Berkshire Bank, a leading socially responsible community bank with branch locations in New England and New York, has announced several actions it will take with its employees and customers in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. As a first step, Berkshire Bank’s Foundation will make a $50,000 contribution to the Ukrainian Federation of America, one of the oldest Ukrainian organizations in the U.S. who are working to deliver humanitarian and medical aid. In addition, Berkshire’s donation will be leveraged in collaboration with Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island on 401Gives Day, a statewide day of giving in Rhode Island on April 1. The Bank selected 401Gives Day because it is a time sensitive campaign that provides Berkshire the opportunity to make a greater impact by inviting the public and business community to match Berkshire’s contribution ultimately increasing the amount of funds going to support Ukraine.

“As the situation in Ukraine continues to evolve, Berkshire Bank felt compelled to stand together and show our support as worldwide events impact all of us. Our Berkshire family has employees and customers with loved ones living in Ukraine. To strengthen our efforts, we are working to assist employees, customers, and the community by leveraging our resources and business operations to thoughtfully and strategically help individuals impacted by the invasion,” said Sean Gray, President and Chief Operating Officer at Berkshire Bank.

“All of us at Dorcas International stand firm with the people of Ukraine,” commented Kathy Cloutier, Dorcas International’s Executive Director. “We have heard from our neighbors and supporters, and we agree that given the state of affairs in Ukraine right now, we can and should serve as a catalyst for help when and where it is needed most which is right now, on the ground in Ukraine and Poland,” she continued. “This 401Gives, we are proud to partner with Berkshire Bank in support of Ukrainians.”

In addition to its significant financial contribution, Berkshire Bank has implemented several actions to harness its entire business to support those impacted by the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Efforts include:

• Matched Contributions: Berkshire will continue to match employee contributions through its Giving Program to non-profits working to aid in relief efforts.
• Supply Drive & Employee Volunteering: Berkshire activated a virtual supply drive to harness its employees and networks to provide critical supplies to organizations and people in Ukraine and neighboring countries. Its XTEAM® employee volunteer program is also hosting volunteer opportunities in some markets.
• Customer Support: Berkshire will refund outgoing wire transfer fees to individuals sending money to family and non-profit organizations in Ukraine.

Berkshire Bank stands together with its colleagues, customers, and communities who have loved ones in Ukraine, and we support those most directly impacted by the conflict.

Fitchburg Housing Authority Director of Customer and Application Services Yajaira Aldrich was presented with a certificate of appreciation at the FHA board meeting on last Wednesday morning at Daniel Heights, a thank you for her continued efforts in helping to provide housing for city residents.

“She has helped people in their worst conditions … and during pandemic she was always at her desk and available to help,” FHA Executive Director Doug Bushman said.

Aldrich was promoted to her position in August 2020 after being at the FHA since 2014 as a general clerk. She oversees staff responsible for all initial customer and application processing, including her hardworking assistant Sol Toro, and recently received her Massachusetts Public Housing Administrator certificate and completed a host of other courses in public housing and customer service.

“Thank you for the opportunity,” Aldrich said. “I love what I do.”

She said that when she was first approached by Bushman about taking over as director of customer and application services, she was hesitant to take the position.

“It caught me off guard, I slept on it for two days,” Aldrich recalled.

Once she decided to accept the offer, she hit the ground running. Bushman and the board members praised Aldrich for her tireless work ethic, noting her recent efforts with helping the survivors of the two city fires earlier this month and the resources event that took place for them at the Fitchburg Senior Center that the FHA was invited to.

“Your work with the victims of the Fitchburg fires was fantastic,” Bushman said. “You worked and stayed late.”

Bushman noted that besides him and FHA Deputy Director Andrew Skoog, the organization is “women-led and organized.” Aldrich said she is happy to help the people that the FHA assists.

“When people walk through that door they are not always at their best,” she said. “I’ve been there.”

Mayor Stephen DiNatale attended the meeting and gave props to Aldrich and the entire FHA team including the board for their dedication to city residents.

“This is a great organization,” he said. “You are providing such a wonderful service. I want to thank the board members who put their time into this.” Aldrich recently bought a house in the city.

“I’ve left the city, I’ve left the state, I’ve left the country, but I always come back,” she said. “This is home.”

Bushman said they “have not received one complaint concerning Yajaira’s interaction with the public or residents.”

“In fact, she is constantly praised for assisting people during their time of most need,” he said. “All of us want to thank Mrs. Aldrich for all that she has done for the FHA and the people we serve. She has set the example of what it means to be a great public servant.”

We are pleased to announce that Stephanie Williams is joining Mount Wachusett Community College in the newly established role of Chief Diversity Executive.

Williams joins MWCC after severing as the Chief Diversity Executive for the City of Worcester where she was responsible for leading the City Manager’s diversity agenda. Prior to joining the City of Worcester, Williams held positions at the Department of Transitional Assistance, Anna Maria College, and Becker College.

“I am looking forward to bringing my experience both in and outside of higher education to MWCC,” Williams shared. “I’ll be working collaboratively with colleagues and students at the college to build upon the work their teams have done and develop something that will be as successful and equitable for everyone.”

Williams holds an MBA from Anna Maria College. She earned her associate degree in liberal studies at Quinsigamond Community College and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Becker College.

“It is with great pleasure that we announce Ms. Williams has accepted our offer to join the college as our first Chief Diversity Executive,” stated MWCC President James Vander Hooven. “As we progressed through our nationwide search, it became very clear that Stephanie’s experience and passion have prepared her to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead here at the Mount. I would like to thank the search team, The Diversity Equity and Inclusion team, and the students who participated in the search and provided significant feedback throughout.”

As Chief Diversity Executive Williams will report directly to President Vander Hooven and serve as a member of the President’s Leadership Team. The Chief Diversity Executive will provide vision, leadership and oversight to programs, policies, and procedures related to MWCC’s commitment to social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and facilitates the integration of equity and cultural appreciation across all aspects of the college.

Clinton Savings Bank (clintonsavings.com) has been selected to participate in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston’s Equity Builder Program, which assists local homebuyers with down payment and closing costs as well as homebuyer counseling and rehabilitation assistance. The program provides grants to financial institutions to assist households at or below 80 percent of the area median income. Borrowers are eligible to receive up to $22,000 in assistance on a first come first served basis. Buyers must also complete a homebuyer counseling program. “Homeownership is not easily attainable for many households, so we are pleased to offer this assistance to help individuals and families purchase a home. Homeownership helps build wealth and create financial
stability, and programs that assist homebuyers can be effective in adding to the vibrancy of our communities,” said Debra Colonna, SVP/Retail Lending Officer, Clinton Savings Bank. Clinton Savings Bank is eligible to receive up to $220,000 in 2022 through the Equity Builder Program depending on availability of funds.

To learn more about applying for assistance, please contact:

Elisa Cuddy NMLS #857471

or 978-365-3444

 

John Ryan NMLS #27261

or 978-365-3489

Leominster Credit Union is proud to announce the following employees have been recently promoted within the organization.

Nicole Legere has been promoted to Vice President Compliance Officer. Nicole was hired in October 2015 as the Compliance Officer and then promoted AVP Compliance Officer in December 2016. She has made significant contributions to the Credit Union through her management of the Compliance Program, Vendor Management Program, Fraud Management, Bank Secrecy Program, and Internal Audit Program. Nicole earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science & Government from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her Juris Doctor from Roger Williams University School of Law. She has been admitted to both the Massachusetts and New York Bar.

Andrew Leblanc has been promoted to Assistant Vice President Information Security Officer. Andrew joined LCU in April 2018 as the IT Risk Manager. As the Credit Union’s subject matter expert on cybersecurity, information security, and data privacy, he has made excellent contributions to LCU in these areas Andrew holds an AS in Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications from ITT Technical Institute, a BS in Information Technology from Northeastern University, and an MBA in Management and Operations from Fitchburg State University.

Holly Ogden has been promoted to Assistant Vice President Mortgages. Holly joined LCU in February 2020 as the Mortgage Pipeline Manager. With 25 years’ experience in the industry, Holly has proven to be an asset to the Mortgage Team and to the Credit Union. Her level of knowledge has significantly improved processes and workflows in her department. Under Holly’s leadership and coaching, her team exceeded production goals in 2020 and 2021. Holly earned a BA in English from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

Danielle Duval has been promoted to Assistant Vice President Collections. Danielle has been with LCU since August 2019 as the Collections Manager. Danielle attended Sacred Heart University and has over 15 years of experience in Commercial Lending and Collections. Danielle has consistently performed at a high level while demonstrating her strong knowledge in the area of collections, collection laws, repossessions, foreclosures and loan modifications. She has proven to be very committed to her  role and to developing and training her team.

Justin Silva has been promoted to Assistant Vice President Retail Administrator. Justin has been with LCU for 22 years and holds an ASBA in Management from New England College of Business. He originally joined LCU as an intern from Worcester Vocational High School and was then hired to work at the West Boylston Street Branch as a Teller. During his tenure, he progressed through a variety of roles in the branch network up to Assistant Branch Manager and was promoted Retail Administrator in 2008. His experience and knowledge in branch operations, retail systems and member service are invaluable.

Maila Berry has been promoted to Assistant Vice President Operations. Maila has been with LCU for 25 years. She spent the first half of her career in Retail progressing through a variety of branch roles up to Branch Manager.

During the last 12 years, she has become LCU’s IRA expert and has made strong contributions to the Operations Division. Maila earned an associate  degree from Becker College in Criminal Justice and a bachelor’s degree from Anna Maria College in Criminal Justice. Maila is also a Certified IRA Specialist (CIS I).

Nichole Howarth has been promoted to Assistant Vice President Digital & Member Service Center. Nichole joined LCU in 2017 as a Teller Supervisor and was promoted to Digital & Member Service Center Manager in 2019.

Nichole holds a BA in History from Merrimack College and has a strong management background from another industry. Under Nichole’s leadership, her department has grown significantly with the expansion of the digital services area as well as the addition of business services. Nichole is very committed to Leominster Credit Union, her team and our members.

Arden Twining has been promoted to Assistant Vice President Learning & Development. Arden joined LCU in 2015 as the Training Specialist and was promoted to Training Manager in 2016.  She brings over 20 years of experience in the training and learning and development arena from a variety of industries. Arden attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and is currently completing a bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s College in Adult Education and Training. Arden brings a unique skill set in designing, developing, and writing training programs.

Josh Laprade has been promoted to IT Manager. Josh joined LCU in 2017 as an IT Analyst. He was promoted to IT Systems Admin II in 2019, and then to IT Team Lead 2021. Josh holds an AS in Computer Network and Service Technology and a BS in Computer Information Systems from New England Institute of Technology. Josh has made significant contributions to the Credit Union’s IT Team and is extremely dedicated to his role. He is  consistently looking to improve technology and efficiencies across the Credit Union.