Page 34 - BusinessWest May 11, 2026

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE>>
SAMANTHA SAWYER
MACKENZIE COBURN
Samantha Sawyer has started
a full-time venture as brand
creative coordinator at Eastern
States Exposition (ESE). In this
role, she will serve as the pri-
mary graphic designer for ESE
and support the digital content
manager by creating photos,
videos, and multimedia assets
for social media, digital ads,
and websites. Sawyer was an
accomplished student during
her undergraduate career, earn-
ing a spot on the dean’s list and
a bachelor’s degree in graphic
design from Columbia College
in Chicago. Subsequently, she
worked for Bezz Training Club as a social media
manager and graphic designer, then took on the
same positions and later a promotion as marketing
and brand manager at Matthews Fan Co. She brings
experience in Adobe Suite, production, editing, and
brand strategizing to her new role. As brand creative
coordinator, Sawyer will produce and edit short-
form video content for a variety of programs, from
agriculture to entertainment to community involve-
ment. In other ESE news, the International Assoc. of
Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) announced that Mack-
enzie Coburn, Sponsorship Sales manager at East-
ern States Exposition, was designated a certified fair
executive (CFE) during the 2026 IAFE Management
Conference. The CFE designation is the highest level
of professional certification offered by the IAFE. The
program encourages ongoing professional develop-
ment in fair management, recognizes individuals
who meet established standards of excellence, and
elevates the professional status of leaders across
the industry. It also honors those who have demon-
strated long-term commitment to their fairs, com-
munities, and the IAFE. To earn the CFE designation,
Coburn completed a rigorous certification process,
including documenting professional experience and
achievements and undergoing a comprehensive
review by the IAFE certification committee. In addi-
tion, she is a graduate of the Institute of Fair Man-
agement, a requirement for certification.
•••••
OneHolyoke Community
Development Corp. (One-
Holyoke CDC) announced the
promotion of Nayroby Rosa to
chief operating officer, effec-
tive retroactively to March 9.
Executive Director Michael Mori-
arty and the OneHolyoke board
made the announcement. Rosa,
who has been at OneHolyoke since 2019, previ-
ously served as director of Community Engage-
ment and Resident Services. In that position, she
played a critical role in advancing initiatives focused
on affordable housing, neighborhood leadership,
youth and family support, and community-centered
development throughout Holyoke. A longtime
community leader and advocate, Rosa brings more
than 15 years of experience in nonprofit leader-
ship, community engagement, and organizational
development. In her new role as COO, she will
oversee daily operations, strategic implementation,
and organizational systems, strengthening internal
capacity while continuing to deepen community
partnerships. Her promotion reflects OneHolyoke
CDC’s commitment to developing strong internal
leadership and investing in leaders who are deeply
rooted in the community. Rosa has long been rec-
ognized for her leadership across Holyoke’s civic
NAYROBY ROSA
and nonprofit sectors, serving on numerous boards
and advisory committees and working to strengthen
partnerships between residents, institutions, and
local government.
•••••
Historic Deerfield announced that President and
CEO John Davis will retire this fall after five years of
leadership. During his tenure, he completed a sub-
stantial number of transformative initiatives. He led
the development and implementation of the institu-
tion’s strategic plan, “Deerfield Unbound: Unleash-
ing the Power of Storytelling at Historic Deerfield,”
which has helped shape a more dynamic and inclu-
sive approach to interpretation and engagement.
Under his leadership, Historic Deerfield revitalized
its exhibition program, introducing two to three
new exhibitions annually, and the collection grew
substantially. Davis also played a key role in reopen-
ing several historic buildings to the public, including
the Barnard Tavern, the Allen House, and the Wil-
son Printing Office, restoring access to important
elements of Deerfield’s architectural and cultural
heritage. His commitment to preservation extended
to the launch of the comprehensive restoration of
the Stebbins House and the successful renovation
of the Deerfield Community Center, an early 19th-
century church. An advocate for stewardship and
sustainability, he secured the permanent agricultural
conservation of 50 acres of museum-owned land
in Old Deerfield’s North and South Meadows. He
also strengthened the institution’s financial founda-
tion, growing the endowment by nearly 40% — an
increase of approximately $21 million — and leading
a successful $3 million endowment campaign for
the Historic Deerfield Summer Fellowship Program.
Davis oversaw the installation of 36 witness stones
to honor the enslaved individuals who lived in Deer-
field in the 17th and 18th centuries and the launch
of the Encountering Pocumtuck Walking Tour app.
Additionally, he increased staffing across key muse-
um departments and established new roles, includ-
ing musician-in-residence and printer-in-residence.
He also moved Historic Deerfield to an open access
policy, ensuring that its collection of 32,000 objects
is available free and without restrictions across the
globe.
•••••
MountainOne announced
the appointment of Nick Dar-
row as assistant vice president,
Human Resources officer, based
in the company’s North Adams
corporate office. In his role,
Darrow leads recruitment and
onboarding initiatives while sup-
porting professional develop-
ment, employee engagement,
and recognition efforts across
the organization. He also con-
tributes to a wide range of HR
programs and operations, help-
ing to strengthen the overall
employee experience. Darrow
holds a professional in human
resources certification from the Human Resource
Certification Institute. Prior to joining MountainOne,
he served as a Human Resources generalist at Grey-
lock Federal Credit Union. He serves on the execu-
tive board of the Berkshire County affiliate of the
National Alliance on Mental Illness. MountainOne
also announced the promotion of Sarah Bloom to
officer, operations manager. In this elevated role,
Bloom is responsible for developing and maintain-
ing operational workflows, supporting the imple-
mentation of new service and product offerings,
NICK DARROW
SARAH BLOOM
34 << DEPARTMENTS >>
MAY 11, 2026
and contributing to initiatives that enhance internal
operational processes across the organization.
Bloom joined MountainOne Bank in January 2021
as an e-services and operations specialist II. She was
promoted to junior operations analyst in 2024 and
advanced again in 2025 to operations analyst. Prior
to joining MountainOne, she served as a senior loan
systems specialist at Berkshire Bank. A graduate of
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) with
an MBA, Bloom is an active member of the Moun-
tainOne communications committee, serves on the
North Adams Planning Board, and is a member of
the MCLA alumni board of directors.
•••••
Westfield State University President Linda Thomp-
son has appointed Robert Ziomek as vice presi-
dent for Institutional Advancement. A seasoned
higher education leader, Ziomek brings more than
three decades of experience in fundraising, alumni
engagement, and mission-driven philanthropy.
Throughout his career, he has helped institutions
strengthen financial sustainability, expand access to
education, and advance strategic growth initiatives
aligned with institutional priorities. Ziomek has held
advancement leadership roles at Massachusetts
College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), Western New Eng-
land University, and Johnson & Wales University.
He previously served as assistant vice president of
Advancement and University Relations at West-
field State from 2000 to 2010, where he helped
strengthen alumni engagement and philanthropic
support during a period of institutional growth.
A graduate of Holyoke Community College and
MCLA, Ziomek brings regional ties and a longstand-
ing commitment to public higher education. He will
oversee fundraising, alumni relations, and external
engagement efforts to enhance and build philan-
thropic partnerships that expand opportunities for
current and future students.
•••••
Greenfield/Northampton
Cooperative Bank announced
the addition of Jimmy Rosario
as assistant branch manager of
its South Hadley branch, located
at 487 Newton St. Rosario
brings nine years of banking
JIMMY ROSARIO
experience to the role, along
with a strong commitment to
customer service and community engagement. He
holds a degree in criminal justice from Springfield
Technical Community College and has built mean-
ingful connections throughout the Springfield met-
ropolitan area. In his new position, he looks forward
to developing relationships with customers in South
Hadley and supporting their financial goals. Like
many members of the local community, Rosario is
bilingual in Spanish.
•••••
Monson Savings Bank announced that Stacee Duda
has joined the bank as assistant branch manager in
Wilbraham, bringing extensive banking leadership
experience and a strong commitment to commu-
nity engagement. Duda brings more than 30 years
of experience in retail banking, branch operations,
and customer-focused leadership. In her role, she
supports daily service operations of the Wilbraham
branch, provides employee development support to
the branch team, and works closely with custom-
ers to provide tailored financial solutions. Prior to
joining Monson Savings Bank, she served as branch
sales manager at Arrha Credit Union in West Spring-
field, where she led branch performance by building
trusted relationships with members and strengthen-
ing the institution’s visibility through community
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