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People on the Move

Ryan Gagne

Cicely Hislop

Cicely Hislop

Andrew Fleming

Andrew Fleming

D.A. Sullivan & Sons Inc. (DAS) announced the arrival of Ryan Gagne, Cicely Hislop, and Andrew Fleming into its leadership group, marking a significant milestone in the 125-year-old construction company’s history. Gagne is valued for his innovative approaches and collaborative project management and will assume the role of vice president of Construction. His master’s degree in construction management and years of industry involvement will enrich the project experience offered by DAS. Hislop is currently pursuing her MBA at UMass Amherst. She is set to play a pivotal role in enhancing DAS’s operational efficiency and project execution as chief operating officer. Fleming will undertake the role of vice president of Pre-construction. His ability to foresee potential challenges and devise effective solutions is expected to ensure the smooth execution of projects from the initial stages.

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Christopher Thuot

Christopher Thuot

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) named Christopher Thuot vice president for Academic Affairs. Following a comprehensive national search, Thuot assumed the role on July 17. As the chief academic officer, he provides leadership for implementation of the college’s academic mission and priorities. He plays a key role in supporting the alignment of academic programs with the region’s employment needs while helping develop and sustain partnerships with transfer institutions, local schools, and government agencies. Thuot comes to STCC from Onondaga Community College (OCC) in Syracuse, N.Y., one of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system. He served as assistant provost, providing academic leadership to eight schools, adult college programs, and the Office of Registration and Records. He helped lead development of all new degree programs, led a comprehensive program revitalization process, and served as OCC’s accreditation liaison officer. He served as project director on a number of grants. Thuot began his career at OCC as a full-time faculty member while serving as the Honors College chair, vice president of the Faculty Senate, and coordinator of General Education. He was first introduced to community colleges as a student at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, N.C. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina Asheville and a Ph.D. in political science at Northern Illinois University.

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Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) announced that the nonprofit organization’s long-time CEO, Pattie Hallberg, is stepping down at the end of 2023, after 16 years of service. The GSCWM board will oversee the process to choose Hallberg’s successor, and has engaged the search firm Find Good People to assist with the transition. “It has been my honor and a sincere privilege to lead Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, an organization dedicated to the development of a girl’s personal leadership journey,” said Hallberg, who was named by BusinessWest to its Women of Impact class of 2020. “I am proud of the organization we are today and the impact we’ve made, working with thousands of fabulous girls and adults to further the Girl Scout mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.”

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Peter Albero

Peter Albero

Peter Albero has been appointed chief financial officer and treasurer of Greenfield Savings Bank. He will be responsible for all aspects of financial operations of the bank, including internal and external financial reporting, investments, and asset and liability management. Albero joins the bank with more than 35 years in the financial industry. Most recently, he served as chief financial officer at Salisbury Bank & Trust. In addition, he has been a risk advisory consultant at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, where he designed and implemented financial and risk data reconciliations for foreign banks. For more than 26 years, he worked at Morgan Stanley in a variety of senior roles in the Financial Controller group. He is also a licensed CPA in New York. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Manhattan College and an MBA in finance and international business from New York University.

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Conor Carey

Conor Carey

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that attorney Conor Carey has joined the firm as an associate in the Litigation department. Carey earned his juris doctorate, cum laude, from the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis in 2018 and his bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Westfield State University in 2015. Prior to joining Bacon Wilson, he spent a year as a judicial law clerk for Associate Justice Sabita Singh of the Massachusetts Appeals Court and also previously served as a research attorney to the justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court in Worcester. At Bacon Wilson, he will be assisting clients with their litigation needs in both civil and criminal law. He is a member of both the Hampden and Hampshire county bar associations and will be working primarily out of the firm’s Northampton office. He is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and Minnesota.

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Soniha Nuzrat

Soniha Nuzrat

Dietz & Company Architects Inc. recently welcomed Soniha Nuzrat to the firm in the role of architectural associate, in which she will assist project teams throughout all phases of design. Nuzrat recently received her master of architecture degree from Miami University in Ohio, where she completed her thesis on evaluating cross-cultural courtyard housing for social well-being in Manhattan. As evidenced by her thesis, she has a particular interest and specializes in community-based design. This past spring, she received the AIA Medal for Academic Excellence, which is awarded annually to the top graduating students in National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) accredited degree programs. Prior to pursuing her master of architecture degree, Nuzrat earned her bachelor of architecture degree from Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology. She also worked on a variety of projects for architecture firms in Bangladesh.

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Country Bank announced that Brunilda Demiri has joined its Auditing Division as first vice president and director of Internal Audit. Before joining Country Bank, she worked as a lead auditor for the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. She has more than 14 years of experience in the industry and is currently a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and the Certified Fraud Examiners Community. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Bentley University and is currently enrolled in Babson’s MBA program. Brunilda is also a certified fraud examiner.

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Timothy Murphy

Timothy Murphy

Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. announced that one of its partners, Timothy Murphy, has been recognized once again by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America list for 2024. He is listed in three fields: employment law – management, labor law – management, and litigation – labor and employment. Focusing his practice on labor relations, union avoidance, collective bargaining and arbitration, employment litigation, and employment counseling, Murphy has been included in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013 and was Lawyer of the Year in 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022. Murphy is very active within the local community, sitting on boards of directors for several area organizations, such as the Human Service Forum and Community Legal Aid. He also is a member of the World Affairs Council.

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Michael Laga

Michael Laga

Freedom Credit Union recently welcomed Mortgage Loan Originator Michael Laga to its Loan Production Office at 115 Elm St. in Enfield, Conn. In this role, Laga works with homebuyers to assess their financial status and credit, recommend the best loan products, and guide members through the homebuying process. Laga graduated from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst and played professional baseball for 14 years on teams including the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants. Freedom’s Loan Production Office opened in Enfield in November 2022. It is dedicated exclusively to mortgage and business lending. John Santaniello, assistant vice president of Member Business Lending, also works from this office, helping businesses that are seeking loans, including term, Small Business Administration, commercial real estate, and commercial vehicle loans.

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Girls Inc. of the Valley recently welcomed two new members to its board of directors. Trishna Mudumbi and Isani Castro will join the current board to support strategic planning to map out the future of the organization. Mudumbi is an accomplished engineering leader with nearly 20 years of industry experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Drexel University and a master’s degree in management from Stevens Institute of Technology. She is currently the chief engineer for Environmental and Airframe Control Systems products for the Boeing Defense Value Stream at Collins Aerospace. Throughout her career, she has focused on promoting women and underrepresented groups in STEM and beyond. Castro is an associate attorney at Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, P.C. in downtown Springfield, with a focus on business and corporate law. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Manhattan College, graduating with honors. She graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law in May 2022 with her juris doctor. In her role as associate attorney, she drafts various legal documents related to intricate business needs, provides legal counsel, and manages negotiations.

People on the Move
Dr. Mark Keroack

Dr. Mark Keroack

Dr. Mark Keroack announced his plan to retire as Baystate Health CEO in July 2024 after 10 years of leadership of the region’s primary health system. The board of trustees will launch a national search for his successor. Keroack joined Baystate Health in 2011 as chief physician executive and president of Baystate Medical Practices and was appointed to the CEO role in 2014. He has had a long career in both medicine and health administration, serving in leadership roles at UMass Memorial Medical Group and the University Health System Consortium. A specialist in infectious diseases, Keroack was a leading voice during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering public-health information and partnering with public-health officials to address the crisis. The board has established a search committee and identified a search firm to help conduct a nationwide search for a new CEO. It is expected to take several months to a year to identify a candidate and finalize the next CEO. During this period, Keroack will continue in all aspects of the CEO role.

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Kaz Borawski

Kaz Borawski

The North Brookfield Savings Bank board of directors announced that Kaz Borawski has been appointed president and CEO, effective immediately. Borawski has more than 26 years of experience in industries including retail banking, investment banking, wealth management, and technology and operations at organizations such as JPMorgan Chase and MassMutual Financial Group. He has spent the last 13 years in community banking with United Bank, Merchants Bank, and Holyoke Credit Union before joining North Brookfield Savings Bank in February 2022 as chief financial officer. She holds a certificate from the New England School for the Financial Studies at Babson College, an MBA with a major in finance from Manhattan College in New York City, and a bachelor of business administration degree with a major in accounting from Baruch College, also in New York City.

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Katy Malouin

Katy Malouin

The Royal Law Firm recently welcomed attorney Katy Malouin to the team. She has more than 10 years of experience in commercial insurance defense work, primarily focused on contract analysis and legal research and writing. After obtaining her undergraduate degree, Malouin worked as a human resources information systems assistant, verifying the accuracy of professional licensure and compliance with union contracts. While in law school, she worked as a law clerk and also participated in a small-business clinic, assisting local individuals with setting up their businesses. She is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion and has previously been involved in advising in the areas of disabilities in the workplace and neurodiversity in the workplace. Malouin holds a dual bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies and business administration from Elms College, a master’s degree in business administration from Western New England University, and both a juris doctorate and an master of law degree in elder law and estate planning from Western New England University School of Law.

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Patrick Grego

Patrick Grego

Berkshire Agriculture Ventures (BAV), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting local agriculture and resilient food systems in the Berkshire-Taconic region, announced the appointment of Patrick Grego as its full-time Communications and Development associate. Grego comes to BAV with a background in nonprofit communications. After moving from Brooklyn, N.Y. to Hudson, N.Y. in 2021, he served as a Communications coordinator at Time & Space Limited, a community arts center in Hudson, and later as Communications assistant at the Olana Partnership. Grego has a passion for storytelling. His writing has been published in several regional newspapers, including the Times Union and Chronogram’s River Newsroom. He recently won the New York Newspaper Publishers Assoc. award for distinguished feature writing.

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Holyoke Community College (HCC) Culinary Arts Professor Warren Leigh has been named Educator of the Year by the Center for the Advancement of Food Service Education (CAFE), a national industry group. Leigh, a professional chef and restaurateur who has been teaching at HCC for 15 years, received his award June 21 at the 2023 CAFE Leadership Conference in Charleston, S.C. Leigh also received honorable mention for CAFE’s annual Community Outreach award. In receiving the Educator of the Year award, Leigh, co-chair of HCC’s Culinary Arts program, was recognized for his part in designing the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, the college’s state-of-the-art teaching facility on Race Street that opened in 2018; reimagining the culinary-arts curriculum; creating a line-cook training program in collaboration with HCC’s non-credit business and workforce division; and pushing forward on his concept for a mobile kitchen where students could learn food-truck operations while also teaching the community about nutrition and healthy eating. Leigh holds a bachelor’s degree in food service administration from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in management from the University of Phoenix. He trained extensively as a chef in Germany and Switzerland. He is the owner, operator, and executive chef for Hydrangea Catering & Consulting and has worked over the years in many capacities at restaurants in Connecticut and Western Mass.

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Kyle Young

Kyle Young

Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced that Kyle Young, AIA has been promoted to the position of senior architect. Young joined the firm in 2014 as an architectural associate upon graduating with his master of architecture degree from UMass Amherst. Now as a senior architect, he manages medium- to large-sized construction projects specializing in renovations and new construction for multi-family housing. He also serves as the firm’s AXP mentor/supervisor, supporting employees on their paths to architectural licensure.

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Eric Garcia

Eric Garcia

Freedom Credit Union announced the promotion of Eric Garcia from assistant branch officer to branch officer at its main office in Springfield. He first joined the Freedom team in September 2020 as a member services representative and, due to his potential and initiative, was quickly promoted to the role of assistant branch officer in November 2021. With this latest promotion to branch officer, he will assume responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the main branch. Throughout his tenure at Freedom, Garcia has been recognized for his outstanding contributions. He is a recipient of both the prestigious GEM Award and the President’s Award, highlighting his exceptional work ethic, commitment to excellence, genuine kindness, and positive impact on the organization.

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James Montana

James Montana

Dietz & Co. Architects announced that James Montana, AIA has completed the Architectural Registration Examination and met all of the requirements for architectural licensure in the state of Connecticut, bringing the firm’s total number of registered architects to eight. Montana joined Dietz & Co. in January and is currently participating in the design and project management of a new senior-center facility for the town of Wilmington. He holds a master of architecture degree from Wentworth Institute of Technology and has led design teams for multiple award-winning projects. Prior to working for Dietz, Montana worked for architectural firms in Massachusetts and Connecticut, where he developed a specialization in design for mixed-used commercial and residential projects. He also has experience in designing boutique corporate interiors and campus planning for higher education.

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Former Downtown Northampton Assoc. Executive Director Amy Cahillane has begun her new role as Greenfield Community and Economic Development director. She replaces MJ Adams, who retired in April. Cahillane graduated from Smith College in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in government. She then earned her juris doctorate in 1999 at Suffolk University School of Law before achieving a master’s degree in political science at the University of Washington in 2005. She worked in a multitude of roles across the Northampton community. She was a board member from 2011 to 2013 and co-president from 2013 to 2016 of the Northampton Education Foundation. The volunteer board spearheaded fundraising efforts to procure private and corporate funds to support Northampton public schools. As a participant on the Northampton Center of Arts from 2014 to 2016, Cahillane and other board members worked to provide affordable and accessible venues for a wide range of arts experiences, including performances, exhibits, arts education, and more. The board also partnered with the Northampton Community Arts Trust to reinvent 33 Hawley St. into a multi-faceted art space. In 2016, Cahillane was hired as the first executive director for the Downtown Northampton Assoc. Through strong partnerships with the local business community, city government, and downtown stakeholders, she produced various events, championed beautification efforts, and advocated on behalf of Northampton’s downtown community. She also worked as the community liaison board member for the Northampton Jazz Festival from 2019 to 2023.

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Amelia Holstrom

Amelia Holstrom

Attorney Amelia Holstrom of Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., was named chair of the Wilbraham Personnel Advisory Board, which advises the town’s Select Board on matters pertaining to personnel policy. Holstrom, who joined the firm in 2012, is a partner at Skoler Abbott who practices in all areas of employment defense. She provides counsel to management on taking proactive steps to reduce the risk of legal liability that may be imposed as the result of illegal employment practices and defends employers who are faced with lawsuits and administrative charges filed by current and former employers. Holstrom, who was appointed to the Personnel Advisory Board by the Wilbraham Select Board, is an active participant in the Greater Springfield community. She is a member of the Wilbraham Commission on Disability, the boards of Clinical and Support Options Inc. and the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce, the board development committee for the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, and the personnel committee for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

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Brittany Yvon

Brittany Yvon

Brittany Yvon, credit manager for OMG Inc., has been named as a Rising Star by HBS Dealer magazine in its annual Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply listing. She was selected from among a record-breaking number of nominations of up-and-coming and high-performing leaders who are making an impact in the hardware and building-supply industry. Since 2020, HBS Dealer and industry partners have promoted the role of women in the hardware and building-supply industry. Individuals are nominated by their peers and selected by a panel of judges based on their contributions and attributes that go above and beyond the call of duty. Professionals receiving the Rising Star designation have been identified as women with the potential to make a significant, positive difference both within their company and within the industry for years to come. Yvon has been with OMG for seven years and was promoted to credit manager in 2021, where she is responsible for overseeing OMG’s Accounts Receivable department, including researching customer credit reports, creating credit scoring models to predict risk, monitoring customer balances, and preparing end-of-month reports and reconciliations. She is a member of the National Assoc. of Credit Management, a certified international credit professional through the Finance, Credit, and International Business Assoc., and a credit business associate through the National Assoc. of Credit Management.

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Dan Moriarty

Dan Moriarty

Monson Savings Bank President and CEO Dan Moriarty was named Board Member of the Year at the East of the River Chamber of Commerce (ERC5) 2023 annual breakfast. Moriarty has been a member of the ERC5 board of directors for more than four years. In addition to the work he does with the ERC5, he is involved with several other community organizations. He is a strategic council member of Springfield nonprofit I Found Light Against All Odds- Lighthouse Home for Homeless Teen Girls, a board member of the Monson Home for the Aged, and a member of the Links to Libraries board of directors. He also is on the Baystate Health community benefits advisory council, a member of the Monson Free Library finance committee, and co-chair of the Monson Savings Pro-Am. He co-chairs the diversity, equity, and inclusion council of the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. and he serves on the finance committee and as a confirmation teacher at St. Patrick’s Church in Monson. Additionally, he is a former volunteer grant scholarship reviewer for the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and a past co-chair of the Brightside’s Golf Classic.

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Shefali Desai

Shefali Desai

American International College (AIC) announced the appointment of Shefali Desai as the newest member of its board of trustees. With a career spanning more than 30 years in the financial-services industry, including 22 years at MassMutual, Desai brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her new position on the AIC board. In her role as head of Worksite at MassMutual, she has been instrumental in driving the success of MassMutual’s Worksite business, offering voluntary benefit and executive group life solutions through employers to the mass market. Before assuming her current position at the company, Desai served as the leader of the Strategy and Analytics team for MassMutual Workplace Solutions. Additionally, she has served as the Emerging Market sales manager of the MassMutual Retirement Services Sales Division. A graduate of Babson College, Desai joined the Bucknell University Parents Board in 2022 and has been actively involved in a variety of initiatives, including new-student orientations, fostering diversity and inclusion efforts, and providing career-counseling support.

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Curran and Keegan Financial recently welcomed two additions to its team, Amy Watts Bovaird and Megan Rooney. Watts Bovaird spent more than a decade fundraising for an academic institution, nonprofits, and a trade association, sparking her interest in personal finance. In 2020, she made a career transition and pursued her FINRA Securities Industry Essentials, Series 66, and Series 7 certifications, and spent more than a year advising at a major firm. At Curran and Keegan, she is a financial advisor and is pursuing the certified financial planner certification. Rooney joined the team as a client services associate. She is a recent graduate of Mount Holyoke College, where she received her bachelor’s degree with a concentration in politics. It was during her studies that she became fascinated with personal finance and decided to venture into financial planning. She completed her FINRA Securities Industries Essentials certification as a primary step into the field, and is now pursuing the FINRA Series 7 certification.

People on the Move
Matt Garrity

Matt Garrity

Matt Garrity launched a new era for Florence Bank, taking the helm as president and CEO. He brings extensive experience as a leader and promoter of growth along with a broad base of knowledge in serving both business customers and general banking consumers. Garrity was formerly the executive vice president and chief lending officer and head of Residential Lending at Premier Bank, serving Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. He replaces Michael Lynch, senior vice president and senior commercial lender, who has served as interim president since former president and CEO Kevin Day retired on Nov. 25. In his first year — the 150th-anniversary year for Florence Bank — Garrity expects to focus on getting to know the Florence Bank staff and, over time, on growth, particularly further expansion into Hampden County, where the bank currently has three branches. John Ebbets, chair of the bank’s board of directors, said the search for a new president and CEO began in July and was led by Kaplan Partners, which broadcast the position throughout New England, parts of the mid-Atlantic, and Ohio. A pool of 125 candidates was methodically pared to two finalists, each of whom met live with the full board, which sought a leader with vision, a history of execution, and a willingness to embrace Florence Bank’s mutual culture. Garrity lived in Lee until seventh grade, when he moved to Ohio. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Ohio University and chose banking as a career so he could help consumers achieve their financial goals. His first job was in consumer banking, but he quickly learned he was drawn to commercial banking and took a job as a credit analyst; he rose into leadership steadily over the years. In 2009, he was recruited to serve as chief credit officer for a mid-size bank and rescued the organization from significant financial distress and the threat of closure via a federal cease-and-desist order.

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Megan Burke

Megan Burke

The trustees of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the appointment of Megan Burke to the position of president and CEO (see story on page 4). Burke has been a Community Impact officer at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for more than seven years, most recently serving as its director of Community Impact Grantmaking. Burke has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, strategic planning, and philanthropy. She will begin her tenure at the Foundation on Jan. 18, succeeding Katie Allan Zobel, who moved forward in her career on Oct. 1 after navigating the pandemic and a period of tremendous growth for the foundation. Burke began her career working on international peace and security issues at the Ford Foundation and through the United Nations. She also lived in Nicaragua for several years, where her work supported the emerging LGBTQ+ movement and the development of a nationwide campaign to advance human rights. Prior to her most recent position at the Hartford Foundation, Burke led the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines, an international network of nonprofits engaged in advancing a ban on anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions worldwide. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and a master’s degree from Yale University.

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Michael Savitt

Michael Savitt

Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR Hand Dryer, announced the promotion of Michael Savitt to director of Domestic Sales. Savitt has held positions with increasing responsibility over his 10 years with Excel Dryer, most recently serving as Business Development manager for North America. In his new role, Savitt will supervise the U.S. sales team, explore opportunities to support the company’s growth, and work closely with architects, distributors, and end users to identify how high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers fit into cost-saving and sustainability initiatives. Prior to his role as Business Development manager for North America, Savitt started at Excel Dryer as a field sales manager and then became a national field sales manager. He has worked across all markets, verticals, and channels for Excel Dryer over the past decade. Before joining the company, Savitt worked at Avatar HR Solutions and Data Recognition Corp. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’a degree in journalism and went on to receive his master’s degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington. He completed the “Mastering Sales: A Toolkit for Success” course at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, “Coaching for Improved Performance & Results” with Leadership Dynamics Inc., and “Effective Personal Productivity” with Leadership Management International Inc.

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Ibrahim Alkahiabri

Ibrahim Alkahiabri

Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced the addition of Ibrahim Alkahiabri in the role of architectural associate, where he will assist project teams throughout all phases of design.

Alkahiabri holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in architecture from Savannah College of Art and Design, as well as a diploma in business and tourism from the Prince Sultan College of Business in Saudi Arabia. He comes to Dietz having worked at firms in Charlotte, N.C. and Atlanta, where he gained experience working on multi-family and single-family housing projects.

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Jake Hooker

Jake Hooker

Jake Hooker, a 2012 Northampton High School graduate, has passed the state’s bar exam and joined his father, Michael Hooker, in Hooker’s legal firm, Attorney Michael Hooker Elder Law, which serves elders and those living with disabilities. Jake Hooker is the second attorney at the firm, which also includes a Medicaid specialist, a social worker, a financial specialist, and two specialized paralegals. The practice is unique; its services extend beyond the realm of the law to provide financial and social services for elders and their families. Hooker began interning at the firm while he was attending Northampton High School and continued to assist while at Greenfield Community College and UMass Amherst, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. He graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 2022. While there, he completed two internships — one at Attorney Michael Hooker Elder Law and one with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services at the General Counsel’s Office, where he assisted the MassHealth Estate Recovery Unit as well as the Litigation Department.

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Alexander Pattacini

Alexander Pattacini

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that attorney Alexander Pattacini has joined the firm. He is a member of the firm’s Estate Planning and Elder Law department. Pattacini earned his juris doctorate with a concentration in transactional law from Western New England University School of Law, where he served as a clinician in the Small Business Clinic. He previously earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Prior to joining Bacon Wilson, P.C., he interned with the Connecticut Department of Education Division of Legal Affairs, and served as legal counsel for the Connecticut House Majority Leader’s Office. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. as well as the Education Law Assoc. He is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and will be working in all Bacon Wilson office locations, but primarily in Springfield.

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The International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI) recently welcomed Italian instructor Jennie Coletta, ESOL instructor Brandon LeBlanc, Spanish teacher Kara McBride, and Spanish instructor Boris Romero. Coletta has a bachelor’s degree in Italian studies from Brown University and a master of education degree from Lesley University. As an undergrad, she studied abroad at the Università di Bologna, and later au paired for a family in Sicily. She has taught Italian at a public high school in Massachusetts, and while living in Italy, she taught English to Italian adults. LeBlanc earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Pace University in New York City and a master’s degree in history from York University in Toronto. He has taught English in Spain, social studies/ESL in Bolivia, and most recently taught adult ESL in South Carolina. McBride has one master’s degree in Spanish from Purdue University and another in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Indiana University, and a PhD in second language acquisition and teaching from the University of Arizona. She first joined an improv group in St. Louis, where she was working as an associate professor of Spanish. After eight years at Saint Louis University, she moved to Valparaíso, Chile and opened the House of English. Her business offered immersive language learning experiences such as improv workshops and mystery dinner theater. She returned to the U.S. in 2016 to work as a senior education specialist for World Learning, the international development organization that grew out of the School for International Training. While living in Washington, D.C., she joined the Washington Improv Theater. She will be teaching Spanish improv at ILI this winter. Romero has taught Spanish since 2008 in institutes and universities of Colombia, Canada, and the U.S. He earned both his bachelor’s degree in modern languages and his master’s degree in applied linguistics of Spanish as foreign language at Javeriana University in Bogota, Colombia. He is in the last stages of his doctoral dissertation related to the connection between language and culture. He speaks English, Spanish, French, and a little Italian.

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Trevor Brice

Trevor Brice

The Royal Law Firm recently welcomed attorney Trevor Brice to the team. Brice received his bachelor’s degree from Providence College and his juris doctor and MBA from Suffolk University Law School. He has regularly advised and represented clients in state and federal courts, as well as at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, and other state agencies. Brice moved to Western Mass. after working for a large company in the Boston area, work that provided him with a detailed understanding of the difficult scenarios employers face when defending claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful terminations, and allegations of violations of FMLA. He is admitted to practice law in the state and federal courts in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New York, and New Hampshire.

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Bulkley Richardson announced that Sarah Willey has been promoted to partner in the firm’s Business/Finance Department, and Stephen Holstrom has been promoted to counsel in the firm’s Litigation Department. Willey’s practice includes a range of business services, including advising clients in business formation, mergers and acquisitions, business-succession planning, and corporate structuring of businesses in regulated industries, including cannabis. She also represents employers in a variety of matters before the MCAD, EEOC, and state and federal courts, and counsels clients in protecting and maximizing their intellectual property via trademarks, copyrights, and licensing agreements. Holstrom joined the firm in 2018 as an associate. He is a general practice litigator with a focus on medical-malpractice defense. In addition to medical-malpractice actions, he has litigated other complex tort actions, commercial cases, insurance cases, complex class actions, and education cases.

People on the Move
Shelley Bongiovanni

Shelley Bongiovanni

Devon Bunger

Devon Bunger

Bryan Fleury

Bryan Fleury

Madison Kinney

Madison Kinney

bankESB announced four recent promotions: Shelley Bongiovanni to underwriting officer, Devon Bunger to closing and post-closing officer, Bryan Fleury to secondary and system support officer, and Madison Kinney to assistant branch manager in the Amherst office. Bongiovanni, Bunger, and Fleury’s promotions coincide with the launch of Hometown Mortgage, the newly formed residential-lending division of bankESB. Bongiovanni joined bankESB in 2013 as loan specialist/underwriter and was promoted to senior loan specialist and underwriter in 2020. She is responsible for underwriting and approving loans, mentoring and training new underwriters, and monitoring construction loans through the disbursement phase at Hometown Mortgage. She has 26 years of experience in the banking industry, and prior to bankESB, she was employed by Park West Bank and Trust and CitiFinancial. She holds an associate degree in business administration from Holyoke Community College. Bunger joined bankESB in 2018 as disclosure desk specialist/closer. As closing and post-closing officer, she is responsible for managing the daily operations of the residential lending closing and post-closing/funding department at Hometown Mortgage. Before joining bankESB, she was employed by Dwyer & Sanderson as a real-estate paralegal, at Florence Bank as a loan closer, and at Greenfield Savings Bank as a post-closing quality-control specialist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from Elms College and a lending diploma from the Center for Financial Training and is currently working toward a supervisor diploma and real-estate lending diploma, both from the Center for Financial Training. She is also a member of the Northampton St. Patrick’s Assoc. Fleury joined bankESB in 2013 as loan processor and was promoted to mortgage systems administrator and then secondary/post-closing manager. In his new role as secondary and system support officer, he is responsible for supporting the secondary market and all lending software at Hometown Mortgage. Fleury holds an associate degree in business administration from Holyoke Community College and is the president of the International Assoc. of Approved Basketball Officials Board 28. Kinney joined bankESB in 2017 as a teller and most recently held the title of teller supervisor. In her role as assistant branch manager, she is responsible for assisting with overall branch management of bankESB’s Amherst office, as well as applications for consumer and home-equity loans, as well as the employee-hiring process. She holds a certificate in human resources from the Center for Financial Training.

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Jason Tsitso

Jason Tsitso

Joseph Leon

Joseph Leon

Professional Drywall Construction Inc. (PDC), a commercial drywall company headquartered in Springfield, announced the promotion of two of its employees. Jason Tsitso was promoted from executive project manager to vice president of Operations, and Joseph Leon was promoted from project manager to executive project manager. Tsitso has been with PDC for five years, starting as a project manager and taking on increasing responsibility as a senior project manager and executive project manager. As the vice president of Operations, he is now responsible for the development and success of the staff and company. He is a graduate of Porter & Chester Institute and was named to BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2012. Leon, who holds a degree in construction management from the University of Nevada, joined PDC three years ago as a project manager. In his new role as executive project manager, he will oversee the project-management staff.

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Colleen Berndt

Colleen Berndt

Mia McDonald

Mia McDonald

Karen Korpinen

Karen Korpinen

Eric Bone

Eric Bone

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) recently welcomed Colleen Berndt, CPA as senior manager, as well as Mia McDonald; Karen Korpinen, MSA; and Eric Bone as associates in the Audit and Accounting department. Berndt has practiced public accounting since 1989 and holds valuable experience in both public accounting and corporate firms. She holds a bachelor’s degree from American International College and sits on the board of directors of the Colburn Keenan Foundation. McDonald has worked in public accounting since 2020 when she began as an intern with MBK. She holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and business management with a mathematics minor, accounting concentration, and anticipates completing her master of science in accounting (MSA) degree in May. Korpinen brings experience in the nonprofit field to her work in public accounting with MBK. She holds an MSA from Merrimack College and an MBA from Clark University. She serves as treasurer on the board of directors of the Northampton Parents Center. Bone brings a fresh perspective to his engagements as a recent college graduate; he holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy with a minor in finance from Providence College and is currently pursuing his MSA with a focus in data analytics at UMass Amherst.

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Country Bank announced that Lisa Saletnik has been promoted to vice president of Business Systems Optimization. Saletnik holds an associate degree in health science from Bay Path University and graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies. She has been with Country Bank for 23 years and has extensive experience in the bank’s core systems and digital technologies. Having worked in various departments at the bank, she found her passion in the Information Technology and Innovation department in 2018. Before joining the IT department, she managed the eServices area for eight years. She has been instrumental in working with vendors and partners to continue to find the best solutions to help the bank best serve its internal and external customers.

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Rose Colon

Rose Colon

The board of directors of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services has elected attorney Rose Colon as vice president. Colon practices in the Probate & Family courts of Western Mass. for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Prior to that role, she was the first Latina assistant district attorney in Berkshire County. She is also an adjunct professor at Bay Path University in its Legal Studies & Criminal Justice Department. She earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from Bay Path University in Longmeadow and her juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law.

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Jean Clarke-Mitchell

Jean Clarke-Mitchell

MCLA announced that Jean Clarke-Mitchell, assistant professor of Social Work at Lesley University, has been nominated to the MCLA board of trustees. A 2000 alumna of MCLA, she is also in her second term on the college’s foundation board. Clarke-Mitchell is a licensed clinical social worker who served as the clinical director of the Elizabeth Freeman Center, and an outpatient clinician at the Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. With more than 20 years of experience in the clinical field and more than 10 years in academia, she looks forward to participating on the board. She has an extensive resume in social justice activism and working with community organizations, including the Rights of Passage and Empowerment program as a senior mentor. She serves as a board member on Rockfort Moving Forward, Leadership Councils of Western Massachusetts, the Albany Assoc. for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, and the Massachusetts Women of Color Network. Prior to teaching at Lesley, Clarke-Mitchell taught social work and psychology at Westfield State University, Smith College, Cambridge College, and Elms College. She has worked with groups in South Africa, taught students in Ghana, and conducted presentations on healthy relationships and self-care in Jamaica. She continues to affect positive change by teaching social work full-time and continuing to develop effective social-work practitioners.

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Joe Kriesberg has been named the next president and CEO of MassINC, a non-partisan think tank dedicated to making Massachusetts a place of civic vitality and inclusive economic opportunity. Kriesberg will oversee all strategic planning, fundraising, and operations for the organization’s work across multiple disciplines, including research and civic programs, and will serve as publisher of CommonWealth, MassINC’s civic news outlet. The organization also includes the MassINC Polling Group, a for-profit subsidiary of MassINC. Kriesberg will join MassINC after nearly 30 years at the Massachusetts Assoc. of Community Development Corporations (MACDC), an organization which he has led as president and CEO for the past 20 years. MACDC is the policy and capacity-building arm of the community-development movement in Massachusetts, with 100 nonprofit member organizations across the state. As President, Kriesberg was responsible for the overall management of the agency, including financial management and fundraising, program development and implementation, policy advocacy, staff supervision, board management, and strategic planning. In his role leading MACDC, Kriesberg has been a strong advocate for vibrant communities and has advanced issues such as economic opportunity, affordable housing, and innovative development, all of which align with MassINC’s dedication to civic vitality and economic inclusion.

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Dawn Creighton has joined neba as strategic initiative consultant. The organization has a 40-year history assisting individuals with disabilities and other barriers to attain employment, establish a career path, and meet critical workforce needs and shortages. With more job openings and less candidates, Creighton will play a pivotal role in ensuring that area businesses in Massachusetts and Connecticut have a plan to fill vacancies and meet important diversity and inclusion efforts. Creighton brings more than a decade of successful partnerships with the community at large to support and develop myriad workforce-development efforts meeting and matching businesses with qualified candidates. As the former board president of Dress for Success, Creighton created the Foot in the Door program, a workforce-readiness program dedicated to helping women develop critical skills for entering and re-entering the workforce.

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Jamie Blaxland

Jamie Blaxland

Monson Savings Bank recently announced the promotion of Jamie Blaxland to Accounting manager. In her role as Accounting manager, Blaxland is primarily responsible for managing the Accounting department, which oversees the bank’s accounts payable, automated clearing house (ACH), investment bookkeeping, wires, general-ledger reconciliations, and more. Blaxland has been with Monson Savings Bank for 20 years. Prior to this recent promotion, she served as Accounting supervisor. She has worked in the bank’s Accounting department for more than 18 years and has 25 years of experience working in the banking industry. She holds several ACH certifications and is an accredited ACH professional.

People on the Move
Priscilla Kane Hellweg

Priscilla Kane Hellweg

Enchanted Circle Theater’s executive and artistic director, Priscilla Kane Hellweg, has stepped down after 40 years of service, having grown Enchanted Circle from a small touring educational theater company into a nationally recognized leader in the field of arts integration. The board of directors is currently working with a consultant and staff on temporary management while studying various governance models. The organization will announce the plan by the end of the school year. Under Hellweg’s direction, Enchanted Circle has become the regional leader in the field of arts integration, working district-wide in public schools throughout Western Mass. and collaborating with more than 60 community partner organizations, developing work that bridges arts, education, and human services. She received the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network and was a finalist for Excellence in Leadership in 2018. She has received a Champions of Arts Education Award from the Massachusetts Alliance for Arts in Education and a Millennium Award from the National Guild of Community Arts Educators for her commitment to making quality arts education accessible to all. In 2016, Enchanted Circle was nominated to represent Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Cultural Council to receive the Creativity Connects Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Its work was highlighted in the national PBS series, American Graduate, for its Shakespeare program that combats summer learning loss in Holyoke Public Schools. Enchanted Circle received the 2015 Commonwealth Award, Massachusetts’ highest honor in arts, sciences, and humanities; received the 2013 Arts and Humanities Award for Outstanding Organization from NEPR; and was named Outstanding Arts Collaborative in 2011 from Arts/Learning. Hellweg has created district-wide arts-integration initiatives to enhance academic achievement for Holyoke, Amherst, Northampton, and Westfield public schools, and has collaborated on the development of several Teacher Training Institutes with numerous partners, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and Teaching American History grants. She has taught professional-development workshops for many district-wide school systems in Massachusetts and Connecticut, including the Wang Center in Boston, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., the History Institute at the University of Massachusetts, and the Collaborative for Educational Services in Northampton. She has been adjunct faculty at the University of Hartford, Hampshire College, and Westfield State University. She has also co-written and directed several site-based historical plays for educational and cultural tourism sites.

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Melissa English

MP CPAs recently announced the promotion of Melissa English to senior audit manager and Tim Provost to senior tax manager. English works with clients across a variety of industries, including nonprofits, manufacturers, distributors, and other small to medium-sized businesses. She is also the lead professional for the firm’s employee benefit-plan practice. She performs technical reviews of employee benefit-plan audits and is frequently called upon to assist with research regarding plan issues. Her experiences with benefit plans include working on Internal Revenue Service examinations, voluntary plan corrections, and self-corrections of plan errors. English joined the firm in 2001 and has more than 20 years of audit experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and AICPA’s Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center. She is very active in the community as a volunteer board member of the Down Syndrome Resource Group of Western Massachusetts and the Chicopee Galaxy Youth Athletic Assoc., of which she is also a co-founder. Provost 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, and specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and with private equity firms and their owners. Provost joined the firm in 2008 and has more than 13 years of experience in personal and business taxation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University and a master’s degree in accounting and taxation from American International College. He is a certified public accountant and a member of AICPA. He is very active in the community as a volunteer board member of the West Springfield Youth Basketball Assoc. and a volunteer youth basketball coach.

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Melissa Stefanowich

Melissa Stefanowich

Country Bank announced that Melissa Stefanowich has joined its Retail Banking division. An experienced leader who has been in the retail banking industry for 14 years, she will serve Western Mass. in her new role at Country Bank. Stafenowich joins Country Bank from Westfield Bank where she was a Retail Banking officer, branch manager, and mortgage specialist. She was responsible for the leadership and management of branch service, sales, operations, and team development. She worked for Chicopee Savings Bank for eight years before it merged in 2016 with Westfield Bank. She is a supporter of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America and Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts.

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After a nationwide search, Bay Path University announced that Frank Rojas has joined the university as the new vice president of Enrollment Management. In this role, he will oversee many duties, including creating and driving the strategic vision for enrollment, overseeing all aspects of enrollment operations, executing a comprehensive enrollment plan, and identifying and employing strategies that clearly demonstrate the university’s value proposition and align with institutional goals. Rojas has extensive experience in higher education, most recently as chief operating officer and executive vice president at Los Angeles Pacific University. In that position, he led a team that successfully drove enrollment growth and increased revenue, while implementing marketing plans and strategies for an online university that also integrated a focus on student support. As an educator, he is a strong advocate in providing access to learners, including marginalized students in post-secondary higher education. During his career, he has been a results-oriented leader committed to building profitable growth and return on investment both domestically and internationally. He earned a Ph.D. in organizational development and change and a master’s degree in organizational leadership through Fielding Graduate University. In addition, he received an executive MBA through Pepperdine University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from DeVry University.

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American International College (AIC) has appointed Michael Dodge associate vice president for Academic Affairs following a national search. Dodge has been with AIC since 2018, previously serving as dean of Student Success and Opportunity. As dean, he had oversight of the tutoring and advising programs on campus and the James J. Shea Memorial Library, and was instrumental in the success of the AIC’s Plan for Excellence (APEX) program for students, serving as director of the program. In addition, he served as the principal investigator for the U.S. Department of Education Title III Grant program. While maintaining several of his previous responsibilities, as the associate vice president for Academic Affairs, Dodge will serve as the chief of staff to the executive vice president for Academic Affairs (EVPAA), including responsibility for day-to-day operational support for all areas reporting to the EVPAA, including the schools of Business Arts and Sciences, Education, and Health Sciences. Among his many areas of responsibility, Dodge will represent the Office of Academic Affairs to internal and external constituencies to develop comprehensive and integrative structures and processes to support student success and timely graduation. In addition, he will assist in the institution’s assessment processes and support development of meaningful and measurable institution, program, and course student-learning outcomes. He will research and analyze new program proposals from concept to market. Prior to joining AIC, Dodge worked for more than a decade at UMass Amherst in a variety of teaching and administrative roles. He earned his doctorate in educational policy, leadership, and administration at UMass Amherst after first earning his master’s degree in student affairs in higher education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in secondary education and English at the State University of New York Oswego.

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Western New England University School of Law Professor Jennifer Levi has been named an inaugural fellow in a new Salem State University program of the Berry Institute of Politics (IOP). Levi will share this honor with former Boston Mayor Kim Janey for the spring 2022 semester. Levi is a lawyer, professor, and nationally recognized expert on transgender legal issues who has dedicated their career to fighting for the rights of women, children, the poor, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) clients. Currently, Levi serves as director of the Transgender Rights Project for GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and as professor of Law at Western New England University. Throughout their career, Levi has led legal fights for transgender equality across a range of contexts, including in the areas of family law, education, healthcare, incarceration, military service, and beyond. As rising or seasoned professionals, fellows share their knowledge, skills, and experiences with students who are exploring and pursuing careers in politics and public service. As current practitioners, fellows support students building practical skills that will supplement what they are learning through academic courses. Through one-time and ongoing engagement, fellows serve as resources and mentors to students. During their visits, IOP fellows will participate and lead both curricular and co-curricular programs.

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Evelyn Rivera-Riffenburg

Evelyn Rivera-Riffenburg

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Evelyn Rivera-Riffenburg as the college’s executive director of Human Resources. Rivera-Riffenburg has worked in human resources for more than 25 years. She started her career as a personnel assistant and most recently worked as director of human resources for Chicopee Public Schools. Her previous employment featured positions in human resources for the town of Amherst, Medtronic (formerly Covidien), Hot Mama’s Foods, C&S Wholesale Grocers, and Coca-Cola. She is also an adjunct professor at Bay Path University and Western New England University. Rivera-Riffenburg began her undergraduate education at HCC before transferring to Baker College, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in human resources management. She holds master’s degrees in communications and information management from Bay Path University and in organizational leadership from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a Society for Human Resources Management certified senior professional, an HCRI senior professional in human resources, and a certified K-12 Title IX coordinator.

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The New England Financial Marketing Assoc. (NEFMA) welcomed Mary Cate Mannion, a digital PR analyst for Garvey Communication Associates Inc. and producer for New England Corporate Video, as the keynote presenter for its virtual Awards Show on Feb. 11. The event featured the winners of awards for the most creative, innovative, and successful campaigns across several different financial-services categories. Mannion’s presentation, “What’s Old Is New: How the Age-old Art of Storytelling Will Set Your Existing Media Channels on Fire,” explained how brands can generate meaningful and measurable engagement while shedding all that extra budget weight of meaningless and empty impressions. Included in her presentation were best-practice examples from HarborOne Bank, Mascoma Bank, Monson Savings Bank, Needham Bank, and PeoplesBank. Mannion has worked in the Holyoke-Springfield DMA as an anchor/reporter for ABC, CBS, and FOX News affiliates; in Bismarck, N.D. as an anchor/reporter for an NBC News affiliate; and in Portland, Maine as a reporter for an ABC News affiliate. She won a Broadcaster’s Award for her work and was nominated for two Midwest Emmy Awards. She is a graduate of Emerson College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. She is also currently a board member of the Willie Ross School for the Deaf and a member of Women in Film & Video New England.

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New England Public Media has named Deepa Krishna director of Finance and Accounting. Krishna will oversee the nonprofit media organization’s $10 million budget, working directly with internal departments as well as community funders and grantors. A licensed certified public accountant, Krishna joins NEPM from the Connecticut Airport Authority in Windsor Locks, where she served as the accounting manager for Bradley International Airport and five general aviation airports, overseeing annual budgets and managing federal and state grants for the nonprofit organization. Prior to that, she was the finance manager for Bristol Hospital and Healthcare Group. She received her master’s degree in commerce and accounting from Madurai Kamaraj University, India, and her bachelor’s degree in commerce and accounting from Mahatma Gandhi University, India.

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Colin Griswold

Colin Griswold

OMG Roofing Products promoted Colin Griswold to the position of codes and approvals engineer. In his new role, he will manage product approvals for OMG Roofing’s product portfolio as well as assist the new-product development team in addressing code and approval issues. In addition, he will work closely with OMG’s private-label customers and code and approval officials with product evaluations, developing technical product specifications, as well as maintaining code approvals and keeping abreast of technical changes and advancements in the commercial roofing industry. Griswold started with OMG Roofing Products in 2013 in the manufacturing area. Since then, he has held positions as a laboratory technician in the company’s New Product Development & Innovation department, and most recently in the Technical Services department as a technical support specialist. He is a member of the Single-Ply Roofing Industry and holds an associate degree in engineering from Springfield Technical Community College.

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Nourse Farms Inc. announced that founder and President Timothy Nourse has transitioned from overall leadership of Nourse Farms to chairman of the board of directors. He is leaving the day-to-day operational oversight in the hands of John Place, who has been promoted to CEO. Over the past 90 years, Nourse Farms has grown to be a leader in berry-plant propagation in North America and now produces more than 30 million strawberry plants in addition to 6 million raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, currant, gooseberry, elderberry, asparagus, rhubarb, and horseradish plants each year to customers around the world. Tim Nourse is recognized as a pioneer in tissue-culture propagation, having built the first lab at Nourse Farms over 40 years ago. Establishing this capability in the 1980s was a key to growth and innovation for customers around the world. Before joining Nourse Farms as chief operating officer in 2019, Place built his career in Pennsylvania at Keepsake Farm. He holds a degree in agriculture and animal science from the University of Delaware and is a highly accomplished farmer and successful business executive.

People on the Move

Seth Stratton

Fitzgerald Attorneys at Law and MGM Springfield announced that attorney Seth Stratton will be leaving his position as vice president and legal counsel of MGM Resorts’ Northeast Group by mid-June to rejoin Fitzgerald as the firm’s managing shareholder. In this leadership role, he will assist the firm’s clients on a wide range of business-related matters, including corporate governance, commercial development, regulatory matters, and dispute resolution. During his time with MGM Springfield, Stratton oversaw legal affairs, regulatory compliance, and government relations in connection with the development, construction, and opening of the $950 million MGM Springfield destination resort casino in downtown Springfield. In 2019, his role expanded to serve as property general counsel and officer for two operating MGM casinos: MGM Springfield and Empire City Casino in Yonkers, N.Y. In that capacity, Stratton provided strategic oversight, management, and direction for legal, regulatory, compliance, risk, and government-affairs functions for both casino complexes and served as an officer and executive committee member for each property. He will now bring this business, development, and management experience to his work with Fitzgerald.

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Crystal Neuhauser

Crystal Neuhauser

Bay Path University announced that Crystal Neuhauser has been named vice president of Institutional Advancement, effective June 21. Neuhauser comes to Bay Path after serving as the associate vice president of Advancement at Franklin Pierce University, where she increased overall giving by 41% in 2020. Prior to Franklin Pierce, she directed advancement and development initiatives at Yale University, Quinnipiac University, and Mitchell College, and also worked within the nonprofit community sector. Her career experience spans fundraising, donor relations, alumni engagement, grants, and corporate contributions. She also served on a strategic planning subcommittee at Franklin Pierce. Neuhauser is currently working toward a doctorate of education in educational leadership at New England College. She earned her master’s degree in organizational leadership from Quinnipiac College and her bachelor’s degree in business management from Albertus Magnus College. At Bay Path, Neuhauser will serve as a member of the executive staff. In this role, she will provide strategic leadership for fundraising, including responsibility for annual giving; corporate, major and planned gifts; endowment; capital campaigns; alumni and constituent-relations efforts; stewardship; and advancement services. As a nonprofit higher-education institution, Bay Path depends on the generosity of donors to fund scholarships and important initiatives that make a difference in students’ lives.

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Rachel Rubinstein

Rachel Rubinstein

Springfield College announced that Rachel Rubinstein has been named dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, effective July 12. Rubinstein was professor of American Literature and Jewish Studies at Hampshire College for 16 years, where she also served as the dean of Academic Support and Advising for six years. She subsequently became Holyoke Community College’s inaugural vice president of Academic and Student Affairs, a position that combined two previously separate divisions. Most recently, she has been serving as senior advisor to the deputy commissioner of Academic Affairs and Student Success at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, where she has focused on supporting initiatives in the state’s equity agenda. The child of immigrants from Mexico, Rubinstein’s scholarship focuses on migration, multi-lingualism, racial formation, and literary nationalism, as well as on pedagogies in the fields of ethnic and race studies. She is the author of Members of the Tribe: Native America in the Jewish Imagination, as well as the co-editor of Arguing the Modern Jewish Canon and, most recently, Teaching Jewish American Literature, a volume in the MLA’s Options for Teaching series. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from Yale University and her PhD in English and American literature from Harvard University.

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Nicole Domnarski

Nicole Domnarski

FSB Financial Group, the investment division of Florence Bank, announced that Nicole Domnarski, after working two years as an assistant financial advisor, has transitioned to financial advisor. She began her career in the financial-services industry 24 years ago and has been employed by FSB Financial Group for the past 10 years, helping advisors protect and preserve clients’ wealth. As a financial advisor, she will work directly with individuals and business owners to develop strategic, long-term financial plans to help customers achieve their financial goals and objectives. Domnarski is a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College and is a chartered retirement planning counselor certified by the College for Financial Planning. She is an investment advisor representative with Commonwealth Financial Network, and holds Series 6, 7, 31, 63, and 65 registrations. She is also licensed to sell both life and health insurance.

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The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the appointment of Denise Hurst as vice president for Community Impact and Partnerships. In this redesigned role meant to deepen community engagement and drive program efficacy and representation, Hurst will oversee community investments, including grants, scholarships, and new efforts to strengthen advocacy, technical assistance, data and research, and evaluation in regional projects and initiatives. This appointment is the latest example of CFWM’s ongoing commitment to advance equity in the region by elevating community voices, cultivating new coalitions and partnerships, and advancing the organizational effectiveness of nonprofits. Hurst joins the Foundation after serving Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) as vice president of Advancement & External Affairs, where she led development for the college as the executive director of the STCC Foundation, and later oversaw marketing, communications, and government affairs. Prior to that, she was appointed regional manager of the Massachusetts State Lottery in Western Mass. by state Treasurer Deb Goldberg and has worked as site director for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, as well as an adjunct professor at Cambridge College. She comes to CFWM with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and established networks across Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. For more than a decade, Hurst served as an elected member of the Springfield School Committee. She led the charge to establish the Minority Caucus for the Massachusetts Assoc. of School Committees (MASC) and served as the former chair of the caucus, as well as the former vice president of MASC. Hurst has been honored with several awards, including BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2014, 2015 100 Women of Color in New England, and 2015 Top 25 Women to Watch in Western Mass., and most recently as the 2019 Woman of the Year by the Professional Women’s Chamber.

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Nancy Creed

Nancy Creed

Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber, has been elected president of the Massachusetts Assoc. of Chamber of Commerce Executives (MACCE) through 2022. MACCE is a Massachusetts-based organization that offers resources and networking opportunities to its member chamber of commerce professionals across the Commonwealth. Creed has amassed more than 25 years of strategic alliance building, communications, public relations, media relations, and government and community outreach experience. She has served as president of the Springfield Regional Chamber since 2016. Prior to becoming chamber president, she served as vice president of Marketing and Communications. She holds a bachelor’s degree in magazine journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, is certified in nonprofit organization management through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management, and is a 2000 graduate of the Springfield Regional Chamber’s Leadership Institute. Creed has served in a variety of capacities on the MACCE board, including Region 1 vice president, secretary, and vice president.

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Michael Sullivan

Michael Sullivan

Julius Lewis

Julius Lewis

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union announced the retirement of Michael Sullivan, longtime board director and original founding member of the credit union, at its 54th annual meeting in March. New director Julius Lewis was also elected to the open position at the virtual event. Sullivan’s legacy extends well beyond UMassFive in the world of credit unions. While he served originally as a UMassFive board member beginning in 1982, and as the credit union board chair at UMassFive from 1986 to 1993, he concurrently held the titles of director, vice chair, and chair of Mass CUNA (1986-1998). During this time, he was instrumental in the merger of the two state credit-union leagues that eventually became the Cooperative Credit Union Assoc. (CCUA). As a thank you for his many contributions, UMassFive has dedicated the board room in its Hadley executive area as the Michael Sullivan Board Room in his honor. Newly elected board member Julius Lewis has been a member of the credit union since 2010 and, throughout the years, has helped promote UMassFive’s products and services within the local community. He is a graduate of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, which played a major role in launching his professional career in the financial industry. He has worked as an independent financial consultant, specializing in insurance products since 2003. In 2006, Lewis created and began hosting The Lewis & Morrow Financial Hour, a weekly financial radio talk show broadcasted throughout the region and online. In 2017, he started his company, JDL Financial, and has received several awards and achievements within his profession. UMassFive welcomes his new perspectives and ideas to the board.

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Mill Town announced it has hired Dennis Robinson as the company’s chief operating officer and president of Bousquet Enterprises, a group of recreational and hospitality businesses based in the Berkshires. Beginning immediately, Robinson will be responsible for the management, operations, and financial performance of the company’s operating business portfolio. He will also oversee major capital projects related to these sites, which include Bousquet Mountain Ski Area, Bousquet Sport (formerly Berkshire West Athletic Club), the Camp by Bousquet (formerly the Lakeside Christian Camp), the Gateways Inn, and Mission Bar & Tapas. Robinson brings more than three decades of management experience to the team. Following an MBA from Harvard Business School, he spent nine years with the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, the ownership entity of the Meadowlands and MetLife Stadium. From 1999 to 2007, he was the senior vice president of Business Operations for the NBA in New York. Upon returning to the New Jersey Sports & Expo Authority in 2008, he led facility management of Giants Stadium, Meadowlands Racetrack, Monmouth Park Racetrack, and the IZOD Center. More recently, Robinson held leadership roles at Formula 1 and was the chief of staff and acting secretary of State for the state of New Jersey from 2015 to 2017. Robinson has an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University, where he was a varsity football player; a master’s degree in sport management from UMass Amherst; and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

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Kate Keiderling

Kate Keiderling

OMG Inc. appointed Kate Keiderling to the position of director of Human Resources and Environmental Health and Safety (HR/EHS). In her new position, she is responsible for developing and executing strategies that continue to provide a culture that is safe, healthy, supportive, inclusive, open, and creative. In her new role, she will work closely with the senior management team to plan and execute business strategies that address corporate safety, as well as effective personnel management. She is also responsible for improving the company’s current HR/EHS structure, programs, and processes as necessary to support OMG employees and business goals. She reports to Hubert McGovern, president and CEO of OMG. Keiderling joined OMG Inc. from Paradigm Precision in Manchester, Conn., where she was director of Human Resources for North America. Earlier, she spent 16 years in various HR positions with Pratt & Whitney, most recently as associate director of Human Resources for military engines. She also worked for the Travelers Insurance. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Elms College and a master’s degree in human resource development from American International College.

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Fred Mills

Fred Mills

New England’s largest healthcare-centric managed service provider and value-added reseller is positioning itself for national growth with the addition of Fred Mills as its new vice president of Sales. Mills joins baytechIT after stints as senior director of Worldwide Healthcare Alliances and Business Development for data-management provider Commvault, and director and general manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise for Healthcare in the Americas. The effort is also part of a national sales strategy for the entire Pixel Health portfolio of companies under the direction of newly appointed Chief Revenue Officer Barbara Casey. BaytechIT was founded in 2018 as a partnership between Pixel Health and Baystate Health System. The company’s U.S.-based call center and field-services staff supports more than 150 hospitals, clinics, and independent medical practices, with more than 16,000 devices under management. The company maintains sales partnerships with Microsoft, HPE, Cisco, Hewlett Packard, Dell, and Lenovo, among others. Mills will support clients throughout the U.S. and will be based in Raleigh, N.C. He holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance from the Boston College Carroll School of Management.

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Emma Redman

Emma Redman

SkinCatering Salon & Spa, located inside Tower Square in downtown Springfield, announced the promotion of its spa coordinator, Emma Redman, to its leadership team as the new salon & spa manager. Redman will oversee daily operations and social-media coordination, while leading a growing unit of nine employees. After several years in customer service at Six Flags New England, acting in local theatre productions, and working as a special-effects and bridal makeup artist, Redman began as a part-time front-desk employee at SkinCatering in 2019 and was quickly promoted to full-time spa coordinator just a few months later. In 2020, Redman’s support during the spa’s temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic was invaluable as she adeptly navigated the unknown to help preserve SkinCatering’s extensive client base for their return. As SkinCatering Spa evolved into SkinCatering Salon & Spa in December with its expansion in its new location on the first floor of Tower Square, Redman’s responsibilities increased, and she continued to show great leadership promise, SkinCatering owners Leanne Sedlak and Kim Brunton Auger said.