Canopy Management Group

09/01/2026

“Our biggest strength is our humanity.”

That belief has guided Sarah Aasheim for more than 30 years. Today, we’re proud to honor her as the 2026 Markens Mutuality Award recipient.

Sarah has dedicated her career to advocating for individuals with disabilities and their families across Western Massachusetts. When the WillPower Foundation was at risk of closing, she refused to let its mission end. Today, that work continues through Multicultural Community Services of the Pioneer Valley, Inc., supporting the families who rely on it.

The Markens Mutuality Award recognizes leaders who show how connection and belonging can strengthen our communities. Sarah embodies that spirit through a career rooted in empathy, service, and the belief that we’re stronger together.

Congratulations, Sarah!

Read her full story in our latest Under the Canopy: https://bit.ly/4xEA80s

08/11/2026

A few days in Milwaukee, and a lot to bring home.

Our Director of Operations, Irene Costello, CAE, and Senior Association Manager, Ashley Boger, spent the week at AMCs Engaged, the annual gathering hosted by AMC Institute for association management professionals.

The best part of a room like this one is that everyone in it is solving similar problems from a slightly different angle. You leave with sharper thinking than you arrived with.

This year's conference theme, Architects of What's Next, felt close to home. We spent the last year building what is next for our own organization, and being in a room full of peers doing the same across the industry was its own kind of fuel. Our work gets stronger when we spend real time with the people doing it alongside us.

Ashley's takeaway:

“From the outside, it can look like AMC work is mostly marketing. Inside, it’s a much bigger story: people across every operational function, working together to help our clients and their industries thrive.

We spend our days creating community for the people we serve. At AMCs Engaged, I got to experience that same sense of community for myself.”

07/30/2026

We Build Community With Purpose is one of our core values. This summer, our Canopy team had the chance to volunteer at the ZOO in Forest Park and Education Center here in Springfield.

From the early days of The Markens Group, we’ve believed that building meaningful relationships is the best way to strengthen the city we work in. Today at Canopy, our teams get to do that every month.

Our very own Industry Benchmarking Manager, Tessa O'Sullivan, went in expecting to run a small activity table. She came back with four lessons she’d like to share with everyone! Swipe through to find out what she discovered.

Thank you to the team at The Zoo in Forest Park for having us.

07/23/2026

Did you know the paperboard packaging industry’s biggest competition is judged every year in downtown Springfield?

People call it the Oscars of the paperboard packaging industry. Each year, a panel of industry experts travels from around the world to Springfield to review folding cartons and rigid boxes produced across the continent over the past year, unlocking new designs and innovations that impact what we all see on the shelves.

Canopy builds the entire competition program: submissions to logistics, the in-person judging session to the awards presentation, later each fall. A year of operational work behind two days of recognition.

Every industry needs a place to gather, measure itself, and set standards for what comes next. As an accredited Association Management Company (AMC), our role is to build that place and hold it with care.

07/10/2026

We’re proud to announce that our Director of Operations, Irene Costello, has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential, the highest professional designation in association management.

Awarded by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the CAE recognizes deep expertise across governance, strategy, finance, membership, and operations. It is rigorous by every measure.

Irene has helped shape this organization into what it is today. She has led the onboarding of new association clients, built the systems that sustain our growth, and guided our transition to Canopy.

As President & CEO Emily Leonczyk put it: “Irene has played a defining role in shaping Canopy into the company we are today. She sees where we’re going without losing sight of what it takes to get there, bringing equal attention to strategy, people, and ex*****on. She leads by example, and her leadership is woven into our culture, the way we serve our clients, and the standard we hold ourselves to every day. Earning her CAE reflects what I've always admired about Irene: she never stops learning, she's always looking for ways to make organizations stronger, and she builds relationships that earn trust and make people want to work alongside her.”

Read the full announcement: https://bit.ly/4pengdT

07/07/2026

ICYMI: We are now Canopy Management Group.

The name is new. The work, the values, and the people behind it are not.

In this video, President and CEO Emily Leonczyk shares the story behind the change.

Watch the full story: https://bit.ly/3R1mSTd

07/01/2026

Why Canopy?

When we became Canopy Management Group, our goal was to more clearly communicate who we are. A rebrand is never a solo effort. It takes partners who get what you do, who you are, and have the care to make it visible.

So, we turned to our long-time partners at DIF Design.

DIF took our story, our values, and the idea behind the name, and shaped a brand identity that feels like Canopy. The warmth. The sense of collaboration and growth, and the belief that professionalism and approachability belong in the same room.

Thank you, DIF Design, for partnering with us and helping us step into this chapter as Canopy.

06/25/2026

We believe the spaces where people gather shape how ideas form and how relationships grow.

The offices, the conference rooms, even the hallways. They all matter. So when we set out to build our new home in downtown Springfield, we wanted it to feel like Canopy: warm, open, and built for the way our team and our clients work and gather.

Two local creatives helped shape our vision.

Linda Martins of Innovadora Marketing designed an interior that balances professionalism with the warmth and energy we want our partners and friends to feel the moment they walk in.

Estelle Gomulka Art created commissioned pieces for our walls that give our offices real identity and character. Original art we get to enjoy every day.

We wanted an environment that reflects our values and the talent of our community. Thanks to Linda and Estelle, Canopy feels that way.

Come see it sometime! Our door is open.

06/12/2026

A celebration like ours does not come together on its own.

Our Grand Re-Opening was made possible by a group of talented local makers, creatives, and partners who brought the day to life. The Canopy team is grateful to each of them.

Food by Nosh Springfield

Cocktails by Liquid Solutions Hospitality

Custom cookies by Custom Cookie Concepts

Custom scented candles by moonjulesscents

Supporting local talent is part of who we are. Thank you for helping us mark this chapter in a way that felt unmistakably ours.

Give them a follow and support our local businesses!

06/10/2026

We’re in the news!

WWLP-22News covered our ribbon-cutting and the expansion of our downtown Springfield headquarters.

It means a lot to see our story shared with the wider community, especially here at home, where we have built our work for nearly 40 years.

Read the full piece below.👇

A Springfield-based association management company is entering a new chapter after officially launching a new brand and celebrating the expansion of its downtown headquarters.