Big Y Appoints New CFO

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The board of directors of Big Y Foods has appointed Theresa A. Jasmin as CFO following the recent retirement of William T. Mahoney. 

Jasmin is responsible for the company's strategic planning, finance, accounting, treasury and tax functions. As a senior member of the executive team, she reports to Charles L. D'Amour, president and CEO, along with Big Y's board of directors. And, she represents the first woman to be appointed to the c-suite for the company.

Jasmin has more than 25 years of experience in the food industry. She began her career at Friendly Ice Cream Corporation, where she held senior management positions in both Treasury and Accounting. She joined Big Y in 2005 and held several positions of increasing responsibility in accounting and finance. She became controller in 2010. In 2014, she was appointed senior director of finance, followed by vice president of finance in 2016 until her new appointment.

Jasmin holds a BBA from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and an MBA from Western New England University.

In 2014, she was named a Top Woman in Grocery by Progressive Grocer Magazine and was a founding member of Big Y’s Women LEAD (Leaders Engaged in Action and Development), Big Y's first ever employee resource group charged with inspiring and empowering women. She currently serves on the Executive Committee and as Treasurer for the YMCA of Greater Springfield. She also serves on the finance committees for both the Massachusetts and Connecticut Food Associations.

She and her husband, David Niemczura, have two children and reside in Palmer.

Community Hero: Noelle Howland

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:39PM / Saturday, November 23, 2024

Noelle Howland is committed to keeping alive the late Pittsfield ACO Eleanor Sonsini's mission of helping animals ... albeit farther north in North Adams.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — No Paws Left Behind Executive Director Noelle Howland has been selected as the November Community Hero of the Month. 

 

The Community Hero of the Month series honors individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact in their community. The series sponsor, Haddad Auto, has extended this initiative for one more month.

 

Howland breathed new life into the mission of the former Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter, which closed in August 2023. 

 

The shelter in Pittsfield operated under the mission established by Eleanor Sonsini, a local animal rights activist and longtime animal control officer in Pittsfield, to be a no-kill shelter committed to finding surrendered and abandoned pets new forever homes. 

 

Howland's love for animals, dedication to their well-being, and expertise in animal behavior and training and shelter management brought this mission to new heights at No Paws Left Behind, a new shelter for dogs located at 69 Hodges Cross Road. 

 

"I want people to understand that I know it's hard to surrender. So, my biggest thing is [making sure] people know that, of course, we're not judging you. We're here to help you," Howland said. 

 

When Sonsini announced its closing, Howland, who was the shelter's manager, worked to save it, launching fundraising initiatives. However, the previous board decided to close the shelter down and agreed to let Howland open her own shelter using their mission.