Westfield Bank earlier this year appointed Lisa G. McMahon as the first female board chairperson in the bank’s 167-year history.

The appointment, announced yesterday, was made in March and came after then-chairperson and longtime board member Christos A. Tapases died unexpectedly that month.

“While our hearts are still heavy following Chris’ sudden passing, we’re heartened to have a talented, hardworking, and community-focused executive like Lisa leading us into the future,” Westfield Bank President and CEO James Hagan said in a statement. “These are certainly challenging times, and Lisa is without question the right person to meet the unique circumstances we face as an organization and as a community. I am confident that her vision, leadership, and organizational expertise will benefit our customers and the communities we serve exceptionally well.”

Westfield Bank, which has $2.4 billion in total assets, said in its statement it has long sought to ensure gender balance on its board of directors. Women on Boards, a global education and advocacy campaign driving the movement toward gender balance on corporate boards, in 2019 recognized Western New England Bancorp, the bank’s holding company, as a “W” for “Winning” company for its commitment to gender equity.

Women on Boards tracks, analyzes and reports on the progress of women on Russell 3000 company boards. To be recognized, a company’s board must be comprised of at least 20 percent women. Just 20.4 percent of companies on the Russell 3000 had at least 20 percent women board members. Thirty percent of Western New England Bancorp’s current board members are women.

A board member for Westfield Bank since 2014, McMahon is currently the director of institutional advancement and stewardship at Westfield State University. Prior to joining Westfield State University, she worked at Merrill Lynch.