Page 70 - BusinessWest October 28, 2024

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE>>
Pioneer Valley Financial Group
(PV Financial) announced the addition of three new members to its growing team: Sophie Miller, Catarina Sanches, and Katherine Ferri. With their combined experience and fresh perspectives, these hires are expected to enhance the company’s ability to deliver exceptional service to clients and expand its community- outreach efforts. Miller joins
PV Financial as an Operations Support specialist. A graduate of Boston University with a degree in economics, she brings experi- ence from her previous role as
a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors. Her background in financial services, combined with a passion for understand- ing markets, positions her well to support PV Financial’s opera- tional goals. She is particularly looking forward to collaborating
with the team to streamline processes and contrib- ute to the firm’s growth. Sanches joins PV Financial as a Client Relationship manager. She previously worked at TD Bank, where she gained experience in various positions, ultimately serving as a store supervisor. With a degree in business management from Westfield State University and a focus on mar- keting, she brings a deep understanding of client services and financial management. Her experience will allow her to strengthen relationships with PV Financial’s clients and provide personalized support as they navigate their financial journeys. Ferri joins PV Financial as a Community Outreach manager. A recent graduate of Westfield State University with
a degree in communication, she previously worked for the Springfield Thunderbirds hockey club in sales and customer relationship management. Her skills in communication and relationship building will be instrumental as she helps guide PV Finan- cial’s efforts to engage with the local community and foster meaningful connections with clients and partners.
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John Page, a lifelong Amherst- area resident with experience in economic development, busi- ness advocacy, and event man- agement, has been appointed the new executive director of the Amherst Business Improve- ment District (BID). Page departs from his role as assistant
director for University Events at UMass Amherst, where he was instrumental in planning and execut- ing major events such as commencement. He also played a key role in reimagining the 2024 UMass Founders Day celebration, expanding it to include more than 35 events across campus and opening
it to the broader community. Prior to his role at UMass, Page worked for the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, leading marketing and events for the organization and focusing on economic-develop- ment issues, grant writing, and tourism initiatives. He worked collaboratively with local businesses, the BID, the town of Amherst, the state delegation, and other stakeholders on support for small business, beautification and placemaking efforts, and hous- ing policy. Recently, he worked on a contract basis for the BID, spearheading its 2024 Summer Concert
Series and the annual Block Party in September. An alumnus of Amherst-Pelham Regional High School and UMass Amherst, Page holds leadership roles on many community boards and committees, including as chair of the Pelham Cultural Council, a member of the Amherst Education Foundation, and an orga- nizer of Amherst LGBTQ+ Pride events.
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Bay Path University announced the appointment of Mary- Knight “MK” Bell Young to the position of vice president of Institutional Advancement. With more than 20 years of experi- ence in securing philanthropic investments for prestigious aca- demic, cultural, and healthcare
institutions, Young brings a wealth of expertise and a proven track record of success to her new role. In this leadership position, she will oversee all aspects of Bay Path’s fundraising efforts, alumni relations, and strategic partnerships. Her role will be crucial in advancing the university’s mission and ensuring sus- tained growth and support for its programs and ini- tiatives. Young joins Bay Path University after serving as chief Development officer and senior executive director at the UMass Amherst Foundation, where she led a comprehensive, $100 million fundrais-
ing campaign for the UMass College of Engineer- ing, securing more than $60.7 million to date. Her career highlights include securing the college’s first eight-figure gift and achieving 100% participation in annual giving for two consecutive years from the Dean’s Advisory Council. Her previous roles include senior director of Development at Penn Medicine, where she was instrumental in securing more than $26 million during the Power of Penn campaign, and Major Gifts officer at Temple University Health System, where she played a key role in securing the naming gift for the Lewis Katz School of Heath. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history of art from the University of Pennsylvania.
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Amanda Sbriscia, vice president of Institutional Advancement at Holyoke Community College (HCC) and executive director of the HCC Foundation, has been named to the Council of Foun- dation Leaders for the Assoc. of Governing Boards of Universi- ties and Colleges (AGB). Sbriscia
is one of only two council members representing
a community college, and the only one from Mas- sachusetts. As vice president of the division of Insti- tutional Advancement, Sbriscia oversees the offices of Development, Grants, Alumni Relations, and Mar- keting, and serves as executive director of the HCC Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising corporation for the college. The HCC Foundation manages assets of $25.3 million, including an endowment
of $18.3 million, the largest community-college endowment in Massachusetts. She holds a bach- elor’s degree in communication from Cedar Crest College, a master’s degree in higher education from Drexel University, and a doctorate in education in educational leadership from Gwynedd Mercy Uni- versity. Last year, she was selected for a fellowship for aspiring college presidents by the AGB Institute for Leadership & Governance in Higher Education,
a collaborative venture of the Assoc. of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, Miami Univer- sity, and AGB Search, a search firm for college and university administrators.
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Elms College has named higher-education executive Brett Carroll the college’s
new vice president of Finance and Administration. Reporting directly to the president, Carroll is responsible for the strategic oversight and management
of the college’s finance and administrative office. Carroll joins Elms from Mercy
University in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., where he recently served as vice president for Finance and chief finan- cial officer, overseeing all financial operations of
the university. Prior to that, he was associate vice president and treasurer at the University of Hartford. In his new position, Carroll is responsible for provid- ing leadership, management, and supervision to the Business, Facilities, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Public Safety departments. He is also a member of the president’s cabinet. Carroll has more than 25 years of professional experience, 14 of which have been in higher education. In addi- tion to being a certified public accountant, he holds a master’s degree in management from the Univer- sity of Hartford and a bachelor’s degree in account- ing from the University of Connecticut.
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Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a labor and employ-
ment law firm serving employers in the Greater Springfield and Worcester areas, announced that one of its partners, attorney Timothy Murphy, has been recognized once again by his peers as the 2025 Lawyer of the Year in Springfield for his work in Litigation – Labor and Employment in the Best Lawyers in America list for 2025. Only a single law- yer in each practice area in each community is hon- ored with this award. Focusing his practice on labor relations, union avoidance, collective bargaining and arbitration, employment litigation, and employ- ment counseling, Murphy has been included in Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013 and was Lawyer of the Year in 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022. Very active within the local community, Murphy sits on boards of directors for several area organiza- tions, such as the Human Service Forum and Com- munity Legal Aid, and is also a member of the World Affairs Council.
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SOPHIE MILLER
BRETT CARROLL
MK YOUNG
CATARINA SANCHES
KATHERINE FERRI
AMANDA SBRISCIA
Greenfield Community Col- lege (GCC) announced two new members of its leadership team, Shanni Smith-Arsenault and Shelley Errington Nicholson. Smith-Arsenault joined GCC in July in the new position of vice president for Enrollment Man- agement and Student Success, a division that includes Marketing and Communications, Student Financial Services, Admission, Testing and Assessment, Dual Enrollment, Academic Advising, Career and Transfer Services, Registrar’s Office, and Student Affairs. She brings more than
20 years experience in enroll- and student affairs, including as Admission and Dual Enrollment
SHANNI SMITH-ARSENAULT
JOHN PAGE
SHELLEYERRINGTONNICHOLSON
34 OCTOBER 28, 2024
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ment management
director of Transfer
at Anna Maria College, senior associate director of Admissions at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services, and director of Advising at Mount Wachusett Community College. She is deep- ly committed to bridging departments within the GCC community and to building diversity, equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging for everyone