In attendance at the Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire's 2018 annual meeting were, from left to right: CDCSB board members Peter Puciloski, Richard Stanley andCara Becker; Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations President Joe Kreisberg; CDCSB board member Richard Melluzzo; and CDCSB executive director Tim Geller. Photo courtesy CDCSB

Business Briefs: CDCSB annual meeting; new Austen Riggs CEO; DeVries Fine Art holiday reception; Goewey joins CHP board; ‘We Believe’ at Salisbury Bank

In addition to his long professional career at Austen Riggs, Dr. Eric Plakun is also a leader in organized psychiatry and psychoanalysis, the author of more than 50 publications, a member of several journal editorial boards, and a past member of the Harvard clinical faculty.

Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire holds annual meeting

Great Barrington — The Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire held its 2018 annual meeting Oct. 24. CDCSB President Jim Harwood welcomed the 30 members in attendance and opened the meeting with a brief recap of the year’s successes. Highlighted were two major projects in Great Barrington: Bentley Apartments, 45 new affordable units to be built in 2019 at 100 Bridge Street; and the recently permitted 910 Main Street, which includes 40 affordable and nine market-rate apartments.

The main event on the agenda was a presentation and conversation with Joe Kriesberg, president of the Boston-based Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations, who applauded the work of CDCSB and stressed the importance of its mission of rural economic and affordable housing development.

A short business meeting followed with the election of the board of directors. In addition to three returning board members Rona Easton, Cara Becker and Tom Doyle, six new board members were elected: Dave Christopolis, executive director of Hilltown Community Development Corporation; Cara Davis, former executive director of Construct Inc.; Shep Evans, founder of FRIDAY & Co. Real Estate; attorney and commercial real estate manager Daniel Mintz; Rachel Moriarty, director of operations at the Schumacher Center for a New Economics; and David Rich, executive director of Supportive Housing Works.

–E.E.

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Plakun appointed medical director/CEO of Austen Riggs Center

Eric M. Plakun, M.D. Photo courtesy Austen Riggs Center

Stockbridge — The Austen Riggs Center’s board of trustees has announced the appointment of Eric M. Plakun, M.D., as medical director/CEO.

In addition to his long professional career at Austen Riggs where he oversaw development of the continuum of care and served most recently as associate medical director, Plakun is also a leader in organized psychiatry and psychoanalysis, the author of more than 50 publications, a member of several journal editorial boards, and a past member of the Harvard clinical faculty. He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association board of trustees representing New England and Eastern Canada. Plakun has been honored as the Outstanding Psychiatrist in Clinical Psychiatry by the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society, and by the American Psychoanalytic Association “for championing psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapy within American psychiatry and paving the way towards a return to an individualized treatment model.”

Former medical director/CEO Andrew J. Gerber, M.D., Ph.D., will be pursing another professional opportunity. Gerber, who joined the Austen Riggs staff in 2015, was instrumental in establishing several strategic initiatives in areas including human development and suicide research and education.

–E.E.

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DeVries Fine Art to hold holiday reception

‘Delightful’ by Andrew DeVries. Photo courtesy DeVries Fine Art International

Lenox —​ DeVries Fine Art International has announced that it will host its annual holiday reception on Saturday, Dec. 1,​​ from 2 to 4 p.m., 2018 ​​to ring in the festive season.

The gallery will be decked out in holiday decor with Chocolate Springs hot chocolate being poured. DeVries will serve his own signature veggie chili along with other treats. This year, DeVries will unveil his new small bronze dance sculpture titled ​“Delightful,” ​which was one of the first pieces poured at his new casting studio.

The reception is free and open to the public. For more information, contact DeVries Fine Art International at (413) 238-7755 or info@andrewdevries.com.

–E.E.

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Goewey joins CHP board of directors

Jennifer Goewey. Photo courtesy Community Health Programs

Great Barrington — Jennifer Goewey of Sheffield has been named to the Community Health Programs board of directors.

Goewey is the shelter director at the Elizabeth Freeman Center, where she has also worked as a domestic violence and sexual assault counselor and advocate. She is the former executive director of the Sheffield Council on Aging and worked in municipal finance and administrative roles for various towns in Berkshire County.

Goewey is a member of the Berkshire Community College South County Advisory Council and serves on the board of Berkshire Community Action Council. She is also an outreach coordinator for the Salvation Army and serves on the state Department of Children and Families Trauma Informed Leadership Team. A graduate of Bay Path College, Goewey earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a concentration in human services and rehabilitation. She studied human services and early childhood education at BCC.

–E.E.

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Salisbury Bank’s ‘We Believe’ program to distribute toys to children

Lakeville, Conn. — Salisbury Bank is continuing its tradition of distributing toys to children in need via its “We Believe” program. Those who would like to participate in the program may drop off new, unwrapped gifts at any of Salisbury Bank’s 14 locations by Monday, Dec. 17. Gift ideas include but are not limited to sports equipment, books, board games, hand-held electronic games, backpacks, building sets, craft kits, purses, cosmetics and gift cards to local retailers.

–E.E.