At a recent Westfield Gas & Electric Municipal Light Board meeting, commissioners said goodbye to Fran Liptak, a member of the board who represented Ward 4. In attendance were Westfield Mayor Michael McCabe, state Sen. John Velis, and State Rep. Kelly Pease, who presented proclamations in honor of his years of service. Liptak has served on the board for 24 years.
He helped with many of Westfield Gas & Electric’s milestones, including the Southwick Pipeline Lateral project, approval and launch of Whip City Fiber, increased funding for the Westfield Warm Program and more proactive reinvestment. He has also been a supporter of the arts through his love for music and performances in the community, as well as being an assistant coach to the Westfield High School Bombers hockey team for many years.
The Ward 4 position will be filled by Bill Parks, who was elected in an uncontested race in November.
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Florence Bank recently announced that Ashley Swett, of Ware, has been named manager of the bank’s Customer Service Center at the main office in Florence. She will oversee the staff responsible for assisting Florence Bank customers who contact the bank via telephone or email.
Swett has 16 years of industry experience and is a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies. She holds a certificate in supervision from the Center for Financial Training.
Swett is currently a member of the Holiday Flair in Ware, an annual festival and parade.
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The Loomis Communities, a provider of senior living in the Pioneer Valley, has announced a new executive director for its Applewood Retirement Community in Amherst, Kristen Lamoureux.
Lamoureux has over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and management, most recently serving as Vice President of Recovery Environments at Community Healthlink/UMass Memorial Health where she oversaw residential programs and housing for adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Prior to Community Healthlink, Lamoureux served as vice president at The Arc of Opportunity, where she oversaw programming and support for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Lamoureux began her career as a mental health clinician, working with people of all ages. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Assumption University and her Master of Arts in forensic psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Lamoureux is also a certified executive and leadership coach.
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The Board of Directors of PeoplesBank voted to approve the following leadership changes: Tom Senecal is now chairman of the board and chief executive officer while Brian Canina has been promoted to president and chief operating officer and Hayes Murray has been promoted to executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer.
The Board of Directors have also approved plans to open banking centers in Glastonbury and Avon, Connecticut, in addition to seeking other opportunities for future expansion.
Senecal joined PeoplesBank in 1995 and has since held positions in finance and commercial lending before being elected as president, CEO and chairman in 2016. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management and attended the Tuck Executive Program at Dartmouth College. Senecal serves on the Massachusetts Bankers Association Board of Directors and is also a corporator for The Loomis Communities and The Horace Smith Fund. He resides in Granby.
Canina joined PeoplesBank in 2009 and served as executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer prior to being appointed to his current position. He is a graduate of Bryant University and formerly served as a certified public accountant. Canina is also a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking and is a recipient of the Wharton Leadership Certificate. Canina is president of the Finance and Accounting Society of New England. He serves on the board of directors for Helix Human Services. He resides in Longmeadow.
Murray has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is a graduate of Gordon College and earned a Master of Science in accounting from Western New England University. Murray also is a certified public accountant. Prior to joining PeoplesBank in 2021, he served as the CFO of a de novo bank in western Massachusetts and spent over a decade in public accounting. Murray is a member of a Finance and Accounting Society of New England. He resides in East Longmeadow.
