True North Insurance Names Two to Leadership Roles

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Holly Taylor has been appointed president and chief operating officer and Jean Stone has been named vice president of True North Insurance.

The announcement was made by MountainOne President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Leavitt. True North Insurance is a division of MountainOne Bank.

"Holly and Jean have become recognized experts in their field of employee benefits and these appointments are reflective of their success," Leavitt said. "Together with their team, they provide a crucial service to employers, especially in light of ever-changing and complex health care regulation.'

Taylor joined True North in December 1997, and has overseen the growth of the employee benefits division into one of the area's largest group insurance agencies. Serving as vice president since 2002, she developed the agency's large group market segment and expanded administrative and compliance services. In her new position, she will oversee agency management and collaborate on strategic planning with MountainOne affiliates.

Taylor earned a bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Rhode Island. She also holds a registered health underwriter designation and an insurance adviser license.

Among her professional roles, Taylor serves on the Broker Advisory Board to the Massachusetts Health Connector, the board of directors for the Massachusetts Association of Health Underwriters, the Broker Advisory Board to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and as the Massachusetts coordinator for National Exchange Collaborative of the National Association of Health Underwriters.

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.