CHP Berkshires names Carolina Apicella as chief financial officer
Great Barrington— CHP Berkshires has named Carolina Apicella to the position of chief financial officer, overseeing financial operations and CHP’s annual $35 million budget.
A certified public accountant, Apicella brings years of financial leadership experience with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in California and Nebraska. She most recently was CFO at Metro Inclusive Health, an FQHC in Florida. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the College of Saint Mary in Omaha. Her most recent noteworthy project consisted of her participation and collaboration with California Primary Care Association and CFOs across the state to develop a value-care based reimbursement model.
“We’re delighted to welcome Carolina to our leadership team, said Bethany Kieley, CEO of CHP Berkshires “In addition to her deep financial management experience, her passion for community health aligns perfectly with CHP’s mission.”
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Berkshire Money Management welcomes Michael O’Brien as financial paraplanner
Dalton— Berkshire Money Management (BMM), a financial and retirement planning firm with offices in Dalton and Great Barrington, is pleased to announce that Michael O’Brien has joined the team as a Financial Paraplanner.
Most recently, O’Brien worked in the insurance industry. He has a strong background in client service and financial planning, with experience helping high-net-worth individuals protect their assets and their futures. He is a licensed Property and Casualty Insurance agent and is currently studying for the Series 65 exam so he can advance into a junior advising role. At BMM, he is focused on supporting the Director of Financial Planning and learning how to deliver personalized service to the firm’s clients.
Natalie Wheeler, Chief Operating Officer at Berkshire Money Management said, “We’re excited to see Mike bring his talents to the table and grow with us. Stay tuned for updates as he continues to hit the ground running.”
A lifelong resident of Pittsfield, O’Brien is a former Mr. Taconic and 2024 graduate of the Berkshire Leadership Program. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a minor in Spanish from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
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Railroad Street Youth Project baked and donated 91 pies to Berkshire Bounty
Great Barrington— Railroad Street Youth Project embraced the spirit of holiday giving by baking 91 pies to donate to Berkshire Bounty, an organization dedicated to collecting, purchasing and delivering nutritious food to emergency food distribution programs countywide.
This effort was spearheaded by eight dedicated young people with support and guidance from Number 10 chef-mentor Zee Vassos, After Hours founder Kevin Kelly, and Apprenticeship Coordinator Kate Liggett. Their hard work and generosity will help ensure that more families can enjoy a delicious treat during the holiday season.
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Eagle Fund and Janet’s Fund award more than $60,000 in grants for educational enrichment programs in the Southern Berkshire Regional School District
Sheffield— The Eagle Fund and Janet’s Fund received 26 applications this past October and recently awarded more than $60,000 in grants to programs benefiting students in the Southern Berkshire Regional School District. Both funds operate under the aegis of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
Individual grants were awarded to students, teachers and community members for multiple programs in the arts, science, philanthropy, yoga, farm and garden, ancient foods, the Senior Citizen Holiday Luncheon, National Honor Society, Greenagers Explore and Community Work Initiatives, Earth and Life Science with Mass Audubon, Flying Deer at the South Egremont School, and trips that benefit the National Art Honor Society, Mt. Everett Music Department, FFA, 8th Grade Civics, and 7th Grade Marine Science Exploration.
Eagle Fund awards are intended to foster pride in the district and to generate the excitement and enthusiasm that comes from knowing that through innovative thinking, good ideas, and thoughtful experimentation, dreams can be realized.
Established to honor and perpetuate the spirit of Janet Thieriot, a student in the Southern Berkshire Regional School District who pushed beyond the boundaries of the standard curriculum, Janet’s Fund supports initiatives that encourage the school community to stretch, to reach beyond existing programs, and, over time, to enrich the experience of all students.
Full details about the funds are available at https://www.eagle-fund.net/ and https://berkshiretaconic.org/grants/janets-fund.
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1Berkshire announces USDA-funded technical assistance offerings
Berkshire— 1Berkshire, thanks in part to funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is excited to announce its upcoming slate of technical assistance offerings through the Berkshire Economic Recovery Program (BERP.)
Through its highly successful series of cohorts spanning nearly four years, the Berkshire Economic Recovery Program Technical Assistance series has been able to support more than 200 businesses through targeted training and focused convenings, resulting in notable business improvements, and quantified by over $2,500,000 in funding collectively accessed by businesses through their participation.
Going into 2025, the program is excited to continue on with three upcoming cohorts. These cohorts will each provide up to seven participating organizations/businesses support through a two-hour kick-off workshop and resources, followed by up to two additional hours of one-on-one direct targeted technical assistance by a paid provider.
1Berkshire, through competitive grant funding secured from the USDA, is able to provide this high-impact service at no cost to businesses, entrepreneurs, and organizations located in any of the 32 cities and towns of Berkshire County, representing a more than $1,000 direct value per business in each cohort.
Because the BERP Technical Assistance is free, each cohort has a capacity of seven participants, and space is very limited, registration is required. For dates and details on these technical assistance offerings and to register, please visit: https://bit.ly/BERPTA.
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Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. and Brookline Bancorp, Inc. to merge
Berkshire— Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. and Brookline Bancorp, Inc. have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for a merger of equals in the second half of 2025.
The combination of Berkshire and Brookline brings together two leading companies to create a premier Northeast financial institution with a longstanding history of banking service.
Berkshire and Brookline will communicate with patrons throughout the process with additional information. Learn more about this transformational partnership at berkshirebank.com/premiernortheastbank.
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Lee’s The Locker Room adds Sunday breakfast to expand local options
This brief was written by Berkshire Edge reporter Leslee Bassman.
Lee— Citing a lack of local weekend breakfast options, The Locker Room Sports Pub at 232 Main Street in Lee will serve the morning meal on Sundays, beginning December 22.
“We heard a lot of people talk about [that] there’s no place to go for a reasonable breakfast on the weekends,” said co-owner Rick Methe, who purchased the property in October 2021. “This will be a new [feature] for us and also something for the community.”
The idea piggy backed off the restaurant’s fall Sunday morning breakfasts centered on National Football League (NFL) games played in Europe, with the live feed posting during the East Coast’s early morning, given the time difference, Methe said. The measure received a good response from the community, he said.
Although those NFL menus featured only a few select breakfast sandwiches, the new Sunday morning menu not only incorporates sandwiches but boasts waffles adorned with fresh fruit, whipped cream and local syrup as well as avocado toast and a loaded breakfast burrito. The Locker Room will roll out its homemade corned beef hash and vegetarian options will also be offered.
“This will be a little more expanded,” Methe said of the new endeavor. “We’re going to keep the menu small and see how it goes and adapt to what we’re hearing from our customers.”
In addition to operating seven days a week for lunch and dinner, the eatery will open on Sundays at 9 a.m. and alcoholic beverages—including a Bloody Mary flight–will be served from 10 a.m. on. The breakfast session will end at 11:30 a.m., with the lunch menu following at noon.
For Lee, with its primarily year-round residential sector as opposed to other nearby communities that house up to 50 percent second homeowners, Methe said the winter breakfast is a benefit.
“We really cater to the local clientele,” he said. “We try to keep our prices reasonable so that families can come to eat.”
Methe will be on site on Sundays, serving up the morning grub. “We’re happy to be able to serve our customers and give them another option,” he said.
