Page 39 - BusinessWest April 27, 2026

Giancarlo Crivelli
Executive Director,
Fishing Friends: Age 24
For Giancarlo Crivelli, fishing has always been
more than a pastime.
It’s been a passion, a way to connect
the generations in his family, and a vehicle
for bringing joy, and some valuable life
lessons, to others.
Indeed, Crivelli has lasting memories of fishing
with his father and grandfather when he was younger.
They both passed away when he was 12, and since then,
fishing has always been a way to remember them and bring
him closer to them.
And in recent years, fishing has become even more — a way
to honor his father’s legacy of using the activity to connect with
young people in the community who didn’t have a father figure in
their lives.
“He would take them fishing, too, and it soon became a regular
thing,” Crivelli recalled. “He would become a friend to these kids,
teaching them about the importance of getting back in touch with
nature. Fishing, he would say, grounded us, helped us relax, and taught
us the value of patience.”
All of this informs the mission of a nonprofit that Crivelli started
called Fishing Friends. The 501(c)(3) provides fishing trips to local young
people throughout Western Mass. — but it goes beyond baiting hooks and
casting lines. Trips are designed to educate children on boat safety, water
stewardship, fishing, patience, kindness, sharing, and more.
These are skills that can last a lifetime, said Crivelli, adding that Fishing
Friends has several components, from the fishing trips
to conservation cleanups, where participants gather to
protect and preserve local waterways, to Harbor Hands, a
youth boat repair program.
As for the best fishing spots ... Crivelli didn’t reveal all
of them or get too specific. But he gave a partial list,
including Hampton Ponds in Westfield, Five Mile Pond
in Springfield, the Oxbow in Northampton, and
Red Bridge, a recreational area on the Chicopee
River bordering Ludlow, Wilbraham, and Palmer.
“That’s just a few spots ... we’re all about
exploring new areas and teaching kids about all
the different and unique places to go fishing,”
he said.
And these places on the map are just
a small part of the story, he went on, as
he recited the Fishing Friends mission
statement. “We teach youth about fishing
so they can build character, connect with
nature, develop meaningful relationships,
and learn new life skills.”
That’s quite a mission, but he knows
from experience, and all those
coveted memories of times spent
with his father and grandfather, that
fishing can do all that.
—George O’Brien
Mariana
DeLobato
Executive Vice President, Chief
Delivery Officer, Farm Credit
Financial Partners: Age 38
mission-driven.
Mariana DeLobato would describe her work as
“Essentially, we are the tech arm that
ensures that the institutions that serve the farmers,
the producers, the rural communities, can operate
efficiently and can scale and remain resilient. We do all
the technical services on their behalf,” she said. “I love the
mission of Farm Credit Financial Partners.”
In that role, she helps shape enterprise strategy and
delivery, making sure the organization invests in the right
priorities and has a sound financial model so it can deliver
on those priorities.
“We support rural economies and a variety of
communities. The better we do, the better they do, and
it’s that broader impact that makes the work really, really
meaningful. The mission is what keeps me going.”
DeLobato earned a bachelor’s degree at Bay Path
University and an MBA at Elms College before joining Amazon
Web Services, where she led large-scale cloud transformation
programs for major enterprise clients as a senior engagement
manager and national team lead (in fact, leading global teams
of more than 100 people) before feeling a call to return to Western Mass.
to work for Farm Credit Financial Partners (FPI).
“I went to school here, started my career here, and I wanted an
opportunity to be a more active contributor to our community,” she
explained.
Outside of work, DeLobato teaches at Bay Path, is on the board of
Dakin Humane Society, and serves on the distribution
committee at the Community Foundation of Western
Massachusetts. She also volunteers at the United
Way food pantry, volunteers with One More Dog
Rescue, spent years with Link to Libraries
supporting childhood literacy, is active with the
Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce,
and participated in a Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Massachusetts program that brings together
emerging leaders to work on systems-level
health equity challenges.
“I’m always looking for ways to go beyond
what FPI does because I truly believe in the
region, and I’m fortunate to be part of an
organization that not only allows us to deliver
meaningful outcomes for our partners, but also
allows us to show up in our communities and
contribute beyond the 9 to 5,” she said.
“It was a very intentional decision to come back
and bring my experiences and perspective to this
region, and it’s very meaningful to be recognized
by the community for making those decisions and
participating in such a way. It’s something I take super
seriously, and I’m proud of it.”
—Joseph Bednar
Business W est 2026
A17