Page 42 - BusinessWest February 6, 2023

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE>>
MATT GARRITY
Matt Garrity launched a new era for Florence Bank, taking the helm as president and CEO. He brings extensive experience as a leader and promoter of growth along with a broad base of knowledge in serving both business customers and general banking consumers. Garrity
was formerly the executive vice president and chief lending officer and head of Residential Lending at Premier Bank, serving Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. He replaces Michael Lynch, senior vice president and senior commercial lender, who has served as interim president since former president and CEO Kevin Day retired on Nov. 25. In his first year — the 150th-anniversary year for Florence Bank — Garrity expects to focus on getting to know the Florence Bank staff and, over time, on growth, par- ticularly further expansion into Hampden County, where the bank currently has three branches. John Ebbets, chair of the bank’s board of directors, said the search for a new president and CEO began in July and was led by Kaplan Partners, which broad- cast the position throughout New England, parts
of the mid-Atlantic, and Ohio. A pool of 125 candi- dates was methodically pared to two finalists, each of whom met live with the full board, which sought a leader with vision, a history of execution, and a willingness to embrace Florence Bank’s mutual cul- ture. Garrity lived in Lee until seventh grade, when he moved to Ohio. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Ohio University and chose banking as a career so he could help consumers achieve their financial goals. His first job was in consumer banking, but he quick- ly learned he was drawn to commercial banking and took a job as a credit analyst; he rose into leadership steadily over the years. In 2009, he was recruited
to serve as chief credit officer for a mid-size bank and rescued the organization from significant finan- cial distress and the threat of closure via a federal cease-and-desist order.
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The trustees of the Com- munity Foundation of West- ern Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the appointment of Megan Burke to the posi- tion of president and CEO (see story on page 4). Burke has been a Community Impact officer at the Hartford Founda-
tion for Public Giving for more than seven years, most recently serving as its director of Community Impact Grantmaking. Burke has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, strategic planning, and philanthropy. She will begin her ten- ure at the Foundation on Jan. 18, succeeding Katie Allan Zobel, who moved forward in her career on Oct. 1 after navigating the pandemic and a period of tremendous growth for the foundation. Burke began her career working on international peace and security issues at the Ford Foundation and through the United Nations. She also lived in Nica- ragua for several years, where her work supported the emerging LGBTQ+ movement and the develop- ment of a nationwide campaign to advance human rights. Prior to her most recent position at the Hart- ford Foundation, Burke led the Nobel Peace Prize- winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines, an international network of nonprofits engaged in advancing a ban on anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions worldwide. She earned a bach-
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elor’s degree from Wellesley College and a master’s degree from Yale University.
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Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR Hand Dryer, announced the promotion
of Michael Savitt to director of Domestic Sales. Savitt has held positions with increas- ing responsibility over his 10 years with Excel Dryer, most recently serving as Business
Development manager for North America. In his new role, Savitt will supervise the U.S. sales team, explore opportunities to support the company’s growth, and work closely with architects, distribu- tors, and end users to identify how high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers fit into cost-saving and sustainability initiatives. Prior to his role as Business Development manager for North America, Savitt started at Excel Dryer as a field sales manager and then became a national field sales manager. He has worked across all markets, verticals, and channels for Excel Dryer over the past decade. Before joining the company, Savitt worked at Avatar HR Solutions and Data Recognition Corp. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’a degree in journalism and went on to receive his master’s degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington. He completed the “Mastering Sales: A Toolkit for Success” course at Northwestern Univer- sity’s Kellogg School of Management, “Coaching for Improved Performance & Results” with Leadership Dynamics Inc., and “Effective Personal Productivity” with Leadership Management International Inc.
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Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced the addition of Ibrahim Alkahiabri in the role of architectural associate, where he will assist project teams throughout all phases of design. Alkahiabri holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in architecture from Savannah College of Art
and Design, as well as a diploma in business and tourism from the Prince Sultan College of Business in Saudi Arabia. He comes to Dietz having worked at firms in Charlotte, N.C. and Atlanta, where he gained experience working on multi-family and single-family housing projects.
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Jake Hooker, a 2012 Northamp- ton High School graduate, has passed the state’s bar exam
and joined his father, Michael Hooker, in Hooker’s legal firm, Attorney Michael Hooker Elder Law, which serves elders and those living with disabilities. Jake Hooker is the second attorney
at the firm, which also includes a Medicaid special- ist, a social worker, a financial specialist, and two specialized paralegals. The practice is unique; its services extend beyond the realm of the law to pro- vide financial and social services for elders and their families. Hooker began interning at the firm while he was attending Northampton High School and continued to assist while at Greenfield Community College and UMass Amherst, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. He gradu- ated from Northeastern University School of Law
in 2022. While there, he completed two internships — one at Attorney Michael Hooker Elder Law and
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one with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services at the General Counsel’s Office, where he assisted the MassHealth Estate Recovery Unit as well as the Litigation Department.
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Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that attorney Alexander Pat- tacini has joined the firm. He is a member of the firm’s Estate Planning and Elder Law depart- ment. Pattacini earned his juris doctorate with a concentra- tion in transactional law from Western New England Univer-
sity School of Law, where he served as a clinician
in the Small Business Clinic. He previously earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Con- necticut in Storrs. Prior to joining Bacon Wilson, P.C., he interned with the Connecticut Department of Education Division of Legal Affairs, and served as legal counsel for the Connecticut House Majority Leader’s Office. He is a member of the Massachu- setts Bar Assoc. as well as the Education Law Assoc. He is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and will be working in all Bacon Wilson office locations, but primarily in Springfield.
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The International Language Institute of Massa-
chusetts (ILI) recently welcomed Italian instructor Jennie Coletta, ESOL instructor Brandon LeBlanc, Spanish teacher Kara McBride, and Spanish instruc- tor Boris Romero. Coletta has a bachelor’s degree in Italian studies from Brown University and a mas- ter of education degree from Lesley University. As an undergrad, she studied abroad at the Università di Bologna, and later au paired for a family in Sic- ily. She has taught Italian at a public high school in Massachusetts, and while living in Italy, she taught English to Italian adults. LeBlanc earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Pace University in New York City and a master’s degree in history from York Uni- versity in Toronto. He has taught English in Spain, social studies/ESL in Bolivia, and most recently taught adult ESL in South Carolina. McBride has
one master’s degree in Spanish from Purdue Uni- versity and another in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Indiana University, and a PhD in second language acquisition and teaching from the University of Arizona. She first joined an improv group in St. Louis, where she was working as an associate professor of Spanish. After eight years at Saint Louis University, she moved to Valparaíso, Chile and opened the House of English. Her busi- ness offered immersive language learning experi- ences such as improv workshops and mystery din- ner theater. She returned to the U.S. in 2016 to work as a senior education specialist for World Learning, the international development organization that grew out of the School for International Training. While living in Washington, D.C., she joined the Washington Improv Theater. She will be teaching Spanish improv at ILI this winter. Romero has taught Spanish since 2008 in institutes and universities of Colombia, Canada, and the U.S. He earned both
his bachelor’s degree in modern languages and his master’s degree in applied linguistics of Spanish as foreign language at Javeriana University in Bogota, Colombia. He is in the last stages of his doctoral dissertation related to the connection between language and culture. He speaks English, Spanish, French, and a little Italian.
MICHAEL SAVITT
ALEXANDER PATTACINI
IBRAHIM ALKAHIABRI
MEGAN BURKE
JAKE HOOKER
People
Continued on page 44 >> BusinessWest