Adams town administrator Leitch joins Westall Architectural firm

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Town of Adams Administrator James J. Leitch has joined Westall Architects, a full-service architectural consultation, design and management firm, located at 187 Main St. "It's an honor and a privilege to welcome Jim to the team," said David J. Westall, R.A., principal of the firm. "Not only is he an incredible asset and highly respected member of the Northern Berkshire community, but he's also a close personal friend. We've worked together professionally for 20 years and we share the same philosophy." Westall said that Leitch has demonstrated exceptional capability in all phases of design and construction supervision, is adept at dealing with clients and general contractors, has superior knowledge of building code and zoning regulations and has a great reputation in the field. He'll begin work Jan. 13 as senior designer. "Jim enables us to expand both the number and scope of services we offer," he said. "He'll also allow us to increase the number of clients we can serve at any given time." Leitch said that one of his first responsibilities would involve the installation of a new computer-aided design and drafting (CAD) system. "Dave has recently made a commitment to implementing some of the newest technology in computer-assisted drafting, modeling and systems analysis, and I am especially looking forward to rolling that out," he said. Leitch has served the Town of Adams for 26 years, working as building inspector, director of development, and town administrator (1989-2002). As town administrator, he is responsible for the administration of all departments, commissions, boards and offices. He has jurisdiction over the rental and use of town property, personnel management, and the awarding of town contracts. Since 1974, Leitch has provided free-lance design and construction consulting services, designing single-family residences and small commercial buildings, and offering building code consultation and construction management capabilities. He has also served as Fire Science instructor at Berkshire Community College (1982-83) and began his professional career with Robert B. Deloye, Architect (1973-76). An Adams native, Leitch graduated from Adams High School in 1970, earned an associate's degree from Vermont Technical College in 1972 and a bachelor's degree in Architectural Technology from New York Institute of Technology in 1974. He and his wife, Mary, reside in Adams. Their 21-year-old daughter, Katherine, is a junior at Brown University, majoring in civil engineering. Leitch is the second major addition to Westall Architects in the last year, joining project manager Bruce P. Hake Sr. who began work in January. Hake, a 1984 graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's School of Architecture, came to Westall Architects after 10 years with Trudeau Architects of Latham, N.Y. He previously had worked for three years with Hallock Associates of Pittsfield, and three years with Timothy D. Smith & Associates of North Bennington, Vt. Hake resides in Berlin, N.Y., with his wife and three children. Westall, who established his firm on Spring Street in June 1990 and moved to Main Street in November 2001, graduated from McCann Technical High School in 1971 and earned his bachelor's degree in Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He resides in Williamstown with his wife, Darcy. They have four children.
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MCLA Announces Four Finalists for Next President

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts announced four finalists for the position of president, following a national search. 
 
The finalists were selected by the MCLA Presidential Search Committee and will participate in on-campus visits scheduled for the weeks of April 6 and April 13.
 
The successful candidate will replace President James Birge, who is retiring at the end of the term. 
 
The four finalists are David Jenemann, Michael J. Middleton, Sherri Givens Mylott, and Diana L. Rogers-Adkinson.
 

David Jenemann
David Jenemann is dean of the Patrick Leahy Honors College and professor of English and film and television studies at the University of Vermont, where he oversees recruitment, retention, curricular innovation, and advancement for an interdisciplinary college serving undergraduates from across the university, including UVM's campuswide Office of Fellowships, Opportunities, and Undergraduate Research. 
 
An internationally recognized scholar, he has published three books and numerous articles, with research spanning intellectual and cultural history, mass media, and the intersection of sports and society.
He holds a doctor of philosophy from the University of Minnesota and completed the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
 
 
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