Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | May 25, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 11 B A N K I N G & F I N A N C E P O W E R 5 0 Monica M. Thomas-Bonnick VICE PRESIDENT & BUSINESS LENDING OFFICER FOR WEBSTER FIVE, WORCESTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & TREASURER FOR THE WEBSTER FIVE FOUNDATION, WORCESTER Diane M. Giampa SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES, MARKETING & RETAIL BANKING BAY STATE SAVINGS BANK, WORCESTER Barbara G. Fields & Carolyn J. Stempler PRESIDENT & CEO; BOARD CHAIR GREATER WORCESTER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Residence: Northborough Colleges: University of Oklahoma & Simmons University Anyone who has ever spent even a small amount of time with Thomas-Bonnick knows she is a force to be reckoned with, both in her day job developing commercial banking relationships with businesses in Massachusetts for the $880-million Webster Five and on the five nonprofit boards she serves on: Edward Street Child Services, YWCA Cen- tral Massachusetts, WAMSworks, Quinsigamond Com- munity College Foundation and the EcoTarium. Perhaps where her impact is felt most is where her passion meets her profession, as she focuses her professional time pro- viding access to capital to support underserved markets: nonprofits, business owners of color, women entrepreneurs and LGBT+ business owners. As the leader of the Webster Five Foundation, Thomas-Bonnick directs the bank's funding to a variety of nonprofits, aimed at helping youth and seniors. What makes Central Mass. unique? The economy is unique since it consists mostly of privately owned small to mid-sized businesses and nonprofits. Get paid doing what you love: I like to white water canoe and was an instructor in my youth, and I was a CFO for a Girl Scout council and got paid to have fun. Residence: Millbury Colleges: College of the Holy Cross & Anna Maria College Bay State Savings Bank, with more than $400 million in assets, is the largest bank headquartered in Worcester, and Giampa is its pulse, particularly in how she leverages the bank's assets and her role for the community. She serves on the boards for Girls Inc., the McCauley Nazareth Home for Boys in Leicester, the Worcester Historical Museum, the Quinsigamond Community College Foundation Board, and the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. She coordinates volunteer activities for the bank; teaches financial literacy classes at Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester, the former nonprofit Youth Opportunities Upheld, Inc. and QCC; and has served as a guest speaker for the Worcester Women's Leadership Conference on Philanthropy and Nichols College in Dudley. What makes Central Mass. unique? It's easy to have tangible impact. When the Worcester Mounted Police Unit needed money, a bunch of us formed a new nonprofit: Friends of the Mounted Police Unit – Worcester. I serve as the secretary and harnessed the community spirit of Bay State Savings Bank to purchase an additional horse. It is amazing to see our horse patrolling Worcester Common. Energetic: I can't sit still. I am physically unable to stop moving unless I am asleep. Drives people crazy. Residences: Fields: Providence; Stempler: Shrewsbury Colleges: Fields: Tufts University & MIT; Stempler: Arizona State University & Wharton School Fresh faces are taking over at the Greater Worcester Community Foun- dation, where Stempler is in the mid- dle of a four-year term as board chair and helped lead the charge to bring Fields from Rhode Island to head the organization with more than $150 million in assets, funding nonprofits around Central Mass. GWCF took a leading role in the coronavirus crisis, partnering with the United Way of Central Mass. and the City of Worcester in the biggest fundraising effort in Central Mass. to help important causes. After starting the Worcester Together fund with $535,000 from GWCF, it has raised more than $6.5 million. While much of GWCF's efforts are driven by donors' desires, Fields and Stempler are clearly forging their own path. What makes Central Mass. unique? We have a diverse and talented community of people, with colleges, medical organizations, and business providing opportunities. Immigrant parents: Fields: I'm a first-generation American. Moving at high rates of speed: Stempler: I am an expert snowboarder, skier and have my motorcycle license. Edward F. Manzi, Jr. CHAIRMAN & CEO FIDELITY BANK, LEOMINSTER & WORCESTER John C. "Jack" Roche PRESIDENT & CEO THE HANOVER INSURANCE GROUP, INC., WORCESTER WORCESTER Bonnie Sullivan VICE PRESIDENT MIDDLESEX SAVINGS BANK, NATICK Residence: Groton Colleges: UMass Lowell & Bentley College It's an understatement to say Fidelity Bank has changed during Manzi's 23-year tenure. When he started, Fidelity had $139 million in assets and five branches. Today it's $1.2 billion in assets and 14 branches. Chief executives typically last a fraction as long in one position as Manzi, and he's done it while largely growing Fidelity organically. Only in the last few years has Fidelity made acquisitions in an industry rife with them, with Barre Savings Bank in 2016, Colonial Co-operative Bank in 2018 and Family Federal Savings Bank in 2019. It's often about the numbers with banks, but under Manzi, Fidelity has made another big mark: in 2004, its employees created the nonprofit Shine Initiative, whose mission is to combat discrimination and destigmatize mental health conditions. Manzi is Shine's founder and chairman, and he serves on boards for the Federal Home Loan Bank Boston, the Depositors Insurance Fund, and the Central Care Nurses Association. What makes Central Mass. unique? The quality and integrity of the people. The great communication between government, private, education, and nonprofit organizations really shines across our region, particularly during a crisis like COVID-19. Strong local leadership from city officials and the chambers of commerce in Worcester, Fitchburg, Leominster, and Gardner helps companies invest in the marketplace with confidence. Hanging onto a boat at a high rate of speed: I enjoy water skiing. I can't wait to pick it up once COVID-19 and weather circumstances are right. Residence: Hopkinton College: University of Connecticut Roche has led Worcester's only publicly traded company since November 2017, already nearly doubling the tenure of his predecessor Joseph Zubretsky, and reasserting Hanover's role in the Central Massachusetts community like it was during the 13-year tenure of CEO Fred Eppinger. As the head of a 4,500-employee company with a $3.4-billion market cap and locations in 28 states, Roche's influence is global, but he remains an on-the- ground player in the local community, such as by serving as board member emeritus of the United Way of Central Massachusetts and pushing his company's impact on organizations like the Hanover Theatre and the CitySquare project, which was the catalyst for redevelopment efforts in downtown Worcester. Roche takes a hands-on approach with the $3-million Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, which prioritizes giving to education and youth services. What makes Central Mass. unique? The way city, community and business leaders in our region come together for the benefit of our broader community is truly unique and has proven very successful. The collective efforts of these and other groups have strengthened and enhanced our community, including the revitalization of our downtown region and the effort to lure the Worcester Red Sox to our city. But he still sings along at concerts: I am an avid country music fan but can't sing to save my life. Residence: Westborough Colleges: University of Connecticut & Boston College Aside from Bank of America, no financial institution has more local deposits in Central Mass. than Middlesex Savings Bank, with $3.1 billion and 30 branches. Sullivan works with private Massachusetts businesses and non- profits, finding creative financing solutions for their capital needs. She goes beyond the typical financial services be- cause of her unique knowledge of development resources and incentives, along with an extensive list of professional contacts, which she has honed through roles on very powerful development organizations in Massachusetts, such as MassEcon, MassDevelopment, the Massachu- setts Office of Business Development, the Worcester Business Development Corp., the Westborough Econom- ic Development Committee, the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce and the 495/MetroWest Partnership. What makes Central Mass. unique? The region is cen- trally located with easy access to Boston, Worcester and Providence. The communities benefit from diverse indus- try sectors, higher education and healthcare institutions. Within the region, there are mountains, lakes and natural destinations to explore and enjoy. As a result of these attributes and the active community engagement they foster, Central Mass. is a wonderful place to call home. Sugar plum fairies: My sisters and I danced in "The Nutcracker" every Christmas when I was growing up. I know the music by heart and still get nervous when I hear it, anticipating my cues to be on stage.

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