Thomas R. Creed has been named Senior Vice President, Regional Commercial Executive and Leader for the Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc.s Pioneer Valley region. He will be responsible for leading the commercial lending and banking operations in the region, and will be based at 31 Court St., Westfield. Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc. is the holding company for Berkshire Bank, with headquarters in Pittsfield.
PeoplesBank recently announced that Retha J. Blair has been appointed Assistant Vice President and Assistant Controller.
The law firm Donovan Hatem has elevated Sarah K. Willey to the firms partnership. Her expertise in employment matters includes employment-law compliance and training relative to permissible hiring, firing, and disciplinary practices. Willey also has extensive regulatory issues experience, including the licensing of architecture and engineering firms.
The Board of Directors of Voices for Virginias Children has appointed John R. Morgan as Executive Director. Morgan, a Springfield native and currently Senior Policy Analyst at Voices, is a child psychologist and long-time human-services administrator and childrens advocate.
Kiernan A. Middleman, a real-estate professional in the Pioneer Valley, has joined the Longmeadow office of Keller Williams Realty. Middleman specializes in working with both buyers and sellers of residential property throughout the region.
Elizabeth Cardona, Director of Gov. Deval L. Patricks office in Springfield, was named the first recipient of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfields Excellence in Leadership Award.
Melissa R. Gillis has joined the law firm of Bacon Wilson, P.C. in Springfield. Her practice will focus on real estate law.
North Brookfield Savings Bank recently welcomed new President Donna Boulanger, who previously served as Executive Vice President at Mansfield Bank.
Brendan Ciecko has been recognized by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundations Entrepreneurship Initiative for demonstrating entrepreneurial spirit. Currently on leave from Hampshire College in Amherst, Ciecko founded Ten Minute Media, offering Web-site design and digital marketing.
Springfield Technical Community College announced the following:
Michael Oleksak has been named President of its Foundation Board;
Ellen W. Freyman has been named Vice President of its Foundation Board, and
Steve Mitus has been named Treasurer of its Foundation Board.
Oleksak is Executive Vice President of Commercial Banking with Berkshire Bank; Freyman is a shareholder at Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C.; and Mitus is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Balise Motor Sales Co.
Easthampton Savings Bank announced the following:
Stephen A. Brunelle, owner of FSI Appraisal Company of Northampton, has been named a Corporator;
Bret A. LaFrance, a client solution executive in the banking field for IBM, has been named a Corporator;
Lee A. Lalonde, owner pharmacist of the Center Pharmacy in Granby, has been named a Corporator;
William R. Parks, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Westfield, has been named a Corporator;
Daniel W. Polachek, CPA, who owns an accounting business in Northampton, has been named a Corporator;
Ernestine Sawicki, owner of a real estate agency in Amherst, has been named a Corporator, and
Attorney David E. Sullivan, currently serving as Register of Probate for the Hampshire Probate and Family Court, has been named a Corporator.
Kindred Hospital Park View announced the following:
Karen Moore has been named CEO;
Dr. Kenneth Santiago has been named Medical Director;
Thomas Bishop has been named Director of Quality Management, and
Maureen Wishart is the new Chief Clinical Officer.
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness has selected Robert Schwarz, Executive Vice President of Peter Pan Bus Lines in Springfield, as the sole 2008 recipient of its annual national Home for Every American Community Champion Award. Schwarz was honored for his leadership, partnership, and results as chair of Springfields 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness at the councils third annual National Summit for Jurisdictional Leaders at the annual awards luncheon of the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Ann Dawson has joined Tortus Technologies as a Senior Account Manager. She will cover Hampden County and Eastern Mass.
Katherine Lamb has been named the 2008 Young Careerist for the Western District of the Business and Professional Womens Organization. She will represent the Western District at the State Convention in Westborough in May.
Joanna Ballantine, Executive Director of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, is the recipient of the prestigious J.J. Greenberg Memorial Award, which honors foundation professionals age 40 and under who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in Jewish philanthropy. She was presented the award in Jerusalem at a gathering of the Jewish Funders Network. Ballantine previously served as the Director of Community Planning for the Jewish Federation of Greater Springfield, and as a Senior Planning and Allocations Associate at the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco.
Veronica DUrso Harnois was recently recognized as a leader of distinction at a gala event sponsored by the Academy of Notre Dame, Tyngsboro. Harnois was recognized in the education category. Harnois is an adjunct faculty member of American International College in Springfield and a school psychologist in the Springfield public school system.
Horizon Marketing Group Inc., a full-service interactive marketing agency based in Rocky Hill, Conn., has appointed Jeff Mard to the position of Senior Account Manager and Marketing Strategist. In this capacity, Mard will be responsible for account management, marketing strategies, and business development for a variety of Horizon Marketing Group clients, including General Electric, Cartus, Lexus of Greenwich, Dunkin Donuts, and CNBC. He will directly assist in the development and implementation of technology-based marketing solutions, E-mail marketing, search engine optimization, ePR, and wireless technologies. Additionally, Mard will work to further develop business opportunities related to both current and future Horizon Marketing Group clients.
Suzanne M. Boniface has been hired as Community Relations Manager at the Childrens Study Home of Springfield. She is responsible for increasing community awareness of the organization, media relations, and special events.
Matthew J. Chase has joined Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. as an Associate. Chase is a transportation project manager in the Springfield office and is responsible for a diverse range of transportation projects that include traffic impact and access studies, transportation corridor planning, feasibility studies, functional design reports, traffic peer reviews, transportation planning master plans, transportation roadway projects, and signal design.
Don P. Rovero, a real-estate sales professional, has joined Keller Williams Realty and will work in the Westfield office.
Stephen L. Kuhn, Senior Vice President, Secretary, and Deputy General Counsel at MassMutual in Springfield, was recently named to the 2008 In-House Leaders in the Law list published by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. The list recognizes corporate attorneys throughout New England who serve as either a general counsel or staff attorney. Kuhn was among 15 attorneys throughout New England chosen by five panelists. Those recognized were selected on the basis of leadership, ethics, vision, and technical expertise, as well as their commitment to mentoring others in the legal profession. Prior to his current role, Kuhn was a longtime lead counsel for MassMutuals investment business, and played key roles in the companys establishment and expansion of its asset management businesses and most significant acquisitions, including Oppenheimer Funds Inc.
Paul MacLelland has been appointed Sales Manager for the Northeast Region by Vela Systems.
Bob Kaufman, Founder and President of Bobs Discount Furniture, recently was presented with the 2008 Biomedical Achievement Award from the American Red Cross. Given to a blood services volunteer who has fostered innovative practices to achieve strategic priorities, the national award was presented to Kaufman during the 82nd Red Cross National Convention held recently in Baltimore. Since 1996, Kaufman has supported the American Red Cross in New England by hosting blood drives at Bobs Discount Furniture locations.
The Massachusetts Latino Chamber of Commerce announced the following at a recent Business and Professional Networking event at the MassMutual Center in Springfield:
Maria C. Lopez-Santiago was recognized for her personal achievements and inspiration to others as a role model. She is the Chief Procurement Officer of the City of Springfield, and the first Latina to hold the position in the city. She has focused her career in the tax-preparation and planning areas;
Carol I. Sanchez was also recognized for her personal achievements and inspiration to others. Sanchez began her career with KPMGs Audit Division, and worked for the Internal Audit function for the Timberland Co., traveling throughout Europe and Latin America, and
Bobby Rodriguez was also recognized for personal achievements and serving as a role model. Rodriguez is the new Chief Diversity Officer for Baystate Health, and is responsible for assessing the internal and external environment and culture, and developing and implementing strategies to attract, develop, and retain a high-performing, diverse workforce.
