Departments People on the Move

People on the Move

Holyoke-based PeoplesBankDonna Bliznak Donna Bliznak[/caption]• Donna Bliznak has been promoted to First Vice President, Commercial Lending. Bliznak possesses more than 40 years of financial and banking experience. She joined the bank in 1990 as Assistant Vice President, Commercial Lending, and was later promoted to Vice President, Lending. She holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst, as well as an associate’s degree from Holyoke Community College. She serves on the board of directors for the Stavros Center for Independent Living and the Northampton Chamber of Commerce;



Susan Wilson

Susan Wilson

Susan Wilson has been promoted to First Vice President, Corporate Responsibility. Wilson joined the bank in 1998 as Marketing Manager. Most recently, she served as Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, where she was the liaison between the bank and the community. She holds an MBA from Western New England University, a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bryant University, and an associate’s degree from Bay Path College. She is a co-chair of the Western Massachusetts Funders Group and a member of the Capital Campaign Planning Committee, Associated Grant Makers, and the Grant Managers Network;
Donna Charette has been promoted to Vice President, Finance. Charette possesses more than 25 years of financial and banking experience. She joined the bank in 1989 and has served in several positions throughout her career, including most recently as Assistant Vice President, Finance. Charette is a graduate of the Massachusetts School of Financial Studies at Babson College. She also holds an asset liability certification;
Jeffry Kerr has been promoted to Vice President, Marketing. In this role, he will direct Retail Division marketing programs. Kerr possesses more than 25 years of banking and financial experience. He is instrumental in driving consumer acquisition and retention strategies. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts;
Katherine St. Mary has been promoted to Vice President, Consumer Lending. St. Mary possesses more than 30 years of banking and financial experience. She joined the bank in 2005 as a Residential Mortgage Underwriter. St. Mary holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from American International College and an associate’s degree from Holyoke Community College. She also graduated from the Massachusetts School for Financial Studies at Babson College;
Xiaolei Hua has been promoted to Assistant Vice President, Credit Officer. Hua joined the bank in 2006 as a Management Development Trainee and has served as Commercial Credit Officer and Project Management Officer. Hua holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UMass Amherst and is currently working toward a master’s degree from the university’s Isenberg School of Management. He is a board member at the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity;
Erinn Young has been promoted to Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager of the Longmeadow office. She possesses more than 17 years of financial and banking experience. Young holds a bachelor of administration degree in business executive management from Bay Path College. She is the director of Cancer Free Kids Inc. and a board member of the professional advisory board for Rachel’s Table. Young also serves as a committee member at the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield and the East of the River Chamber of Commerce;
Annmarie Hurley has been promoted to Accounting Officer. Hurley possesses more than 20 years of banking and financial experience. Hurley joined the bank in 1993 and most recently held the position of Senior Staff Accountant. Hurley holds a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State University; and
David Williams

David Williams

David Williams has been appointed Mortgage Consultant. He will focus primarily on communities west of the Connecticut River, including Agawam, West Springfield, and Westfield. In his role, he will have a variety of mortgage options to offer customers, including refinancing and special first-time homebuyers’ programs. Williams brings more than 20 years of mortgage-lending experience to his new position, including serving as a Mortgage Origination Manager and Regional Mortgage Sales Manager at other financial institutions. Williams earned a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University. He is an active member of the Realtor Assoc. of the Pioneer Valley.
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Health New England announced that Susan O’Connor has been promoted to Director of Government Programs. O’Connor joined HNE in 2008 as a staff attorney. She was promoted to Assistant General Council in 2009 and in 2012 to the Director of Legal Services and Assistant General Counsel for Health New England. In her new role, she is responsible for directing the Medicare and Medicaid operations for Health New England. This includes the development of the Medicare and Medicaid business strategies, ensuring alignment with the strategic goals of the company. She will be also be responsible for leading the growth of both lines of business and overseeing operations related to the government programs. Prior to joining HNE in 2008, O’Connor was Director of Legal Affairs for the Pioneer Health Group. Before establishing her career in law, she served as Program Director for Families in Crisis, an organization dedicated to meeting the needs of offenders and their families. O’Connor graduated from Clark University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Connecticut, and received her law degree from Western New England University. She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. and the American Health Lawyers Assoc.
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Rose Gage

Rose Gage

The Gray House announced that Rose Gage has joined the agency as its new Food Pantry and Thrift Store Program Director. Gage is responsible for all aspects of the food pantry and thrift store, including client services, volunteer management, donation/inventory coordination, quality control, and documentation. She will continue to build and maintain relationships with the Food Bank, Rachel’s Table, and numerous groups and organizations that host donation drives, along with individual donors. Gage worked at Western New England University from 2005 to 2011 and at Bridgewater State University as the Assistant Director for the Community Service Center since then. She earned her bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology from Marywood University in Scranton, Penn. in 1997. In 1999, she earned a master’s degree in Agency Counseling from the same institution. For 13 years, she worked in higher education, in the areas of residence life and civic engagement. The Gray House is a small, neighborhood human-service agency located at 22 Sheldon St. in the North End of Springfield. Its mission is to help neighbors facing hardships to meet their immediate and transitional needs by providing food, clothing, and educational services in a safe, positive environment.
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Mariana Bolivar, an Assistant Professor of modern language at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), has been elected to a three-year term as a regional delegate of the Modern Language Assoc. of America’s (MLA) delegate assembly. Founded in 1883 to strengthen the study and teaching of language and literature, the MLA serves as a platform for English and foreign-language teachers to share scholarly findings and teaching experiences. The association holds a yearly convention to discuss issues that are critical to these academic fields.