The Research Bureau is governed by a 100+ member Board of Directors, whose members are civic leaders in business, academia, and government. The Board of Directors elects a thirteen-member Executive Committee which meets monthly and sets policy for the organization. The Executive Committee, in collaboration with the Executive Director, sets research priorities and organizational initiatives. Citizens and public officials are encouraged to call, write, or email The Research Bureau with suggestions for topics to be studied.
WRRB Officers, Executive Committee, Staff, and Board of Directors
OFFICERS/EXECUTIVE COMM.
Chair of the Board
Eric K. Torkornoo
SVP Business Banking Officer
Fidelity Bank
Vice Chair
John Erwin
Vice Chancellor for Government Relations
UMass Chan Medical School
Treasurer
George W. Tetler III, Esq.
Partner
Prince Lobel Tye
Clerk
Demitrios M. Moschos, Esq.
Partner
SederLaw
Executive Committee
Kola Akindele, JD
AVP of External Relations & Strategic Partnerships
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Roberta L. Brien
Executive Vice President
Worcester Business Development Corporation
Kathryn Crockett
Paul Kelly
Chief Revenue Officer
Salem Five Bank
Christopher Kostiw
SVP-Team Leader, Commercial Lending
Berkshire Bank
Barry Maloney
President
Worcester State University
Abby Marschke
Executive Director, Marketing & Retail
Saint-Gobain
Jochen Salfeld, Ph.D.
Vice President Immunology/Virology Discovery
AbbVie
Joshua Lee Smith, Esq.
Partner
Bowditch & Dewey
Chairperson’s Council
Karen Duffy (2013-2015)
Sandra Dunn (2009-2011)
Abraham W. Haddad (2017-2019)
Paul Kelly (2023-2025)
Francis W. Madigan, III (2021-2023)
Philip Morgan (1993-1994, 2004)
Michael Mulrain (2011-2013)
Deborah Penta (2019-2021)
Eric Schultz (2005-2007)
John J. Spillane, Esq. (2015-2017)
George W. Tetler, III (1986-1989)
Board of Directors
Michael P. Angelini, Esq.
Partner
Prince Lobel Tye
Stephen Aryitey
Lead Pastor & Founder
Faith Fellowship
Joyce Augustus
President
JCassand, Inc.
Janet Birbara
Owner
Beechwood Hotel
Celia J. Blue
President & CEO
Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition
Bill Brassard
Senior Vice President
Middlesex Savings Bank
Sean Brennan
Associate Principal ǀ Marketing and Business Development Director
Lamoureux Pagano AssociatesǀArchitects
Scott E. Casper, Ph.D.
President
American Antiquarian Society
Mel Chacharone
Principal
Chacharone Properties
Chris Coghlin
President & CEO
Columbia Tech
J. Christopher Collins, Esq.
Of Counsel
Mirick O’Connell
Brooke Cooper
General Manager
Worcester Red Sox
Joseph Corazzini
VP for Government & Community Affairs
Clark University
Ellen Cummings
Regional Director
Verizon Government Affairs
Andrew Davis
Airport Director
Massachusetts Port Authority
Jill deSousa
Vice President, Commercial Relationship Officer
Avidia Bank
Boubacar Diemé
Manager, Community & Customer Management
National Grid
Justin Dufresne, PE
Principal, Managing Director
VHB
Pete Dunn
President & CEO
Greater Worcester Community Foundation
Sandra L. Dunn
General Manager
DCU Center
Patty Eppinger
Allen W. Fletcher
Tim Garvin
President & CEO
United Way of Central Massachusetts
Steve Gentilucci
General Manager
Consigli Construction
J. Michael Grenon
Vice President & Principal
Grimes & Company
Abraham W. Haddad, D.M.D.
Vice Chairman
Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives
Rob Hazard
Group Manager – Commercial Banking SVP
M&T Bank
Kurt Isaacson
President & CEO
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc.
Will Kelleher
Principal
Kelleher & Sadowsky
Joel Kent
Chief Operating Officer
Fontaine Brothers
Stephen Knox
Chief Operating Officer
Reliant Medical Group
Karen M. LaFond, Esq.
Officer
Fletcher Tilton PC Attorneys at law
Mark Langevin
CEO
Phoenix Communications
David LaPointe
Principal
Beals & Thomas, Inc.
Paul Lavallee
Vice President, Commercial Lending Senior Relationship Manager
TD Bank
Michael Lavoie
Executive Vice President, Senior Commercial Officer
Cornerstone Bank
James Leary
Jon Lenicheck
MCA Transportation Market Leader
Kleinfelder
Meghan Liddy
SVP, Capital Markets
Kelleher & Sadowsky
Karen E. Ludington, Esq.
Executive Director
Worcester Area Mission Society
Francis W. Madigan, III
CFO/Director of Risk Management
F.W. Madigan Company, Inc.
Patrick Maloney
Executive Director
Preservation Worcester
Edward F. Manzi, Jr.
Mary Jo Marión
Assistant VP for Urban Affairs
Worcester State University
Michael McDermott
Executive Editor
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Samantha McDonald, Esq.
Partner
Bowditch & Dewey, LLP
Neil D. McDonough
CEO & Chairman
FLEXcon Co. Inc.
Kate McEvoy
Vice President of External Affairs
Old Sturbridge Village
Robert J. Morton
President & CEO
bankHometown
Michael Mulrain
COO
Polar Beverages
Jen Murphy
Regional Property Manager – Commercial
Appleton Corporation
Michael V. O’Brien
Executive Vice President
WinnCompanies
Robert Paulsen
SVP, Regional Commercial Banking Center
Rockland Trust
Luis Pedraja, Ph.D.
President
Quinsigamond Community College
Deborah Penta
President & CEO
PENTA Communications, Inc.
Sherri Pitcher
Chief Advancement Officer
Notre Dame Academy
Seth Pitts
President & CEO
Bay State Savings Bank
Karyn Polito, JD
Richard F. Powell, CPA
Senior Vice President
Greenberg, Rosenblatt, Kull & Bitsoli P.C.
Diane M. Power
Executive Director
Mirick O’Connell
John Pranckevicius
Director of Administration & Finance
Massachusetts Port Authority
Tony Rakic
Executive Vice President/Chief Lending Officer
Rollstone Bank
Stephanie Ramey
Vice President of Special Projects
Rucker Investments
Mary Lou Retelle
President
Anna Maria College
Todd Rodman, Esq.
Partner
SederLaw
Vincent D. Rougeau
President
College of the Holy Cross
Kimberly A. Rozak, Esq.
Partner
Mirick O’Connell
Joseph Salois
President
Atlas Distributing, Inc.
Matt Shwachman
Vice President
First American Realty, Inc.
Troy Siebels
President & CEO
The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts
Jaclyn Skagerlind
Vice President
Interstate Specialty Products
Michael Sleeper
CEO
Imperial Distributors, Inc.
John J. Spillane, Esq.
Partner
Spillane & Spillane, LLP
Peter Staiti
Senior Vice President, Commercial Regional Executive
Rockland Trust
Peter R. Stanton
Publisher
Worcester Business Journal
Carolyn Stempler
Owner
Carolyn & June Designs
John C. Stowe
President
Lutco, Inc.
Peter Sullivan
Principal
Sullivan Insurance Group, Inc.
Todd Tallman
Chief Executive Officer
Cornerstone Bank
Steve J. Tyler, P.E.
Associate Principal ǀ Senior Civil Engineer ǀ Worcester Office Manager
Howard Stein Hudson
Bogdan Vernescu, Ph.D.
Vice Provost of Research
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Julian Wade
President
Davis Publications
Seth P. Wall
Chief Administrative Officer
MCPHS University
Jon Weaver
Chief Executive Officer
Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives
Greg Weiner, Ph.D.
President
Assumption University
Michael Welch
CEO
UniBank
Brian Westerlind
President/CEO
Webster Five
Tom Wolcott
First Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Banking Officer
Country Bank
Bobby Yarnie
Manager, Commercial Gas Operations
National Grid