CANAVAN TO SUCCEED BARTON AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF NORTHERN BERKSHIRE UNITED WAY

March 3, 2008

Contacts: John Law

Board President, Northern Berkshire United Way

Executive Vice President, MountainOne Financial Partners (413) 663-2112

James L. Canavan, Jr.

Incoming Executive Director, Northern Berkshire United Way (413)  663-9062

NORTH ADAMS, MA – John C. Law, Board President of Northern Berkshire United Way, announced today that James L. Canavan, Jr. will succeed Robert B. Barton as Executive Director of Northern Berkshire United Way, effective April 1, 2008. Barton had announced in early January that he would be stepping down to expand his consulting practice and serve the community in other ways.

Canavan has an extensive background in community development and non-profit management, currently serving as Vice President of Soldier On (formerly known as United Veterans of America, Inc.) in Leeds, Massachusetts. His experience includes positions as Executive Director of Community Teamwork, Inc. in Lowell, Massachusetts for ten years and, more recently, as Interim Executive Director of Berkshire Housing Development Corporation. Canavan has served as a consultant to Northern Berkshire Healthcare, Regional Affordable Housing Corporation, Massachusetts Community Action Programs, and Institute for Community Economics, among several other organizations. He is also a member of numerous boards of directors throughout Berkshire County.

Canavan holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with distinction from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and a Master of Science in Public Policy from the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston. In addition, he was awarded a certificate of completion for the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

“We are very fortunate that someone of Jim’s caliber has stepped forward to succeed Bob in this critical position,” said Law. “Jim has a strong background and a real passion for improving the quality of life in Northern Berkshire County through our member agencies and other targeted initiatives. Over the past nine years as Executive Director, Bob has worked tirelessly to increase the strength of Northern Berkshire United Way as a leader in community development. The board and I are confident that Jim will continue this record of achievement and contribute his own special talents.”

Canavan said, “I am excited, energized, and humbled at being chosen by the board of directors as the next Executive Director of Northern Berkshire United Way. Since moving here in 2002, I have enjoyed living in the most gracious community imaginable. I have worked hand-in-hand with a group of effective non-profit leaders, and I have enjoyed the privilege of serving on a number of boards, advisory committees, leadership teams, and task forces. Northern Berkshire United Way is the linchpin of the non-profit world in our community. Beyond the financial resources we bring to member agencies, Northern Berkshire United Way has become a leader in using data to chart our progress, target investments, and plan new strategies through Berkshire Navigation. I look forward to building upon the fine work of Bob Barton, the board, our many volunteers, and our generous donors.”

Canavan and his wife, Dr. Mary K. Grant, reside in North Adams.

Northern Berkshire United Way is governed by a locally elected board of directors and is licensed by United Way of America to serve the communities of Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, North Adams, and Williamstown in Massachusetts and Stamford in Vermont. Its mission is to improve individual and family well-being in Northern Berkshire County, and its website, www.nbunitedway.org, provides many more details about the organization.

Good News from United Way

Annual Meeting & Campaign Kick-off

September 27, 2007

Contact: Bob Barton, Executive Director

North Adams, MA: Northern Berkshire United Way held its Annual Meeting and Campaign Kick-off Thursday, September 20 at the Williams Inn with 110 people in attendance. Highlights of the event included naming MCLA’s Chief Financial Officer Jerry Desmarais as Volunteer-of-the-Year, election of new board members and officers, awards to employer/employee groups who led in support of last year’s campaign, and announcement of the goal and leadership team for this year’s annual fund drive. Despite important business on the full agenda, attendees agreed the evening’s best moments were the Real Stories about people helped by United Way fund drives.

Real Stories

Each attendee found at his/her place a copy of Northern Berkshire United Way’s Annual Report and a brochure for the 07-08 fund drive. Each document featured Real Stories about individuals who benefit from services funded by NBUW’s annual drives. These stories are on the website www.nbunitedway.org and will be featured in campaign updates in local newspapers. During the evening event, stories were shared by Sarah Kline of Big Brothers, Big Sisters; Lisa Lungo of Elder Services; Bob Barton with a story from Goodwill; and Nora Young-Phykitt of Child Care of the Berkshires, but the “show stopper” was presented by Joe Kobrel about a man who had worked at GE for 25 years, but hadn’t coped well with changes in his life and had fallen into a deep, potentially terminal depression. Kobrel told of Walt Kaczowski finding Louison House and eventually learning to accept help dealing with his illness. Kaczowski has made excellent progress and is now able to live quite independently. He was in attendance at the dinner and received the warmest applause of the evening.

Specialty Minerals, Hoosac and South Adams Savings Banks Lead Campaign Awards

Campaign Chair Dick Alcombright, VP at Hoosac Bank presented 20 Northern Berkshire Treasures awards to businesses and other employers where a high percentage of employees make campaign pledges. Hoosac Bank, South Adams Savings and Specialty Minerals won the Platinum award, which requires at least 85% employee participation, an average gift per donor of $500+, and total employee and company gifts of at least $25,000. Gold honorees included Coakley, Pierpan, Dolan & Collins; Dion Money Management; and General Dynamics.

PHOTO

CAPTION: Specialty Minerals representative Butch Parrott received a Northern Berkshires Treasures award from Campaign Chair Dick Alcombright and Exec. Director Bob Barton. The other Platinum level honorees were Hoosac Bank and South Adams Savings Bank.

Donovan & O’Connor win Professional Office Challenge

The huge silver trophy for competition among medical and law offices in north county was won in its inaugural year by Adams Internists, but this time the winning drive was at Donovan & O’Connor. Success was based on a first-time campaign among staff which added to the historically high level of campaign and volunteer support by the firm’s attorneys. Atty. Michael Palmieri and Buffy Lord were the spark-plugs for this drive. The honorees will receive a celebratory free coffee break donated by Lickety Split.

PHOTO

CAPTION: Exec. Director Bob Barton presents the huge Professional Office Challenge Trophy to attorney Michael Palmieri, representing Donovan & O’Connor. The law firm was the top performer among law and medical offices in the United Way’s 06-07 fund drive.

Desmarais is Volunteer-of-the-Year

Board President John Law, Executive VP of MountainOne Financial Partners announced that Jerry Desmarais had been selected as Volunteer-of-the-Year. Mr. Desmarais has 33 years of service in higher education administration, with the most recent 10 as Treasurer at Mass. College of Liberal Arts. With NBUW Jerry has been a leader since 2002, currently serving as board Vice-President for Finance and a member of the Executive Committee, and previously as a Panel Chair and then VP for Agency Relations. Desmarais lives in North Adams with his wife Mary. Law cited Mr. Desmarais’ role in leading change at the United Way, particularly in designing the new system for awarding funds to member agencies, and now a fledgling system of internal controls. Mr. Law thanked volunteers who had wrapped up their service in 2006-07, with special mention and accolades for Joanne DeRose who has stepped down from the board but continues as an active volunteer; Don Dion who co-chaired the Red Feather Society with Steve Green during two years of enormous growth; Henry Pierpan and Bruce McAndrews, long-time members of the Red Feather Committee, among other volunteer roles with NBUW; Marlene Walsh, a Panel Chair in Agency Relations, and Gwen Boillat, excellent, long-term member of Agency Relations.

$696,000 Goal for Annual Campaign

Campaign Chair Dick Alcombright of Hoosac Bank introduced his leadership team, and reviewed goals for the 07-08 fund drive. He noted his team was ready to mount a very energetic campaign, with 12 of 14 divisions planning to equal or exceed last year’s totals, but that overall they see challenges with the local business climate and some special hurdles. The goal for 07-08 will be $696,000, among the largest in NBUW’s history, though down $50,000 from last year’s target. Alcombright introduced the Campaign Cabinet-

v Chair for Red Feather Society: Steve Green, MCLA

v Commercial-Bill Robinson, CPD&C Insurance

v Public Schools- Jim Brosnan, (McCann Voc/Tech) and Starr Baker (retd)

v Williams College-Team

v Mass. College of Liberal Arts-Marilyn Truskowski

v Banks-Dick Alcombright

v Financial Services-Tracy McConnell, Hoosac Bank

v Government-Myra Wilk, Hoosac Bank

v Individuals-NBUW Office

v Industrial-Chuck Lewitt (Morrison Berkshire)

v Specialty Minerals-Butch Parrott

v Legal-Chris Dodig, Donovan and O’Connor

v Medical-Dr. Skip Durning, Northern Berkshire Healthcare

v Public Service/Health-Kathy Arabia (N. B. Healthcare), Mary Molleur (Elizabeth Freeman Cntr)

Steve Green of MCLA reviewed Red Feather history and growth, noting his committee would have about 45 members this year, the most ever. He hoped the 07-08 campaign would see more than 300 donors at the Red Feather level for the first time in history, but he reminded everyone that the key to campaign success is participation-for everyone in the community to do what they can in their giving-$10 can be just as meaningful as $1,000, depending on individual circumstances. Alcombright pointed out that the Red Feather component of the campaign (individuals/couples making gifts of $500+) had become the growth engine, with about 50% of the annual totals now coming from these individual leadership givers.

Annual Meeting-John Law re-elected President

Board Development Chairman Tom Rumbolt presented 11 nominations for seats on NBUW’s board: For renewed 1-year terms: Joe McGovern, Exec. Director of Northern Berkshire YMCA; and Mike Hoffman, VP for Banknorth: For renewed 3-year terms: Blair Benjamin, MASS MoCA; and Jay Durand, True North Financial Services. Rumbolt also presented 7 new nominees: For a 1-year term: Jim Brosnan, Superintendent of McCann Vocational Technical School; and for 3-year terms: Bill Robinson, Coakley, Pierpan, Dolan & Collins Insurance; Chris Dodig, Donovan & O’Connor attorneys; David Bond, The Range; Christina Barrett, Berkshire Chamber of Commerce; Julia Bowen, Director of the BArT Public Charter School; and Jack Gould, interim Director of Family Life Support Systems.

Rumbolt also presented nominations for officer for 2007-08: John Law of Hoosac Bank as President, Jerry Desmarais of MCLA as VP Finance, Mike Hoffman of Banknorth as Treasurer, Jack Gould as VP Community Needs/Special Grants, Jim Brosnan as VP for Campaign, and Blair Benjamin as VP for Agency Relations. All nominees were elected unanimously.

New Board President John Law reviewed NBUW’s progress and new goals and got unanimous approval of the annual report document which was at each attendee’s dinner place. He later closed the evening’s proceedings with numerous thank-yous, especially to the story sharers and related social service agency attendees.