Greenfield Coop Bank appoints Thompson
Greenfield Cooperative Bank has appointed Jess Thompson as assistant vice president, community outreach business development officer.
In this dual-focused role, Thompson will drive community and economic development across the bank’s market area while expanding brand awareness and growth throughout Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties. She will work directly with local nonprofits and community organizations, overseeing contribution and sponsorship requests while forging partnerships aligned with the bank’s Community Reinvestment Act goals.
Thompson brings extensive local expertise and community engagement experience to the institution. She previously served as director of investor and community engagement for the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce and, most recently, as associate director of community engagement at Community Action Pioneer Valley.
PVPC names Maroney to direct Community Development Department
SPRINGFIELD — As part of a continued growth of its Community Development Department and investment in strong leadership, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) has named Sarah Maroney as the department’s director.
Maroney will lead the department’s expanded approach to community development, building on PVPC’s longstanding work while developing new services and resources to help communities plan, secure funding, build capacity and advance local priorities.
The department’s expanded offerings include ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plans; capital project prioritization and grant readiness; and more robust grant writing and administration services. The Department’s future offerings will include high-resolution digitization to preserve historic books and documents and cultural economic development planning.
Building on PVPC’s longstanding work with Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), the department can also help communities pursue and administer funding through programs including the Massachusetts One Stop for Growth, Cultural Facilities Fund, Municipal and Tribal Technical Assistance Grant Program, and Massachusetts Office on Disability Municipal ADA Improvement Grant Program, among others.
In her new role, Maroney oversees programs and initiatives that support community revitalization, economic development, grant funding, municipal capacity-building, accessibility, historic preservation, and cultural development across the Pioneer Valley.
Maroney previously served as senior planner at PVPC and brings more than 15 years of experience in community development, hospitality and facilities services to this role. Prior to joining PVPC, Maroney served in leadership roles across the nonprofit, private, and hospitality sectors and was the owner of a small business in Belchertown.
Barnes base gets F-35A jets
WESTFIELD — Gov. Maura Healey joined Massachusetts Air National Guard leaders Sunday to welcome the first F-35A Lightning II aircraft to Barnes Air National Guard Base, marking a milestone in the 104th Fighter Wing’s transition to the fifth-generation fighter jet.
Healey was joined by Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Public Safety and Security Secretary Gina Kwon, Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Mass., Westfield Mayor Michael McCabe and members of the 104th Fighter Wing for the ceremony.
“The arrival of the F-35A strengthens that mission for decades to come while supporting good jobs and economic growth across Western Massachusetts,” Healey said.
Barnes Air National Guard Base and the 104th Fighter Wing have been part of Massachusetts’ aviation and military history for more than a century. Aviation began at the Westfield site in 1914, and the airport was formally established in the 1920s and named for local aviation pioneer Vincent E. Barnes. After World War II, the Massachusetts Air National Guard established its fighter presence at Barnes, with the unit that would become the 104th Fighter Wing holding its first meeting in 1946.
Since then, generations of Massachusetts Airmen have flown and maintained a succession of combat aircraft — from the P-47 Thunderbolt and F-84 Thunderjet to the F-86 Sabre, F-100 Super Sabre, A-10 Thunderbolt II (“Warthog”), and F-15 Eagle. The 104th has evolved alongside the nation’s defense needs, from Cold War air defense to its post-9/11 mission protecting the Northeast and supporting operations around the world.
The F-35A is a fifth-generation fighter aircraft with advanced stealth, sensor and avionics capabilities designed to operate in increasingly complex missions. The transition will provide the 104th with new capabilities while continuing its longstanding role in national and homeland defense.
Barnes was selected for the F-35A mission following a multiyear U.S. Air Force basing process. The base has hosted Air National Guard fighter units since shortly after World War II. The Healey administration in 2024 completed a $32 million taxiway project at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport to prepare for the transition.
Vaillancourt Roofing enters WMass market
Adam Vaillancourt Roofing & Gutters, a family-owned New England roofing company, has opened a 2,000-square-foot facility at 427 N. Elm St. in Westfield, marking its first location in western Massachusetts and second in the state.
The company is marking the expansion by giving a free roof to a local homeowner in need, continuing a tradition it began in New Hampshire in 2017. Community members can nominate homeowners through Sept. 30 at www.adamvroofing.com/annual-roof-giveaway-springfield. For every qualified nomination, the company will donate $25 to Project New Hope, a nonprofit that supports veterans and their families.
“When I started this business in 2004, I wanted to prove homeowners deserve honesty, quality craftsmanship and a contractor they can trust,” said Adam Vaillancourt, founder and owner of the company.
Wes Melaas, a Navy veteran, will lead the company’s expansion into western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut as market development manager. Headquartered in Milford, New Hampshire, the company operates in 87 communities across New England.