The Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University recently appointed ALISON KESSLER as director of alumni engagement. She has worked for the Whitman School since 2012, first serving as a communications specialist for the school’s marketing and communications team. Most recently she served as interim executive director of alumni and corporate relations in conjunction with her responsibilities as alumni publications manager. Kessler leads the development and execution of strategic, integrated-communication plans targeted to alumni. With more than 24 years of agency, corporate, nonprofit, and consulting experience, Kessler has also worked for consumer and business-to-business clients in education, technology, health care, and economic development, among other industries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of North Carolina.

JAISEN CLARK has been appointed recruitment supervisor at JAS Recruitment’s Syracuse office. He has built a solid base in recruitment and business development over the past three years. Clark earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Geneseo.

CHRIS MCGEE has joined JAS Recruitment as a recruitment and account manager in the Syracuse office. He brings with him an extensive knowledge of sports, coaching, and customer service. McGee earned a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University in general geography.

VINCE REYNOLDS has joined the company as a director of business development in the Syracuse office. He brings with him an extensive knowledge of sales, customer service, and business administration. Reynolds earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia.

KELSEY KOTAS has joined JAS as a recruitment and account manager in Syracuse. She brings with her an extensive knowledge of fashion, sales, and customer service.

HANNAH HOWARD has joined the company as a recruitment supervisor in Syracuse. She has built a solid base in recruitment and business development over the past two and a half years, utilizing her extensive knowledge of local and national markets, relationship building, and business administration. Howard earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and philosophy from Hobart and William Smith College. 

PATRICIA CHARVAT has been named senior VP of marketing and strategy at Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS). She has been working with MVHS for the past several months on a consulting basis. Charvat brings extensive experience, as well as knowledge of New York health care and of Utica. She served as VP of corporate communications and marketing for the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) in Albany. Charvat also previously was a senior VP at the Massachusetts Hospital Association, and for several years, ran her own consulting company. From 2013 to February 2019, she led the public affairs, communications, and marketing function for the Greater Waterbury Health Network in Waterbury, Connecticut. Charvat graduated from Utica College with a dual bachelor’s degree major in journalism and public relations.

WAYNE A. RUSTIN has been named chief human resource officer (CHRO) and legal counsel for labor relations at MVHS. Rustin joined MVHS in late 2018 as an assistant VP in the HR department, serving as legal counsel for labor relations. He will combine that role with serving as CHRO. Rustin is an accomplished human resources executive with many years of experience. He has held several senior HR roles. Rustin has a juris doctorate (JD) degree from Howard University School of Law, and an LLM from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He has served dual roles several times in his career, most recently serving as CHRO and senior counsel for St. Vincent’s Health Services in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Rustin spent 15 years of his career with J.C. Penney in Plano, Texas, advancing to three officer roles and spending four years in Washington, D.C., as a lobbyist for the company. He is a past trial attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, a municipal court judge for the City of Fort Worth, Texas, and an adjunct professor for the University of Dallas. 

Bankers Healthcare Group (BHG) has added nine employees to its Syracuse staff. LYNDSEE THURLOW and NICK PAPAYANAKOS join the team as junior credit analysts. Prior to BHG, Thurlow worked for Panoramic Corporation as a logistics and installation coordinator and Papayanakos was a revenue management analyst at Pyramid Management Group. DARIEN BROWN joins as an account executive. She previously was a territory manager at Apria Healthcare. HALEY DETOR comes aboard as a customer-service representative. Her most recent job was in the operations department at Rapid Response. DYLAN WRIXON joins as an instructional designer. He previously held various roles in politics for the New York State government and in the private sector, including at a nonprofit. KYLEE SHAUGHNESSY joins BHG as a social-media specialist. She previously worked at Digital Hyve as a digital marketing producer. ABHISHEK NICHAT joins as a digital marketing specialist. His most recent position involved working with Microsoft Advertising as an account specialist. EMILY MCDONALD joins as a marketing events coordinator. Before BHG, she worked as the marketing associate at Otis Technology. ALYSSA PLUMADORE joins BHG as a junior client relations administrator. Most recently, she worked as a new accounts processor at Cadaret, Grant.

MEGHAN POMPO has joined the Marrone Law Firm, P.C. as an associate attorney. She concentrates her practice in estate planning and estate and trust administration. Pompo previously was an attorney in the estate planning and wealth preservation practice group of Scolaro Fetter Grizanti & McGough, P.C., according to that law firm’s website. During law school, Pompo completed an externship with Judge Ava S. Raphael in the Onondaga County Surrogate’s Court. She also was a student attorney in the Syracuse University College of Law Elder Law Clinic. Pompo received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from SUNY Geneseo. After graduating from Geneseo, she worked for a public accounting firm in Ithaca.