Lee Bank Holds Annual Meeting, Elects Five New Corporators

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Lee, Mass. — Lee Bank held its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, bringing together leadership and community representatives to reflect on the Bank's continued focus on serving Berkshire County.

During the meeting, the Board of Trustees elected five new corporators, each of whom has accepted their role.

New corporators, nominated by the Board's Governance Committee, include:

  • Adrienne L. Arnold, a Housatonic resident and partner at Considine, Arnold & Schopp LLP. She holds degrees from Boston University and the University of Houston Law Center.
  • Christian Bianchi, a Pittsfield resident and CEO and Executive Director of the Berkshire Family YMCA. He previously held leadership roles at the Brien Center and is a graduate of St. Lawrence University.
  • Robin Helfand, a Sheffield resident and founder of RH Consulting. She is a graduate of Tufts University and the Cornell Graduate School of Management, serves as a board member of Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire, and is a former small business owner of Robin's Candy.
  • Bruce Marzotto, a Great Barrington resident and former Senior Vice President, Commercial Lending at Lee Bank. He is a graduate of Berkshire Community College and currently serves as Treasurer of the Board of Directors for BCARC.
  • Liana Toscanini, a Sandisfield resident and founder and former Executive Director of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires. She previously worked with Community Access to the Arts (CATA) and was recognized as South Berkshire Chamber Business Person of the Year.

"Strong governance is essential to who we are as a community bank," said Chuck Leach, President and CEO of Lee Bank. "Our corporators bring a wide range of experience and a deep understanding of the communities we serve. Their perspective helps ensure we remain thoughtful, locally focused, and aligned with the needs of Berkshire County."

Corporators are intended to represent a cross-section of Lee Bank's depositors and the broader Berkshire County community. They are responsible for electing the trustees and officers of Berkshire Financial Services, Lee Bank's holding company, and for approving changes to the Bank's bylaws or corporate structure. Corporators do not have a financial stake in the corporation.

For a full list of Lee Bank corporators and trustees, please visit: https://www.leebank.com/about/our-team/board-of-directors.html

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Ribbon Cut on Lee's Long-Awaited Housing Development

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LEE, Mass.— After more than a decade of work, tenants will move into the Eagle Mill Lofts this fall. 

On Tuesday, Hearthway and Rees-Larkin Development held a ribbon-cutting for the first 56 apartments in the former paper mill.  Sitting on the banks of the Housatonic River, this development offers one- to three-bedroom, mixed-income units in the heart of the downtown. 

Lead Developer Jeffrey Cohen said the apartments are "unbelievable."  The building's original brick is celebrated in the units, which feature different layouts and are contrasted with modern appliances and features. 

"I saw the apartments when they first got done, and I couldn't understand really how they look so good," he said during a ceremony in the foyer. 

"And I think that is so good for the town of Lee, for affordable housing in general." 

This project has been ongoing since 2012.  Individuals and families will begin to move in next month.  This is the first phase; another 44 apartments will be built onsite. 

President and CEO of Hearthway Eileen Peltier said projects like the Eagle Mill are important to addressing the need for housing at varied income levels.  These units will house families of varied incomes, with rent-assisted units for people making 30 percent of the area median income, and affordable units for those in the 60-80 percent AMI. 

Rents under these guidelines range from $1,360 for a one-bedroom to $2,100 for a three-bedroom. 

"What that means is that people with varied life resumes will be living here in this beautiful community," Peltier said. 

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