Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB) — the Boston–based parent of Berkshire Bank, which has a major presence in the Mohawk Valley — announced that its board of directors has unanimously elected J. Williar (Bill) Dunlaevy as its chairman, effective Dec. 1. 

A former bank CEO, Dunlaevy has served as a Berkshire director since 2011 and is designated as independent as well as a financial expert by the board of directors under the rules of the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission and the New York Stock Exchange. Berkshire Bank has also elected Dunlaevy as board chair.

“I’m honored to have been chosen to succeed Bill Ryan as Chairman, and I look forward to continuing to work with the management team and the entire Board to deliver on our commitment to our shareholders, customers, and communities. I want to thank Bill for his leadership, friendship and tremendous contributions to Berkshire as chairman over the past five years. I’m pleased that he’ll remain as a director so the board may continue to benefit from his substantial banking experience and valued judgement. Our Board and management team remain dedicated to our vision of building a 21st century community bank.” Dunlaevy said in a news release.

Ryan said he stepped down from the chairman role as he scales back his commitments for health reasons.

Dunlaevy is the former CEO and chairman of the board of Legacy Bancorp, Inc. and Legacy Banks, where he served from 1996 until their merger with Berkshire in 2011. Dunlaevy also currently serves as a director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation and previously was chairman of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. He has also been a director of the Depositors Insurance Fund, Massachusetts Bankers Association, and Savings Bank Life Insurance Company of Massachusetts.

Berkshire Bank ranks No. 5 in the Utica–Rome market in deposit market share with a 13.2 percent share of all deposits in the area. Berkshire Bank has nine branches in Oneida County and three offices in Herkimer County.