Marco Bernasconi

After 27 years working at a company that provides core technology services to the banking industry, Marco Bernasconi Jr. will soon become leader of a community bank.

North Brookfield Savings Bank has named Bernasconi as its next president and CEO. The longtime senior vice president and chief service officer at COCC, Bernasconi was selected after an extensive search, the bank said in a statement. He will replace Donna Boulanger, who will retire later this year,

Bernasconi will join the bank on April 5 as president and work with Boulanger for several months before taking over as CEO. North Brookfield Savings Bank has about $339 million in total assets and branches in North Brookfield, East Brookfield, West Brookfield, Ware, Belchertown, Palmer and Three Rivers Village of Palmer.

“I am honored the board and Donna have placed their confidence in me to lead North Brookfield Savings Bank into the future and to continue serving its customers and the community,” Bernasconi said in the statement. He added: “I am excited to leverage the traditions of the past with an eye on advancing technology and digital capabilities moving into the future.”

Bernasconi spent 27 years at COCC, a Southington, Connecticut-based core technology provider, where he started as a loan customer representative. He became senior vice president, client service officer and chief service officer in 2010. The bank said his business and banking experience includes fintech, strategic planning and risk management, adding that his fintech and digital banking knowledge are a “perfect fit for the bank’s strategic goals moving forward.”

“I am confident that this change will be a positive one for the bank, the staff and the community as a whole,” Boulanger said in the statement. “We must continue to look forward and find ways to evolve and innovate so that we may remain independent and true to our mission and core values.”

Boulanger has led North Brookfield Savings since 2008 and will remain involved with the bank as a trustee and corporator.

Donna Boulanger

“Today is a very humbling day for me as I reflect back on my first day of work at North Brookfield Savings Bank some 13 years ago,” Boulanger said. “I came to North Brookfield because I believed in this bank. I saw then how clearly we empower people and ultimately make the community a better place. These are the same mission and values that continue to motivate me today.”

The bank said the leadership team was eager to evolve to keep pace with changing technology and trends. Boulanger said the bank was fortunate to have someone with Bernasconi’s experience as its leader.

“We are at a critical moment and we need new and fresh leadership to not only continue our good work but to take advantage of the market opportunities ahead,” Boulanger said. “With Marco’s proven track record of execution, his strong communication skills and leadership capabilities, we are confident in the future of North Brookfield Savings Bank.”

Bernasconi said he was looking forward to the future and getting to know his internal team and community members.

“I have spent my career preparing for this opportunity,” Bernasconi said. “I’m fortunate to have worked with hundreds of community financial institutions and look forward to leveraging all this experience in the communities that we serve.”