The Berkshire County Retirement Board consists of five members. The first member, selected by the other four, is the Chairman of the Board. The second member is a member of the Berkshire County Advisory Council and is elected by a majority of the Council. The third and fourth members are elected by the membership. The fifth member is chosen by the other four members and shall not be an employee, retiree, or official of the retirement system.

 

Michael C. Ovitt - Chairman since October 2006, and member of the Berkshire County Retirement Board since June 1998.

 

Michael is a volunteer fireman and part-time police officer in the Town of Sheffield.  He was the Treasurer/Collector of the Town of Sheffield from May 1988 until June 2018.  Michael lives in Sheffield with his wife Lisa and has 2 adult children.

 

Mark Bashara - Elected member of the Berkshire County Retirement Board since January 2017.

 

Mark is retired from the Town of Lanesborough where he was a member of the Police Department for 28 years, serving 12 years as Police Chief.  He has served on the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association as well as the Western Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association.  Mark resides in Lanesborough.

 

Timothy Sorrell - Elected member of the Berkshire County Retirement Board since January 2024. Tim Sorrell resides in Lanesborough with his wife of 30 years, Donna. They have two sons, Nicholas who is a Police Officer for the Town of Adams, and Matthew who is a student at UMass Amherst. Tim Sorrell started his municipal career in Lenox, working for the Lenox Highway Department, after his Honorable Discharge from the United States Marine Corps. Tim Sorrell then went on to serve 33 ½ years with the Town of Lanesborough Police Department, working his way up through the ranks, before retiring in June of 2021, after serving the last 6 years of his career as the Chief of Police for the Town of Lanesborough Police Department. Tim Sorrell currently serves as a Select Board Member for the Town of Lanesborough after winning the election in June of 2022.​​

 

Ericka Oleson - Member of the Berkshire County Retirement Board since January 2025

 

Ericka Oleson was voted as the Treasurer representative to serve for the term 1/1/25-12/31/27. She has over a decade of experience in municipal work. In her spare time Ericka enjoys spending time at home with her family. 

​

William "Smitty" Pignatelli - Appointed member of the Berkshire County Retirement Board since September 2025. A lifelong resident of the Berkshires and passionate public servant and entrepreneur, Smitty served in elected office for 40 years, most recently as a MA State Representative for 22 years.  To support his hometown, Smitty agreed to be the Interim Town Manager of Lenox during the town’s transition until they hired the permanent Manager in 2025. William “Smitty” Pignatelli was first elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2002 and served the 3rd Berkshire District – the largest legislative district in the House until 2025.  Born and raised in Lenox, Massachusetts, he was the Dean of the Western Mass delegation and has an honorary Doctorate from MCLA and a financial degree from Babson College.

Smitty was appointed to serve as House Chairman for the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. He also served as Vice Chairman of the House Rules Committee, and as a member of the Joint Committee on Financial Services, the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development and the Joint Committee on Education. He has served on the House Committee on Ways & Means, Joint Committee on Higher Education, and the was the Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development. Smitty is also the former House Chair of the Cultural Caucus.

Smitty, ran his own electrical business for decades and worked in banking all while serving others. He has over 40 years of public service experience and was first elected to the Lenox Planning Board in 1987 and in 1992, he was elected to the Board of Selectmen, and was elected Chairman on four different occasions, serving until May of 2003. Smitty also served from 1995-1999 as a Berkshire County Commissioner including two years as Chairman of the board. He lends his time and talent to many nonprofits and cultural organizations.  He serves as a trustee to Adams Community Bank, Board of Directors to Berkshire South Regional Community Center and a member of the Lenox Affordable Housing Trust.

__________________________________

​

Chairman (6 years) - Michael C. Ovitt

Term: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2026  

The Chairman is elected by the other 4 Board members​

​

Advisory Council Member (3 years) - Ericka Oleson

Term:  January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2027

The Advisory Council Member is elected by the Treasurers on the Advisory Council

 

Elected Member (3 years) - Mark Bashara

Term:  January 1, 2023– December 31, 2025

The elected member is elected by the active and retired membership of the Berkshire County

Retirement System.

​

Elected Member (3 years) - Timothy Sorrell

Term:  January 1, 2024– December 31, 2026

The elected member is elected by the active and retired membership of the Berkshire County

Retirement System.

 

Appointed Member (5 years) - William "Smitty" Pignatelli

Term:  July 1, 2025 – June 30 2030

The Appointed Member is appointed by the other 4 Board members, and cannot be an active

or retired employee or official in any of the 46 units of the System

​

​