HOLYOKE – City native James M. Lavelle will serve as grand marshal of the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade next spring, the highest local honor given to a person who has distinguished themselves as a loyal person to their career, their family and to their Irish ancestry.

The St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke announced its selection on Tuesday night. Lavelle will be the 72nd grand marshal for the parade that is scheduled for March 23, 2025.

Lavelle and his wife, Elizabeth “Liza,” have four grown children: Hugh, Grace, Owen and John. Son of the late Bernard “Bernie” M. Lavelle Jr. and Mary Lavelle, James is a Holyoke native where he and his eight siblings grew up in the Oakdale neighborhood. The Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade and their proud Irish ancestry runs deep with the Lavelle family. James’ father was an active member of the St. Patrick’s Committee, having led the Parade as grand marshal in 1988, and James’ daughter, Grace, was a member of the Grand Colleen Court in 2016.

“I am very grateful to be recognized by the Parade Committee and truly honored to be asked to lead the 72nd Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” Lavelle said in a statement. “The Parade Committee does such a wonderful job producing the Parade and related events that have such a positive impact on Holyoke and the region and I am thrilled to be asked to be part of it. I look forward to following in my father’s footsteps and marching in the Parade with my family.”

Lavelle is the general manager of Holyoke Gas and Electric (HG&E), which provides gas, electric and telecommunications services. Through his leadership, HG&E has implemented innovative projects, such as the acquisition of the Holyoke Dam and Canal system and the development of solar and energy storage, which not only benefit customers and the environment but have also been recognized through several achievements, including the 2021 & 2023 Utility Transformation Leaderboard by the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA).

He is a graduate of Holyoke High School and the University of Massachusetts, where he received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration. Lavelle serves on the boards of several professional associations, including as director of the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company, Municipal Electric Association of Massachusetts, Northeast Public Power Association, PeoplesBank, Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and as director and president of the Holyoke Solar Cooperative and Massachusetts Clean Energy Cooperative.

Lavelle also serves as a trustee for Holyoke Community College, as a member of the Finance Committee of St. Jerome Parish, as a board member for the Greater Holyoke YMCA, and as a coach for Holyoke Youth Football and Holyoke YMCA Basketball.

Parade President John Beaulieu is excited to honor Lavelle. “His dedication to his family, his career and his community are well known and I’m grateful to the Grand Marshal’s Selection Committee for choosing him with this most esteemed honor,” he said.

Lavelle will be honored at the Grand Marshal’s Reception on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. For more details or to purchase tickets to the reception, please contact Stephanie Joyce (stef0816@comcast.net).