Departments People on the Move

People on the Move September 7, 2015

Insurance Center of New England (ICNE), one of the largest privately owned independent insurance agencies in the Northeast, has announced the appointment of four new staff members:
Marie Rosema has been named marketing coordinator. She earned her master’s degree in marketing management and holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and marketing;
David Farwell has been named account manager in ICNE’s Small Business Unit. He is a certified commercial lines coverage specialist and holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice;
Mary Leveille has been named benefits administrator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in health science; and
Colleen Caban has been named personal lines account manager. She is a licensed insurance broker for personal lines.
“As an independent insurance agency, we put the needs of individuals, families and businesses first,” said William Trudeau, president and CEO of Insurance Center of New England. “We are independent agents for more than two dozen insurance carriers, but we represent our customers, working as their advocate and advisor in the often-complex world of insurance. We are proud to add Marie, Dave, Mary, and Colleen to our staff to continue our commitment to putting customer needs first.” ICNE is headquartered in Agawam and has six other locations throughout the state.

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University Products Inc. (UPI), manufacturer and distributor of archival quality storage products for museums, libraries, and archives worldwide, announced the realignment of its management team:

John Adamson

John Adamson

Bob Boydston

Bob Boydston

• Chief Financial Officer John Adamson, who joined UPI in 1995 and has worked in sales and marketing, human resources, and accounting, has been appointed president of the company and will be charged with coordinating and implementing the future direction of the company;
• Company founder David Magoon will continue as chairman of the board;
Scott Magoon will continue as CEO; and
Bob Boydston, who joined the company in 1976, will remain as senior vice president and is also chief operating officer of the corporation.
University Products is a privately owned business and manufacturer and distributor of archival quality materials. Museums, libraries, historical societies, archives, and similar institutions are among the company’s worldwide clients. UPI offers products for conservation, restoration, and preservation of books, photos, documents, collectibles, textiles, artwork, artifacts, and natural-history specimens.  University Products is also the manufacturer of Lineco brands, sold and distributed worldwide by art and framing retailers.

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The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that John Ritenour, chairman of Insurance Office of America (IOA), has been unanimously elected to the Hall’s board of trustees. He will serve as one of 33 members, beginning a three-year term immediately. “It is an honor to be named to the board of trustees and to represent the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame,” Ritenour said. “I look forward to working with the highly talented and prestigious group that guides the Hall, including many legends of the sport and the outstanding roster of civic and business leaders, such as Chairman Jerry Colangelo and President and CEO John Doleva and his accomplished staff.” Ritenour and his wife, Valli, founded Insurance Office of America in Florida in 1988 with a vision to have an organization that gave ownership to its sales associates. The company now boasts more than 225 sales partners and more than 600 employees who claim ownership. IOA has grown from $188,000 in revenue the first year to more than $120 million today. “The Basketball Hall of Fame has had a tremendous relationship with IOA for a number of years,” said Doleva. “As a well-respected businessman, philanthropist, and fan of the game, John Ritenour will be an excellent addition to our board of trustees.” The trustees are responsible for preserving the fundamental mission and financial well-being of the Basketball Hall of Fame. They serve as ambassadors for the Hall, promoting its core mission, which is to celebrate the greatest moments and people in basketball. Made up of individuals that work in or have worked in the game, as well as business leaders that have supported the game, the board also elects all governors of the Hall.

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First Connecticut Bancorp Inc., the publicly owned holding company of Farmington Bank, announced the election of John Green to the respective boards of directors of the corporation and the bank. “John’s extensive experience as both a leader of a successful, multi-generational family business and a tireless volunteer for many nonprofit organizations makes him a wonderful addition to our boards of directors,” said John Patrick Jr., chairman of the board of directors of First Connecticut Bancorp and chairman, president, and CEO of Farmington Bank. “In addition, John’s leadership of a successful retail business in today’s changing retail climate will be a valuable asset in the boardroom as we continue Farmington Bank’s organic growth strategy.” Green graduated from Boston College in 1978 and from the Gemological Institute of America in 1979. He earned the titles of registered jeweler and certified gemologist appraiser with the American Gem Society in 1981. In 1992, he was elected president and CEO of Lux Bond & Green. Today, Lux Bond & Green, established in 1898 by Green’s great-grandfather, has grown to seven locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts with more than 100 employees. Green has served on many nonprofit organizations and leadership positions within the Hartford community, including the Connecticut Historical Society, Old State House, Greater Hartford Convention and Visitors Bureau, Connecticut Science Center, Bushnell Park Foundation, TheaterWorks, Hartford Ballet, Hartford Downtown Council, Young Presidents Organization, Connecticut Business and Industry Assoc., and Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. Currently, he serves as treasurer on the Saint Francis Hospital Foundation and a member of the economic-development committee of the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce.

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Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc. has appointed Ron MacDonald to the position of senior vice president, corporate auto sales leader. MacDonald joins Berkshire from First Niagara Bank, where he served as first vice president, national sales manager, focused on expanding the indirect auto finance business across the Northeast. He has more than 30 years of experience in the automotive business, including previous roles at TD Bank as the national sales manager for auto finance and various positions within the auto-dealer community. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire. “I am excited to have Ron join the bank and take on a leadership role in expanding our prime indirect auto unit,” said Sean Gray, executive vice president and head of Retail Banking. “With his extensive auto-lending relationships and experience across New England, he is the right person to expand on the successful platform Berkshire has established in New York. Ron will be leading Berkshire’s indirect team, providing strategic direction to develop and expand relationships throughout our footprint, with a focus on building long-term partnerships and managing the secondary marketing of this product. This is another example of our commitment to ongoing leadership recruitment and revenue diversification, and we look forward to profitable growth from this business line.”

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Mary-Anne DiBlasio

Mary-Anne DiBlasio

Marge Pietras, founder of All About You, LLC, has appointed Mary-Anne DiBlasio chief operating officer of the eight-year-old home-care company. All About You has steadily grown since its inception. “With DiBlasio now as part of the team, we are excited to see the company expand its reach in an ever-growing market where families are keeping their loved ones at home and we, of course, are here to support them in those efforts,” Pietras said. “With her experience recruiting and marketing, we are focused on delivering the confidence of quality care to directly meet the ebb and flow of the market needs.” DiBlasio comes with years of healthcare experience in both elder care and staffing, and Pietras said both will provide value to the company’s mission.

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Michael Ipekdjian

Michael Ipekdjian

Holyoke Medical Center has appointed Michael Ipekdjian as the hospital’s director of Transitional Care/Case Management.
With vast experience in nursing and case management in the community-hospital setting, Ipekdjian will lead HMC’s transitional care and case-management programs. In this role, he will oversee the hospital’s registered nurses and social workers, and communicate with internal and external partners to improve case management and care coordination. “Mike brings the leadership and vision necessary to help HMC achieve the highest levels of patient care,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems Inc. “We are confident in his ability to leverage his case-management experience to ensure that patients can access a full scope of community services across the continuum.”
Added Ipekdjian, “joining HMC is a tremendous professional opportunity. I look forward to working with a highly committed team of colleagues to ensure that patients can access complete, comprehensive healthcare and the important community resources that contribute to quality healthcare.” Most recently, Ipekdjian served as case-management supervisor at Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College, Pa, where he coordinated the day-to-day operations of the Case Management department. He managed 21 full-time employees, including case managers and RN nurse navigators/transitional-care nurses. He coordinated with community agencies to facilitate communication and assure continuity of care, and reviewed and developed readmission programs and chronic-disease-management metrics. As that medical center’s MSICU case manager, he planned, coordinated, and facilitated the care and transition of patients through two intensive-care units Ipekdjian is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, earning both his associate and bachelor’s degrees in nursing. He is pursuing an MBA in healthcare management at Western Governors University and is expected to graduate in 2016.