Susan Grealy
Springfield, MA – As COO of Pinck & Co., Inc., Susan Grealy implements growth strategies and leads the firm’s day-to-day business operations, including its technology, finance, human resources, marketing, and administration functions. Previously, she was a business owner, CFO, and vice president – to name a few.
Now she is taking on a different kind of leadership role — one in which she is helping women transition out of poverty and into the workforce.
Devoting time each month as a volunteer mentor for Dress for Success (DFS) of Western Massachusetts, Grealy provides one-on-one job training and life skills coaching. She works with her mentee to develop self-confidence, identify career interests and goals, and find viable employment.
Programs and services provided by DFS include professional suiting, interview coaching, career counseling, networking, job retention skills, and mentoring.
“It’s an honor,” she said, “to be part of a devoted network of volunteers who help women turn their lives around and achieve economic independence.”
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When Grealy first learned about DFS’s Margaret Fitzgerald one-on-one mentor program, she knew she wanted to get involved. “DFS is proof that one shared mission can reach across language and culture to help better the lives of women in our backyard, throughout the United States, and in many corners of the globe,” she said. “Speaking for myself and on behalf of Pinck & Co., we are proud to be part of an organization that has been empowering women for the past 20 years.
“With Pinck having an office in Springfield and a growing client base in Western Massachusetts, becoming a volunteer with DFS Western MA,” she pointed out, “was a natural fit for me and a meaningful way for the firm to give back to the community.”
Margaret Tantillo, executive director of Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, said, “We are thrilled to have Susan join our affiliate. Her leadership skills, extensive business knowledge, and compassion and focus are tremendous characteristics in a mentor.”
Tantillo explained that poverty often affects women the most, and its effects on them and their families can be long-lasting. Addressing women’s needs is central to improving the quality of life for not only that woman but also her family, future generations, and her community.
“DFS works with women who, for a variety of reasons, are unemployed or underemployed. Buying outfits for the workplace is a daunting ordeal and a financial hardship,” she said. “DFS works one-on-one with our clients to help them look their best, but more importantly we provide training and job skills, and prepare them holistically for the workplace.”
“From organizing our many different events to collecting and organizing wardrobes, to one-on-one mentoring, it’s our dedicated volunteers who make all of our success stories possible,” said Tantillo.
