Nine Massachusetts business leaders representing industries from construction to technology have been elected to serve as members of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts Board of Directors.

The Board voted by acclimation on January 29 to elect Derrick Chery, General Manager, Northeast, H.J. Russell & Company, Boston; Julie Chen, Chancellor, University of Massachusetts, Lowell; Shaun Cusson, President & CEO, Hillcrest Educational Centers, Pittsfield; Kristen Lepore, Vice President Corporate Affairs New England, National Grid; Mim Minichiello, Chief Performance and Talent Officer, HUB International; Eric Montlack, President, Delta Dental of Massachusetts; Jonathan Sanchez, Head of Middle Market Banking, Massachusetts & Rhode Island, M&T Bank; Aimee Sprung, Director, State Government Affairs, Microsoft; and Sarah Stanton, Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

Board members also elected two of their peers to serve on the AIM Executive Committee – Lisa Murray, President of Citizens Bank; Michael Tamasi, President & CEO of AccuRounds.

The AIM Board of Directors oversees the strategic direction and operation of the statewide business association, representing the interests of more than 3,400 AIM member companies.

“We are extraordinarily fortunate to welcome these respected business leaders to the AIM Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Our directors provide the wisdom and guidance that makes AIM so effective in representing the interests of Massachusetts employers,” said Brooke Thomson, President & CEO of AIM.

The new directors are:

Derrick Chery, General Manager, Northeast, H.J. Russell & Company, Boston. Mr. Chery is responsible for the overall growth and performance of the H.J. Russell construction group in New England, overseeing preconstruction, estimating, scheduling, field operations, and project management. His expertise spans multiple sectors, including multifamily and mixed-use, office, retail, higher education, infrastructure, and healthcare.
Julie Chen, Chancellor, University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Ms. Chen was named chancellor of UMass Lowell after leading the university’s growing research franchise into a nearly $95 million annual operation. Unanimously appointed by the UMass trustees in May 2022, Ms. Chen assumed her role as UMass Lowell’s fourth chancellor – and just the second woman to lead the university of more than 18,000 students – on July 1, 2022.
Shaun Cusson, President & CEO, Hillcrest Educational Centers, Pittsfield. Mr. Cusson serves as President/CEO of Hillcrest Educational Foundation, Inc. (HEF), which offers a wide range of therapeutic services for children, families and the Berkshire County community. Under the HEF umbrella includes Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. (HEC), Hillcrest Dental Care, Inc. (HDC), and Berkshire County Kids’ Place & Violence Prevention Center, Inc.
Kristen Lepore, Vice President Corporate Affairs New England, National Grid. Ms. Lepore is the Vice President of Corporate Affairs New England for National Grid, a UK based energy company serving more than 20 million customers in the United States. In this role, she is responsible for developing and implementing strategic initiatives to strengthen National Grid’s brand reputation, ensuring consistent and effective communication across all channels, and engaging with external stakeholders.
Mim Minichiello, Chief Performance and Talent Officer,HUB International. Ms. Minichiello serves as Chief Performance and Talent Officer for the East Region. In this capacity, her primary focus is on enhancing the performance of the HUB team through the implementation of best practices in talent management and the preservation of the organization’s deeply ingrained entrepreneurial culture. Additionally, Mim takes pride in her role as a staunch advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives as well as community engagement efforts within the East Region.
Eric Montlack, President, Delta Dental of Massachusetts. Mr. Montlack is President of Delta Dental of Massachusetts, a leading nonprofit dental benefits organization and one of the nation’s most successful and innovative dental plans. He oversees a business serving 2.7 million members and 5,000 employers, generating nearly $400 million in annual revenue, and managing $1.2 billion in premium equivalent.
Jonathan Sanchez, Head of Middle Market Banking, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, M&T Bank. Mr. Sanchez leads a team of 12 commercial bankers focused on expanding the bank’s presence in the region by providing middle-market clients with loans, deposits, and a full suite of financial solutions. Jonathan joined M&T in 2019 and has been instrumental in growing the bank’s middle-market business in New England.
Aimee Sprung, Director, State Government Affairs, Microsoft. In her role on the State Government Affairs team at Microsoft, Ms. Sprung advocates responsible use of AI, privacy, and increasing access to skills to address workforce needs in the Northeast states. Prior to her role on the SGA team, she led digital transformation for the Airband team, Microsoft’s broadband initiative.
Sarah Stanton, Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Prior to joining BCBS, Ms. Stanton served as the Undersecretary of Economic Strategies at the Executive Office of Economic Development in the Healey/Driscoll administration. Ms. Stanton was responsible for the state’s tourism and international trade sectors through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment.

New members of the AIM Executive Committee are:

Lisa Murray, President of Citizens Bank. As Massachusetts president, Ms. Murray represents Citizens in an official capacity with civic, business, and community leaders across the Commonwealth. In her role as Director of the Not for Profit and Professionals Banking Division at Citizens, Lisa leads a team of seasoned industry specialists to assist organizations in managing their businesses efficiently and profitably while taking risks out of the operating model.

Michael Tamasi, President & CEO of AccuRounds. A second-generation owner, Mr. Tamasi has worked in the family business since 1985. He is responsible for overall strategy and organizational alignment guided by “The Path to Perfection” providing opportunity for every member of the AccuRounds team. He is intensely focused on enterprise excellence driven by continuous improvement principles, initiating the focus on world class manufacturing in 1995.