Home Posts tagged awarded
People on the Move
Shandra Richardson

Shandra Richardson

Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) promoted Shandra Richardson to chief operating officer and senior vice president. She will direct all aspects of the bank’s operations, which include compliance, retail banking, marketing, deposit, electronic, and consumer loan operations, as well as developing and implementing new policies and procedures for the organizational systems management. Richardson has worked in the banking industry for more than 17 years. A UMass Amherst graduate, she received a bachelor’s degree in marketing and then went on to earn an MBA along with completing leadership and lean methodology executive education courses. She prides herself on being a lifetime learner and is continuously looking for ways to enhance her skills and those of the teams that she leads. Since joining GSB and moving to Western Mass. from Boston, Richardson has volunteered in numerous local causes, and in October, she joined the board of directors of Safe Passage. She also serves as a member of the Harvard Business Review advisory council, an opt-in research community of business professionals.

•••••

Kylie Brown

Kylie Brown

Jessica Rodger Yim

Jessica Rodger Yim

Marcia Macklin

Marcia Macklin

Quincy Ryans

Quincy Ryans

The Royal Law Firm recently welcomed four new additions to its team: attorneys Kylie Brown and Jessica Rodger Yim and paralegals Marcia Macklin and Quincy Ryans. Brown is a litigator who focuses her practice on employment and other commercial litigation. She has successfully tried several cases to verdict and is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Yim has many years of experience in bankruptcy, commercial lending, banking, and commercial real-estate matters, and will work out of Boston. She is a graduate of Tufts University and Boston College Law School, and is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Macklin and Ryans also recently joined the Royal Law team as paralegals. They both have extensive experience in the court system.

•••••

Kuhn Riddle Architects (KRA) recently welcomed Mallory Nurse to the firm as a member of its interior-design team. Having previously designed corporate workplace interiors and larger-scale projects, Nurse was interested in the slightly more intimate type of design at KRA. She loves projects that have a beneficial impact through education, community-oriented organizations, and residential buildings of all types. Nurse chose to study interior design in college and has never looked back. She is a graduate of Suffolk University with a bachelor’s degree in interior design and was awarded the Design Excellence commendation for her senior thesis project. She loves to pay close attention to the details of a project: lighting, scale, texture, and color. Her holistic approach to design focuses on fostering connection between people and the spaces in which they thrive.

•••••

Karen-Louise Walker

Karen-Louise Walker

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) appointed Karen-Louise Walker as assistant vice president of Advancement and executive director to the STCC Foundation. Walker began her appointment at STCC on Dec. 4. She will be responsible for managing all aspects of STCC’s fundraising, philanthropy, alumni relations, and foundation-supported work, including overseeing communications and branding functions. She will work with President John Cook, administrators, and faculty to support the mission of STCC. Walker most recently served as vice president for Advancement at Alliance University in New York City. She previously served as vice president of Development at Ascentria Care Alliance, a nonprofit agency serving Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut. Prior to that, she served as executive director of Advancement at Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) in Worcester, where she was responsible for the management and oversight of all aspects of institutional advancement. During her tenure at QCC, she secured more than $45 million in grants, increased private giving by 30%, and tripled the QCC Foundation revenue. Her professional experience also includes serving as vice president of Programs for MLK Jr. Family Services, a nonprofit social-service agency supporting families and children throughout Western Mass.; executive director of the Council of Churches of Greater Springfield; and assistant EEO administrator for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services. She serves on various boards in Western and Central Mass.

•••••

Brett Smith

Brett Smith

Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced the addition of attorney Brett Smith to its team of lawyers. Smith concentrates his practice on commercial finance and real estate, business organizations and planning, and land-use regulation. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Bentley University in 2019 and his juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law in 2023. He previously served as a legal intern at New Mexico Local Government Law LLC in Albuquerque. In 2022, Smith received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in corporate finance law. He co-founded and served as treasurer of the Sports and Entertainment Law Assoc. at Western New England University School of Law.

•••••

Conval, a global manufacturer of high-performance severe service valves, recently announced the appointment of Andrea Bedard as HR manager and Mike Mikaelian as inside sales engineer. Bedard graduated from Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. She has enjoyed a solid career in human resources, including stints at TTM Technologies in Stafford Springs, Conn., as well as Health New England, E Ink Corp., KBE Building Corp., and Paychex. Mikaelian holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Western New England University and earned a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification from Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I. He previously served as design engineer at Judd Wire in Turners Falls, senior sales engineer and production manager at Dipwell Techware in Northampton, route service representative at Quest Diagnostics in Marlborough, and in various engineering and sales positions at BETE Fog Nozzle in Greenfield.

•••••

Tiffany Raines

Tiffany Raines

bankESB recently promoted Tiffany Raines to vice president, retail administration. Raines joined bankESB in 2018 as assistant vice president, branch officer of the Holyoke branch and was promoted to vice president, branch officer in 2021. She has nearly 25 years of banking experience, including her previous roles as assistant vice president and banking center manager at PeoplesBank in West Springfield and Amherst. Raines brings extensive management and supervisory experience to her new role, with a focus on forging new customer relationships, customer service, training, and compliance. In this role, she will serve as the liaison between the bank’s branch network and as other departments across bankESB and its parent company, Hometown Financial Group, in order to foster communication, develop organizational awareness, and achieve operational excellence. She will also be responsible for managing the bank’s suite of deposit products. Raines currently serves on the board of the Care Center of Holyoke.

•••••

Dr. Seth Gemme

Dr. Seth Gemme

Dr. Seth Gemme has been named the new chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Baystate Health. Upon approval by the provost and dean, he will also chair the Department of Emergency Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate. He most recently served as vice chair of Clinical Operations for the Baystate Health Department of Emergency Medicine. Gemme earned his MD degree from the University of Buffalo prior to completing his residency training in emergency medicine at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, R.I. He joined the Department of Emergency Medicine at Baystate Health in 2017 and has held progressive leadership positions since that time, including associate chief and Education director, Emergency Department, Baystate Noble Hospital; chief, Emergency Department, Baystate Wing Hospital; system vice chair of Clinical Operations for Emergency Medicine, Baystate Health; and as board member of Baystate Medical Practices. Gemme has earned several scholastic and teaching awards in his career to date, including the prestigious President’s Excellence Award in 2022 at Baystate Health. He has continued to serve for more than a decade as a member of the clinical policy committee of the American College of Emergency Physicians, contributing to the development of national consensus guidelines in emergency medicine. Most recently, he led the design and successful implementation of the ‘vertical model’ of care at Baystate Medical Center. This model of care utilizes oversized leather recliners for patients who can sit upright during their care while in the Emergency Department. Gemme will start in this new role in early January 2024. Dr. Niels Rathlev, who has held the position of chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Baystate Health for the past 15 years, will be staying on as a faculty member.

•••••

Robert Gilbert Jr. has banged his last gavel as chair of the Holyoke Community College (HCC) board of trustees. After serving as a trustee for 12 years, including the last eight as chair, the retired chairman of Dowd Insurance Agencies of Holyoke retired after presiding over his last board meeting on Nov. 28. Gilbert was first appointed to the board in April 2011 by Gov. Deval Patrick, serving in various capacities, including chair of the audit committee and member of the finance committee. In October 2015, Gov. Charlie Baker named him board chair, succeeding Helen Caulton-Harris, commissioner of the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services. In his eight years as chair, Gilbert served alongside three HCC presidents: William Messner, who retired in 2016, Christina Royal, who retired in July, and George Timmons, HCC’s fifth and current president. Until Gov. Maura Healey names a successor, HCC trustee Vanessa Smith will serve as interim chair.

•••••

Patrick Arguin

Patrick Arguin

Lathrop Community announced the appointment of Patrick Arguin as its new CEO. Arguin brings nearly 20 years of professional experience, starting his career as a physical therapist and then working for many years as a nursing-home administrator (NHA). His most recent position was NHA for Mary’s Meadow at Providence Place in Holyoke, which provides both short-term rehabilitation and long-term skilled nursing. Under Arguin’s leadership, that community achieved high-performing recognition in support categories, effective staffing, and best practices in resident safety. He was responsible for various aspects of the community, including managing staff, organizational finances and budgets, reporting to the board, and upholding the quality of service and attention to residents. Arguin, who has a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, officially joined the community on Nov. 27.

•••••

The board of directors of Big Y Foods Inc. announced the appointment of Christian D’Amour as district director for 16 markets throughout Connecticut. In his new role, his focus will be to provide a best-in-class customer shopping experience and to create an environment in which Big Y employees grow and develop. His responsibilities include staffing, training and development, operational execution, sales strategies, and results. D’Amour began his career at Big Y at the age of 14 as a part time service clerk. After college, he was a sales and marketing representative for an insurance company based in Providence, R.I. He re-joined Big Y as a store director trainee in 2014. One year later, he was appointed assistant store director in Wilbraham. In 2016, he was promoted to store director in Southampton. He next went on to manage the Wilbraham market before being tapped as store manager at Table & Vine’s flagship location in West Springfield. In 2019, he was appointed a district sales and merchandising mentor for Big Y’s supermarket 15-store district throughout Western Mass. In this role, he was responsible for all sales, merchandising, and store team development across all departments. He also continued to oversee the operations of the company’s Table & Vine flagship, and most recently directed the company’s e-commerce platform.

People on the Move
Gene Kingsley

Gene Kingsley

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has named a cyber range manager for the Springfield Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCE) at Springfield Union Station. Following a comprehensive search, the college has hired Gene Kingsley, who will be responsible for a host of facility operations. Supported by local, state, and federal funding, the center is scheduled to open in 2024 and will serve as a regional center for Western Mass. and beyond. The CCE is a collaboration between STCC, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, and CyberTrust Massachusetts. The 6,000-square-foot CCE will include a cyber range, which is a simulated training environment, and a security operations center, which will be a support for Massachusetts municipalities to detect cybersecurity events in real time and respond quickly. Students who train at the CCE could move into paid internships or employment, where they would work with professionals to confront the growing global problem of cybersecurity threats. Kingsley’s experience includes managing Information Security at Reliant Medical Group. He also served as director of the Security Operations Center at UMass Amherst. He holds a master’s degree in Communications and Information Management from the Graduate School at Bay Path College and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Westfield State College and an associate degree from Holyoke Community College.

•••••

Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced that Shareholder Michael Fenton has been named a Go To Lawyer in the area of Commercial Real Estate Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Fenton joined the firm in 2012 and focuses his practice in the areas of commercial real estate, business planning, commercial finance, and estate planning. He represents principals in business formation and succession planning, businesses in the purchase and sale of enterprises, lenders and borrowers in commercial financing transactions, developers in the acquisition and permitting of projects, and individuals in establishing comprehensive and sophisticated estate plans. With a background in taxes and a master’s degree in business administration, Fenton provides added value to clients with business-planning concerns. In addition, he has extensive land-use experience that includes zoning, subdivision, project permitting and environmental matters. A significant part of his practice revolves around estate planning, and he develops sophisticated estate plans to facilitate access to public services and the preservation of assets. Fenton is a graduate of Western New England University (WNE) School of Law, where he was a publishing editor of the Law Review and an Oliver Wendell Holmes full-tuition merit scholar. He is an adjunct professor for Corporate Finance at WNE School of Law, where he is also a board member of the Center for Social Justice. He serves on the Baystate Medical Center Community Advisory Council and has served as a member of the Springfield City Council since 2010.

•••••

Kuhn Riddle Architects recently welcomed Salabat Khan and Ruoqi Zhong to its architectural team. Khan’s architectural interests began at MEASI Academy of Architecture in Chennai, India, where he acquired a strong foundation in design principles and cultivated his love for innovation. He completed his master of architecture degree at UMass Amherst in 2023. Khan’s approach to architecture is human-centric: he most enjoys creating designs that enhance the user’s quality of life and sense of belonging. His work is focused as well on contextual integration into the historic, cultural, and natural environment surrounding any project. Kuhn Riddle’s leadership noted that his collaborative design philosophy and appreciation of diverse perspectives integrates perfectly with that of the firm. KRA was recently awarded the prestigious Emerging Professionals Friendly designation from the American Institute of Architects. This award recognizes supporting emerging architects like Khan on their journey to registration and ultimate success in the architectural field. Ruoqi was drawn to Kuhn Riddle because she is inspired by architecture that connects to its surroundings, is public-oriented, and will make a positive difference in people’s lives. She will continue to follow her integrative, transformative design focus at KRA. She applies her expertise and attention to detail to K-12 educational projects, community organizations, and multi-family and private homes. Ruoqi received her bachelor of architecture degree in 2011 from Harbin Institute of Technology in Heilongjiang, China. In 2014 she was awarded two degrees at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne: master of architecture and master of science in civil and environmental engineering.

•••••

Nathan Dion

Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) recently appointed Nathan Dion as digital PR analyst. Dion is an experienced video producer and is already telling local stories with GCAi’s new vlogging camera. Dion will continue to grow GCAi’s digital PR video services and subsidiary New England Corporate Video. He is a graduate of Westfield State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communication with a dual concentration in media arts and analysis and public relations. He also minored in graphic design.

•••••

Square One recently elected a new slate of officers to its board of directors. The election was held at the agency’s annual meeting on Oct. 13. Taking on the role of chairperson is Corrine Ryan of Community Legal Aid. The vice chair seat will be filled by Colleen Stocks of Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center. Moving into the treasurer position is Julie Quink of Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C. Jessica Dupont of HealthOne Alliance/Alliant Health Plans will serve as the board’s clerk. New to the full board of directors are Shenell Ford, Terry Maxey, Edward Nunez, Gillian Palmer, and Aundrea Paulk. They will join existing board members Andrea Hickson-Martin, Amy Selvia Smith, Lavar Click-Bruce, Leonard Underwood, Kate Kane, Ryan McCollum, and Peter Testori.

People on the Move
Melvin Olivo

Melvin Olivo

Theo Streeter

Theo Streeter

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union recently announced two management-team promotions: Assistant Vice President of Information Technology Melvin Olivo and Information Technology Manager Theo Streeter. Olivo’s career at UMassFive began in 2020 as the Information Technology manager. In his new position, he will be responsible for the strategic, day-to-day oversight of Information Technology, ensuring efficient, secure, and service-oriented performance of the department. Streeter’s career at UMassFive began in 2014 as a Member Service specialist in the King Street, Northampton branch before moving on to various levels of Enterprise Support technician. He was most recently promoted to senior Enterprise Support technician in 2018 before accepting the role of IT manager. In his new position, he will be overseeing the Enterprise Support technical team, administering network infrastructure and software platforms, as well as hardware procurement.

•••••

Brandon Roper

Brandon Roper

Camfour Inc. — a growing national wholesaler of firearms, ammunition, and accessories for the shooting-sports industry, with distribution centers in Westfield and Pflugerville, Texas. — announced the promotion of Brandon Roper to the position of president. In this new capacity, Roper will report to CEO Malcolm Getz and the ownership group. He will be responsible for leading the continued growth of the Camfour brand and team. Roper has been effecting change since first joining Camfour as vice president of Sales and Marketing. During that time, he is credited with a variety of accomplishments, including the complete rebrand of Camfour, sales execution during the market slowdown of 2022, the growth of the company’s sales team, and preparation of a three-year strategic plan.

•••••

Shreyas Ovalekar

Shreyas Ovalekar

Terri Lindsey

Terri Lindsey

Krista Benoit

Krista Benoit

D.A. Sullivan & Sons Inc. (DAS), a general-contracting and construction-management firm serving the public and private sectors since 1897, is proud to announce three recent hires to the organization: Shreyas Ovalekar as estimator, Terri Lindsey as office administrator/HR, and Krista Benoit as project manager/engineer. Ovalekar joins DAS from Vantage Builders, where he was also an estimator. With more than seven years of experience, he brings vast knowledge and unique perspective to the DAS team. He earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from Western New England University. Before joining DAS, Lindsey was an office manager at Burke Chevrolet. She comes to DAS with experience and enthusiasm to contribute to an efficient, inclusive, and developing workforce. Benoit comes to DAS from Dietz & Company Architects Inc. Her diverse experience includes a wide range of projects on the architectural side of project design and delivery, and her expertise will be an asset to the DAS team.

•••••

Unemployment Tax Control Associates Inc. (UTCA), a national unemployment-insurance service provider based in West Springfield with an office in Boston, announced that Principal Evan Murphy has been appointed to Connecticut’s Employment Security Advisory Board. The eight-member board advises state administrators on matters pertaining to the policy and administration of the Employment Security Division. A UTCA employee for more than 10 years, Murphy oversees analysis, implementation, and client-success efforts to reduce the cost and complexity of employer unemployment-insurance programs. He facilitates educational seminars for customers, industry associations, and various employer groups across the country. He has been instrumental in helping businesses of all sizes and scopes effectively understand and control their unemployment cost and compliance. Murphy was appointed by Connecticut state Rep. Jason Rojas, the majority leader of the House of Representatives.

•••••

Scott Little

Scott Little

Berkshire Money Management (BMM) announced that Scott Little, financial advisor and vice president at the firm, has earned the behavioral financial advisor (BFA) designation. Behavioral financial advisors combine financial knowledge with psychology and neuroscience to increase their ability to coach clients in making rational, values-based decisions. Behavioral finance acknowledges that, while numbers are rational, people are not, which can make carrying out financial plans challenging for client and advisor alike. The BFA program was developed by Think 2 Perform to teach advisors to recognize their clients’ emotions and help them stick with their plans, even when those emotions run high. To earn the certification, advisors must complete two multi-part courses on behavioral finance, pass an online proctored exam, and complete 20 hours of continuing education to renew their status every two years. Little has been helping BMM clients build secure retirements for more than 20 years. He is a licensed financial advisor, a certified elder planning specialist, and now a behavioral financial advisor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics from MCLA.

•••••

Everette Anderson

Everette Anderson

At its annual S.T.A.R. Awards & Safety Banquet on Feb. 28 Peter Pan Bus Lines honored 11 of its 1 million-, 2 million-, 3 million-, and 4 million-mile motor-coach operators. The brightest star was Everette Anderson, who has been a Peter Pan motor-coach driver for 53 years, since May 1970. Anderson is the second motor-coach operator in the history of this country to be inducted into the National Safety Hall of Fame for driving 4 million miles without any accidents. The first inductee was Peter Pan motor-coach operator Ed Hope in 2017. Four million miles is the equivalent of 40 trips around the earth. Other Peter Pan motor-coach operators honored at the S.T.A.R. Awards included Thomas Reckner and Paul Boie for for 3 million miles; Phillandor Knight, Dave Kollisch, Wayne Soloman, and Anthony Wilson for 2 million miles; and Syed Bukhari, Edward Caouette, Frederick Perry, and Horace Wright for 1 million miles.

•••••

The Massachusetts State Lottery and the Boston Celtics recently honored Kashawn Sanders of Springfield as a Hero Among Us. Sanders uses the power of mentoring to help shape the future of today’s youth. Along with co-founder Tyrone Williams, Sanders established the Follow My Steps Foundation Inc., a nonprofit that provides mentoring programs, financial resources, and career and skill development to youth living in under-resourced communities throughout the Commonwealth. Through community service and a growing number of local events, Sanders is helping empower his students to give back to their own communities. In less than three years, his organization has devoted countless mentorship hours to more than 1,000 students, inspiring each of them to see and reach their full potential. For his commitment to uplifting youth vulnerable communities through mentorship, and in honor of Bill Russell’s legacy in the mentoring movement, Sanders was honored as a Hero Among Us on Feb. 12, when the Boston Celtics played the Memphis Grizzlies.

•••••

Henry Thomas

Henry Thomas

Henry Thomas, who presided over the Urban League of Springfield for almost a half-century, announced his retirement last week. “I have had the privilege to spend my entire career supporting the Springfield community and creating countless spaces where our community can thrive, grow, and achieve excellence,” he wrote in a letter announcing his decision. “My dream has always been to serve, and I am so honored to have spent my life’s work with a civil-rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice.” Thomas was named one of BusinessWest’s Difference Makers for 2023, and will be honored at a gala on April 27. He joined the Urban League in 1971 as youth coordinator. In 1974, at age 25, he became the nation’s youngest leader of a national Urban League affiliate. One of his key areas of focus throughout his career has been education, and not just through Urban League programs; he also served for 13 years on the UMass Amherst board of trustees — including two and a half years as board chair — and was a co-founder of New Leadership Charter School. Under his watch, Urban League initiatives have included include education and youth-development initiatives, as well as programs for economic and workforce development, health and wellness, and seniors. Also in the vein of education and workforce development, Thomas established Step Up Springfield, a teacher-development program in Springfield; is funding (along with his wife, Dee, a former teacher and principal herself) a $50,000 scholarship for Black youth from Springfield; and tackled a two-year assignment with the National Urban League as its vice president for Youth Development, with a primary focus of youth development within inner-city communities. Another one of Thomas’ successes was bringing Camp Atwater in North Brookfield — the oldest overnight camp for Black youth in the U.S. — back to life in 1980 after a period of dormancy. The camp celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021.

People on the Move

MP CPAs recently announced the promotions of six team members.

Sharon Blazejowski

Sharon Blazejowski

Sharon Blazejowski was promoted to senior audit manager. She manages audits, reviews, and compilations for small to medium-sized businesses. She specializes in and is a key leader for Massachusetts charter school and non-profit organization engagements, including yellow book and single audits. Blazejowski joined the firm in 1996 and has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration from American International College. She is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA).

Phil Giguere

Phil Giguere

Phil Giguere was promoted to senior tax manager. He provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients including individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and trusts.  He also has experience working with international affiliates on foreign tax issues. He specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and with private-equity firms and their owners. Giguere joined the firm in 2006 and has more than 16 years of experience in business and individual taxation.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from Western New England University.  He is a certified public accountant and a member of AICPA and MSCPA. He sits on the golf committee for Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island and the finance committee of Wellspring Cooperative, and volunteers his time with the Cory J Garwacki Foundation.

Eun Mi Kwon

Eun Mi Kwon

Eun Mi Kwon was promoted to senior tax manager. She provides tax compliance and planning services to a diverse group of clients in the U.S. and abroad, specializing in estate and trust taxation. She has more than 15 years of experience in personal and business taxation. Kwon holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea and an MBA with a concentration in accounting from the University of Massachusetts. She is a certified public accountant and certified financial planner, and a member of the AICPA. Active in the community, she serves on the finance committee for the Amherst Survival Center.

Jeff Laboe

Jeff Laboe

Jeff Laboe was promoted to tax manager. He provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, trusts, partnerships, and corporations. He specializes in working with private-equity firms and their owners, as well as high-net-worth clients and their families. Laboe joined the firm in 2010 and has more than 12 years of experience in personal and business taxation and holds a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Iowa State University. He became an enrolled agent in the spring of 2021.

Tim LaFalam

Tim LaFalam

Tim LaFalam was promoted to tax manager. He provides planning and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, estates, trusts, corporations, and partnerships. He has built solid and trusting relationships with countless clients. LaFalam joined the firm as an intern and started full-time in 2016. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western New England University, and he leads the firm’s efforts in continuing a mentoring and recruiting relationship with the university. He has taken the lead in many fundraising and community-service activities that the firm participates in, including coordinating the firm’s United Way annual pledge, South Park Inn program, and Children’s Study Home Secret Santa.

Joe Oliveira

Joe Oliveira

Joe Oliveira was promoted to senior tax manager. He provides quality tax services to high-net-worth clients. His experience includes successful representation before the Internal Revenue Service and other taxing authorities, planning for life events, and estate planning. Oliveira holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut. He is a certified public accountant in both Connecticut and Massachusetts, and is a member of the AICPA and the Connecticut Society of CPAs. He is the treasurer of the Suffield, Conn. chapter of the Girl Scouts of Connecticut and an active member of Sacred Heart Church in Suffield.

•••••

Sam Skura, MPH, MBA, a healthcare professional with more than 25 years of clinical leadership experience, has been named president of Baystate Medical Center and senior vice president of Hospital Operations for Baystate Health. His appointment becomes effective Sept. 12. In his new role, Skura will join the senior leadership team and serve as a member of the president’s cabinet, reporting directly to Marion McGowan, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Baystate Health. Skura has an extensive background in hospital leadership and most recently served as chief operating officer reporting to the president at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. In previous roles, he served as senior vice president of Ambulatory and Clinical Services and chief administrative officer at BIDMC. Prior to BIDMC, Skura was vice president of Clinical Operations at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, reporting to the chief operating officer. He served on the leadership team of a combined group practice of more than 500 physicians and a 335-bed inpatient hospital. He also held administrative roles at Cambridge Health Alliance, where he provided oversight to senior leadership for 16 community health centers and practice sites and a three-campus Emergency Department. He was administrative director for Steward Health Care (formerly Caritas Christi Health Care System) in Boston, where he provided management for the largest emergency-medicine group in Massachusetts, trending more than 240,000 annual visits. Skura also held managerial roles at Brigham & Women’s Hospital/Partners Healthcare in Boston and Fallon Healthcare System in Worcester. Skura earned an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, a master’s degree in public health from Boston University, and a bachelor of arts and economics degree from Brandeis University.

•••••

Andrew Cade

Andrew Cade

Margaret Mantoni

Margaret Mantoni

Evan Plotkin

Evan Plotkin

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced that three new members have been elected to the SSO’s board of directors: Andrew Cade, Margaret Mantoni, and Evan Plotkin. Cade is the senior vice president of the Urban League of Springfield Inc., which serves the Greater Springfield African-American community by advocating for and providing model services that enhance the academic and social development of young people and families, promoting economic self-sufficiency, and fostering racial inclusion and social justice. Apart from his job at Urban League, Cade also serves as president of the Springfield Cultural Council. Mantoni is president and CEO of the Loomis Communities. She served for 30 years as the organization’s CFO prior to taking her current position. She is a certified public accountant and worked in a local accounting firm for eight years before joining the Loomis Communities. She serves on the Audit Committee of the United Way of Pioneer Valley, is a member of the LeadingAge Massachusetts board, and serves on the Capital Projects Planning Committee for the city of West Springfield. Mantoni has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and an MBA from Western New England College. Plotkin is president of NAI Plotkin, a full-service brokerage and property-management company. He has extensive experience in all aspects of property management and commercial brokerage, including commercial office buildings, medical office buildings, industrial buildings, shopping centers, and condominium/residential management. Plotkin is one of the lead organizers of the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival and the City Mosaic project, as well as the force behind Art & Soles. He was recently named the 2022 Richard J. Moriarty Citizen of the Year by the Springfield Regional Chamber. He has served on the boards of the Springfield Museums and Holyoke Community College.

•••••

Carolyn Martinez

Carolyn Martinez

Carolyn Martinez has been promoted to assistant executive director of Christina’s House, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and social services for homeless or near-homeless mothers and children. Martinez has served as program manager and brings firsthand experience to Christina’s House as a program graduate. Before joining the team, she worked in community healthcare settings for several years and has completed certificate programs in child behavioral health and community health. She will work alongside founder Linda Mumblo to expand the mission and assist the Christina’s House family to reach their fullest potential. Christina’s House also announced it is seeking candidates for the new community development and administrative assistant roles, and that Executive Director Shannon Mumblo intends to transition from her role. In its 10th year, Christina’s House operates two homes in Springfield. It continues its mission to educate, embrace, and encourage families in the program to develop the life skills needed to become self-sufficient as they transition from homelessness to stable environments. Through the program, women and their children participate in programs that include financial counseling, job-skills development, parenting, conflict resolution, and building healthy eating and exercise habits.

•••••

Holyoke Community College (HCC) Anthropology Professor Vanessa Martínez is the recipient of the 2022 Antonia Pantoja Award from the Latino Scholarship Fund of Western Massachusetts. The award, named after the noted Puerto Rican organizer and education activist, was presented on June 23 at the Latino Scholarship Fund’s 32nd annual meeting at the Log Cabin. The organization presents the award annually to an individual who has made a profound and significant contribution to education, demonstrating a dedication to the academic achievement of Latinx students. Martínez is co-director of HCC’s Honors Program and co-founder of the Women of Color Health Equity Collective, a Springfield-based nonprofit. In addition, her HCC classes frequently engage with community groups and Holyoke schools through service-learning projects. She has been teaching at HCC since 2006. In January, she also received the 2022 Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award from Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. Martínez was born in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbus State University, a master’s degree from Georgia State University, and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts. In 2011, she received the Latino Teaching Excellence Award from then-Gov. Deval Patrick, and was selected in 2015 as a Leadership Fellow by the American Anthropological Assoc.

•••••

Melissa Breor

Melissa Breor

The Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce announced Melissa Breor as its new executive director. Breor spent four years at the Northampton Chamber of Commerce. Inspired by her work there leading the launch of Hampshire County tourism platforms, she co-founded Western Mass Beer Week in 2016 to celebrate the economic impact of the region’s burgeoning local craft-beer industry. After her time at the chamber, she worked as the assistant director of Marketing and later interim director at the UMass Amherst Fine Arts Center, finding new ways to connect, grow, and measure audience development. Most recently, she worked for Gateway City Arts in Holyoke as Press & Outreach coordinator, as well as in customer service at various businesses in the region.

•••••

Andrew Sullivan

Andrew Sullivan

Freedom Credit Union recently announced the promotion of Andrew Sullivan from commercial loan officer to assistant vice president, member business lending. Sullivan has been with Freedom since 2019 and is based in the main office in Springfield. He will continue his role providing financing for new and existing business members along with managing the existing commercial-loan portfolio. Sullivan earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting/business management and an MBA from Elms College. He is also the founder of Andrew Sullivan’s Swing for a Cure to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

•••••

Fierst Bloomberg Ohm LLP recently made several personnel announcements.

Michael Simolo joined the firm as a partner. A graduate of Hobert College and Cornell Law School, he has 20 years of experience in corporate matters, tax, estate planning and administration, probate litigation, and related areas. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, and New York.

Daniel Fierst has become a partner of the firm. A graduate of the University of Colorado and UMass Dartmouth School of Law, he began his career as in-house counsel for Wargaming.net in Austin, Texas. Since joining the firm in 2016, he has focused on assisting film, television, and video-game clients with their transactional, licensing, and intellectual-property matters. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Florida.

Frederick Fierst and David Bloomberg were recently named 2022 Massachusetts and New England Super Lawyers. Fierst was honored in the entertainment and sports category for the 15th consecutive year, and Bloomberg in the category of real estate. Super Lawyers is a rating service of lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are limited to the top 5% of lawyers in each state.

•••••

Tricia Serio

Tricia Serio

Tricia Serio has been named provost and senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at UMass Amherst. She started her new position on July 18. Serio previously served as dean of the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) and associate chancellor for Strategic Academic Planning. Serio joined UMass as dean of CNS in 2017 after serving as professor and head of the department of Molecular And Cellular Biology at the University of Arizona. Her professional honors include the 2016 Mid-career Award for Excellence in Research from the American Society for Cell Biology, the Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences for 2003-07, and the National Cancer Institute’s Howard Temin Award for 2001-06. In 2022, she was selected to be a fellow in the American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the pre-eminent scientific institution in the U.S. Serio earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from Lehigh University and a master of philosophy degree and Ph.D. in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale University. She was a postdoctoral fellow in molecular genetics and cell biology at the University of Chicago.

•••••

The Assoc. for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) awarded the 2022 Ellen Stewart Career Achievement Award in Professional Theatre to Tina Packer, founding artistic director of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox. The award is named for American theater director and producer Ellen Stewart (1919-2011) and is awarded annually to an individual primarily based in professional theater, honoring a career of distinguished service to the field. “Tina Packer’s Shakespeare & Company develops and performs classical and contemporary works, houses one of the largest theater-in-education programs in the Northeast, and offers year-round actor-training opportunities,” ATHE Executive Director Aimee Zygmonski said. “She has developed transformative training methodologies and, for four decades, been an advocate of collective storytelling, both nationally and in her local community.”

•••••

Matthew Valliere

Matthew Valliere

James Hagan, president and CEO of Westfield Bank, announced that Matthew Valliere has been appointed branch manager and retail banking officer at the bank’s 26 Arnold St. branch in Westfield. Valliere will be responsible for overseeing customer service; retail and business product sales, including mortgage originations; as well as business development and community outreach. Other responsibilities include managing general operations and employee development within the branch. Valliere graduated from Springfield Technical Community College in 2007 with an associate degree. In 2014, he completed the Connecticut School of Finance and Management. He spent time as a retirement services representative and assistant branch manager with other financial institutions before joining Westfield Bank in 2020 as an assistant branch manager at the 47 Palomba Dr. location in Enfield.

•••••

St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced that the team has hired Kevin Maxwell as general manager of the club’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, as well as a pro scout. Maxwell joins the Blues organization following 14 seasons in the scouting department with the New York Rangers. Since 2011, Maxwell had served as the Rangers’ director of Professional Scouting. New York reached the Stanley Cup playoffs in 10 of Maxwell’s 14 seasons in the organization, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Maxwell was a third-round selection by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1979 NHL draft following an All-American season at the University of North Dakota. After an eight-year professional playing career, he jumped into the scouting ranks, spending three seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers scouting department from 1988 to 1991. Following a brief stint as the head coach for the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings in 1991-92, Maxwell spent the last 30 years in NHL scouting roles with the Hartford Whalers (1992-96), New York Islanders (1996-2006), Dallas Stars (2006-08), and Rangers (2008-2022). He has served as the director of Professional Scouting for the Whalers, Islanders, and Rangers over his tenure as an executive.

•••••

Chris Nadeau

Chris Nadeau

Chris Nadeau recently joined O’Connor & Drew, P.C. as a tax manager. He brings with him more than 15 years of experience in public and private accounting and is regularly retained to provide business valuation, advisory, and taxation services to closely held businesses, professional service firms, and medical practices. He also has extensive experience in succession planning, corporate and partnership taxation, and individual taxation. Nadeau previously spent seven years at a regional accounting firm as a manager-director and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Westfield State University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants, the National Assoc. of Certified Valuation Analysts, and the Institute of Management Accountants.

•••••

bankESB recently promoted Karen DeMaio to assistant vice president, IRA and Operations Risk Management. DeMaio joined bankESB in 2006 as an IRA specialist and was promoted to IRA and Deposit Services officer in 2014. She is responsible for IRA services, vendor management, business-continuity planning, and insurance for the Hometown Financial Group family of banks, which includes bankESB, bankHometown, and Abington Bank. Prior to bankESB, DeMaio served as senior Marketing analyst at Friendly Ice Cream Corp. and as senior auditor at KPMG Peat Marwick. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western New England College, completed the certified public accounting exam, and earned her Certified IRA Services Professional designation. She currently serves as vice chairperson for the town of Southwick Finance Committee and is a board member of Westfield Credit for Life.

•••••

Ashley Rollins

Ashley Rollins

American Eagle Financial Credit Union (AEFCU) announced the appointment of Ashley Rollins as vice president of Consumer Lending. In her new role, Rollins will focus on all aspects of lending, including consumer and real-estate originations, collections, process improvement, automation, and loan reporting. Rollins assumes her new role at AEFCU with more than 11 years of experience in financial-services operations, quality control, and consumer loan products. She most recently served as Loan Administration officer for Justice Federal Credit Union in Washington, D.C. She earned certificates from the National Assoc. of Federally Insured Credit Unions Management and Leadership Institute and the Harvard Business School Leadership Academy, as well as a Yellow Belt certification from Lean Six Sigma. During her time in the D.C. region, she volunteered at the Central Virginia Food Bank and taught financial-literacy classes at Richmond, Va. elementary schools.

 

•••••

Community Access to the Arts (CATA) announced the appointment of Kelly Galvin as program director. She joins current CATA staff members Jeff Gagnon and Kara Smith, who have been promoted to the program director position, to create a new, three-person arts leadership team at the nonprofit, reporting to Executive Director Margaret Keller. CATA strategically restructured staff roles to develop a shared program leadership model, following the retirement of long-time staff member Dawn Lane, coupled with vigorous growth in CATA’s arts programs serving people with disabilities. The three-person arts leadership team will work closely with Keller to seize opportunities and provide inclusive arts programs for people with disabilities across the Berkshires and Columbia County. Galvin joins CATA as an accomplished director, producer, and teaching artist. She has been a company member with Shakespeare & Company since 2008 and served as the artistic associate at WAM Theatre. As a director and producer, she has led acclaimed productions at Shakespeare & Company, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, the Theater at Woodshill, and Gloucester Stage, and assisted at regional theatres including the Guthrie and Asolo Repertory Theatre. She is the founder of the rig, an organization in Western Massachusetts working to create connections through the arts and to redistribute cultural resources to a larger portion of the community.

People on the Move
Kevin Day

Kevin Day

Florence Bank announced that president and CEO Kevin Day will retire on Nov. 25, and a focused search is underway for a new leader. Day took over as president in January 2020 and became CEO in May of the same year. When Day took the helm at age 64, he promised that nothing would change at the bank. Little did he know he’d be called upon to usher Florence Bank through some of the most tumultuous times in history, including a pandemic and the resulting financial strife. Day led the bank in ensuring that countless homeowners and businesses were able to defer their payments during the pandemic and in helping business customers connect to grants and other available funding. These measures helped customers navigate the financial turmoil and gave them much-needed time to adjust to new financial situations. The bank also expanded over these past two years, opening a branch in Chicopee, creating a work-from-home program for employees, and granting hundreds of thousands of dollars to nonprofit organizations in the Valley. Day joined Florence Bank in 2008 as chief financial officer, responsible for finance, facilities, and risk management. His responsibilities expanded to include compliance in 2013, residential lending in 2014, and retail banking in 2016. He was also promoted to executive vice president in 2016.

•••••

Aieshya Jackson

Aieshya Jackson

Karon Forde

Karon Forde

The board of directors of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services has elected Aieshya Jackson as president, and the organization announced that Karon Forde has been appointed director of Youth Programs. Jackson is a business manager for the Springfield Library Department and has more than 15 years of financial-services experience. She is a graduate of Bay Path University, where she earned a master’s degree in healthcare management. She also attended the Connecticut School of Finance and Management. Forde had served as the Community Center director for the Police Athletic League in Brooklyn, N.Y. She has more than seven years of experience working directly with youth as well as serving as an administrator of after-school programs. She earned a bachelor’s degree in values, ethics, and social action from Allegheny College.

•••••

The Dowd Agencies announced the promotion of Jack Dowd from account executive to vice president of Personal Lines. Dowd has been with the agency since 2016 and represents the fifth generation to join the family business. He graduated from Saint Michael’s College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and received his MBA from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business. A licensed property and casualty insurance producer, he achieved his certified insurance counselor (CIC) designation in 2019. In addition, he has participated in the 18-month Agents Sons & Daughters Training Program for underwriting at Quincy Mutual Insurance. In his community, he serves on committees for the Brightside Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He is also a member of the board of directors for Boys Scouts of America, Western Massachusetts Council, where he serves as the risk management chair.

•••••

Lisa Wray-Schechterle

Lisa Wray-Schechterle

Holyoke Medical Center announced the appointment of Lisa Wray-Schechterle as the hospital’s director of Community Benefits. Wray-Schechterle joins the hospital from Pyramid Management Group, where she served as the marketing director of the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside for more than 20 years. She holds both a master’s degree in communication and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University. She serves as a marketing committee member for Girls Inc. of the Valley, a board member of the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, and an advisory board member for the Holyoke Community College School of Business. Holyoke Medical Center Community Benefits provides programs and services to improve health in communities and helps to increase access to healthcare. Wray-Schechterle succeeds Kathy Anderson as director of the department following Anderson’s retirement.

•••••

William Burke III

William Burke III

The Springfield College board of trustees recently announced the outcome of its 2022-23 board election results during its annual spring meeting. William Burke III was re-elected as chair of the board of trustees. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola College and an MBA from Loyola College Sellenger School of Management. Other trustees elected to the board include Mark Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia in Alpharetta, Ga.; Pia Flanagan, chief of staff to the CEO at MassMutual in Springfield; Peter Pappas, a wealth management associate at Morgan Stanley in Springfield; Suzanne Robotti, founder and president of MedShadow Foundation in New York, N.Y.; Terry Powe, principal of Elias Brookings School in Springfield; Anthony Sarage, a podiatrist and partner at Western Massachusetts Podiatry Associates in East Longmeadow; Denise Alleyne, retired vice president for Student Services at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill; Douglass Coupe, retired vice president of State Street Global Investor Services of Boston; Samantha Hourihan, student trustee and a physical therapy major; Gizzelle Abanador, student trustee-elect and a biology major; and David Henke, student trustee-elect and a secondary education major.

•••••

Tiffany Appleton has been named president of the board of directors at Dakin Humane Society in Springfield. Appleton joined the board in 2017 and served as its secretary from 2020 to 2022. She is currently the associate director of Employer Relations at UMass Amherst, a position she has held for the past two years. Prior to that, she was a director of the Accounting and Finance Division at Johnson & Hill Staffing Services in West Springfield from 2016 to 2020. Appleton earned both a master’s degree in science education and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at UMass Lowell. She previously served as a board member at the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley from 2018 to 2020.

•••••

Adam Hogan

Adam Hogan

Adam Hogan has joined Bulkley Richardson as the firm’s controller. In this management role, Hogan will execute all financial and tax-related activities for the firm, including development of the annual operating budget; partnership reporting; successful collaboration with his team for billing, payables, and receivables; and working closely with firm leadership to contribute to the growth and overall success of the firm. Previously, Hogan held the positions of CFO, controller, and staff accountant at several area businesses. He holds both a master’s degree in accounting and financial planning and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Elms College.

•••••

Elizabeth Hillis

Elizabeth Hillis

The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS) welcomed Elizabeth Hillis, Business Development associate at WWLP-22 News, to its board of directors. “I’m excited to share my skills with the board and learn new things about the area,” Hillis said. “I’m thrilled to be able to help with the amazing events our organization has to offer. Being a Springfield YPS member is a great way to develop your network, meet other professionals, and become more involved in your community. I can’t wait to get started.”

•••••

Evan Collins joined Lee Bank as a mortgage originator and will be working out of the Pittsfield branch. Collins was previously employed as a sales associate at Piretti Real Estate and Stone House Properties. He has been involved in real-estate sales in Berkshire County for seven years and said he is looking forward to exploring a different side of the local real-estate market in his new position.

•••••

BK Investments Hotel Group announced the promotion of Karen Warren to regional director of Operations. Warren will be responsible for the management of the hotel portfolio. She will have responsibilities for a range of brands, including Residence Inn Chicopee, Hampton Inn Chicopee, Tru by Hilton Chicopee, and Holiday Inn Express in Brattleboro, Vt. Vickie Maryou has been promoted to general manager of Residence Inn Chicopee to succeed Warren.

•••••

Gisenia Stewart

Gisenia Stewart

ServiceNet’s diversity coordinator, Gisenia Stewart, will join a group of experts, leaders, and community members to spearhead the Baby Bonds Task Force, a group charged by the state treasurer, Office of Economic Empowerment, and Economic Empowerment Trust Fund to provide recommendations for creating a Baby Bonds initiative in Massachusetts. Baby Bonds is an initiative that provides government-supported trust funds for children. When account holders reach adulthood, they can access their fund and spend it on assets that can grow over time or generate wealth (e.g., higher education, buying a home, starting a business, etc.). Studies show that Baby Bonds can help close the racial wealth gap. The Task Force’s diverse, cross-sector group includes people who have expertise and lived experience in racial wealth equity, community engagement, child welfare, and asset-growth initiatives. The Task Force will be chaired by former Massachusetts State Treasurer Shannon O’Brien.