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People on the Move
Andrea O’Connor

Andrea O’Connor

Christina Turgeon

Christina Turgeon

Fitzgerald Law named attorney Andrea O’Connor a shareholder and announced that attorney Christina Turgeon has joined the firm. O’Connor counsels corporate and consumer clients in all aspects of insolvency law, primarily including bankruptcy, asset protection, taxation, real estate, and commercial matters. Her experience representing debtors and creditors in all types of matters, from complex Chapter 11 cases to adversary proceeding litigation, as well as serving as a Chapter 7 trustee for the District of Connecticut, allows her to analyze problems from all angles and develop creative solutions. She has 13 years of legal experience, including a clerkship for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts. She earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from the University of Connecticut, and graduated magna cum laude from Western New England University School of Law. Turgeon has more than 21 years of practice experience and is primarily engaged in business litigation and counseling services, including reviewing and preparing discovery and trial strategies in Fitzgerald Law’s Litigation Department. In addition, her concentrations include bankruptcy law representing debtors and trustees before the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts in Massachusetts and Connecticut; commercial evictions; real-estate law representing buyers, sellers, and financial institutions in real-estate transactions; and general civil litigation representing plaintiffs and defendants in district and Superior courts. She earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in English literature from Western New England University and is also a graduate of Western New England University School of Law.

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Jim Hickey

Jim Hickey

Florence Bank announced that Jim Hickey, vice president and director of Marketing Operations, has been promoted to lead the bank’s marketing efforts as senior vice president and director of Marketing. Hickey replaces Monica Curhan, who retired on April 7 after serving as senior vice president and director of Marketing for nearly 10 years. Hickey was hired in November 2021 as director of Marketing Operations with the explicit plan to one day take the helm as director of Marketing. He has 25 years of strategic marketing experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in English from UMass Amherst. He has experience in areas that include account management, creative development, media plan execution, and media buying. Before joining Florence Bank, he was vice president of Account Service at Communicators Group, a marketing communications firm in Keene, N.H. He has also served as vice president and director of Marketing for Westbank, a financial institution formerly based in West Springfield. Active in the community, he sits on the board for the Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity.

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Country Bank announced that Crystal Mansfield, Customer Experience and Sales Support specialist, is the recipient of the 2023 President’s Platinum Award. The Bank’s recognition program, Above and Beyond, encourages team members to look for co-workers who embody the bank’s corporate values of integrity, service, teamwork, excellence, and prosperity (iSTEP). Within this program, members can receive different levels of recognition: Silver Spotlight, Gold Star, and the President’s Platinum. “Crystal embodies the bank’s corporate values in every interaction she has,” Country Bank President and CEO Paul Scully said. “Her nominator recognized her contributions to the organization, customers, and co-workers.”

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Martha Page

Martha Page

Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV), a growing nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting local agriculture and a resilient regional food system, announced the appointment of Martha Page to its board of directors. With her extensive experience in nonprofit, government, and private-sector management, Page brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to further strengthen BAV’s mission and impact across the Berkshire-Taconic region. Page joins the board following her successful tenure as executive director of Hartford Food System Inc., where she spearheaded innovative initiatives to address food security, promote equitable access to nutritious food, and foster community development. Her deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the food system will be invaluable in helping guide BAV’s strategic vision. Throughout her career, Page has demonstrated leadership and a commitment to collaborative problem solving. Her multi-disciplinary background has allowed her to navigate complex landscapes and build strong partnerships across sectors that will play a vital role in helping to shape BAV’s initiatives.

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ISO New England, the operator of the region’s bulk power system and wholesale electricity marketplace, announced the election of its 2023 board of directors slate. The slate includes new member Craig Ivey, retired president of Consolidated Edison Co. of New York Inc., who brings three decades of experience in the electricity industry. His three-year term will begin on Oct. 1. Current board members Brook Colangelo and Mark Vannoy have been reelected to their third and second terms, respectively. Roberto Denis will retire from the board this fall. Ivey served as president of Consolidated Edison Co. of New York Inc. for nine years, retiring in 2017. While in this role, he was responsible for all aspects of the electric system that serves more than 9 million New Yorkers. He previously spent 25 years at Dominion Energy, rising through the ranks from a part-time position during his college years to become senior vice president of Transmission and Distribution. Ivey serves on the board for Ameren Corp., as well as the Fresh Air Fund, a nonprofit serving children in low-income communities in New York City. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University and has completed executive-education programs at the University of Michigan and Harvard University. Colangelo, elected to his third and final term, is vice president and chief information officer for Waters Corp. Earlier in his career, he served as chief information officer of the White House under President Obama. He holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University. Vannoy joined the ISO board in 2020 and was re-elected to a second term. He is currently president of Maine Water and previously served as the chairperson of the Maine Public Utilities Commission. He is a retired U.S. Navy officer, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, and holds a master’s degree from Cornell University.

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Greg LaCasse

Greg LaCasse

Whittlesey, a leading tax and advisory services provider, announced the promotion of Greg LaCasse, CPA to partner. LaCasse joined the firm in 2017 and has 30 years of experience in public and private accounting, including roles with the Big 4, as well as serving as chief financial officer for an international IT consulting firm. He is an active member of Whittlesey’s real-estate, construction, and manufacturing niche and specializes in providing tax and advisory services to both businesses and individuals, with a focus on working with clients in the professional service, medical, real-estate, retail, wholesale, and manufacturing and distribution industries. LaCasse holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Central Connecticut State University and a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Hartford. He also pursues continuing professional education in taxation and business-advisory services. He is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants.

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Nonotuck Resource Associates Inc. announced the recent hiring of Gretchen Parker as Human Resources director. Parker comes to Nonotuck with 20 years of experience in human resources, as well as a career spent working with nonprofits. At Nonotuck, she will lead the HR team and tackle new initiatives, such as performance management and coordinating trainings for supervisors across the agency. Parker most recently worked as associate director of Human Resources for Highland Valley Elder Services and also worked for LifePath, UMass Amherst, and Franklin Regional Council of Governments. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College and master’s degree from Fitchburg State University.

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Tim Czerniejewski

Tim Czerniejewski

bankESB recently promoted Tim Czerniejewski to assistant vice president, commercial lending. Czerniejewski has 16 years of experience in banking. He joined bankESB in 2016 as a credit analyst and was promoted in 2018 to assistant vice president, portfolio manager. In his new role, he will be responsible for developing, structuring, and closing commercial loans, as well as maintaining and servicing existing accounts. Before joining bankESB, he was a risk analyst and credit analyst at TD Bank. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western New England University and an associate degree in accounting from Springfield Technical Community College, and is a graduate of the Springfield Leadership Institute.

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Dhaval Patel has been selected for the 2023 class of 30 Under 30, highlighting his remarkable accomplishments and the impact he has made throughout his career. Dhaval, 27, of Rovi Homes, was selected by REALTOR Magazine, which recognizes members of the National Assoc. of Realtors (NAR) under age 30 who have demonstrated exceptional skills in areas such as sales, marketing, entrepreneurship, technology, association leadership, and community involvement.

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Anthony Worden, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank and its parent company, Greenfield Bancorp MHC, announced that the following actions were taken at the company’s 118th annual meeting on June 20. Darci Brown and Jeffrey Collura were re-elected as corporators of Greenfield Bancorp MHC, while new candidates Khama Ennis, Jennifer Ewers, Matthew Sheehy, Terri Mitchell, and Brandon Lively were elected as corporators of Greenfield Bancorp MHC. Nancy Fournier, JoAnne Finck, and Peter Whalen were re-elected to three year terms as directors of the bank and Greenfield Bancorp MHC, while Catherine Coleman was elected to a three-year term as a director of the bank and Greenfield Bancorp MHC.

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Linda Thompson, President of Westfield State University, has joined the board of trustees at Goddard House Assisted Living in Brookline. Prior to her role as president of Westfield State University, Thompson held the role of dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at UMass Boston. She has an extensive background in healthcare leadership and public policy. In Baltimore City, Md., she served as director of Occupational Medicine and Safety and developed programs and policies to promote the health of the city workforce, including the implementation of policies for HIV prevention and substance use and abuse. At the state level in Maryland, she served as special secretary of Children, Youth and Families, where she developed programs and policies to improve quality of care for vulnerable populations of children.

People on the Move

O’Reilly, Talbot & Okun (OTO) recently announced nine staff additions and promotions: Jonathan Hermanson, Lori McCarthy, Caren Irgang, Lily Elkhay, Kaitlyn Sistare, Pierre Carriere, Elise Zalenski, Toby Simmons, and Christine Arruda.

Jonathan Hermanson

Jonathan Hermanson

Lori McCarthy

Lori McCarthy

Caren Irgang

Caren Irgang

Lily Elkhay

Lily Elkhay

Kaitlyn Sistare

Kaitlyn Sistare

Pierre Carriere

Pierre Carriere

Elise Zalenski

Elise Zalenski

Toby Simmons

Toby Simmons

Christine Arruda

Christine Arruda

• Hermanson earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and environmental science. Before moving to Massachusetts, he worked in environmental consulting for five years in Kansas City. As an environmental scientist at OTO, he helps the team with Massachusetts Contingency Plan work and risk characterization, as well as environmental compliance. He also assists the asbestos and industrial hygiene team. Some of his latest achievements while at OTO are becoming a radon measurement professional and a certified hazardous materials manager.

• McCarthy earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. This degree taught her how releases of hazardous chemicals to the environment can have negative health effects to humans and animals nearby. She then went on to study a second degree in environmental sciences. With more than 20 years of experience in her field, she has worked on sites across New England, finding solutions to remediate the releases of oil and hazardous materials. At OTO, McCarthy was most recently promoted to associate and is the team leader for the environmental sector.

• Irgang earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and then went on to earn her master’s degree in civil engineering at Manhattan College. Irgang has experience in structural engineering from building and bridge engineering in New York City and performing construction inspections. Joining OTO as a Level II engineer, Irgang is performing geotechnical investigations and design and field oversight. She continues to utilize her structural engineering skills and provides an added perspective to our geotechnical projects.

• Elkhay is earning her bachelor’s degree in marketing at UMass Amherst and brings her experience from her previous internship. As the marketing intern, Elkhay has posted on OTO’s social-media pages, created ads, and performed any other as needed marketing tasks.

• Sistare is a 2022 graduate from Western New England University (WNE), earning her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with an environmental engineering concentration. At WNE, she and her team’s senior project placed first in the civil engineering department. She primarily works with the geotechnical group at OTO as a Level I engineer, but also assists the environment group.

• Carriere graduated from WNE in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. During his studies, he gained experience in many areas, including surveying, technical writing, CAD, soil and materials testing, and collaboration skills. Joining OTO as a Level I engineer, he has become heavily involved in field work and working on site, as well as working on proposals, reports, and site plans in the office.

• Zalenski earned her MBA in 2010 and has spent the last nine years developing her skills in office management, HR, IT, and bookkeeping. She has worked in residential and light commercial water treatment, which provided experience in site evaluations, water testing, treatment design, and reviewing EPA, DEP, and local board of health regulations and practices. As OTO’s office manager and executive assistant, she will be managing the day-to-day needs of the staff that may arise in the areas of IT, telephones, general building or parking issues, and scheduling events and vacations, along with providing support for OTO’s president, Ashley Sullivan.

• Simmons has brought her 20 years of field-technician experience to OTO. As an environmental technician, she has taken on many field duties to make sure the job is done safely and efficiently.

• Arruda has been with OTO for more than 25 years and has been part of the internal leadership transition taking place since 2020. As a result, she was promoted to associate this past year and serves on the company’s operations committee. With more than 20 years of experience as a both a certified indoor environmental consultant and Environmental Protection Agency-accredited and Massachusetts-licensed asbestos inspector, she manages and works on numerous types of indoor environmental issues, including asbestos, radon, HVAC, chemicals, and microbial contamination. She also is an National Radon Proficiency Program-certified radon-measurement professional who can perform single, multi-family, large-building, school-building, and water-radon-measurement services.

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Country Bank announced that Erin Pope has joined its Innovation & Technology division in Ware. Before joining Country Bank, Pope worked at Digital Credit Union and American Tower. Pope holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and received certification in Professional Scrum Master 1. “At American Tower, I managed a network-operations team responsible for the global office and data-center infrastructure,” she said. “It was through working with this team that I learned the importance of strength and a diverse team. I am excited to join Country Bank’s storied history and contribute to its continued success. I hope to support the team by increasing engagement and innovation to support the business and its customers better.”

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Nick DePalma

Nick DePalma

Nick Bernasconi

Nick Bernasconi

Notch Mechanical Constructors announced the promotion of two employees to newly created executive positions. Nick DePalma has been promoted to executive vice president. In this role, he will have overall responsibility for operations, quality, safety, and customer-base growth in alignment with the company core values. This promotion will allow Steven Neveu, president of the company, to focus more on the long-term strategic growth and vision for the company. In addition, Nick Bernasconi has been promoted to vice president of estimating and project management. He will oversee all activities and initiatives related to the company’s accounts management, estimating, and project management. Previously a family-owned business for 48 years, Notch transitioned to an employee-owned ESOP company in 2020. These new roles will be critical to breaking through to the next level as an organization and ensuring a strong leadership team into the future.

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Riverside Industries Inc. (RSI) announced that four new members have joined its board of directors to help support its mission to empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live rich and full lives. All four of the new board members began their three-year term with RSI effective March 2023. They include Tara Brewster, vice president of Business Development and director of Philanthropy at Greenfield Savings Bank; Jeff Palm, partner and chief operating officer at Global Educators Inc.; Melissa Peters; Human Resource generalist for Fiducient Advisors; and Teremar Rodriguez-Vazquez, assistant general counsel at Health New England.

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Aieshya Jackson

Aieshya Jackson

Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services (MLKFS) has wrapped up an almost-year-long search for a new leader. After an extensive search campaign and interview process, Aieshya Jackson, chair of the board of directors of MLKFS, announced that Shannon Rudder will be the next president and CEO of the organization. Rudder, who will join MLKFS on March 13, most recently served as deputy director of Teach Western Mass, a nonprofit organization working toward educational equity in partnership with area schools. She also served as executive director of Providence Ministries Inc., an organization supporting the needs of marginalized populations by addressing food insecurity, addiction recovery, housing, clothing, and workforce development. She earned her MBA and her BBA, the latter magna cum laude, from Medaille College.

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Tech Foundry, a regional leader in IT workforce development and training, announced the hiring of three new staff members as well as four promotions, which will allow the organization to double the number of participants served annually.

Henry Alston was hired as Tech Foundry’s Service-Learning coordinator. In this role, he will be responsible for implementing the organization’s new service-learning pilot program in collaboration with Mass Humanities’ Clemente Course in the Humanities. He is a tech and wellness enthusiast with career experience in sales, marketing, and project coordination. After attaining his bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University in Oxford, Pa. in 2015, he went on to graduate from the University of Louisville with his MBA in 2020. He is a Tech Foundry alum.

Phillip Borras is Tech Foundry’s Career Readiness and Recruitment coordinator, a new role created to provide focused support and mentoring to student members. His diverse experience as a professional speaker, comedian, and life coach allows him to successfully teach and support Tech Foundry participants as a career coach during and after the program.

Jessica Cogoli has been promoted to assistant instructor. She is a Tech Foundry alum and has been working closely with the organization since she graduated, both as a volunteer and a TA for its IT-support training program. She is currently enrolled at Holyoke Community College and will graduate with an associate degree in computer science in the spring.

Marie-Ange Delimon, a Tech Foundry alum, has been promoted to manager of Community Impact for the organization. In this role, she oversees external partnerships and community engagement, including managing internship and job-placement programs as well as partnerships with a variety of nonprofit organizations throughout Western Mass. Previously, she served as Tech Foundry’s manager of Workforce Development. She is a graduate of a variety of medical-training programs and holds an MD degree from Université Notre Dame d’Haïti.

Johannes Romatka has been promoted to manager of Instruction and Curriculum. Previously an instructor at Tech Foundry, he has a diverse background in information technology, including training and network support. Prior to joining Tech Foundry, he worked in a training role for internal IT-support staff at U.S. Bank.

• Linh Tran joined Tech Foundry in February as the organization’s new Administrative and Marketing coordinator, where she will support development, program, and communication initiatives. Originally from Vietnam, she has been studying and working in Massachusetts for almost 10 years. She is an experienced management professional with a diverse background in nonprofit, retail, legal, and insurance organizations, and is a graduate of Tech Foundry’s IT-support training program.

• Michelle Wilson was hired as Tech Foundry’s manager of Administration and Operations in September and was recently promoted to deputy director, a position that encompasses a variety of duties, including overall operations management, fundraising, and marketing. Her background includes more than 17 years in nonprofit management, with roles at a national membership organization in San Francisco, a globally recognized mentoring program, an independent school in Seattle, and a state humanities council. She is a graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. and holds a master’s degree in public administration from San Francisco State University.

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The Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural Society, the nonprofit organization that manages Northampton’s Three County Fair and fairgrounds, recently elected its newest president, Thomas Smiarowski, who has been a member of the society for more than 20 years and was elected to its board of directors in 2016. Smiarowski is expected to serve two years as president, leading the society’s board of directors, which consists of 21 other appointees who make up the fair’s agricultural leadership. Smiarowski grew up on his family’s vegetable and dairy farm in Montague, where he continues to help his brother Dan, who currently owns and operates the family farm. Following his graduation from UMass Amherst, Smiarowski worked 34 years for the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, holding a number of management positions. Following his retirement from USDA in 2012, he worked 10 years as an agricultural risk-management educator for UMass Extension. He is currently a director of the Massachusetts Agricultural Club, the longest-standing agricultural club in the country; serves as a Massachusetts trustee of the Eastern States Exposition; and is a member of the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Assoc. He also serves on the capital campaign to fund the new construction of the Newman Catholic Center on the UMass campus.

People on the Move

Elms College announced that seven prominent leaders in the region have joined the board of trustees.

Kathleen Bernardo

Kathleen Bernardo

Kathleen Bernardo is a partner at Bulkley Richardson and leads the Real Estate practice group. Her practice focuses on commercial real-estate matters such as conveyancing, financing, leasing, title matters, and all aspects of complex property transfers, including purchase agreements, easements, liquor-license transfers, special permits, regulatory compliance, zoning and variance issues, 1031 exchange transfers, boundary disputes, public and private conservation restrictions including agricultural preservation restrictions, petitions to partition, and other land-court matters. Her probate practice includes the preparation of wills and trusts, estate and trust administration, equity petitions, guardianships, and conservatorships.

Larry Eagan

Larry Eagan

Larry Eagan is the president and CEO of Collins Electric and has been with the company since 1984. Collins Electric is a private company with offices in Chicopee and Pittsfield, sales of more than $15 million, and more than 80 employees. Collins Electric is an Elms College vendor and a sponsor of the Executive Leadership Breakfast. Eagan is on the board of directors of Associated Subcontractors of Massachusetts, serves as the chapter president of Legatus of Western Massachusetts, and is a member of the National Electrical Contractors Assoc.

Lindsey Gamble

Lindsey Gamble is the director of Nursing at Mercy Medical Center, a broad role that carries with it many responsibilities, including staffing, budgeting, training, and ongoing education of the nursing staff. Gamble started her nursing career as a labor and delivery nurse. She played a key role in the opening of Mercy’s Innovation Unit, designed to ensure that families of COVID-19 patients stay connected with the patient and the care team during their hospital stay.

Catherine Ormond

Catherine Ormond

Catherine Ormond, SSJ serves as pastoral visitor at St. Jerome’s Parish in Holyoke and most recently was pastoral minister at St. Patrick’s Church in South Hadley for nearly 20 years. Prior to that, she held counseling positions at Holyoke Catholic High School and Charles River Hospital in Chicopee Falls, and was coordinator of services at Brightside Mental Health Clinic.

Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson is the vice president of Public Health for Baystate Health. In this role, he is responsible for integrating clinical and community care to better serve vulnerable people and populations across the spectrum of diversity and create healthier communities. Robinson also represents Baystate Health in the area of community relations by building a shared agenda and common goals for community improvement with neighborhood, community, and business representatives, as well as other key stakeholders. He has led the establishment of the Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership and the founding of the Baystate Academy Charter Public School.

Betsy Sullivan

Betsy Sullivan

Betsy Sullivan, SSJ serves as president of the congregation for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield. She has extensive leadership experience, including vice president of the congregation, preceded by three decades as a licensed administrator of Mont Marie Health Care Center, a licensed nursing home in Holyoke.

Henry Thomas III

Henry Thomas III serves as president and CEO of the Urban League of Springfield Inc. He has worked in the Urban League movement for 43 years, serving 39 years as president and CEO. Previously, he served as vice president for Youth Development with the National Urban League in New York. He is also the former chair of the Springfield Fire Commission and the Springfield Police Commission. Thomas serves as CEO for the historic Camp Atwater, the oldest African-American overnight youth camp in the U.S., which he reopened in 1980 following a six-year hiatus. He served on the UMass board of trustees from 2007 to 2021 and served as chairman in 2012.

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Katharine Shove

Katharine Shove

Brodeur-McGan, P.C. announced that Katharine Shove joined the firm this fall. As a litigator, Shove particularly enjoys employment law, representing both employees and employers in discrimination, retaliation, and wage-and-hour cases. She regularly assists employers with complex state and federal compliance issues, representing electric companies, construction companies, and manufacturers. In addition to employment and compliance matters, she litigates matters involving property damages (real and personal), personal injuries, contract disputes, and consumer-protection violations, such as violations of General Laws Chapter 93A. After law school, Shove clerked for Justice C. Jeffrey Kinder of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, where she conducted legal research and drafted criminal and civil decisions for panel cases. Following her clerkship, she practiced as a litigator with Bacon Wilson, P.C. Shove serves as a board member of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. New Lawyers Section and is a member of the Hampden County Legal Clinic’s pro bono associate advisory board.

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The Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley announced its annual award winners at the association’s holiday luncheon on Dec. 1 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. The 2022 Realtor of the Year is Arlene Castellano of Acuna Real Estate. The 2022 Affiliate of the Year is Victor Rodriguez Sr. of PeoplesBank. A Realtor since 2015, Castellano has served on the RAPV board of directors since 2020. She has also served on the community service, finance, government affairs, member engagement, professional standards, and YPN committees. She has given back to the community through her active involvement with the community service committee, including as a board member for Dress for Success and co-chair of its relocation committee; as a basketball coach; serving in the Franklin County Meal; and coordinating a Meet the Candidate event for state Rep. Jake Oliveira. She has also coordinated RAPV’s new-member orientation and has been featured on the Real Estate Minute segment of WWLP’s Mass Appeal program intended to educate the public about real estate and the role of Realtors. She recently participated in and graduated from the Massachusetts Assoc. of Realtors’ 2022 Leadership Academy Class. A member of RAPV since 2015, Rodriguez is the mortgage consultant at PeoplesBank and has served on the affiliate-Realtor and community service committees. He has demonstrated tremendous support to the association and community outreach and volunteered in RAPV’s community-service efforts through its Christmas adopt-a-family program. His community activities include being director at Heir of Christ Christian Church since 2016, a board member of Holyoke Chapter Salvation Army since 2019, a board member of One Holyoke CDC since 2019, a committee member of Buy Holyoke Now, and a prior board member of the Greater Holyoke YMCA.

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Diane Sabato

Diane Sabato

John Diffley

John Diffley

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) professors Diane Sabato and John Diffley received the Michelson IP Educator of Excellence Award. Sabato, an STCC business professor, and Diffley, an attorney and history professor, have been working on the intellectual-property (IP) educational initiative since 2020. STCC was one of only five colleges nationwide with faculty accepted into the Michelson IP Educator in Residence initiative. The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property and the National Assoc. for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) selected Sabato and Diffley for the project. Sabato and Diffley have been collaborating with four other educators focusing on a mission to deliver intellectual-property education. They joined faculty from institutions in New Jersey, Florida, California, and New Mexico. Intellectual property refers to inventions and human creations such as literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, and names and images used in commerce. Sabato taught intellectual-property concepts in an entrepreneurship class at STCC. Diffley brought the historical perspective of Springfield as an innovation hub and the capacity to implement campus-wide initiatives, initially, through the Honors Program.

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Berkshire Money Management (BMM), a boutique advisory firm with offices in Dalton and Great Barrington, recently welcomed Brenda Bailly and Tina Archambault as client care specialists. The two new hires join the client care team led by Chelsea Smith, recently promoted to the role of client specialist leader. All three employees play a vital role in providing attentive, personalized service to the clients of Berkshire Money Management. Bailly, based in the company’s downtown Great Barrington office, brings more than 24 years of experience in financial services and wealth-management operations to her role as client care specialist. Before joining the BMM team, she was a wealth management senior operations specialist at Berkshire Bank, where her responsibilities included client care, opening and closing accounts, audit assistance, system configurations, and more. A notary, Berkshire Community College graduate, and experienced customer-service professional, Archambault joins the Berkshire Money Management team as client care specialist at the Dalton office. She brings to her new role 25 years in customer service and 16 years of experience in trusts. In her previous role as wealth management operations specialist at Berkshire Bank, she worked with various accounts, including IRAs, trusts, and investment and estate accounts, and was responsible for the opening of new accounts, asset transfers, and other operational tasks. As part of the client care team, both Bailly and Archambault will assist with client onboarding, scheduling, opening and servicing accounts, facilitating account transactions, building strong relationships, and helping clients with their day-to-day service needs. Berkshire Money Management also congratulates Smith on her recent promotion to client specialist leader. She joined BMM in 2021 as a client care specialist. In her new role, she is focused on strengthening BMM’s client care team through coaching, developing new standards and practices, and leading the team in providing exceptional client service. She is a veteran customer-service professional and notary public and has an associate degree from Berkshire Community College in liberal arts with a concentration in business administration.

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Pema Latshang

Teach Western Mass Executive Director Pema Latshang has been selected to serve on the Healey-Driscoll Thriving Youth and Young Adults Transition Committee. Transition committees aim to guide Gov.-elect Maura Healey and Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll on important work as they prepare to take office in January. Each committee is composed of a diverse group of community members, advocates, subject-matter experts, and business and nonprofit leaders. Latshang’s participation gives voice to the education community of Western Mass. Her expertise in reducing barriers to entry to the profession, maintaining performance standards, and increasing retention supports for new teachers will help her advocate for a high-quality, diverse teacher workforce.

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The Look Memorial Park board of trustees voted unanimously to name Justin Pelis the park’s fifth executive director. Pelis has served as the interim executive director since July 29. “Look Memorial Park is special to so many people,” Pelis said. “It evokes a different meaning to everyone, but in the end, the park is a place where memories are built between families and community. I’m proud to be the newest executive director of Look Park, where my vision and contribution will live on in the hearts of the community for years to come. That was the intent of Mrs. Fannie Look when she set forth to memorialize her late husband Frank Newhall Look in 1928. As executive director, I honor the responsibility to preserve Mrs. Look’s vision while also being responsive and adaptive to the changing needs of our patrons and communities.”

People on the Move
Jackson Findlay

Jackson Findlay

John Santaniello

John Santaniello

Freedom Credit Union recently announced the hiring of two staff members for its new loan-production office at 115 Elm Street in Enfield, Conn.: Jackson Findlay, mortgage loan originator, and John Santaniello, assistant vice president of Member Business Lending. Findlay will be responsible for helping guide members through mortgage loan options, preparing and submitting mortgage loan applications, and working with prospective homebuyers throughout the process of obtaining a mortgage loan. A graduate of Newbury College with a bachelor’s degree in international business and Elms College with an MBA, he previously served as a virtual mortgage officer with another financial institution. Santaniello will work with businesses seeking loans, including term, Small Business Administration, commercial real estate, and commercial vehicle loans. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He previously worked at another financial institution in Connecticut as assistant vice president of Commercial Lending.

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Robert Ciraco

Robert Ciraco

Michael Ostrowski, president and CEO of Arrha Credit Union, announced that Robert Ciraco has been promoted to the role of executive vice president, chief lending officer. Ciraco joined Arrha in 2019 and served as vice president, chief lending officer for all aspects of residential and commercial lending. He has more than 25 years in the financial-services lending industry. During his extensive career, he has been responsible for all aspects of lending. He was vice president of Residential and Consumer Lending for Rockville Bank, a $2 billion community bank, where he was in charge of loan processing, underwriting, loan closings, quality control, secondary market sales, loan servicing, and administration of all residential and consumer loan systems. After leaving Rockville, Ciraco built a highly successful, high-volume wholesale lending operations center to support East Coast loan originations for a West Coast wholesale lender as director of Operations. He has been involved in youth hockey for more than 15 years, coaching and serving as a board member at several different hockey organizations.

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Michael Tiberii

Michael Tiberii

Tom Ingle

Tom Ingle

Nicole LaCroix

Nicole LaCroix

Fontaine Bros. Inc., a construction management and general contracting firm serving the public and private sectors since 1933, recently announced three new hires to the organization: Michael Tiberii as senior project supervisor, Tom Ingle as project supervisor/manager, and Nicole LaCroix as project manager. Tiberii joins Fontaine from AECOM Tishman, where he was vice president of MEP Services. With more than 35 years of experience, he has worked on projects in many sectors including life science, hospitality, and residential. He completed the Wentworth Institute of Technology’s Architectural Design and Drafting program and earned a certificate from the University of Texas’ Project Management program. Before joining Fontaine, Ingle was a general contractor who managed his own construction and remodeling company. He is a licensed construction supervisor and earned a degree in business management from Providence College. Lacroix comes to Fontaine from Bowdoin Construction. She earned a master’s degree in construction management from Wentworth Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in interior design. Her diverse experience includes a wide range of projects in the academic and life-science sectors.

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The Western Mass. Hyundai dealers (Balise, Gary Rome, and Country) surprised Bob “the Bike Man” Charland with a new 2023 Hyundai Tucson yesterday at his repair shop at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield. Charland is the founder of Pedal Thru Youth Inc. He started working with children in 2003 when he led a Girl Scout troop for his daughter and coached her softball team. He started teaching automotive for Willie Ross School for the Deaf in 2012. Around the same time, he started fixing up bikes to donate to less fortunate kids. In 2017, after being diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease, he decided that he wanted to create a formal organization and start donating bikes to large groups of children. Thus, the idea for Pedal Thru Youth was born. Charland has made significant contributions to the community that also includes volunteering his time to supply law-enforcement agencies around Massachusetts and Connecticut with backpacks filled with essential supplies for the homeless. Hyundai Salute To Heroes is an annual event that was launched in 2021 and brought to the Western Mass. region by Gary Rome, president of Gary Rome Hyundai and president of the Hyundai Dealers Advertising Assoc., to recognize local, everyday heroes. The Hyundai Tucson SEL AWD is valued at $33,495, and the dealers are paying for all taxes and fees associated with the vehicle.

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Charlie D’Amour

Charlie D’Amour

Gregory Thomas

Gregory Thomas

Aaron Vega

Aaron Vega

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the appointment of three new trustees. Charlie D’Amour, Gregory Thomas, and Aaron Vega, each of which began their three-year terms in October, will provide guidance and leadership during a pivotal time for CFWM, which embarked on a national search for its next president and CEO earlier this year. D’Amour is the president and CEO of Big Y, where he is responsible for the successful development and execution of long-term strategies for the company. Throughout his tenure at Big Y, he has been instrumental in the development and growth of all aspects of the business, including its World Class Supermarkets, its other retail-store formats, distribution and facilities-management capabilities, and support functions. D’Amour is board member and serves on the public affairs committee for FMI, the national food-industry association. He is also a member of the board and executive committee and former chair of Topco Associates Inc., a member-owned, $16 billion buying consortium headquartered in Chicago. He has served as the chairman of Baystate Health and serves on the board and is a former chair of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council. Thomas serves as executive director and lecturer at UMass Amherst. Thomas has an extensive background in business as both a strategic manager and a professor. Since 2018, he has been at UMass Amherst, serving in a dual role as a lecturer at the Isenberg School of Management and executive director of the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship. Additionally, since 2008, he has served as a manufacturing strategy manager for a multi-national technology company. His volunteer experience includes roles on the Northampton Chamber of Commerce, Beta Sigma Boule Foundation in Springfield, and the Corning Children’s Center in Corning, N.Y., where he served as both president and treasurer. Vega was appointed director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development for the city of Holyoke in 2020. Prior to his appointment, he served as state representative for the 5th Hampden District. He continues his focus on providing constituent services, education policy, and economic development. Over the past 10 years, he has been involved in several local nonprofit boards and volunteer projects.

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Country Bank recently announced four promotions. Lisa DiMarzio and Scott Emerson were promoted to first vice presidents. DiMarzio oversees the bank’s Compliance and Community Reinvestment area. She has worked in various positions as a long-tenured team member with 36 years at Country Bank. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Anna Maria College. In addition, she is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies and the American Bankers Assoc. Stonier Graduate School of Banking, where she also earned a Wharton leadership certification. Emerson has more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry and has been an essential part of the Innovation and Technology team at Country Bank for the last 17 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UMass Amherst and has completed several technology-related certifications throughout the course of his career. Dianna Lussier, who oversees the Risk Management area, has been promoted to vice president. She has been with Country Bank for 18 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Worcester State University with a concentration in finance and accounting. She is also a graduate of the Massachusetts Bankers New England School for Financial Studies. She is currently attending the American Bankers Assoc. Stonier Graduate School of Banking and completing her Wharton leadership certification. Jason Bourbeau was promoted to Technology Architecture officer. He has been with Country Bank for eight years, earned an associate degree in computer systems engineering from Springfield Technical Community College, and is certified as a Cisco network professional.

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Jane Johnson Vottero

Jane Johnson Vottero

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Jane Johnson Vottero as its new director of Marketing and Strategic Communications. Vottero joins HCC after 21 years at Springfield College, where she has worked as manager of editorial services, publications director, director of executive communications, and, most recently, editorial director. Her work includes award-winning publications, executive speech writing, supervision of creative and volunteer teams, advertising campaigns, newspaper reporting, freelance correspondence, development writing, web writing, video production, and strategic communications for businesses, nonprofits, and political and social-issue campaigns. At HCC, Vottero will oversee the operations of marketing, media relations, social media, graphic design, website management, publications, and other internal and external communications. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from UMass Amherst and a master’s degree in psychology from Springfield College. She has worked as a writer, editor, and publicist in Western Mass., including at Baystate Health, the Western Massachusetts Business Journal (now BusinessWest), the Westfield Evening News, and Barron’s Business and Financial Weekly. She is a past president of the Junior League of Greater Springfield, the founding president of CISV Greater Springfield, and a graduate of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact.

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Meridith Salois

Meridith Salois

bankESB recently promoted Meridith Salois to vice president, Commercial Credit Systems Management. Salois joined bankESB in 2001 as a loan servicer and progressed over time to collections assistant, credit analyst, and senior credit analyst before being elected officer in 2015 and promoted to assistant vice president in 2016. In 2020, she was promoted to assistant vice president, Commercial Credit Systems manager. She was responsible for leading the commercial integration group for bankESB parent Hometown Financial Group’s recent acquisition of Randolph Bancorp and Envision Bank. Salois holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Bay Path College and is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies. She currently serves as vice president of the LoanVantage User Group and is an active volunteer in her community with the Southampton Road PTO and All 4-Kids Consignment Sale.

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John Miarecki

John Miarecki

Shawna Griffin

Shawna Griffin

Erica Moulton

Erica Moulton

Susan Mayhew

Susan Mayhew

Market Mentors, the region’s largest marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, is proud to announce the addition of four new team members, adding to the depth and expertise of its staff. The hires span multiple departments, including account services, media buying, and administration. John Miarecki joined the agency as director of Growth and Development. A marketing guru with almost 15 years of experience in various roles, as well as degrees in marketing and psychology from West Chester University in Pennsylvania, he is tasked with assisting with business development, client services, internal operations and talent development. Shawna Griffin is the agency’s new media planner/buyer, bringing with her two decades of experience in the field. A graduate of Hofstra University, she is adept at creating comprehensive media plans that drive action and results. Erica Moulton joined the agency as an account executive with nearly 20 years of expertise in all things communications, including social media, public relations, referral relations, fundraising, account management, and more. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the Catholic University of America and has extensive expertise in the healthcare and nonprofit verticals. Susan Mayhew made her return to Market Mentors as office manager, a position she previously held for four years before moving to Colorado and then South Carolina. With more than 25 years of business administration experience, she is responsible for office management, including financials (including accounts payable, accounts receivable, and reporting) and some human-resources duties.

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Jessica Oliver

Jessica Oliver

Hometown Mortgage, a division of bankESB, recently announced that Jessica Oliver has been hired as a loan officer. Oliver has more than 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry. Prior to her hiring at Hometown Mortgage, she was employed as a loan officer at First Eastern Mortgage for 15 years and at Fairway Independent Mortgage for nearly seven years.

People on the Move
Britaney Guzman-Bailey

Britaney Guzman-Bailey

Sarah Federation

Sarah Federation

Joshua Goldstein

Joshua Goldstein

Bacon Wilson P.C. announced that three new associate attorneys have joined the firm. Attorney Britaney Guzman-Bailey is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Domestic Relations and Family Law practice group. She earned her juris doctor degree magna cum laude at Western New England University School of Law, where she served as a production editor of the Western New England Law Review, and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut. Prior to joining Bacon Wilson, Guzman-Bailey served as a judicial law clerk at the Connecticut Superior Court. She received the CALI Award for Gender and the Law in 2021, the CALI Award for International Business Transactions in 2021, and the CALI Award for Family Law in 2020. She is a member of the Hispanic National Bar Assoc., the Hampden County Bar Assoc., and the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Assoc. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and will be working from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location. Attorney Sarah Federation is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Business and Corporate Law practice group. She earned her juris doctor degree cum laude from Western New England University School of Law in 2022 and earned her bachelor’s degree cum laude from Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. in 2019. Federation’s Bacon Wilson career originally began as a law clerk in May 2021. She received the CALI Award for Bioethics and Law in 2021 and was named Best Plaintiff’s Advocate in 2020. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and was officially sworn into the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. on Nov. 15. She will be working from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location. Attorney Joshua Goldstein is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Business and Corporate Law practice group and the Banking and Finance practice group. He earned his juris doctor degree cum laude from Western New England University School of Law in 2022 and his bachelor’s degree in business economics from the State University of New York, Oneonta in 2018. Goldstein completed pro bono activity with the City of Homes Project under the direction of retired Judge Dina Fein. He also is a member of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. He is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and was officially sworn into the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. on Nov. 15. He will be working from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location.

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Shannon Gurek

Shannon Gurek

Jeffrey Markham Jr.

Jeffrey Markham Jr.

Marty Bongfeldt

Marty Bongfeldt

Sarah Guerin

Sarah Guerin

Ann Tweedy

Ann Tweedy

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts recently welcomed Shannon Gurek as vice president for Finance and Operations. She will provide strategic leadership in finance, information technology, operations, and risk management during a transformative period for the foundation. She was selected after a national search conducted by Lindauer, a leading executive search firm serving foundation and charity organizations. Lindauer is also leading the foundation’s search for its next president and CEO. Gurek, who began her career in Springfield and is a life-long resident of Massachusetts, most recently served nine years as vice president for Finance and Administration and treasurer at Mount Holyoke College. While there, she also served as a member of the president’s cabinet and worked closely with the college’s trustees. In addition to overseeing the college’s operating budget, financial planning and reporting, and policies governing the stewardship of its $1 billion endowment, Gurek was responsible for key administrative areas that included human resources, facilities, risk management, and sustainability. Prior to joining Mount Holyoke, Gurek was the associate treasurer and director of the budget at Amherst College, and early in her career, she was an audit supervisor at Coopers and Lybrand. A certified public accountant, she earned her MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst and her bachelor’s degree from Nichols College. She is also a member of the board of directors of Holyoke Medical Center. Gurek will be joining Jeffrey Markham Jr., Marty Bongfeldt, Sarah Guerin, and Ann Tweedy, all of whom recently joined the Community Foundation as staff members. Markham began serving the foundation as program officer for Community Impact and Partnerships after 15 years in public-health research and community-based programming. His previous work was with the MOCHA (Men of Color Health Awareness) program in Springfield, where he directed its Disrupting Systemic and Structural Racism Initiative as well as its research collaboration with the UMass Amherst School of Public Health. Bongfeldt joined the foundation as its new Donor Services associate. She brings extensive experience as an executive assistant to chief-level leadership in both corporate and nonprofit organizations. Originally from Dallas, Bongfeldt relocated to Western Mass. after her acceptance to Smith College’s Ada Comstock Scholar Program. She earned her bachelor’s degree and master of fine arts degree from Smith. She is also a playwright member of the Dramatist Guild. Guerin joined the foundation as program assistant after serving the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts for nearly five years. She served as Executive Services assistant to the organization’s CEO and COO. She brings with her a wealth of nonprofit and youth organization experience as well as a strong background in volunteerism. Tweedy joined the foundation as fund administration associate for Philanthropic Services. She comes to the foundation from Franklin/Hampshire County MassHire’s first upskilling navigator, in which she helped launch the first Career Technical Initiative (CTI) Commonwealth Corp.-funded Adult Vocational Education program at Franklin County Technical School in Turners Falls. She is the treasurer of a family foundation in Providence, R.I. and volunteers on several boards.

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A dozen UMass Amherst researchers representing a wide range of disciplines have been recognized as among the world’s most highly cited researchers in 2022. The list is generated by the Web of Science database of analytics provider Clarivate. The highly cited papers rank in the top 1% by citations for their field and publication year, span 69 countries or regions, and are spread across a diverse range of research fields in the sciences and social sciences. The highly cited UMass Amherst researchers for 2022 are three food scientists, Professor Eric Decker, Distinguished Professor David Julian McClements, and Professor and Clydesdale Scholar of Food Science Hang Xiao; two microbiologists, Kelly Nevin and Derek Lovley; Distinguished Professor in Chemistry Vincent Rotello; Armstrong/Siadat Endowed Professor of Chemical Engineering Nianqiang “Nick” Wu; Director of Stockbridge School of Agriculture and Professor of Environmental and Soil Sciences Baoshan Xing; Silvio O. Conte Distinguished Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering Thomas Russell; Hospitality and Tourism Management Provost Professor Muzaffer “Muzzo” Uysal; Associate Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and School of Public Health and Health Sciences Professor Laura Vandenberg; and Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Qiangfei Xia.

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Daryl Johnson

Daryl Johnson

Kevin Hassett Jr.

Kevin Hassett Jr.

Rachel Fancy

Rachel Fancy

Fitzgerald Law recently announced that attorneys Daryl Johnson, Kevin Hassett Jr., and Rachel Fancy have joined the firm. Johnson has a broad business-law practice advising clients on matters of commercial real estate, corporate finance, succession planning, and trust and estates. She has eight years of experience practicing as an attorney and has served as corporate counsel for an international importing business. She graduated summa cum laude from Elms College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree, and cum laude from the UMass School of Law in Dartmouth, where she earned her juris doctorate. She is a trustee of Springfield International Charter School, regularly fundraises to benefit Empty Arms Bereavement Support, and has served as a volunteer for Girls on the Run and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County. Hassett focuses his business-law practice on the areas of contract drafting and negotiation, commercial loans, commercial real-estate development including acquisition and sale, regulatory and government enforcement actions and investigations, and employment law. He is a graduate of UMass Amherst, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies, and Western New England University School of Law, where he earned his juris doctorate. He is a member of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. New Lawyers’ Section Executive Board and a member of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield. Fancy advises business owners and leadership teams on the resolution of commercial disputes, litigation tactics and procedure, and land use, zoning, and permitting. She is particularly skilled at legal research and writing, as well as oral advocacy and negotiation. She graduated magna cum laude from Suffolk University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree, and cum laude from Western New England University School of Law, where she earned her juris doctorate. She represents the firm with the Westfield Chamber of Commerce. She has also volunteered with a small-business clinic while in law school, working with local startups.

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Eli Freund

Eli Freund

Louis Burgos

Louis Burgos

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) announced the hiring of Eli Freund as director of Marketing and Communications and Louis Burgos as Digital and Social Media manager. Freund comes to the college with experience in communications and journalism. In his new role, he will plan and execute strategic marketing and communications programs that promote STCC, among other responsibilities. He was previously the director of communications for the University of Connecticut School of Engineering, where he oversaw external and internal communications. He also managed the integrated marketing plan for the school, which included social media, email marketing, paid advertising, search-engine optimization, and media relations. In addition to his new role at STCC, he serves as an adjunct communications professor at Eastern Connecticut State University. Prior to his role at UConn, Freund worked as a reporter, covering education and town government for the Chronicle in Willimantic, Conn., and the Journal Inquirer in Manchester, Conn. After leaving journalism, he worked in the mayor’s office in the town of East Hartford, Conn., as a communications officer, and worked for Clarus Commerce in Rocky Hill, Conn., coordinating all its public relations. Freund earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in communication from the University of Hartford. Burgos will lead a strong content strategy for STCC across its digital platforms, advancing the college’s brand, stakeholder support, and enrollment. In his new role, he will develop the college’s web content, social-media channels, and digital media and manage many creative projects, including writing digital copy. Burgos previously worked at the Center for EcoTechnology in Springfield as a bilingual Marketing And Communication coordinator, where he managed its social-media presence and also served as videographer/video editor. In addition to his position there, he has also worked as a wedding videographer. Burgos earned an associate degree in communication media and theater arts in 2018 from Holyoke Community College. In 2020, he continued his education and received a bachelor’s degree in communication from Westfield State University.

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Deborah Stephenson

Deborah Stephenson

After a multi-state search, Brattleboro Savings & Loan (BS&L) recently welcomed Deborah Stephenson to the position of president. Current president Dan Yates will retire at the end of this year after 17 years in that role. Stephenson comes to BS&L from Berkshire Bank, where she served as senior vice president for Compliance and helped grow the bank’s assets from $2 billion to $13 billion. She first took her university degree in economics and finance into public service as a bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Seeing so many banks from the inside helped her to learn the fundamentals of banking as well as to become an expert at risk management and compliance issues. Her first job out of the government was with Woronoco Savings Bank in Westfield, which was suffering from compliance issues that Stephenson helped clean up. This became a specialty that has followed her throughout her career, leading her to Berkshire Bank and now to BS&L.

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Berkshire Money Management (BMM) recently welcomed Julia Lewis to a new position of compliance professional. Her arrival adds internal compliance capacity to the firm’s operations team. As compliance professional, Lewis is responsible for Berkshire Money Management’s internal compliance program, employee training, and processes and procedures. She brings to the team eight years of experience in the finance industry across the retirement, home-lending, and insurance sectors. Prior to joining Berkshire Money Management, she was the Technical Operations manager at PCS Retirement. She is happy to join the BMM team, where she can be a part of giving back to the community and supporting local growth.

 

People on the Move
Andrew Coston

Andrew Coston

Elms College has named higher-education executive Andrew Coston the college’s new vice president of Student Affairs. Reporting directly to the president, Coston is responsible for the strategic oversight and management of the college’s Student Affairs office. Coston is joining Elms from Gustavus Adolphus College (GAC) in Saint Peter, Minn., where he recently served as assistant dean of students and executive director of GAC’s Center for Career Development. Prior to that, he was director of Career Services at Cecil College in Maryland. In his new role at Elms, Coston is responsible for providing leadership, management, and supervision to the dean of students, the director of Campus Ministry, the director of Residence Life, and director of the Health Center. Additionally, he is a member of the president’s cabinet. Coston has more than 20 years of higher-education experience in student affairs and career services. He holds a doctoral degree in education from Morgan State University in Maryland, a master’s degree in school counseling from Loyola College in Maryland, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Assumption College in Worcester.

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Heather Arbour

Heather Arbour

Monson Savings Bank recently announced the promotion of Heather Arbour to the role of assistant vice president, BSA/Fraud officer, and Compliance manager. Arbour has been with Monson Savings Bank for 15 years, previously serving in the role of BSA officer and Compliance manager. In her new role, she is responsible for overseeing the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money-laundering programs for the bank and ensuring compliance with banking regulations. Additionally, she manages the Retail Operations department and serves on the bank’s compliance, CRA & fair lending, and IT steering committees. Arbour is a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College, where she earned highest honors, was a dean’s list recipient, and received an associate degree in business administration. She is currently enrolled in the American Women’s College at Bay Path University, where she is an honors student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration and minoring in criminal justice, while serving as a peer mentor. In 2021, she graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies with honors. As a volunteer and co-treasurer for the Monson and Palmer Salvation Army and a dedicated parent volunteer for the Monson Parent Teacher Student Assoc., she is committed to contributing to local communities.

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The Springfield Thunderbirds announced the return of Steve Forni as the team’s public-address (PA) announcer inside the MassMutual Center. A native of Agawam, Forni began his pro-hockey announcing career with the Springfield Falcons in 2015 and held the position with the Thunderbirds from 2016 to 2020. During the 2021-22 season, he served as one of the PA voices of the NHL’s Boston Bruins at the TD Garden. He also currently serves as the PA voice of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.

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Kristina Hamel

Kristina Hamel

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union recently introduced the newest addition to its senior management team: Kristina Hamel, who joins UMassFive as vice president of Human Resources. Hamel comes to UMassFive from Shriners Hospitals for Children in Springfield, where she worked for the past 20-plus years, overseeing up to 250 employees and more than 150 volunteers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in human resource management from Bay Path University and has earned her Senior Professional Human Resource certification. At UMassFive, Hamel will oversee all employee hiring, training, recognition, and diversity program efforts.

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Pioneer Valley Financial Group (PVFG) recently appointed Kelly Haber and Karen Nogueira to partner. Haber began her journey at PVFG in 2016 as director of Compliance. Armed with her FINRA series 7, 66, and 24 designations, she was quickly promoted to chief operating officer. Nogueira started her career at PVFG in 2006 as a sales assistant. With strong dedication and loyalty to the client experience, she was promoted to director of Client Relations.

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Justin Goldberg

The Royal Law Firm announced it recently welcomed attorney Justin Goldberg to the team. Goldberg received his bachelor’s degree from Hartwick College, his master’s degree in teaching with secondary mathematics certification from Simmons College, and his juris doctor from Western New England University School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in the state of Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

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Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR hand dryer, announced that Scott Kerman has been hired as business development manager – specifications. In this new role, Kerman will work with the Excel Dryer Sales and Marketing teams to grow profits; nurture, retain, and support partner relationships; conduct demonstrations and sales presentations; and much more. Kerman, a graduate of Arizona State University, has more than 30 years of experience in sales and business development. He has extensive product knowledge with numerous construction market segments and will tap into this experience at Excel Dryer to help grow and support the construction team’s annual profit by leveraging data in construction platforms.

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Friends of Children Inc. presented Clare Higgins, executive director of Community Action Pioneer Valley and former mayor of Northampton, with its 2022 Changemaker Award at a dinner on Oct. 26 at the Garden House in Look Park. Higgins is being presented with the Changemaker Award to celebrate her accomplishments, advocacy, and impact. She has been a steadfast advocate for vulnerable people in the Pioneer Valley, including children and young people served by Friends of Children, since 1993. Higgins began her service in the Pioneer Valley as a member of the Northampton City Council beginning in 1993. She served as mayor of Northampton from 1999 to 2011. Friends of Children is dedicated to improving the lives of children and young adults impacted by foster care or juvenile-justice involvement. There agency addresses the needs of high-risk children who are not readily supported by systems designed to protect them and encourage their full participation in society.

People on the Move
Michael Eriquezzo

Michael Eriquezzo

Tami Christopher

Tami Christopher

Millie Lopez-Cook

Millie Lopez-Cook

American International College (AIC) named Michael Eriquezzo associate vice president for Marketing and Communications. He oversees the Office of Marketing and Communications and is responsible for advertising, design, web management, public relations, branding, and internal and external communications, including Lucent magazine, a publication with a print distribution of 26,000. Eriquezzo joined AIC in 2017 as the chief graphic designer and visual brand manager for the college. He received a bachelor’s of business administration degree in marketing from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. Meanwhile, Tami Christopher has joined AIC as executive director of Student Success and Opportunity, tasked with leading the Center for Navigating Educational Success Together (NEST), which encompasses the James Shea Library along with advising, tutoring, accessibility and accommodations, and other specialized support initiatives that facilitate and support students’ educational success via student-centered educational services. Christopher brings more than 10 years of experience supporting the post-secondary success of students, particularly those from traditionally marginalized communities. She has held leadership roles with Post University, the University of Bridgeport, and Middlesex Community College in Connecticut. She has supported post-secondary access and opportunity initiatives through research, policy, and program design work with CT Voices for Children, Our Piece of the Pie, and Ready CT. She has worked closely with current U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on early college program development and has collaborated on college access and success initiatives nationally, including in Colorado, Maine, Rhode Island, and Texas. She earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In addition, Millie Lopez-Cook has been hired as director of Human Resources and deputy Title IX coordinator. She will have oversight and responsibility for recruiting, training and development, employee relations, compensation management, health and welfare benefits, record management and diversity, equity, and inclusion for AIC. Additionally, as deputy Title IX coordinator, she will serve in an investigative role and ensure the timely resolution of reports of sex discrimination, sexual misconduct, or harassment. Lopez-Cook brings to AIC an extensive background in human resources professionally in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors and as an academic, having taught human-resource management, organizational behavior, labor relations, and business management at the college level. She graduated with a master’s degree in science management from Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut.

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Sara Rodrigues

Sara Rodrigues

Monson Savings Bank recently announced the promotion of Sara Rodrigues to assistant vice president, Commercial Loan Operations officer. In her new role, Rodrigues is responsible for managing the Commercial Loan administrative team and Commercial Loan Servicing team at Monson Savings Bank, as well as planning, organizing, and directing all Commercial Loan operations. She has been with Monson Savings for 10 years, previously serving in the role of Commercial Loan Operations officer. She has 22 years of experience in the banking industry, 21 within the commercial-lending sector. Prior to working with Monson Savings, she worked with TD Bank, N.A. as a Commercial Loan document supervisor. Rodrigues believes in giving back to the communities she works and resides in. Prior to the pandemic, she participated in Link to Libraries’ Monson Schools Read a Loud program. As a Link to Libraries volunteer, she read to students and helped the organization serve its mission to distribute new books to the school and home libraries of children in need. She is looking forward to the Read a Loud program starting back up again. In addition to her volunteer work, she serves on the Monson Savings Bank community reinvestment committee.

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Springfield Prep Charter School recently announced the election of the two newest additions to its board of trustees, Ron Molina-Brantley and Amneris Narvaez. Narvaez is senior director of Central & Western Mass. Programs at Generation Teach. In her current role, she develops new generations of diverse teachers and leaders, while providing summer enrichment opportunities to local students. Prior to this, she was the Engagement Organizing manager for Stand for Children and also served for seven years as a special-education teacher for Springfield Public Schools. Molina-Brantley serves as vice president and relationship manager for Berkshire Bank. Previously, he served as chief operating officer at Valley Venture Mentors, as well as a senior program manager & energy manager for the city of Springfield. He is also an adjunct professor for Uptima Entrepreneurial Cooperative. In his work, he fosters organizational and departmental growth driven by his several years of experience as a business and financial professional. He is also a member of the board at the MassLGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, Wellspring Cooperative (as treasurer), and Massachusetts Special Olympics.

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Geralyn McCarthy

Geralyn McCarthy

Geralyn ‘Geri’ McCarthy, OMG’s director of Operations, has been named by HBS Dealer magazine in its annual Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply for Business Excellence. She was selected from among a record number of nominations of high-performing leaders who are making an impact on the industry. The Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply program honors women making outstanding contributions to their companies and their communities. The goal of the program is to recognize achievement and offer educational resources to everyone in the 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. The Business Excellence Award is presented to leaders who have demonstrated achievement, growth, and success in the hardware and home-improvement industry, embraced education and community service, and inspired others to follow a similar path. McCarthy has been with OMG for 10 years in operational roles, driving employee development and continuous improvement to achieve company goals. In addition, she chairs the company’s wellness committee, which is focused on improving the nutritional, financial, emotional, and physical well-being of OMG employees and their families. She and the other award recipients will be honored at the third annual Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply awards ceremony at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago on November 8-9.

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Matt Bertuzzi

Matt Bertuzzi

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced that Matt Bertuzzi has been hired as the conductor of the SSO’s Springfield Youth Sinfonia, a youth orchestra that develops ensemble skills and performs in Springfield Symphony Hall. Bertuzzi, who also serves as music director at the Springfield Honors Academy, previously served as assistant conductor of the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Greenfield. He has been hailed as a “lively and animated teacher” by OperaPulse. Growing up, Bertuzzi was part of the Springfield Symphony Youth Orchestra. Bertuzzi has served as musical director of the UMass Chamber Orchestra and as assistant conductor of the UMass University Orchestra, the Five College Opera Projects, and Opera Workshop. In his final concert at UMass, Bertuzzi produced and conducted the University’s first fully staged opera to be performed with full orchestra, Donizetti’s Rita, for which he was a semifinalist for the American Prize in Opera Conducting, the only collegiate conductor to achieve such an honor. Bertuzzi has extensive experience conducting internationally, which includes serving as assistant conductor of the Professional Advantage and the Italian Operatic Experience, opera festivals in the Marche region of Italy. He was also a guest conductor with the Orquestra Criança Cidadã, Recife, Brazil’s premier youth orchestra academy, and has also conducted at the International Institute for Conductors Advanced Conducting Academy in Bacau, Romania. He is a former trustee of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and developed and implemented the symphony’s innovative Real-Time Concert Notes program, which allows audience members, using a smartphone app, to receive live program notes about the music they are hearing while it’s being played in concert.

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The Mental Health Assoc. (MHA) recently named Jennifer Ducharme vice president of Development & Community Relations. She will be instrumental in providing leadership to ensure that MHA continues to expand the agency’s resources and presence in the community. The population MHA serves includes those navigating substance-use dependency and mental-health conditions, adults with acquired brain injury, individuals with intellectual disabilities, and the chronically homeless. Ducharme has held various positions with nonprofit organizations for over a decade, including the American Cancer Society, Boys & Girls Clubs, and American Red Cross. She also serves on several local nonprofit boards and councils. She holds an undergraduate degree in business management from the University of Phoenix and a master’s degree in nonprofit management and philanthropy from Bay Path University. She is a member of Nu Lamda Mu, an international honor society established by the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council to recognize students dedicated to the study of nonprofit management, philanthropy, and social entrepreneurship/enterprise.

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Adam Moreau

Adam Moreau

Marketing Doctor Inc. recently welcomed Adam Moreau to its management team. He brings more than 19 years of advertising experience to Marketing Doctor. A longtime senior account executive for Effectv (formerly Comcast Spotlight), Moreau was integral in creating strong, custom campaigns and messaging that delivered impressive results for his clients. He constantly leveraged his expertise in media sales and omni-channel advertising solutions to find the next opportunity for his clients, both during and after campaigns. He is a fixture in the local media-sales field, working at the forefront of local advertising in the Springfield market. With clients across New England, his accounts spanned size and industry, including automotive, legal, retail, healthcare, business services, and more. He also executed political advertising campaigns for local and federal candidates. He holds an MBA from Western New England University.

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Country Bank and the Worcester Red Sox recently announced the 2022 WooStars, a program that supports nonprofit leaders throughout the region. Country Bank recently recognized nine local WooStars and the nonprofits they are affiliated with at Polar Park. They include Katie Roy, Big Brothers Big Sisters; Nicole Broushet, Glo Mom; Pamela Daly, Girls Inc.; Jessika Zequeira, Shine Initiative; Johanna Annunziata, Give Gratitude; Moses Dixon, the Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging; John Rodriguez, Worcester Latino Dollars for Scholars; Geoff Naunheim, United Way of Franklin and Hampshire County; and Denise Blodgett, Jubilee Cupboard. Each nonprofit was presented with a $5,000 check from Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank.

Cover Story Healthcare Heroes

Since BusinessWest and its sister publication, the Healthcare News, launched the recognition program known as Healthcare Heroes in 2017, the initiative has more than succeeded in its quest to identify true leaders — not to mention inspiring stories — within this region’s large and very important healthcare sector.
The award was created to recognize those whose contributions to the health and well-being of this region, while known to some, needed to become known to all. And that is certainly true this year.
They are leaders. In some cases innovators or collaborators. In all cases, inspirations — people and organizations that have devoted their lives to improving the quality of individual lives and the health of entire communities. We find these stories to be compelling and inspirational, and we’re sure you will as well.

Overall, everyone who was nominated this year is a hero, but in the minds of our judges — the editors and management at BusinessWest — eight of these stories stood out among the others. The Healthcare Heroes for 2022 are (click on the names to read their stories):

See the BusinessWest 2022 Healthcare Heroes Special Section HERE.

We’re excited to celebrate our Healthcare Heroes on Thursday, Oct. 27 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Tickets cost $85 each, and tables of 10 or 12 are available.

The Healthcare Heroes program is being sponsored by presenting sponsors Elms College and Baystate Health/Health New England, and partner sponsors Trinity Health Of New England/Mercy Medical Center, American International College, and MiraVista Behavioral Health Center.

Presenting Sponsors


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