Dawn Stanyon
President (1st Half Year) / Clerk (2nd Half Year)
Dawn Stanyon
Dawn Stanyon is a branding and digital marketing consultant. A Berkshires newbie, Dawn and her husband Dan lived in the Burlington, Vermont area for more than 30 years. Her passion is to help individuals and small businesses to succeed. Prior to founding Professionality Consulting, she worked with The Emily Post Institute for nine years to help grow their corporate business etiquette programs by 700% and communicate their message about consideration, respect and honesty. Prior to Emily Post, she worked in non-profit fundraising, event planning and communications for 13 years. Dawn loves using her experience as a certified professional image consultant & personal brand expert, and her deep interest in effective communication, to help businesses, nonprofits, and the Southern Berkshires Chamber of Commerce.
Bill Tighe
President (2nd Half Year) / Clerk (1st Half Year)
Bill Tighe
Bill Tighe worked for Becton Dickinson and Company in Canaan Connecticut for over thirty-seven years and when he retired in 2011 was the Sr. Human Resources Business Partner. He is currently the Personnel Director for the Town of Egremont and offers
consulting services for the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, Kimball Fuel and other small businesses. Bill has supported the Chamber for the past few years as a non-Board member of the Membership & PR Committee. Bill and his wife, Marie, live in Sheffield.
Sierra King Watson
Vice President
Sierra King Watson
Sierra King Watson is a mortgage originator for Bay Equity Home Loans and was born and raised in Berkshire County. Her career in the banking industry began over 13 years ago and has served many different positions. Sierra has participated in many community events, lending her skills and time while also building relationships throughout the business community. She served on the Berkshares board before deciding to take some time off to enjoy being a first-time mom. Sierra takes pride in providing the best service possible and is enthusiastic to help develop future changes to our community.
Janis Martinson
Treasurer
Janis Martinson
Janis Martinson is Executive Director at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, where she worked for many years as the Director of Advancement. She is a long-time resident of Egremont. She was a high school English teacher for many years before becoming a fundraiser for arts and education non-profits, with over 25 years in the field and $95 million to her credit. She has served as Chief Advancement Officer at Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, and most recently as Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Lesley University.
Her Board service includes stints on the National Coalition of Girls Schools and the Berkshire South Regional Community Center boards, and she served a term as an elected official on the Planning Board in Egremont. She is a graduate of Princeton University, with an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Her husband, Steve Sagarin, is Faculty Chair of the Berkshire Waldorf High School in Stockbridge, and they have two grown children.
Adrienne Arnold
Member at Large
Adrienne Arnold
Adrienne Arnold is an associate attorney at Lazan Glover & Puciloski, LLP. Adrienne moved to the Berkshires from Texas in 2017 and currently lives in Housatonic. In her free time, Adrienne enjoys hiking, yoga, and spending as much time outdoors as possible. She looks forward to joining the board to help develop commerce in her new adopted home. Adrienne is currently a member of the SBCC Membership & Public Relations Committee as a non-Board community representative.
Emily Zelenovic
SBCC Board
Emily Zelenovic
Emily Zelenovic is a real estate attorney, operating the Law Office of Emily Zelenovic in Great Barrington. Born and raised in Great Barrington, Emily moved back to her hometown in April 2017 after living and working in Boston for nine years. With the unwavering support of her husband and family, Emily decided to open her own law practice, focusing exclusively on real estate law. Her mentality was, and continues to be, do one thing and do it really well – and that is the foundation from which her practice has developed.
Sooja (Sue) Whalen
SBCC Board
SooJa Whalen
Sue Whalen, area Manager of Lee Bank has over 20 years of banking experience in the Southern Berkshire area. Her banking career began with Legacy Banks and Berkshire Bank, which included roles as Teller Supervisor and Financial Services Representative. During this time she completed a variety of accredited banking courses and was part of the new hire training team. As well, she has supported community programs including Relay for Life, reading at the elementary school, and other community initiatives. Sue joined Lee Bank in December of 2016 where she held the positions of Universal Banker, Community Banker and Area Manager. While at Lee Bank she has continued with her community efforts, such as the Out of Darkness Suicide Walk and continued learning.
Sue was raised in the Berkshires and has resided in Great Barrington for the past 25 years. She has two teenaged children where she has become involved in their local sporting activities. Sue has a passion for sports, as she has coached LHS tennis and Southern Berkshire youth girls softball, led the MMRHS volleyball booster club and was a member of the high school football booster club.
Scott Sanes
SBCC Board
Scott Sanes
Graduating from Chicago-Kent College of Law with Honors in 1982, Scott was recruited by the largest Personal Injury Plaintiff Trial Law Firm in Houston, Texas. In 1999 he moved his family to the Berkshires to be close to the Son Rise Program for children challenged with autism taught at the Option Institute in Sheffield so that his son could benefit from the home-based therapy. Scott has represented injury victims for 35 years in all settings from the claim stage to jury verdict. In 2015 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for the first time in its history, allowed attorneys to question prospective jurors. Scott had been conducting such questioning in his Texas trial law practice for over 35 years and has more experience in the new jury selection process than virtually any Massachusetts attorney.
Locally, Scott is passionate about our community has served on the board of trustees of the Option Institute and Fellowship, The Eagle Fund and The Stanton Home. In April of 2016 He and his wife, Cherri, opened a nonprofit Tea House, ExtraSpecialTeas, operated by special needs young adults.
David Bruno
SBCC Board
David Bruno
As a Wharton graduate in Marketing, David Bruno developed an interest in the fashion and retail industry. He entered the Federated (Macy’s) Merchandising Executive Development program to work alongside designers to create trend-driven private brand menswear collections, and then became a buyer for Bergdorf Goodman’s Men’s store. Partnering with designer Simon Spurr, David helped take the brand to an internationally acclaimed runway menswear collection, receiving a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Nomination.
In 2011, David was tapped by menswear designer Todd Snyder to build his eponymous collection, earning another nomination for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Seeing the rise in the high-margin, direct-to-consumer market, the team pivoted to Todd Snyder E-commerce sales in 2012. Partnering with Shopify and utilizing targeted customer acquisition, they grew the vertical direct business to over 80%, leading to an acquisition by American Eagle Outfitters in 2016. Post-acquisition, David and Todd designed and opened a flagship experiential retail store on Madison Square, NYC including a fully independent hair salon, cafe, and an on-site tailor. The mix of innovative marketing and business strategies led to Dustin Wilson, MS formerly of Eleven Madison Park., and his new wine retail business Verve Wine. David secured a management deal for Dustin Wilson and his chef-partner, Michelin-Starred Austin Johnson, to run the newly opened Goodman’s Bar in Bergdorf Goodman’s Men’s Store in December 2019. David also assisted the pair with branding, uniforms, and strategy for their fine dining restaurant “One White Street “in Tribeca New York. This shift towards hospitality and wine became both his passion and his career and provided David the opportunity to start his own wine retail company in the winter of 2020. Départ Wine launched with two physical locations : Great Barrington, MA and on track level at the new Moynihan Train Hall in Manhattan in 2022.
Emily Davis
SBCC Board
Emily Davis
Emily Davis, AVP / Branch Officer of The Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, Great Barrington Office. She has been in banking for over 25 years in the Southern Berkshire area.
Emily is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Sheffield where she is currently serving as the club president.
Margie Gwozdz
SBCC Board
Margie Gwozdz
Margie’s insurance career spans over 3 decades and still counting. She joined the Great Barrington office of Wheeler & Taylor Insurance in 2014 as a Commercial Lines Account Manager. In her role as an Account Manager, Margie consistently delivers exceptional service and expert advice to numerous Berkshire businesses. Throughout her years in the industry, Margie maintained an active membership in The Massachusetts Association of Insurance Women-Berkshire Chapter and serves on their Board.
Always looking for ways to give back, Margie remains an active member of her community. She volunteers her time to make the Berkshires a better place for everyone. A current member of the Sheffield Kiwanis, she serves on the board and previously as President. Passionate about animal welfare, Margie channels this energy by volunteering weekly at the Berkshire Humane Society.
Mark Rulison
SBCC Board
Mark Rulison
In addition to owning and operating bakin’ bakery with Lusha Caliendo Martin, Mark Rulison is a seasoned arts administrator with almost three decades of experience in concert production; artistic planning; collective bargaining; and chorus, orchestra, and non-profit management. He has held positions with the Boston, Chicago, and Detroit Symphony Orchestras, among others, and currently works for The Defiant Requiem Foundation. A Massachusetts native, Mark has lived in Sheffield since 2014 and works at Catamount Mountain Resort in the winter.
Donna Norman
SBCC Board
Donna Norman
Calyx is the only 100% woman owned dispensary in Berkshire County. Donna has over 30 years in business in several fast-moving industries — Publishing, Video Game Development, and Investment Banking. Donna is a testament to tenacity, vision, and compassion. She is a cannabis advocate who participates at various conferences. Donna plans on utilizing her skills from other industries and growing her company while making a name in the Cannabis industry.
Donna plans on transforming how the community feels about cannabis and the dispensary experience. With her vast experience in Operations and Event planning, she is truly excited about becoming a vibrant corporate neighbor in Great Barrington. Donna has lived in the Berkshires for close to 20 years. She has been married for 34 years and has one daughter who is a nurse and resides in New York City.
Jessie Bennett
SBCC Board
Jessie Bennett
Jessie Bennett is pleased to handle all facets of Real Estate for her clients throughout Berkshire County MA and Columbia County NY. Born and raised in South Florida, she grew up doing studio dance, and danced throughout college. Jessie moved to New York in 2009 and started a career in Real Estate. After a decade living in NYC, Jessie made the transition to The Berkshires. She draws on her extensive market knowledge, and close relationships with owners. Having worked as a rental and sales manager for eight fulfilling years on the management side of real estate training and onboarding new agents, she brought her expertise to residential sales in The Berkshires, working one on one with clients in the field – which is truly her forte. “I believe that educating your customers and making them part of the process is the best way to make their real estate experience painless and pleasurable”.