Greenfield City Hall.
STAFF FILE PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ
GREENFIELD — Some three months after former Finance Director Diana Parsons departed from her role, the city has hired Easthampton resident Stella Chan to oversee the Finance Department.
The city originally hired Chan in June as a temporary employee working through the labor and recruitment firm Robert Half. According to Mayor Ginny Desorgher, Chan’s expertise and work ethic made her an easy choice for the permanent role after “countless interviews” to find the right candidate.
“In very short order, it was quite easy to see the gifts that Stella brought to the table,” Desorgher said. “She has a work ethic and a spirit of optimism and collaboration and knowledge that was just stellar. Stella is stellar.”
Chan has spent about 20 years providing fiscal management advice and accounting for nonprofits such as United Way of Berkshire County and the Holyoke Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice Life Care. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Simmons University School of Management.
Although she has had ample experience working in the corporate and nonprofit sectors, Chan said she was drawn to the opportunity to work in Greenfield because she had never worked for a municipality, but had the skill set to take on the role.
“There were some of the same challenges of fund accounting and some of the related type of fiscal things to the larger nonprofits that I work with, and I felt that I could bring that related experience to this assignment with the city,” Chan said. “Obviously, there’s things that I can just jump right in and take over and start, but I think right now, it’s so early that I want to really listen and learn and really understand how the city works, what the mayor’s goals and strategies are for the city, and then figure out how I can be part of that.”
For the two months during which the city operated without a permanent finance director, Desorgher said city employees joined together across all departments to take on those responsibilities. In addition to filling Parsons’ role as finance director, which was left vacant in April, Desorgher said Chan will join the city in its effort to hire a full-time chief procurement officer.
“We have had tremendous effort by many people within the Finance Department and others who have just jumped in and stepped up to the plate. I can’t tell you the extra work that people have been doing, the cross-covering, we’ve all learned extra things. Department heads jumped in to help when there was a piece of procurement, etc., that needed doing,” Desorgher said. “Our employees have gone above and beyond.”
In a written statement issued by Desorgher’s office on Monday afternoon, Chan referred to her new role as an “extraordinary opportunity,” and wrote that she is dedicated to ensuring the city’s fiscal strength.
“I am focused on effectively serving the needs of the city’s departments while ensuring we operate as a fiscally sound and financially sustainable municipality,” Chan said. “Achieving this will require cooperation and collaboration at all levels, and I am thrilled that I am joining a team of experienced and dedicated staff who are deeply committed to the well-being of our Greenfield community.”
Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.