The Southern New England Conference has hired Richard Larose, an accountant with experience in accounting and finance in public, private and quasi-government settings, as the new Executive for Policy and Finance.

"We are excited about Richard's addition to the Southern New England Conference. He brings a wealth of financial management experience, especially in the non-profit sphere which should ensure a more seamless transition. Our current CFO Dawn Hammond has provided a steady and thoughtful hand in managing our fiscal resources and responsibilities, and I am assured Richard will continue her legacy," said the Rev. Darrell Goodwin, Executive Conference Minister.

Dawn Hammond is retiring after having worked for the historic Massachusetts Conference and the SNEUCC for more than 34 years. She will continue on as contract staff for the next year to ensure a successful CFO transition and to continue the work of financial mergers of the Conference's historic assets. 

The Executive for Policy and Finance serves as the Chief Financial Officer, and is responsible for the overall financial health of the Conference by providing operational oversight of finance, budgets, facilities, and assets of the Conference to support and further the vision.  In addition, the position has oversight of all conference policies, assuring that the vision of the Conference is furthered by such policies.

Larose was born in Holyoke MA and resided in West Springfield for the first half of his life before relocating to Enfield CT, where he currently resides with his wife and two children.

He received his bachelor’s degree from American International College in Springfield MA, and subsequently passed the CPA exam and began a career in public accounting that lasted approximately 10 years, before departing that field and entering the field of health insurance working for United HealthCare. He played the lead role in the founding of a small business servicing quasi state agencies across the country, delivering accounting, finance and other CFO services. After the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the organizations he worked with became antiquated, and eventually dissolved, significantly shrinking the business after 13 years in existence. Larose then found himself in the field of public accounting again, as a partner in a local firm, but said he was still longing to provide the services he had in his prior employment.

Asked about his decision to come to SNEUCC, Larose quoted Confucius, saying: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Conference Treasurer Calvin Price served on the search team that brought in Larose.

"Richard is a high impact leader who brings a strong financial discipline, well-honed operating skills and transformative leadership abilities," Price said. "Richard stood out as a candidate because of his deep wealth of financial knowledge and his proven ability to advise and lead a diverse organization. His ability to listen and his outgoing personality will serve him well at the Southern New England Conference."

The search committee also included Kathy Houston, Vice President of the United Church of Christ Cornerstone Fund, Rev. Lynne Dolan, a member of the Finance Committee of the SNEUCC Board and Pastor of the Prospect Congregational Church UCC in Prospect, CT, Yolanda Montano, SNEUCC Accounting Assistant, and David Figliuzzi, SNEUCC Director of Philanthropy. 
 
"The search committee was very impressed not only with Rick's technical skills in finance and accounting, but also in the ways that he embraced the mission of SNEUCC and the understanding he displayed of how stewardship of our resources enables us to live out our mission," Figliuzzi said.

Larose is an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan as he says "from the dark and miserable times through the recent current successes for each team."  He is a huge fan of many genres of music and enjoys fishing and spending time with his family. Currently he and his son are doing a frame-up restoration of a 1957 Chevrolet Belair and looking for their next project which will include the entire family.