SPRINGFIELD — The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts’ trustees of the Order of William Pynchon announced their selection of two local residents as this year’s Pynchon Medal recipients, Paul Lambert and Anthony Russo.

“These are challenging times, and more than ever we need local heroes like these two recipients, who model selflessness and community responsibility,” said Kelly McGiverin, chairperson of the Pynchon trustees.

Lambert has served as president and CEO of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra since 2022, having initially joined as interim director. He guided the organization through a period of significant challenges, resolving contractual disputes and restoring its operational stability. In so doing, he ensured that live classical music remains a part of the region’s cultural landscape. Under his leadership, the symphony has embraced cultural diversity in its programming to attract broader audiences throughout the region.

Prior to joining the symphony, Lambert spent two decades at Springfield’s Basketball Hall of Fame, where he developed community engagement initiatives that connected the city’s residents, especially young people, with the organization’s programs. He continues his community involvement through the Springfield Rotary Club, where he has helped establish programs for those in need, including a monthly meal service for the region’s unhoused population.

As vice president of the Agawam City Council, Russo has distinguished himself through responsive leadership and an approach to public service that extends well beyond traditional council duties. He has shown exceptional commitment to the community’s most vulnerable residents through hands-on charitable work and personal sacrifice. He donates his entire council salary to local charitable organizations and families in need, with a special focus during the holidays on ensuring no child goes without. For several years, he has made annual visits to local Toys for Tots drives, arriving with a trunk full of toys purchased with his council earnings to benefit children in need.

In service to Agawam’s elderly population, Russo organized the Sand for Seniors program, personally ensuring that more than 60 residents receive sand for safe home access during treacherous winter months, while also volunteering regularly at the Agawam Senior Center for meal service and social activities.

The presentation of the Pynchon Medal and celebration will take place this fall, with a date and time to be announced.

SPRINGFIELD — The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts’ trustees of the Order of William Pynchon announced the selection of three local residents as this year’s Pynchon Medal recipients: Anthony Gulluni, Jeffrey Sattler, and Kevin Vann.

“This year’s recipients all embody what this award is about: community enrichment, selfless acts, and a longstanding determination to better Western Massachusetts,” said Kelly McGiverin, chairperson of the Pynchon trustees.

Gulluni is now serving his third term as Hampden County district attorney. He has promoted a vision of safer communities through community outreach, crime prevention, and education — as well as through the smart prosecution of violent offenders. Furthermore, he has shown commitment to compassionate and effective rehabilitation.

Gulluni’s notable accomplishments include spearheading the Emerging Adult Court of Hope, a one-of-a-kind program in Massachusetts designed for criminal defendants ages 18 to 24. Instead of incarceration, the court provides intensive support and programming focused on the participants’ physical and mental health, behavior patterns, housing, and other factors, and ultimately develops a pathway for careers through education and job training.

He also developed a cold-case unit, the first in the Commonwealth to use cutting-edge technology like DNA phenotyping and forensic investigative genetic genealogy to assist law enforcement in generating leads and narrowing down suspect lists.

Inspired by his humble beginnings, Sattler has spent his lifetime dedicated to service over self. After putting himself through school to earn a bachelor’s degree from Springfield College, he went on to found a bank in Springfield. When he was 18 years old, he became a third-degree member of the Knights of Columbus Council; 47 years later, he is still a member.

Throughout Sattler’s professional life, public service has been a mainstay. A partial list of organizations for whom he has volunteered and supported includes the Western Massachusetts Boy Scouts of America, the Chicopee Rotary Club, Springfield Technical Community College, the Chicopee Boys and Girls Club, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the American Cancer Society.

For each organization he serves, he has shown heart and commitment, with particular passion in fighting the impact of cancer in his community. When the American Cancer Society’s 2021 fundraiser was canceled due to COVID, he was instrumental in launching the Men in Pink event in its stead.

A native of Springfield and a lifelong resident of the Pioneer Valley, Vann has made serving his community a lifetime commitment, particularly for those who can’t help themselves. The many organizations to which he has dedicated his time and resources reflect a strong affinity for supporting the youth of our region. His involvement with the Chicopee Boys and Girls Club spans decades and includes multiple capital campaigns, including chairing its current campaign to build a new teen center.

Vann’s service has included, but is not limited to, the Chicopee Boys and Girls Club, the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, the United Way of Pioneer Valley, the St. Christopher’s Capital Endowment Fund, the American Cancer Society, the National Conference on Community and Justice, and the NFIB Governors Guardian Council. In addition to his nonprofit and charitable activities, he has been a life mentor and coach to countless young people.

SPRINGFIELD — The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts’ trustees of the Order of William Pynchon announced their selection of two local residents, Carol Cutting and Sherry Elander, as recipients of this year’s Pynchon Medal.

“These are the times that we most need heroes, and we surely have them in this year’s recipients,” said Brenda McGiverin, chairperson of the Pynchon trustees.

Cutting has been the owner and operator of WEIB 106.3 FM since 1999. She persisted through a protracted legal battle to become the first black woman to operate a radio station in Massachusetts. In so doing, she fulfilled a 15-year vision of bringing representation of the region’s African-American community to the airwaves. She has also served in a host of change-making organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha and the National Assoc. of Black-Owned Broadcasters.

For nearly 24 years, Elander has served as a special-education teacher in Westfield Public Schools, with a special focus in helping students transition to life after their formal education. Throughout her career, she has built a program designed to bring college, career, and other life goals within reach for countless students with intellectual, developmental, and/or physical disabilities. The program she developed, and the network of advocacy she built, has become a model for districts throughout the state and for educators across the country. She has developed partnerships with colleges and universities, local businesses, and policymakers in Western Mass. and beyond, all with a view to maximizing opportunity for her students.

This year’s recipients were chosen from a pool of nominations received earlier this spring by the Advertising Club. All nominees are researched by the trustees, who then deliberate before selecting final recipients. All Pynchon medalists are chosen by unanimous decision of the Pynchon trustees, who are the current and five past presidents of the Advertising Club. Pynchon Trustees for 2022 are Teresa Utt, David Cecchi, Mary Shea, Scott Whitney, Brenda McGiverin, and current Advertising Club President Kelly McGiverin.

The presentation of the Pynchon Medal and celebration will take place on Thursday, Oct. 13 at the Delaney House in Holyoke. Event details and ticket information can be found at adclubwm.org or by calling (413) 342-0533.

More than 200 citizens have been inducted into the Order of William Pynchon since its founding in 1915.