Enrollment opens for Girls Inc.’s Ambassador Program

HOLYOKE — Girls Inc. of the Valley is accepting applications for its free 2024 Ambassador Program, in which the organization hosts workshops to support young professionals gain access to professional development opportunities to grow their careers.

Applicants invited to join the Ambassador program will take part in a six-month program with one-hour monthly workshops focused on skills to accelerate their careers, such as personal finance, building mentoring relationships, and strategic grassroots fundraising. Participants will take part in an online fundraising event held in May, along with a graduation event held in June.

The Ambassador program will be held on the third Wednesday of every month from 12-1 p.m., beginning in February and running through June. Programming will be held online.

Those ages 18 and older are encouraged to apply at bit.ly/3U0AMEk.

Free roof giveaway for first responders

SOUTH HADLEY — Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding is holding a contest to give away a free roof to first responders in western and central Massachusetts and northern Connecticut.

The deadline for entry is Jan. 31, and the contest is open to all firefighters, police officers, correctional and parole officers, deputy sheriffs, domestic violence advocates, doctors, nurses, paramedics, EMTs, and all other first responder professionals.

This is the third year in a row that Adam Quenneville is giving away a free roof and other prizes to first responders, including a roof treatment to rejuvenate an older roof, and a roof shampoo to clean a dirty roof.

First responders who own homes can enter to win online at the Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding website: www.1800newroof.net. Winners will be notified in February.

Lavenburg a shareholder at Bacon Wilson

SPRINGFIELD — David A. Lavenburg has been named a shareholder at Bacon Wilson, P.C., as of Jan. 1. Lavenburg has been an integral part of the firm since joining in 2020, focusing on loan recovery, loan workouts, collection matters, restructuring, debt repayments and bankruptcy.

Lavenburg received his bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan University, and his J.D. from the Capital University of Law School in Columbus, Ohio. He has more than 32 years of litigation experience and chairs the Creditor’s Rights, Collections, and Bankruptcy Practice Group at Bacon Wilson.

He is admitted to practice in both the Massachusetts and Connecticut State Courts and in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.

In the firm’s probate department, he supports the litigation needs in cases involving contests, breaches of fiduciary duty, lack of capacity, and undue influence claims. In the commercial and corporate department, he represents the firm’s clients in partnership disputes, commercial litigation, general business litigation, and commercial lease disputes. He has also been the chairman of the Longmeadow Zoning Board of Appeals since 2006.

bankESB promotes Vincelette, Gomes 

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB recently promoted Stephanie Vincelette to assistant vice president, human resources operations, and Erica Gomes to assistant vice president, customer care, in its Northampton Street, Easthampton office.

Vincelette, of Granby, has 11 years of banking experience. She was previously human resources operations officer, and before that, payroll manager, and began her career in banking as payroll specialist. Before joining bankESB in 2012, she had five years of previous payroll and human resources experience.

With this promotion, she will continue to oversee payroll operations, will now oversee benefits operations, and will expand her responsibilities in salary administration, compensation planning and policy management.

Vincelette has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University. She holds a senior professional human resources certification.

Gomes, of Chicopee, has 24 years of banking experience. She joined the Hometown Financial Group family of banks at bankHometown in 2013 as branch manager of the Killingly office, after spending more than 14 years in retail banking with Citizens Bank. Gomes was promoted to customer care officer at Hometown Financial’s bankESB in 2016. In her new role, she will manage the customer care call center.

Gomes completed coursework in accounting at the Community College of Rhode Island. She has been a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Junior Achievement, the Western Massachusetts Food Bank, and local homeless shelters, and previously served as treasurer of the Killingly Business Association.