Business People

Brian D. Towns of Wales has joined Family Health Center of Worcester Inc., a community health center and medical teaching center, as vice president of operations. Mr. Towns previously worked at BURLE Electro-Optics Inc. and owns the consulting firm Brian D. Towns Inc. Compliance Solutions. He received his master’s degree from Northeastern University and bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Christopher J. Stevens of Hull has been promoted to assistant vice president at Sterling Associates in Whitinsville. He will be responsible for marine loan origination in the New England region. Mr. Stevens is a graduate of Providence College.

Mark A. Trombly of Charl-ton has been elected vice president of marketing at The Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Co. in Warwick, R.I. Mr. Trombly joined Providence in 2003 as director of marketing and later was elected assistant vice president. A graduate of Nichols College, he has earned several designations including Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter. He is a past president of the Central Massachusetts Chapter of the CPCU Society.

Michael J. Shain of Milford has joined Medway Co-operative Bank as a mortgage consultant. Mr. Shain has 20 years of mortgage lending experience, including posts at Milford National Bank, Chittenden Bank and Middlesex Savings Bank. He is a graduate of Newbury College.

Sean M. McGuirk of Groton has joined Fitchburg-based Fidelity Bank as vice president, personal financial representative and financial designer. Mr. McGuirk previously was the sales and service manager at the Park Hill office of IC Federal Credit Union in Fitchburg and a branch operations manager for Fleet Bank. He is a Fitchburg State College graduate.

LuAnn Mattson of Worcester has been appointed office manager at The Alternative Energy Store in Hudson, an online and catalog provider of renewable energy products. Ms. Mattson was previously food service director at a nursing home in Worcester for 22 years. She graduated from Quinsigamond Community College.

Ross Mortgage Co. in Leominster has hired three mortgage professionals. Fernando Nunez has relocated from California to Westminster to join Ross Mortgage as a loan officer. Mr. Nunez was previously employed at First Financial Credit Union. He speaks fluent Spanish.

Cheryll A. LeBlanc of Oxford and Jo A. Richard of Charlton have joined Ross Mortgage’s Auburn office. Ms. LeBlanc has 20 years of banking and mortgage experience and Ms. Richard has been her assistant for many years.

To have company promotions or new hires published in Workplace, send information and a picture to Andi Esposito, business editor, Telegram & Gazette, Box 15012, Worcester, MA 01615-0012, or e-mail her at aesposito@telegram.com. Please include hometown and middle initials. Electronic photos should be in a high-resolution JPEG format.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.