FORGE Adds Two Leaders to Board of Directors

Addition of Sherri Palazzo and Pedro Arce Deepens Expertise with Startups and Lending

Somerville, MA, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FORGE, a nonprofit that connects hardtech startups with product development, manufacturing, and supply chain education and resources, today announced it has added two new leaders to their board of directors. Sheri Palazzo and Pedro Arce. These leaders each bring over 20 years of experience as business leaders, mentors and managers. 

With a deep dedication to supporting startups, Sheri Palazzo is a coach and

mentor with 25+ years of experience at HP, GE, Bose, and multiple startups. As a leader in product design, manufacturing, and operations, Sheri now leads Saplings Consulting full-time. Her dedication to supporting startups and mentorship has earned her awards, such as Boston’s Best Tech Manager Timmy Award and ACT’s Mentor of the Year. About joining FORGE’s board of directors, Sheri said “I am thrilled to be joining the FORGE Board. My passions for new product development and supporting startup founders align perfectly with FORGE’s missions. I am excited to leverage my many years of experience in engineering and manufacturing to help the community.”
  
Hailing from the financial and banking services industry, Pedro Arce, Senior Vice President at M&T Bank, brings over three decades of experience. His career includes expertise in banking, community development, and commercial lending. Pedro has served in multiple advisory roles, including with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and numerous community organizations. Named SBA Minority Lender of the Year in 2023, Pedro champions partnerships that empower small businesses at every stage. 

“The addition of Sheri and Pedro speaks to a key area of growth for FORGE in 2025, strengthening our coaching and advisory support to our entrepreneurs”, said Executive Director, Laura Teicher. She continued, “We are dedicated to bridging the gap between the region’s forward-thinking startups and scaled manufacturing and these additions to our board will help us go further, faster.” 
  
Meet the rest of the FORGE board of directors.
  
About FORGE 

Since its founding in 2015, FORGE has helped more than 900 innovators on their journey from prototype to production and scale. FORGE leverages deep knowledge of manufacturing innovation and developing local supply chains to create productive business relationships and foster creative, modern solutions to world problems. 
  
FORGE’s support for startups creating physical products has yielded considerable success. A large percentage of the startup companies that engage with FORGE mature and thrive, supporting more than 10,000 jobs in innovation, manufacturing, and adjacent industries. Photos are available upon request. Learn more at FORGEimpact.org