Page 52 - BusinessWest June 12, 2023

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE>>
The Greenfield Business
Assoc. (GBA) hired Hannah Rechtschaffen as its newest association coordinator. With an extensive background in busi- ness development and creative placemaking, Rechtschaffen brings fresh energy to this cru- cial role in Greenfield’s business
community. Rechtschaffen will focus her efforts on growing membership for the GBA — partner- ing with the city of Greenfield, the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, and others — to further define the role and value of the association in the greater ecosystem. As the county seat, the health of Greenfield’s business sector is a vital beacon
for how the county as a whole continues to keep and attract residents, tourists, and business owners alike. Rechtschaffen currently chairs the Sustain- able Greenfield Implementation Committee, which supports the use and implementation of the city’s master plan. She is also a member of the Downtown Greenfield Alliance and the Local Cultural Coun-
cil. For the last four years, she worked as director
of Placemaking for W.D. Cowls, growing the Mill District project in North Amherst through events, social-media marketing, commercial tenant engag- ment, community development, and the opening
of a local artist gallery. She is a former member of the Amherst Chamber Board, a member of the Busi- nessWest 40 Under Forty class of 2022, and a grad- uate of the Leadership Pioneer Valley class of 2021.
•••••
John Ciolek recently joined the team at Associated Build- ers in South Hadley, where he will be active in sales, finance, and administration. He will also spearhead activities in the Ciolek family’s commercial real-estate business. Associ- ated Builders (AB) is a third-
generation, family-owned, design-build general contractor that has served the Pioneer Valley for morenthan five decades. Founded by his father in the early ’70s, John’s three brothers — Michael, Paul, and Tom — have led AB for the past 30-plus years. This is a return to the company of sorts for John, as he worked with the field crews with his brothers throughout his high-school and college years, gaining practical knowledge of the construc- tion business. John brings extensive experience in finance and strategy garnered over a long career
in banking and corporate strategy. Most recently, he was head of Strategic Initiatives at NGL Energy, where he was responsible for the company’s M&A
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activities and its sustainability efforts. Prior to that, he had a decades-long career on Wall Street, over the course of which he served as a managing direc- tor in Investment Banking for Credit Suisse, JP Mor- gan, and Citigroup. He started his banking career as a corporate lender for Shawmut Bank in Hartford, Conn. before attending the University of Michigan, where he received his MBA. He received a bach- elor’s degree in political economy from Williams College in Williamstown.
•••••
Bulkley Richardson welcomed three law students
to its 2023 Summer Associate Program. The robust program will introduce law students to the inner workings of a law firm, where they will receive mentorship from lawyers ranging from firm lead- ers and retired judges all the way through the ranks to junior associates, and gain exposure to real-life legal matters. This year’s summer associates are Alexandria Abacherli, who is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law and who earned a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette Col- lege, where she double majored in government & law and international affairs; Andrew Loin, who is currently attending Western New England University School of Law, where he is on the WNE Law Review, and who earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and business: entrepreneurship from the University of Rochester; and Nicole Palmieri, who is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law, where she is on the Connecticut Law Review and is a University of Connecticut Scholar, and who received a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in American studies from Christopher New- port University. Each summer associate anticipates a spring 2024 law-school graduation.
•••••
bankESB recently promoted Brenna Breeding to Digital Marketing officer. She joined bankESB in 2020 as Digital Mar- keting manager. In her new role, she will be responsible for digital marketing content strategy and development and corporate website management, and will
serve as the relationship manager for third-party vendors. Breeding earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management from the University of Delaware and recently earned a marketing certificate from American Bankers Assoc. Bank Marketing School.
•••••
bankESB recently announced that Joe Williams
has been hired as vice president, commercial lender. Williams has 12 years of banking experience, includ- ing his most recent roles as AVP, business banking
that the outlook for 2023 is positive, not just for the- aters and other performance venues, but the region in general, as visitation continues to rebound from the COVID years.
Shakespeare & Company recently launched its new season with the two-person show Dear Jack, Dear Louise, she noted, adding that there is a full
and intriguing slate of performances slated for this year. The first Shakespearian offering is a rendition of Henry VI Part 2, billed as The Contention. “Henry VI is said to be the inspiration for Game of Thrones, so we’ve been leaning on that a lot.”
Coming later in the summer are August Wilson’s
officer at PeoplesBank, and AVP, credit officer at United Bank. He holds a master’s degree in commu- nication from Bay Path University and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and finance from West- field State University. He serves as president of the East Longmeadow Baseball Assoc., as well as trea- surer of the East Longmeadow Housing Authority.
•••••
The Western Massachusetts Economic Develop-
ment Council (EDC) announced the hiring of two new professionals, Kayla Soto and Aurora Pieran- gelo. With years of experience in their respective fields and a shared passion for driving growth and development in Western Mass., they are well-posi- tioned to contribute to the mission of the EDC. Soto has joined the team as the new associate director
of Economic Development and Special Projects. Originally from Manchester, Conn., she earned
her bachelor’s degree in educational studies from Elms College and her master’s degree in higher educational leadership from Drexel University. With a professional background rooted in academia, community, and workforce development, she previ- ously served as assistant director of Admissions and Collegiate Admission manager for Hillyer College
at the University of Hartford, as well as the Lincoln Technical Institute and the Hartford Job Corps. She is also an accomplished entrepreneur with an online children’s clothing store. As a proud Latina busi- nesswoman, Soto aspires to bring her diverse back- ground and passion for growth to the EDC team. As associate director of Economic Development and Special Projects, she will be responsible for overall project and program management, planning, and leading events for the Western Massachusetts EDC, as well as building community and partnerships with regional leaders and stakeholders. Pierangelo joined the team as the new accounting special-
ist. With a diverse background and experience in managing complex organizations, she is responsible for managing various financial portfolios of the EDC. Previously, she served as assistant director
of the Fraternity Managers Assoc. at the University of Rhode Island, where she managed 18 fraternity, sorority, and independent living-learning communi- ties. There, she expanded house director training programs, managed new software implementations, and improved financial-management practices. A Western Mass. native, Pierangelo graduated with her MBA from Bay Path University and a bachelor’s degree in music theatre from SUNY Geneseo. She also manages a nonprofit, the Wilbraham Welcome Project. She is passionate about giving back to her community and excited to bring this same enthu- siasm to her work with the Western Massachusetts EDC.
Fences, featuring horror-movie icon (think Candyman) Tony Todd; Golda’s Balcony, a play about Golda Mier; a stage reading of Hamlet featuring Christopher Lloyd; and, in the outdoor theater, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with a “late-’70s music spin,” she added.
Overall, there is a little something for everyone, a well-worn phrase that could also be applied to Lenox itself, said both Stevenson and Nacht, noting many new restaurants downtown and, overall, a calendar full of events and things to do.
In short, a community that took some huge strides toward making a full recovery from COVID is looking to take even more in the year to come. BW
HANNAH RECHTSCHAFFEN
JOHN CIOLEK
BRENNA BREEDING
>>
Lenox
to come?’”
Elaborating, she said COVID was still on the pub-
lic’s mind, especially earlier in the summer, when the numbers of cases were still running high. Meanwhile, and as noted earlier in that rundown of all that is hap- pening in Lenox and surrounding towns, there is a lot to do there, and individual venues and attractions are competing with one another for the time and interest of residents and visitors. And in 2002, “it felt like the crowds we were competing for were small and finite.” There were other issues last summer, including weather — a windstorm cost Shakespeare & Compa- ny two performances, Stevenson said, adding quickly
52 JUNE 12, 2023
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