EASTHAMPTON – The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts will host Women Lead Change: A Celebration of the Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact Class of 2016 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on from 6 to 8 p.m. May 23.
The event will include remarks by Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and a keynote address by Julie Chavez Rodriguez, special assistant to the president and senior deputy director of public engagement at the White House.
Over 300 participants are expected to attend the annual celebration of graduates of the Women’s Fund program designed to respond to the shortage of women stepping into leadership at all levels, and gives women the tools and confidence they need to become more involved as civic leaders in their communities and to impact policy.
The event is open to the public with online registration at www.womensfund.net.
HADLEY – Lynn Gray is the new general manager at Hampshire Mall, beginning in March.
From 1995 to 2005 she held positions of marketing assistant, assistant marketing director, and marketing director within Pyramid Management Group.
Over the past 10 years, Gray held various roles within General Growth Management, most recently as the director of field marketing for the East region. During her time there, she received the MAXI Award for innovative contributions made to the Natick Mall.
She received her associate degree in business administration from Holyoke Community College. Gray is a lifelong resident of western Massachusetts.
NORTHAMPTON – Philip B. Chandler, vice president of investment services for Gage-Wiley & Co. Inc., has attended the College for Financial Planning and now holds the accredited wealth management adviser title.
Gage-Wiley is an independent, boutique wealth management firm.
Chandler joined the Plymouth office of Gage-Wiley in 2012. He leads Gage-Wiley’s insurance affiliate, GWG Insurance, and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bryant University.
NORTHAMPTON – Florence Bank has promoted Kurt V. Shouse of West Springfield to the position of information security officer/cyber security administrator.
Shouse joined Florence Bank in 2014 as a cyber security administrator. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, as well as a master’s degree in cybersecurity, with a concentration in computer forensics and cyberoperations, and global essentials security certification.
AMHERST – Starting June 1, James Fitzgerald, owner of MVP Fitness and Sport Performance, at 160 Old Farm Road, will offer members monthly and annual memberships that include all group exercise classes and open studio hours.
To mark its first anniversary, there will be a limited number of charter memberships, including a gold membership that offers 18 months of unlimited studio use at the 12-month rate.
MVP Fitness will add kettle weight training, corebar interval training, and CoreFX Sport Conditioning, which is new in the United States.