LUDLOW — LUSO Federal Credit Union announced the promotion of Stephanie Rodrigues to senior branch supervisor and Anna Dias Vital to lead VIP banker.

In her new position, Rodrigues will be responsible for overseeing the teller line, member service representatives, and new account openings in the credit union’s Wilbraham branch, as well as meeting branch goals, holding staff meetings, and mentoring personnel. Rodrigues joined LUSO as a member service representative in 2013 and most recently served as head of consumer lending for both the Ludlow and Wilbraham branches.

“Stephanie started working for LUSO while still in high school, and has grown as both an individual and in her position here at the credit union,” said Jennifer Calheno, president and CEO of LUSO Federal Credit Union. “She has already proven herself as an asset to our organization, and we look forward to helping her grow and develop further with us.”

Vital has nearly two decades of experience in finance. She worked in the controller’s office of Western New England University before joining LUSO in 2016. In her new role as lead VIP banker, she will oversee the teller line at the credit union’s Ludlow branch and will be responsible for cross sales, managing member satisfaction, and day-to-day operations.

“Anna has been an invaluable member of our member-services team and will be a huge asset to the credit union as we continue to grow and develop relationships in the communities we serve,” said Calheno. “Anna is a well-recognized and trusted member of our community. We are confident that both she and Stephanie will continue to be great representatives for LUSO.”

FRAMINGHAM — United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) participated in the MassSaves Summit for financial literacy, where it debuted a new program aimed at those in need of personal financial education. “A Day in the Life” is an interactive demonstration which introduces people to the fundamentals of financial wellness.

The program operates like a game, where participants are given a hypothetical income and debt load, and are then presented with a series of simulated life events. They are then asked to consider how to best manage their budgets and priorities, and how to prepare for and deal with unexpected expenses. For some participants, this may be the first time they’ve been asked to think critically about personal-finance issues and long-term planning.

According to Jennifer Kinsman, UWPV’s Community Impact director, “the program generated a lot of interest, particularly from educators across the state who expressed a desire to use ‘A Day in the Life’ as a classroom teaching tool. We also look forward to presenting this tool to people interested in supporting UWPV’s work in financial wellness so they can get a true sense of the work we do.”

“A Day in the Life” is the most recent addition to a suite of programs and services offered or sponsored by UWPV, in its mission to promote financial wellness. It was created within the Thrive initiative, a regional program which promotes financial literacy and success through free and confidential one-on-one coaching.

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) will confer doctoral degrees at a doctoral graduation and hooding ceremony on Saturday, May 12 at 2 p.m. in the Esther B. Griswold Theatre on the AIC campus located at 1000 State St., Springfield.

Doctorates will be bestowed on 50 students graduating from advanced degree programs in the School of Education and the School of Health Sciences, including doctor of education, doctor of education in educational psychology, doctor of occupational therapy, and doctor of physical therapy.

Marsha Pollard, interim executive vice president for Academic Affairs, will deliver the ceremony’s address to students. The newly minted doctors will be celebrated at a private reception following the ceremony.

SPRINGFIELD — The Family Advocacy Center at Baystate Children’s Hospital will holds its annual homicide victims remembrance event, “Standing Together – Never Forgotten,” on Thursday, May 10. The event was rescheduled from its original date of April 26.

The free event, sponsored by the Family Advocacy Center in conjunction with its Homicide Bereavement program, will be held outdoors on the lawn at the Springfield Museums. The evening will begin with a gathering at 5:30 p.m., followed by the program at 6 p.m. Families and friends of the deceased, as well as the general public, are invited to attend and stand together in peace to honor those who have lost their lives to violence through homicide and vehicular homicide.

Those attending will hear from victims’ family members who participate in the Homicide Bereavement Program, and Molly Kitchen, who is a trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness instructor. Participants will also be entertained by the soothing sounds of the Putnam High School Choir.

The remembrance program will include a reading of names to honor loved ones who have lost their lives to homicide and vehicular homicide, and a display where family members are able to share a written memory about their lost loved one. Those wishing to have the name of their deceased loved one read at the event will have an opportunity at 5:30 p.m. before the program begins to provide officials with his or her name.

The event will be held rain or shine with only severe weather causing its cancellation. If in doubt, call (413) 794-9816 for an update.

The Homicide Bereavement Program offers free therapeutic services and a variety of other wellness activities for adults and children impacted by homicide and vehicular homicide. It is supported by the Massachusetts Office for Victims Assistance through a Victims of Crime Act of 1984 grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Program, U.S. Department of Justice.

SPRINGFIELD — The Family Advocacy Center at Baystate Children’s Hospital will holds its annual homicide victims remembrance event, “Standing Together – Never Forgotten,” on Thursday, May 10. The event was rescheduled from its original date of April 26.

The free event, sponsored by the Family Advocacy Center in conjunction with its Homicide Bereavement program, will be held outdoors on the lawn at the Springfield Museums. The evening will begin with a gathering at 5:30 p.m., followed by the program at 6 p.m. Families and friends of the deceased, as well as the general public, are invited to attend and stand together in peace to honor those who have lost their lives to violence through homicide and vehicular homicide.

Those attending will hear from victims’ family members who participate in the Homicide Bereavement Program, and Molly Kitchen, who is a trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness instructor. Participants will also be entertained by the soothing sounds of the Putnam High School Choir.

The remembrance program will include a reading of names to honor loved ones who have lost their lives to homicide and vehicular homicide, and a display where family members are able to share a written memory about their lost loved one. Those wishing to have the name of their deceased loved one read at the event will have an opportunity at 5:30 p.m. before the program begins to provide officials with his or her name.

The event will be held rain or shine with only severe weather causing its cancellation. If in doubt, call (413) 794-9816 for an update.

The Homicide Bereavement Program offers free therapeutic services and a variety of other wellness activities for adults and children impacted by homicide and vehicular homicide. It is supported by the Massachusetts Office for Victims Assistance through a Victims of Crime Act of 1984 grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Program, U.S. Department of Justice.

LUDLOW — LUSO Federal Credit Union announced the promotion of Stephanie Rodrigues to senior branch supervisor and Anna Dias Vital to lead VIP banker.

In her new position, Rodrigues will be responsible for overseeing the teller line, member service representatives, and new account openings in the credit union’s Wilbraham branch, as well as meeting branch goals, holding staff meetings, and mentoring personnel. Rodrigues joined LUSO as a member service representative in 2013 and most recently served as head of consumer lending for both the Ludlow and Wilbraham branches.

“Stephanie started working for LUSO while still in high school, and has grown as both an individual and in her position here at the credit union,” said Jennifer Calheno, president and CEO of LUSO Federal Credit Union. “She has already proven herself as an asset to our organization, and we look forward to helping her grow and develop further with us.”

Vital has nearly two decades of experience in finance. She worked in the controller’s office of Western New England University before joining LUSO in 2016. In her new role as lead VIP banker, she will oversee the teller line at the credit union’s Ludlow branch and will be responsible for cross sales, managing member satisfaction, and day-to-day operations.

“Anna has been an invaluable member of our member-services team and will be a huge asset to the credit union as we continue to grow and develop relationships in the communities we serve,” said Calheno. “Anna is a well-recognized and trusted member of our community. We are confident that both she and Stephanie will continue to be great representatives for LUSO.”

NORTHAMPTON — The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) announced that Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts has been selected a finalist for the 2018 Nonprofit Excellence Award in the Small Nonprofit category. The Excellence Awards will be presented at the Massachusetts State House on Monday, June 4.

“The Nonprofit Excellence Awards celebrate the nonprofits and individuals who are making a difference in every subsector and region of Massachusetts,” said Jim Klocke, CEO of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. “We are excited to honor the effectiveness and diversity of this year’s impressive finalists for the awards, as well as the dedication and impact of the 33,000 nonprofits and more than half a million nonprofit employees in Massachusetts.”

The Small Nonprofit Excellence Award recognizes an organization making an outsized impact in its community despite limited resources. Girls on the Run inspires girls to be healthy, joyful, and confident, using an experiential, social-emotional curriculum that integrates running. In its third year of operation, Girls on the Run has 180 volunteer coaches, including teachers, parents, and community members operating at 54 school sites serving over 740 girls. To date, Girls on the Run has served more than 1,200 girls around Western Mass.

“We are thrilled to be recognized as a finalist for the Small Nonprofit Excellence Award,” said Alison Berman, council director of Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts. “We are proud to be providing such a life-changing program to so many girls in Western Massachusetts. The program touches more than the girls; it impacts their schools, families, and communities.”

This year, MNN’s independent panel of nonprofit and business leaders reviewed more than 150 Excellence Award nominations that highlighted the incredible work of nonprofits across the state. The finalists range from large education providers to small arts organizations. These 27 nonprofits and individuals are improving communities across the Commonwealth, representing every region of Massachusetts.

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) alumnus Darnell Williams will deliver the commencement address to more than 1,000 undergraduate students and master’s degree candidates at the college’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 12 at 9 a.m. at the MassMutual Center. Williams will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree for outstanding achievement in the social sciences and for significant community contributions at the local and national levels.

Williams, president and CEO of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, has made a lifelong commitment to equality and the creation of educational, professional, and personal growth opportunities for African-Americans and other minority populations. He has made raising awareness and cultivating solutions to challenges facing communities of color and low-income families his life’s work.

Born in Gary, Ind., Williams attended AIC, graduating in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. In 1996, he was elected president of the Springfield branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and became the president of the NAACP’s New England Area Conference. In 2001, he was appointed president and CEO of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (ULEM), and, while in that role, his efforts contributed to Boston’s successful bid to host the 2004 Democratic National Convention. In 2011, the ULEM hosted the National Urban League’s annual conference, marking the first time in 35 years the conference took place in the city of Boston. Williams was elected to a two-year term as president of the Assoc. of Executives for the National Urban League in 2015, and served on the National Urban League Board of Directors.

Williams has been an active participant in many civic, philanthropic, and educational ventures. He is currently a member of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy’s Advisory Council on Racial Justice and Equity. Previously, he served Gov. Deval Patrick and Gov. Michael Dukakis as a member of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority board of directors and Retirement Fund board of trustees. He has served as trustee of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Bunker Hill Community College, and the Beaver Country Day School. He was a member of the boards of directors for several organizations, including the Boston Workforce Development Coalition, the Federal Reserve Community Development Advisory Board, and the Chief Executives’ Club of Boston. Locally, he served as director of the United Way of Pioneer Valley and vice chairman for the Springfield Board of Fire Commissioners.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino presented Williams with a community-service award in 2003 and the Paul Parks Veterans Community Service Award in 2005. Two years later, he was honored with induction into the Human Resources Alliance for African Americans Hall of Fame. Williams received the Civil Rights Leadership Award from Harvard Street Health Center in 2017, and the Transportation Community Partner Award from the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials in 2018.

HOLYOKE —“Speaking Out: For Women and Girls,” an event presented by Girls Inc. of Holyoke, takes the newly energized national conversation about women’s rights and brings it to the local level. The event, to be held at the Delaney House on Thursday, May 10 from 5 to 7 p.m., occurs during Girls Inc. Week, during which 82 Girls Inc. affiliates across the nation spotlight both the progress and challenges in the lives of girls.

Local authors Martha Ackmann, Lesléa Newman and Rachel Simmons will lead the night’s conversation, sharing insights from their work on issues such as gender equality, sexual orientation, leadership, and the glass ceiling.

Martha Ackmann is the author of The Mercury 13: The True Story of 13 Women and the Dream of Space Flight, soon to be an Amazon miniseries, and Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone, First Woman to Play Professional Baseball in the Negro League, which has been adapted for the New York stage with Orange Is the New Black star Uzo Aduba.

Lesléa Newman is the author of 70 books for all ages, including A Letter to Harvey Milk and October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard, plus the groundbreaking children’s book Heather Has Two Mommies. She is also the recipient of the Massachusetts Book Award.

Rachel Simmons is the author of The Curse of the Good Girl: Raising Girls with Courage and Confidence and Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls. She is currently the leadership development specialist at the Wurtele Center for Leadership at Smith College.

The conversation between these three women authors will be hosted by Janine Fondon, president and CEO of UnityFirst, a national distributor of diversity-related e-news to corporations and diverse communities. She is also the chair of the undergraduate Communications Department at Bay Path University.

The event’s honorary chair is Eileen Fisher, a fashion retailer, philanthropist, and longtime supporter of Girls Inc. She will be represented that night by a member of the company. Debra Vega is the event’s benefit chair. She teaches dance at Mount Holyoke College and Williston Northampton School, and serves on the board of Girls Inc. of Holyoke. She is also the wife of state Rep. Aaron Vega, another advocate for Girls Inc.

The event begins with a cocktail hour, and the authors’ books will be on sale, courtesy of the Odyssey Bookshop of South Hadley. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased online at www.givegab.com/campaigns/SpeakingOut. All proceeds will benefit Girls Inc. of Holyoke.

AMHERST — On Tuesday, May 8 at 1:30 p.m., UMass Amherst will welcome officials from Nikon Corp. to unveil a new investment in the microscope core facility in the Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS). The facility will be designated a Nikon Center of Excellence, one of eight such centers in the U.S., and will feature nine different research microscopes that are available to both the campus and outside users.

The event will take place in the third-floor conference room at IALS. Following remarks by UMass and Nikon officials, tours and demonstrations of the microscope facility will be available.

SPRINGFIELD — Consolidated Health Plans (CHP) has hired insurance and financial-services executive James Ocampo, who will lead development, sales growth, earnings growth, strategy development, and operational execution across the company’s emerging Group and Voluntary Benefits line of products. Ocampo will also be responsible for developing and maintaining affiliations with private exchanges, enrollment systems, benefit-administration platforms, and third-party administrators.

Ocampo, who holds an MBA in finance and strategy from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, will drive the development and implementation of CHP’s newest business venture.

“I’m tremendously excited for this opportunity to work at CHP, a leader in the healthcare space, to build a group and voluntary benefits business from the ground up,” said Ocampo. “Backed by the financial strength of Berkshire Hathaway, CHP is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this growth opportunity in the marketplace, by providing a simple, engaging, and digitally focused customer-engagement experience that will differentiate CHP from its competitors in the employee benefits space.”

Ocampo came to CHP following a five-year tenure at MassMutual, where he served as vice president of Worksite Insurance, responsible for strategy and operations of voluntary and executive benefit products, and developed MassMutual’s benefit enrollment and administration platform, BeneClick! Prior to MassMutual, he was the senior director of Strategy & Analytics at Optum subsidiary Executive Health Resources, a division of UnitedHealth Group. He also has considerable experience in management consulting and business development, serving a variety of Fortune 500 clients in the communications, healthcare, and life-sciences industries.

“CHP has high expectations for James as we build our world-class group and voluntary employee benefit program,” said Drew DiGiorgio, CHP’s president and CEO. “James’ skills and leadership will lead CHP’s strategic execution and innovation within the voluntary-benefits space.”

AMHERST — On Tuesday, May 8 at 1:30 p.m., UMass Amherst will welcome officials from Nikon Corp. to unveil a new investment in the microscope core facility in the Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS). The facility will be designated a Nikon Center of Excellence, one of eight such centers in the U.S., and will feature nine different research microscopes that are available to both the campus and outside users.

The event will take place in the third-floor conference room at IALS. Following remarks by UMass and Nikon officials, tours and demonstrations of the microscope facility will be available.

HOLYOKE —“Speaking Out: For Women and Girls,” an event presented by Girls Inc. of Holyoke, takes the newly energized national conversation about women’s rights and brings it to the local level. The event, to be held at the Delaney House on Thursday, May 10 from 5 to 7 p.m., occurs during Girls Inc. Week, during which 82 Girls Inc. affiliates across the nation spotlight both the progress and challenges in the lives of girls.

Local authors Martha Ackmann, Lesléa Newman and Rachel Simmons will lead the night’s conversation, sharing insights from their work on issues such as gender equality, sexual orientation, leadership, and the glass ceiling.

Martha Ackmann is the author of The Mercury 13: The True Story of 13 Women and the Dream of Space Flight, soon to be an Amazon miniseries, and Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone, First Woman to Play Professional Baseball in the Negro League, which has been adapted for the New York stage with Orange Is the New Black star Uzo Aduba.

Lesléa Newman is the author of 70 books for all ages, including A Letter to Harvey Milk and October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard, plus the groundbreaking children’s book Heather Has Two Mommies. She is also the recipient of the Massachusetts Book Award.

Rachel Simmons is the author of The Curse of the Good Girl: Raising Girls with Courage and Confidence and Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls. She is currently the leadership development specialist at the Wurtele Center for Leadership at Smith College.

The conversation between these three women authors will be hosted by Janine Fondon, president and CEO of UnityFirst, a national distributor of diversity-related e-news to corporations and diverse communities. She is also the chair of the undergraduate Communications Department at Bay Path University.

The event’s honorary chair is Eileen Fisher, a fashion retailer, philanthropist, and longtime supporter of Girls Inc. She will be represented that night by a member of the company. Debra Vega is the event’s benefit chair. She teaches dance at Mount Holyoke College and Williston Northampton School, and serves on the board of Girls Inc. of Holyoke. She is also the wife of state Rep. Aaron Vega, another advocate for Girls Inc.

The event begins with a cocktail hour, and the authors’ books will be on sale, courtesy of the Odyssey Bookshop of South Hadley. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased online at www.givegab.com/campaigns/SpeakingOut. All proceeds will benefit Girls Inc. of Holyoke.

SPRINGFIELD — The Foundation for TJO Animals will present its second annual Pets Rock! — a concert to benefit local, homeless animals in need at the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center — on Saturday, May 19 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Springfield Lodge of Elks #61, 440 Tiffany St., Springfield.

The event is sponsored by Planet Fitness and the Arbors Camp, and hosted by special guest Pat Kelly of Lazer 99.3 and 98.5. Pat Kelly will kick off the festivities, featuring entertainment by local bands Tough Customer and Good Acoustics. There will plenty of games and activities for kids hosted by Arbors Camp, crafters will be on hand with their unique items, and raffle prizes will be given away. Lunch will be provided, and and both White Lion Brewing Co. and Harpoon Brewery will be on hand.

Tickets are $20 per person, including lunch. Children under 12 are free. Buy tickets at www.tjofoundation.org or at the show gate on event day. A free, refillable event beer mug will be given to the first 200 guests through the gates. Attendees are welcome to bring their lawn chairs and blankets. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome, but no flexi-leads are allowed. No coolers are permitted.

All proceeds from this event will provide much-needed medical care and training to the many animals that call TJO their temporary home. The Foundation for TJO Animals is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports and enhances the medical services and enrichment programs for the animals at Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center.

AGAWAM — CHD and the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE) will co-present a forum designed for human-resources professionals and business owners on the subject of “Mental Health in the Workplace.” The free forum will take place on Friday, May 11 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at EANE’s offices at 67 Hunt St., Agawam.

The panel will discuss topics such as identifying mental-health issues with your employees, creating a system of support and resources for your organization, the legalities of supporting employees through mental-health issues, and the importance of setting up a holistic approach to mental wellness.

Panelists for the program include Carol Fitzgerald, vice president of Human Resources, CHD; Lindsay Ciepiela, Health and Wellness Program director, CHD; and John Gannon, partner, Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. Forum participants will receive CHD’s just-released employer resource titled “Mental Wellness in the Workplace: A Toolkit for Supporting Employees with Mental Health Conditions.”

“May is Mental Health Awareness month across the U.S.,” said Kimberley Lee, vice president of Development for CHD. “Now, more than ever, it’s critical for employers to understand the impact of mental-health issues on employees and their business. Left unaddressed or misunderstood, these issues can create low employee engagement, reduced productivity, high turnover, or even workplace violence. This employer forum will provide participants with a toolkit they can apply in creating a supportive workplace environment in their own organizations.”

There is no cost to attend the employer forum, although registration is required. To register, contact Allison Ebner, director of Member Relations at EANE, at [email protected] or (413) 789-6400.

“In today’s workplace, employers are facing an unprecedented number of employee-related issues that pertain to mental wellness, for themselves and for family members,” Ebner said. “It’s critical that employers understand the best ways to support their work teams through education, communication, and resources.”

AMHERST — The winning flavor in this year’s UMass Amherst student ice-cream competition is chili chocolate chip, as selected by judges in the fourth annual food-science event held on campus April 30. It will become the latest UMass student-created ice cream produced by Maple Valley Creamery of Hadley over the coming weeks, said owner Bruce Jenks.

For the event, creamery staff, local chefs, and guest judges sampled original ice creams created by four teams of senior food-science majors vying for the honor of developing a new flavor for the UMass label. “This year we had a pretty clear winner,” Jenks said, but he complimented all four teams on their hard work, ambitious goals, and thinking outside the box. “This is the highlight of our spring at Maple Valley Creamery. We really appreciate the students’ enthusiasm and hard work.”

Jenks said a new feature in this year’s competition, the use of Equal Exchange ingredients in the student ice creams, is a valuable marketing point and “very cool.” Equal Exchange, which provided samples to teams throughout the semester, sources ingredients from small-scale farmers around the world and supports their local communities.

The three other entries in this spring’s competition were a butternut squash flavor with lemon zest, ginger, turmeric, and semi-sweet chocolate bits; a chocolate banana graham-cracker flavor; and a strawberry-basil flavor with dark chocolate pieces. The strawberry-basil, dubbed ‘summer blush’ by its creators, won the audience’s vote for best flavor, and Jenks said he may make a seasonal batch of it in the summer.

Members of the winning chili chocolate chip team are Marina Gela, Gina Grimaldi, Rachael Montigny, Joshua Liao, Erica Snyder, and Jozxelle Tongson. In their presentation, they said their flavor, which uses a spicy Mexican chocolate mix from Equal Exchange, plus cinnamon, chili mixture, and churro extract, matches a recent trend in consumer acceptability by using authentic ethnic foods sourced from small farms while meeting the standards of a premium ice cream.

The 24 students in four teams developed the new flavors for their senior capstone project in Assistant Professor Maria Corradini’s food processing class and lab. Their creations must stay under a price-per-pint cost limit while maximizing taste, aroma and texture. The students also identify sources of food allergens and make sure their formulations comply with ingredient-specific food-safety regulations, clean manufacturing standards, and natural-ingredient rules.

SPRINGFIELD — The Foundation for TJO Animals will present its second annual Pets Rock! — a concert to benefit local, homeless animals in need at the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center — on Saturday, May 19 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Springfield Lodge of Elks #61, 440 Tiffany St., Springfield.

The event is sponsored by Planet Fitness and the Arbors Camp, and hosted by special guest Pat Kelly of Lazer 99.3 and 98.5. Pat Kelly will kick off the festivities, featuring entertainment by local bands Tough Customer and Good Acoustics. There will plenty of games and activities for kids hosted by Arbors Camp, crafters will be on hand with their unique items, and raffle prizes will be given away. Lunch will be provided, and and both White Lion Brewing Co. and Harpoon Brewery will be on hand.

Tickets are $20 per person, including lunch. Children under 12 are free. Buy tickets at www.tjofoundation.org or at the show gate on event day. A free, refillable event beer mug will be given to the first 200 guests through the gates. Attendees are welcome to bring their lawn chairs and blankets. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome, but no flexi-leads are allowed. No coolers are permitted.

All proceeds from this event will provide much-needed medical care and training to the many animals that call TJO their temporary home. The Foundation for TJO Animals is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports and enhances the medical services and enrichment programs for the animals at Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center.

GREENFIELD — Michael Tucker, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank, announced one new hire as well as three promotions.

Maureen “Maura” Guzik joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank as vice president, Commercial Loans. She will be responsible for developing new commercial business in Hampshire County with the Northampton Cooperative division of the bank. She will be based in the bank’s Triangle Street branch in Amherst. She has more than 34 years of commercial banking experience.

Guzik is a board member of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Children Advocacy Center and chairperson of the Belchertown Council on Aging. She is also active with the Amherst Area and Greater Northampton chambers of commerce. She earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Anselm’s College and her MBA from American International College.

Casey Cusson has been promoted to assistant vice president and branch manager of the bank’s Shelburne Falls location. He has more than 15 years of management experience and joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank in June 2017. He is a board member on the Shelburne Falls Area Business Assoc. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from UMass Amherst and will attend the New England School of Banking at Babson College beginning in May.

Erin Tautznik was promoted to branch officer. With more than 13 years of banking experience, she is responsible for managing the bank’s 67 King St., Northampton office. She joined Northampton Cooperative Bank in 2004 and has attended Holyoke Community College and numerous banking seminars and courses. She is also a volunteer with the JFK Middle School’s after-school program.

Janet Rosenkranz, credit officer, has additionally been named the Credit Department manager, and is now responsible for the bank’s Credit Department staff and coordinating its activities. She joined the bank in 2016 and has more than 18 years of experience in banking. She is a volunteer with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. She received her bachelor’s degree at UMass Amherst and will attend the National School of Banking at the Wharton School beginning in June.

WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond, a full-service engineering and environmental consulting firm, climbed 19 spots this year to No. 241 on Engineering News Record’s “2018 Top 500 Design Firms” ranking. In the past two years, Tighe & Bond climbed 34 spots as the firm continues to grow its regional market. The publication ranks its list of top 500 design firms nationally based on design-specific revenue from the previous year.

“We are thrilled to climb 19 spots in this national ranking — the result of employing successful strategies to better serve our clients and grow in our regional markets,” said David Pinsky, president and CEO of Tighe & Bond. “However, as always, we owe our ultimate success to the confidence that our clients have in us to work on their behalf and deliver superb project outcomes. Of course, all of this is tied to our ability to retain, attract, and develop superior staff at all levels.”

GREENFIELD — Brian Kapitulik has accepted the position of dean of Business, Information Technology, Professional Studies, and Social Sciences at Greenfield Community College (GCC).

“After a thorough search, we were excited to offer the position of dean to Brian,” said Catherine Seaver, chief Academic Affairs officer. “Brian brings extensive experience as a faculty member, then department chair, to the role of dean. He hit the ground running and quickly established himself as the leader of the Business, Information Technology, Professional Studies, and Social Sciences division.”

Kapitulik has 18 years of professional experience in the Massachusetts public higher-education system and, in particular, during the last decade, in community college. Before his current role, he was chair of the Department of Social Sciences and professor of Sociology at GCC. He has also taught at UMass Amherst and Quinsigamond Community College. During this time, he evaluated and developed curriculum, assessed and reviewed programs, created new courses, and hired and mentored new faculty, all while teaching students, publishing papers, organizing professional-development workshops in his field, and serving the college in a number of leadership capacities ranging from search committees to faculty mentor for online pedagogy.

WARE — Country Bank announced that it recently donated $15,000 to the Ware River Valley Domestic Violence Task Force to support its continued commitment to helping those in need in the Quaboag Hills Region.

“Country Bank’s donation has been the foundation of all local domestic-violence services at Valley Human Services of BHN Inc. in the Quaboag Hills,” said Jac Patrissi, director of Domestic Violence Services at Valley Human Services. “Their funds have been the seed money and remain the match for programs now supported by municipal, state, and federal dollars. We literally would not have our team preventing and responding to domestic violence in our region without Country Bank.”

Added Shelley Regin, senior vice president, Marketing at Country Bank and advisory board member of Valley Human Services of BHN, “having the right resources is critical in rural locations where transportation can also impact the availability of assistance. We know that Jac and her team help with all the necessary means to help those who reach out for support and guidance, which may also include transportation if needed. Their work changes lives for the better, and we are proud to support their program funding needs.”

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is looking for nominees for its fourth Continued Excellence Award, and will accept nominations through Monday, May 14. The winner of the award will be unveiled at the magazine’s 40 Under Forty gala on Thursday, June 21.

Three years ago, BusinessWest inaugurated the award to recognize past 40 Under Forty honorees who had significantly built on their achievements since they were honored. The first two winners were Delcie Bean, president of Paragus Strategic IT, and Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president of Allergy and Immunology Associates of Western Mass. and chief of Allergy and Immunology at Baystate Medical Center. Both were originally named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2008. Last year, the judges chose two winners: Scott Foster, an attorney with Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas (40 Under Forty class of 2011); and Nicole Griffin, owner of Griffin Staffing Network (class of 2014).

“So many 40 Under Forty honorees have refused to rest on their laurels,” said Kate Campiti, associate publisher of BusinessWest. “Once again, we want to honor those who continue to build upon their strong records of service in business, within the community, and as regional leaders.”

Candidates must hail from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007-17 — and will be judged on qualities including outstanding leadership, dedicated community involvement, professional achievement, and ability to inspire. The award’s presenting sponsor is Northwestern Mutual.

The nomination form is available at businesswest.com/40-under-forty-continued-excellence-award. For your convenience, a list of the past 11 40 Under Forty classes may be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40-under-forty-past-honorees.

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is looking for nominees for its fourth Continued Excellence Award, and will accept nominations through Monday, May 14. The winner of the award will be unveiled at the magazine’s 40 Under Forty gala on Thursday, June 21.

Three years ago, BusinessWest inaugurated the award to recognize past 40 Under Forty honorees who had significantly built on their achievements since they were honored. The first two winners were Delcie Bean, president of Paragus Strategic IT, and Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president of Allergy and Immunology Associates of Western Mass. and chief of Allergy and Immunology at Baystate Medical Center. Both were originally named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2008. Last year, the judges chose two winners: Scott Foster, an attorney with Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas (40 Under Forty class of 2011); and Nicole Griffin, owner of Griffin Staffing Network (class of 2014).

“So many 40 Under Forty honorees have refused to rest on their laurels,” said Kate Campiti, associate publisher of BusinessWest. “Once again, we want to honor those who continue to build upon their strong records of service in business, within the community, and as regional leaders.”

Candidates must hail from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007-17 — and will be judged on qualities including outstanding leadership, dedicated community involvement, professional achievement, and ability to inspire. The award’s presenting sponsor is Northwestern Mutual.

The nomination form is available at businesswest.com/40-under-forty-continued-excellence-award. For your convenience, a list of the past 11 40 Under Forty classes may be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40-under-forty-past-honorees.

WARE — Country Bank announced that it recently donated $15,000 to the Ware River Valley Domestic Violence Task Force to support its continued commitment to helping those in need in the Quaboag Hills Region.

“Country Bank’s donation has been the foundation of all local domestic-violence services at Valley Human Services of BHN Inc. in the Quaboag Hills,” said Jac Patrissi, director of Domestic Violence Services at Valley Human Services. “Their funds have been the seed money and remain the match for programs now supported by municipal, state, and federal dollars. We literally would not have our team preventing and responding to domestic violence in our region without Country Bank.”

Added Shelley Regin, senior vice president, Marketing at Country Bank and advisory board member of Valley Human Services of BHN, “having the right resources is critical in rural locations where transportation can also impact the availability of assistance. We know that Jac and her team help with all the necessary means to help those who reach out for support and guidance, which may also include transportation if needed. Their work changes lives for the better, and we are proud to support their program funding needs.”

WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond, a full-service engineering and environmental consulting firm, climbed 19 spots this year to No. 241 on Engineering News Record’s “2018 Top 500 Design Firms” ranking. In the past two years, Tighe & Bond climbed 34 spots as the firm continues to grow its regional market. The publication ranks its list of top 500 design firms nationally based on design-specific revenue from the previous year.

“We are thrilled to climb 19 spots in this national ranking — the result of employing successful strategies to better serve our clients and grow in our regional markets,” said David Pinsky, president and CEO of Tighe & Bond. “However, as always, we owe our ultimate success to the confidence that our clients have in us to work on their behalf and deliver superb project outcomes. Of course, all of this is tied to our ability to retain, attract, and develop superior staff at all levels.”

GREENFIELD — Michael Tucker, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank, announced one new hire as well as three promotions.

Maureen “Maura” Guzik joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank as vice president, Commercial Loans. She will be responsible for developing new commercial business in Hampshire County with the Northampton Cooperative division of the bank. She will be based in the bank’s Triangle Street branch in Amherst. She has more than 34 years of commercial banking experience.

Guzik is a board member of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Children Advocacy Center and chairperson of the Belchertown Council on Aging. She is also active with the Amherst Area and Greater Northampton chambers of commerce. She earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Anselm’s College and her MBA from American International College.

Casey Cusson has been promoted to assistant vice president and branch manager of the bank’s Shelburne Falls location. He has more than 15 years of management experience and joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank in June 2017. He is a board member on the Shelburne Falls Area Business Assoc. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from UMass Amherst and will attend the New England School of Banking at Babson College beginning in May.

Erin Tautznik was promoted to branch officer. With more than 13 years of banking experience, she is responsible for managing the bank’s 67 King St., Northampton office. She joined Northampton Cooperative Bank in 2004 and has attended Holyoke Community College and numerous banking seminars and courses. She is also a volunteer with the JFK Middle School’s after-school program.

Janet Rosenkranz, credit officer, has additionally been named the Credit Department manager, and is now responsible for the bank’s Credit Department staff and coordinating its activities. She joined the bank in 2016 and has more than 18 years of experience in banking. She is a volunteer with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. She received her bachelor’s degree at UMass Amherst and will attend the National School of Banking at the Wharton School beginning in June.

SPRINGFIELD — Westfield Bank announced it will open a full-service branch office at 1342 Liberty St. in Springfield in July. When it opens, the Liberty Street office, which currently has a 24-hour ATM, will be operated as a full-service branch featuring lobby and drive-up banking, a drive-up ATM, and banking specialists trained to assist customers with business banking, residential mortgages, and investment and insurance services (via Westfield Financial Management Services). Construction is already underway, with renovations expected to be completed in late June or early July.

“Opening our Liberty Street office reaffirms our longstanding commitment to the city of Springfield,” said Westfield Bank President and CEO James Hagan. “Coupled with our branch office and commercial banking center at Tower Square in downtown Springfield and our East Street office just over the Springfield line in Chicopee, we are better-positioned to deliver our products and services and provide added convenience for customers who live or work in the City of Homes.”

According to Hagan, Roberta Lussier, who currently oversees the bank’s Tower Square office, will also manage the Liberty Street office. “Roberta has over 35 years of banking experience and is in touch with the unique needs of retail and business customers in Springfield,” he said. “She knows this city extremely well and will be supported by a highly experienced team of retail and commercial bankers whose number one priority is to help our customers succeed.”

Westfield Bank plans to celebrate the opening of the Liberty Street office with special events and promotions, which will be announced at a later date.

“Opening at this location means a great deal to us, and we’re proud to do our part to help support Springfield’s economic renaissance,” Hagan said. “We look forward to opening this office and getting to meet our future customers.”

FLORENCE — Florence Bank has hired three new employees to serve in various positions. Lori Jarrett will serve as assistant controller in the Finance Department in the main office in Florence, Celia Alvarado was named portfolio officer/commercial loan origination, and Alicia Pare was named to the position of cash management relationship officer.

Jarrett holds a master’s degree in accounting from Western New England University. She volunteers for area nonprofits, including Riverside Industries, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, and Safe Passage, and she runs in the Apple-a-Day 5K, which benefits the elementary schools of Easthampton.

Alvarado joined Florence Bank in February with nearly 10 years of banking experience. She currently studies at the New England College of Business, where she’s working on a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance. She volunteers for Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts and has served on its board in the past.

Pare earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Assumption College in Worcester. In 2014, she received Florence Bank’s prestigious President’s Club Award, an annual tradition that recognizes outstanding performance, customer service, and overall contribution to Florence Bank.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) is co-sponsoring a community arts celebration at the Race Street Gallery in downtown Holyoke on Saturday, May 5 from 2 to 7 p.m., featuring the artwork of Holyoke youths alongside that of nationally known ceramic artists and printmakers. The event, titled “Celebrate Arts and Community,” will include demonstrations, hands-on activities, interactive workshops, and food.

“We really want it to be a community celebration,” said HCC ceramics instructor Adero Willard, one of the event organizers. “It’s really about creating a connection between HCC and the Holyoke community through the arts.”

Arts instructors and students from HCC have been working with groups of girls from Girls Inc. of Holyoke to create ceramic sculptures for the event based on the themes of immigration and migration. Artists Daniel Ricardo Teran and Ahrong Kim from Philadelphia, Salvador Jimenez-Flores and Nora Valdez from Boston, and Cynthia Consentino, an adjunct professor at HCC, will be in the gallery to display and discuss their work.

“We chose these people because their work all deals with some kind of cultural exploration, cultural identity, or personal narrative,” Willard said.

Jimenez-Flores will be leading a printmaking workshop using a modified tortilla press from 3 to 5 p.m. And visitors can sit at a spinning wheel and try their hand at making their own ceramic bowl through the Pots on Wheels truck, which will be parked outside the gallery on Race Street.

The event is being co-sponsored by Florence-based Plunge Arts, Pots on Wheels, Girls Inc., and HCC, with a grant from Mass Humanities.

SPRINGFIELD — The second installment of the BusinessWest lecture series Future Tense, titled “What Got You Here Might Not Get You There: Mistakes Business Owners Make Before and After Retirement,” will take place on Thursday, May 17 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Tech Foundry, 1391 Main St., ninth floor, Springfield.

The lecture, open exclusively to CEOs and business owners, will be delivered by Amy Jamrog, wealth management advisor with the Jamrog Group. The cost is a $25 donation to Tech Foundry. Event sponsors include Paragus IT, the Jamrog Group, and Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.

Do you feel like you’re doing a good job running your company, but wonder if you should be doing more? Are you as prepared as you could be for the eventual sale of the business? Are you willing to delay some tax gratification now for a more efficient retirement later? Are you focused on accumulation, but forgetting about the equally important decumulation strategy when it comes to your wealth? How do you take care of yourself, impact your community, and provide legacy for the family — and is it possible to do it all? Hear about proactive strategies to align your team of advisors and get you best equipped for your future.

Metered street parking is available near the venue, and there are several parking-garage options nearby as well. To register, visit businesswest.com/lecture-series.