant manager at PeoplesBank in Northampton. Active in the community Merrifield is an ambassador for the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce and supports volunteer efforts throughout Hampshire and Hampden counties. He earned an associate degree in business administration from Middlesex Community College.
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American International College (AIC) announced the appointment of five new members to its board of trustees, effective July 1. The new trustees are Charlie Carroll, John Falcone, Stefania Raschilla, Rachel Romano, and Rebecca Thibault. Carroll is a financial advisor for Edward Jones Investment Co. A graduate of AIC with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, he began his career as a financial planner with American Express. Over the years, he has held leadership roles with nationally recognized firms, including Liberty Mutual, TD Bank, TD Ameritrade, and First Country Bank, serving in positions ranging from head of Sales to senior vice president. In addition to his undergraduate degree, Carroll holds a level II certified financial planner certification. He is actively involved in his community, volunteering with Xavier High School in Middletown, Conn., as well as with local youth football and cheerleading organizations, and was recently asked to join the executive leadership committee for the New Haven, Conn. Walk for Alzheimer’s Assoc. Falcone began his career as an acquisitions analyst at Colony Hills Capital before joining his family’s business, Rocky’s Ace Hardware. Since then, he has held several roles within the company, including category manager and director of merchandising. In his current position as process engineer, he focuses on streamlining operations, developing scalable processes, and advancing innovation to strengthen organizational performance. Falcone earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Bentley University and an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship from the FW Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College. Raschilla has served as the superintendent of schools in West Springfield since May 2023, overseeing nine schools and nearly 4,000 students. She has worked in urban public education since 1999, beginning her career in the Springfield Public Schools. Over the years, she has served in a range of roles, including elementary school teacher, reading director, principal, and chief instructional officer. Raschilla earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Saint Mary’s College and a master of education degree in reading from American International College. She also holds a professional license from the Massachusetts Department of Education. Romano is the founder and executive director of Veritas Prep Charter School in Springfield, which was established in 2012 as a middle school and has since expanded to include a high school. Before founding Veritas Prep, she served as a teacher and school leader in the Springfield Public Schools and as executive director of the Christa McAuliffe Regional Charter School in Framingham. Romano earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University and a master of education degree in educational administration from the University of Massachusetts. She was selected as a 2010 fellow with Building Excellent Schools. Thibault is a shareholder and co-managing partner at Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, P.C., where she focuses on advising and representing businesses and institutions in corporate and transactional matters, including real estate. Her clients include educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses across a range of sectors. Thibault earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Trinity College and a juris doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, where she served as managing editor of the Washington University Global Studies Law Review. She currently serves on the board of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts and is on the personnel committee of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Each December, she leads the firm’s team in the Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage in Northampton, raising funds and awareness to support survivors of domestic violence.
