People on the Move October 3, 2016

Epstein Financial Services recently welcomed Matthew Gilmore to the firm as a Retirement Plan Consultant. The firm has grown substantially over the past several years with a recent upsurge in new clients due to the Department of Labor’s new fiduciary ruling. Over the coming months, Gilmore will work closely with founder Charlie Epstein to ensure the firm’s extensive services and mission statement are reflected in Gilmore’s continued growth within the firm. Gilmore gained extensive experience as a MassMutual business development consultant, meeting with business owners, plan administrators, advisors, and third-party administrators to review, evaluate, and discuss a business’ 401(k) retirement plan and/or defined-benefit pension-plan options. He is an accomplished retirement-services consultant with eight years of experience with MassMutual and the Hartford, with regard to 401(k) and 403(b) retirement plans, investment and cost analysis, and participant education. He recently obtained his Accredited Investment Fiduciary certification and is a graduate of Western New England University with a bachelors degree in business administration.

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The Gaudreau Group Insurance and Financial Services Agency announced the promotion of Melissa Cuzzone to Director of Employer Benefit Services. In her new role, Cuzzone will help keep clients compliant in today’s increasingly complex regulatory environment, in line with the firm’s focused approach on compliance with the Affordable Care Act’s regulations. The Gaudreau Group’s Employee Benefits division, which has the largest staff in the region, delivers results to clients with robust compliance programs and high-tech employer and employee software solutions to facilitate cost reduction, claims management, and employee wellness and communication. “The unique skillset Melissa brings to the table, in combination with the tools and services that she provides, such as ACA reporting guidance, benefit administration, and proprietary claims analytics, are extremely valuable to our clients,” said Jules Gaudreau, president of the Gaudreau Group. “Melissa helps our clients enhance their overall benefits programs, which results in an increased ability to attract and retain great employees. Results like these are the reason more and more businesses are trusting us with their accounts.” Cuzzone has been a member of the Gaudreau Group team since 2012, and has worked in the insurance and financial-services industry since 2004, gaining a broad range of experience, including employee benefit plans, life insurance, and personal insurance. She is a recent graduate of the Western New England University Mini-Law School and has co-chaired the Wilbraham Relay For Life.

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The Dowd Insurance Agencies announced that Jack Dowd will be joining the agency as an Account Executive. His addition represents the fifth generation of family to be employed at the Dowd Insurance Agencies. “It’s a real sense of pride that I feel welcoming my son, Jack, to the family business representing the fifth generation here at the Dowd Insurance Agencies,” said John Dowd Jr., president and CEO of the Dowd Insurance Agencies. “Not only is Jack continuing a legacy, but he has also spent several years working in the industry outside of the family business, gaining valuable skills and experience. I think he is a great fit for our company and will be happy in his new position. We’re all very excited to have him join our team.” Jack Dowd graduated from Saint Michael’s College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2011. He has held several positions with Goji Insurance in Boston, where he sold personal auto insurance and homeowner’s insurance. He was consistently ranked number one in sales throughout the entire company of over 120 salespeople, and was responsible for managing and training several sales teams. He is a licensed property and casualty insurance producer, has participated in the Quincy Mutual Group Commercial and Personal Underwriting Program, and is working to complete the Certified Insurance Counselors Program.

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Jean Deliso, CFP has been named a member of the 2016 Chairman’s Council of New York Life. Members of the elite 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 has accomplished this level of achievement for five consecutive years. Deliso’s passion for finance and strategic planning led to the creation of Deliso Financial and Insurance Services in 2000. She began her career in corporate accounting in Tampa, Fla., where she consulted with small-business owners on financial operations and maximizing performance. She has been a New York Life agent since 1995 and is associated with New York Life’s Connecticut Valley General Office in Windsor, Conn. Deliso serves on many boards in her community, including the Baystate Health Foundation and Pioneer Valley Refrigerated Warehouse, and is chairman of the board of the Community Music School of Springfield. She is past chairman of the board of the YMCA of Greater Springfield, past board member of AAA Pioneer Valley, and past trustee of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and the Advisory Council at Bay Path University. Deliso Financial and Insurance Services is not owned or operated by New York Life Insurance Co. or any of its affiliates.

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Sports Traveland Tours recently hired two new team members. Len Lucien serves as Chief Operating Officer and a minority partner at the 20-year-old travel organization, and Anthony Incampo serves as Project Sales Coordinator. Lucien previously worked at Square One in Springfield, where he served as vice president of operations for the nonprofit and, previously, as its vice president of finance. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Salem State University and an associate’s degree from Newbury College in accounting and business. Throughout his career, he has worked in various aspects of finance and operations, managing businesses of different sizes, with an expertise in startups and efficiencies. For 12 years, he worked in the transit industry. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Long Island University, Incampo worked with the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, coordinating events, offering customer service, working with athletes, and planning the opening ceremonies. He also worked in the front office of the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2002, doing everything from driving players to physician appointments to handling budgets and expenses for the team. He previously worked with Sports Travel and Tours from 2005 to 2010. He left to teach school-age children and to coach, but missed the traveling.