Page 34 - BusinessWest May 12, 2025

COMPANY NOTEBOOK>>
Napatree Capital Merges with
Bradley, Foster & Sargent
WESTERLY, R.I. — Bradley, Foster & Sargent (BFS)
has completed a merger with Napatree Capital,
bringing together two of Southern New England’s
leading wealth-management and investment firms.
The former Napatree Capital will maintain its offices
in Westerly, R.I. and Longmeadow. BFS also has
offices in Wellesley; Hartford, Litchfield, and Ston-
ington, Conn.; Delray Beach, Fla., Portland, Maine;
and Chicago. BFS is a Barron’s Top 100 RIA Firm
with approximately $8 billion in client assets under
management and was recently named one of the
Hartford Business Journal’s Best Places to Work
for a third consecutive year. Napatree Capital was
founded by Jeff Liguori in 2018, where he served
as managing partner and chief investment officer,
and currently has approximately $350 million in
assets under management. Liguori joins BFS as an
executive vice president and portfolio manager fol-
lowing the merger. Liguori and Aaron Simmons,
a key member of the Napatree team who is also
joining BFS as a portfolio manager through the
merger, previously worked with BFS President and
CEO Galan Daukas and other members of the BFS
team in past roles at People’s United Advisors and
Washington Trust Investors. Daukas, Liguori, and
Simmons all grew up in Westerly. In addition to
Liguori and Simmons, chartered financial analyst
Matt Landon, a partner at Napatree Capital, will
bring more than 25 years of investment experience
to BFS as a portfolio manager. Mike Moses, who is
a chartered market technician and capital markets
and securities analyst with more than 25 years of
broad investment experience, joins BFS as a securi-
ties trader.
Summerlin Floors Continues
Tradition with Donation to GCC
AMHERST — Summerlin Floors, a family- and
woman-owned flooring business based in Amherst,
has made its annual contribution of $2,500 to
Greenfield Community College (GCC). This dona-
tion is an ongoing commitment to support the
success of GCC students. Ann Bronner, owner of
Summerlin Floors and a GCC alumna, is passionate
about giving back to the community and investing
in the future generation of scholars, and makes the
annual donation in memory of her daughter, Erin
Summerlin. With a deep belief in the power of edu-
cation and the importance of a strong community,
Bronner aims to ensure students have the resources
they need to be successful and pursue their dreams
both academically and personally. Summerlin Floors
is confident that Erin would be honored to be
remembered in a way that supports others in their
educational journeys. They are thrilled to ensure her
legacy lives on and thank Greenfield Community
College for making a lasting impact on the lives of
its students and beyond.
Serv-U Locksmiths Acquired
by Island Master Locksmiths
SPRINGFIELD — The Vann Group, a strategic con-
sulting and transactional advisory services firm,
announced that its client, Serv-U Locksmiths of
Western Massachusetts, has been acquired by Island
Master Locksmiths (IML). The company, originally
founded in 1954, has been a trusted physical-secu-
rity provider across Western Mass. and Northern
Conn. Steven Horowitz, former owner of Serv-U,
will stay on in a consulting role during the transi-
tion. IML Security was acquired by Northwoods
Partners, a family office investment group, in April
2023. Since then, the company has experienced
rapid growth and continues to expand its footprint
from Maine to Virginia.
Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast
Announces Executive Peer Group
AGAWAM — The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast
(EANE) announced the launch of its Executive Peer
Group, an exclusive leadership forum designed to
connect senior executives across industries in a
confidential, collaborative setting. This invitation-
only group provides C-suite and senior leaders with
a trusted network to exchange ideas, tackle chal-
lenges, and strengthen leadership impact. Through
expert-facilitated sessions, members will engage in
strategic discussions on key business issues such as
workforce planning, succession, change manage-
ment, innovation, and executive decision making.
People >>Continued from page 33
Country Bank, she spent more than a decade at
Freedom Credit Union, where she was recognized
as Employee of the Year. A bilingual professional
fluent in English and Spanish, Sánchez has long
served as a trusted voice within the Latino commu-
nity. She played an active role on the Latino Initia-
tive Board and became a familiar face through her
appearances in local television, radio, and news-
paper campaigns. She also authored a financial-
education column in Spanish for El Pueblo Latino,
covering essential topics such as budgeting, credit,
and retirement planning. Her commitment to finan-
cial literacy has extended into faith-based and non-
profit spaces. She has led multi-session workshops
on financial education for local congregations and
has served on the board of the Puerto Rican Cul-
tural Project under the Holyoke Public Library. Her
dedication has earned her recognition from Mujeres
a la Vanguardia in Springfield for her leadership and
community contributions. In addition to her career
in banking, she is a seasoned entrepreneur with
experience as a former restaurant owner and the
current operator of a sewing academy.
•••••
Wilbraham Funeral Home announced that Lori
Callahan has satisfied all the requirements of the
Massachusetts Division of Occupational Licensure
and has been issued a license from the Massachu-
34 << DEPARTMENTS >>
MAY 12, 2025
Key benefits of participation include confidential
peer-to-peer sharing and problem solving, insight
on emerging trends and executive-level challenges,
access to expert facilitation and curated leadership
resources, and a trusted circle for accountability,
innovation, and personal growth. This program is
ideal for CEOs, presidents, COOs, CFOs, and other
senior decision makers looking to elevate their lead-
ership in today’s complex business environment.
To learn more or express interest in joining, email
Ebner at [email protected].
JC Sports Opens at Holyoke Mall
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Mall celebrated the grand
opening of JD Sports, a global leader in athletic
footwear, apparel, and accessories, on April 19. The
new store, located on the lower level near Aerie,
offers brands like Nike, HOKA, and UGG, as well as
limited-edition releases. “We’re thrilled to welcome
JD Sports to Holyoke Mall,” Marketing Director
Kristen Hinckley said. “Their focus on high-quality
products and exclusive releases will appeal to visi-
tors who are passionate about athletic style and
performance.”
Berkshire Bank Foundation
Invests in Local Nonprofits
BOSTON — Berkshire Bank Foundation, the phil-
anthropic arm of Berkshire Bank, invested more
than $400,000 in communities through grants and
other giving in the first quarter of the year. Several
Berkshire County organizations were among the
118 nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts, New
York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont that
the foundation supported from January to March,
including Berkshire Innovation Center Inc., Berk-
shire Community College Foundation Inc., Black-
shires Community Empowerment Foundation, Hill-
crest Educational Centers Inc., and Nonprofit Cen-
ter of the Berkshires Inc. The foundation supports
the success of the communities the bank serves by
investing in programs that aim to provide everyone
with an equal opportunity at economic prosperity.
setts Board of Embalming and Funeral Directing.
She began her career at Wilbraham Funeral Home
in 2011 and has advanced from office manager to
licensed funeral director. Callahan earned a bach-
elor’s degree in English from St. Michael’s College
and an associate degree in mortuary science from
North Shore Community College. She is an active
communicant of St. Cecilia Church and a Com-
monwealth of Massachusetts notary public. She
was awarded the 2024 President’s Award by the
Massachusetts Funeral Directors Assoc. in recogni-
tion of her exceptional promise as a funeral service
practitioner and future leader in the professional
community.
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