1Berkshire Announces VP of Tourism and Marketing, Digital Specialist

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire has promoted Lindsey Schmid to the position of vice president of tourism and marketing.

Schmid, who previously served as 1Berkshire's director of marketing, has worked with the organization for more than eight years and is also the regional Tourism Council director.

"We are thrilled to continue our work with Lindsey, who was originally hired by the late Lauri Klefos to work for the Berkshire Visitors Bureau," said Jonathan Butler, president, and CEO of 1Berkshire. "She worked hand and hand with Lauri, promoting and enhancing our tourism product, and has transformed our organization in the areas of traditional and digital marketing and public relations. We look forward to further utilizing her considerable skills in marketing, as well as her expertise in promoting the Berkshires - both regionally and nationally - as a preferred place to visit, live, work and grow a business.”

Currently, she lives with her family in Lenox, serves on the board of Downtown Pittsfield Inc, and dedicates time to the Lenox Library Event committee. Prior to joining 1Berkshire in August 2010, Schmid lived in Denver, where she got her MBA from University of Denver and worked as marketing manager for SCS Interactive. Before that, she lived in Washington, D.C., where she worked for The National Council of La Raza, as well as Teatro and Osteria Goldoni Restaurants handling public relations and marketing.

1Berkshire also announced the arrival of Jeremy Clowe, who joined the organization as the digital design specialist. Clowe is charged with overseeing websites for both 1Berkshire and Berkshires.org, as well as digital communications. 

Clowe previously served as manager of media services at Norman Rockwell Museum, where he worked for the past 18 1/2 years, creating digital content and acting as a chief spokesman for the museum. His public relations work for the museum was nominated for a Berkshire Trendsetter Award by 1Berkshire in 2014. Clowe previously worked for both broadcast television and performing arts companies in Western New York, and has created award-winning video and multimedia for clients across Western Massachusetts and New York's Capital Region, where he currently lives with his family.

Pittsfield Recognizes Firefighters of the Year, Outgoing Councilors

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Pittsfield firefighters Matthew Mazzeo and Clarence Gunn with Gov. Maura Healey and state Fire Marshal Jon Davine at the annual Firefighter of the Year Awards in Worcester last month. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two members of the Pittsfield Fire Department were recognized as Firefighters of the Year for rescuing a man from the ice in early 2025. 

At the end of November, Matthew Mazzeo and Clarence Gunn traveled to Worcester for the 36th annual Firefighter of the Year Awards held by the state Department of Fire Services. The two were honored for their Jan. 21 response to a fisherman who had fallen into the icy waters of Onota Lake. 

The Fire Department responded to the report of a fisherman falling through the ice about 7:45 a.m.  The person had gotten out of the water but had fallen back in, and the ice broke again while Mazzeo and Gunn were making the rescue. 

Mayor Peter Marchetti presented the two with certificates of recognition at the beginning of Tuesday's City Council meeting. 

Fire Chief Thomas Sammons explained that the two firefighters had to be tethered in cold water suits, and Gunn's suit failed, filling with freezing water. He and the fisherman were transported to Berkshire Medical Center for hypothermia and made a full recovery. 

"They were 300 feet offshore, so it was really hard to have communications, and everything happened all at once. They did a great job," he said. 

"We started pulling them in, and there was a layer of slush on top. It was really slow. Pittsfield Police responded. They donned life preservers and jumped right in. Everybody worked together for a very positive outcome." 

Sammons explained that the ice sled used for rescues also plunged into the water, and the two firefighters had to untangle the tethers to get the man and themselves to safety.