Peter J. Bittel Elected Chair of the AIC Board of Trustees

Springfield, MA, November 16, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Peter J. Bittel, Ph.D., has been elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees at American International College in Springfield, Mass. He takes over for Frank Colaccino who served as chair for the past six years.

Bittel of Pelham, Mass., is the founder and chairman of The Futures HealthCore, LLC, in Springfield, a national provider of special education diagnostic, clinical, and program management services. He has more than 35 years of clinical and executive leadership experience in the areas of special education, rehabilitation, and developmental disabilities, and is a strong advocate for people with handicapping conditions.

A graduate of St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York, Bittel holds several academic credentials, including a master’s degree in history, a master’s degree in communication disorders, and a doctorate in educational management. He received an honorary doctoral degree from AIC in 2010.

Bittel has taught on the primary, secondary, college, and graduate school levels, holding several faculty positions including adjunct faculty at the University of Massachusetts School of Public Health. Bittel has presented widely on topics in both education and healthcare and is the author of several articles and co-editor of Transforming Special Education Practices: A Primer for School Administrators and Policy Makers, (R&L Education, 2012).

Having served on AIC’s board since 2008, Bittel said he is optimistic about his term as chair and continuing the work Colaccino started. “Frank worked tirelessly on behalf of the College. He set a great example through his leadership and hard work," Bittel said.

Bittel said there will be new challenges. "The landscape of higher education is changing and, as a board, it is our duty to keep AIC competitive in this evolving marketplace. I look forward to leading a board that will help the College thrive for years to come,” he said.

Colaccino is the former president and chief executive officer of Dairy Mart Convenience Stores, Inc. In 1994, he left that company and founded The Colvest Group, Ltd., a real estate development firm. Colaccino joined the AIC board in 1998, and his surplus of experience and business acumen have been valuable assets to the College ever since. Of his time as chair, he says, “I was honored to serve my alma mater. AIC is a special place for me and for a great many others. I am proud of what the board and the College were able to accomplish over the last six years,” Colaccino said.

Colaccino received an honorary doctoral degree from AIC in 2012.

Throughout his two terms as chair, Colaccino helped AIC create new revenue streams, stabilize its finances, and grow academic offerings, particularly at the graduate level. He will remain on the board in the role of vice chair.