MountainOne Bank Announces 2025 Officer Promotions

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass.— MountainOne announced the promotion of six Mountaineers to Officer roles.

Heather Row, Vice President, Commercial Portfolio Manager
Heather's extensive knowledge of underwriting, particularly in Commercial and Industrial exposures, has been essential to managing risk and expanding the bank's portfolio. She is recognized for her meticulous approach to analysis and her ability to think strategically. She has also been instrumental in mentoring junior team members and helping them to develop as professionals.
 
Ryan Belanger, Assistant Vice President, Network and Systems Officer
Ryan has been a driving force behind MountainOne's technology initiatives, playing a critical role in strengthening the organization's IT infrastructure. His depth of experience in network and system management, combined with a thoughtful approach to problem-solving, allows him to be a key contributor to technology projects and cross-functional initiatives. He is a respected mentor, an Emerging Leaders Program graduate, and a trusted partner across business lines and with external service providers.
 
Gwenn Bishop, Assistant Vice President, Senior Mortgage Underwriter
Gwenn has made a significant impact through the delivery of tailored solutions by enhancing the customer experience in the bank's consumer lending division. She has successfully managed complex consumer lending applications, led efforts to improve internal processes, and developed external relationships with government lending agencies. Her work on product development and reporting has played a key role in MountainOne's success.
 
Erik Ray, Assistant Vice President, Community Banking Officer
Erik has played a pivotal role in overseeing daily operations at two key branches while managing a growing client portfolio. His leadership has elevated the level of customer service delivery, and he continually identifies new growth opportunities. Erik is an Emerging Leaders Program graduate and stands out for his commitment and involvement with local nonprofits, further strengthening MountainOne's deep connection to the community.
 
Kyle Shepard, Assistant Vice President, Operations Manager
Kyle's leadership has been pivotal in driving substantial improvements in operations, particularly through system migrations and process enhancements. His oversight of initiatives like the Digital Banking platform rollout has demonstrated his ability to leverage technical expertise and strategic insight. Kyle is also an Emerging Leaders Program graduate.
 
Sarah Bloom, Officer & Operations Analyst
Sarah has been a key driver of operational improvements, consistently delivering solutions that enhance efficiency across the organization. From leading major initiatives, such as the migration to a new Digital Banking platform and implementation of Positive Pay and Debit Card Controls, to developing reporting and workflow automation, her expertise has had a lasting impact beyond Operations.
 
"An Officer designation is more than a title; it is a recognition of talent, leadership, trust, and commitment to our mission, and the meaningful impact one has within our organization," said Beth Petropulos, Senior Vice President, Senior HR, and SAFE Act Officer at MountainOne. "Heather, Ryan, Gwenn, Erik, Kyle, and Sarah have each demonstrated excellence in their roles and genuinely represent MountainOne's core commitments. We are incredibly proud to celebrate their respective Officer promotions and look forward to all they will accomplish in the years to come."

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North Adams Airport Commissioners Review Badge Policy

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Airport Commission will rethink its badge policy after a discussion with airport users who shared their grievances regarding the current system.
 
The commissioners voted last week to approve a new fee structure for the airport — minus badge fees — as they hope to continue their discussion and craft a policy that creates fewer barriers for airport users.
 
Three years ago, former manager Bruce Goff was charged with cleaning up the badge system. At the time, it was unknown how many badges were in circulation; some airport users had multiple badges, while others had moved away or passed away.
 
Badges are required to access the airside of the airport. Under the current rules, all new badges were set to expire in three years, leaving airport users currently scrambling to obtain new ones. This process comes with a $50 fee.
 
Airport user and former commissioner Trevor Gilman said the sticking point for him was not the price, but the automatic shutdown of the badges upon expiration, as well as the process by which users must obtain brand-new physical cards.
 
"Why change out a badge for the same person? They are perfectly good badges. It is not the cost, it is the process. All of a sudden my badge expired and I can't get in. It takes forever to get one from the state," Gilman said. "If you lose a badge, certainly you should have to buy a new one because there is a cost. That is not the problem; it is the process."
 
He said other airports do not have expiration dates on their badges, adding that he has held one from another airport for 10 years. Gilman argued there should be no barriers to users obtaining a badge, suggesting that higher badge adoption allows the city to better track airport activity.
 
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