Faces&Places

December 2000

Jim Mitchell has been hired by ResoDirect of South Burlington as vice president of sales and marketing. Previously he worked for Allied/Vaughn Digital Media. ResoDirect is an e-commerce customer service and fulfillment company.

Four new staff members have joined the sales and marketing team at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe. Darcy Walsh is the director of sales and marketing. She worked at Harwood Moses Chambers Advertising of Stowe since 1995. Christa Richardson of Jericho is the new corporate sales manager. She worked at the Shelburne Museum as manager of visitor services. Lisa Toole was appointed the conference services coordinator. She has been at the Lodge since 1995 as the coach tour sales manager. Meredith Morse is the coach tour coordinator. For the last two years she has been a marketing assistant at the Lodge. The company has also hired Juergen Spagolla of Austria as executive chef. He has worked in five-star restaurants and hotels throughout Europe and now lives in Stowe.

Sharon Muellers has been promoted to internet marketing strategist at New England Federal Credit Union in Williston. Muellers has been with the company for two years as internal communications coordinator. Rhonda Blow has been hired as deposit services supervisor. She was Key Bank’s client relations manager for Vermont, New Hampshire and New York.

Artist Janet Fredericks, whose work is in many corporate and private collections, has opened a new studio at 100 Geary Road in Lincoln. 453-7757.

Tina M. Truax McCuin of Essex Junction was promoted to vice president of the Stratevest Group of Bur-lington where she is a captive insurance consultant. She has worked for the company for 10 years.

Tracie Higgins has joined Hackett Valine & MacDonald Inc. insurance agency of South Burlington as assistant claims representative in the claims department and as assistant in the commercial lines department. She has 12 years of experience in the insurance industry.

Mike Simpson was promoted to assistant general manager of the Vermont Expos. He started work for the organization as an intern in 1996 and has been the director of ticket operations and personnel since 1997.

Vermont Symphony Orchestra has appointed Anthony Princiotti as associate conductor. Since his appointment this summer, Princiotti has led the Orchestra in ten outdoor venue performances as part of the 2000 Summer Festival Tour.

Bluehouse Group has relocated to 528 Essex Road in Williston. The company is the result of a recent merger of New Media Solutions and Digital Junction that required it to move to a larger space. The company provides technology solutions to businesses. 878-1444.

Dr. Thomas J. Ruescher, D.M.D., has joined Timberlane Dental Group as a pediatric dentist. Ruescher is a graduate of the Harvard School of Dentistry and completed his residency in pediatric dentistry at the Children’s Hospital in Boston, Mass.

Community artist Maggie Sherman has relocated her mask-making business from Montgomery to Burlington, VT. An Experience in Self Discovery has been renamed “Hands on Productions.” The company stages interactive creative events to build self-esteem and team-building skills for businesses, employees, and the public, especially children. Hands on Productions can be reached at 657-3818.

Andrew Gregory of Montpelier has been hired by the Burlington firm Truex Collins & Partners Architects as a member of its architectural design team. Gregory has been an associate professor at Norwich University and provided consulting services since 1992. Mike Mitchell of Burlington has also joined the architectural design team. Most recently he worked for the architectural firm Skidmore Owings & Merrill of Chicago.

The Burlington architectural firm Freeman French Freeman has hired Jesse Robbins for its Fletcher Allen Health Care team. Robbins was employed at the health care architectural firm of Smith Group Inc.

Jack Tenney, president of Mill Publishing Inc. in Williston, announced that Jim Kelty has been named managing editor of Business People Vermont and Business Travel Guide, the magazine's twice-yearly special edition; and www.VermontGuides.com, the company's Web site. Kelty, who lives in Burlington, has traveled extensively in Europe, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific, and has 17 years of writing and editing experience with consumer, trade and university publications.

Owner Bill Dunn has announced that Hillside Properties, a property development company, has moved its offices to 380 Hurricane Lane, Suite 301, Williston, Vermont 05495.

The McKernon Group of Brandon has appointed long-time employee Tim Birchmore as head of the roofing division. He has a strong background in roofing techniques for renovations and new construction. His responsibilities will include managing crews, preparing estimates, ordering materials and scheduling projects.

Timothy Tavcar has been hired as the managing director of the Vergennes Opera House. He is the theater’s first regular employee and the first to hold this position. Currently he is the stage director for the Vermont Opera Theater and has been involved with the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra and the Lost Nation Theater.

Country Walkers of Waterbury has hired Kathy King as an accountant. Previously, she worked for Hallam Associates in South Burlington. The company specializes in adventure travel and offers worldwide walking and showshoe tours.

Joseph A. Farnham has become a member of the Burlington law firm McNeil Leddy & Sheahan. Farnham, whose main area of practice is litigation, is a former Chittenden County deputy state’s attorney.

The Vermont Agency of National Life of Burlington has hired four new associates to the firm. Mike Donnelly works out of Vergennes. He is the founder of Landmark Financial Services and has more than 15 years of experience in the financial service industry. Greg Lambesis is located in St. Albans and specializes in estate and individual planning strategies. Phil Bongiorno works out of Burlington and specializes in individual and business planning strategies. Roger Scully joins the firm from his office in Ludlow with a focus on retirement planning.

Law firm Downs Rachlin and Martin PLLC in Burlington hired Brian C. Schwartz as an associate in corporate and commercial law. Since 1998, Schwartz has been as associate at Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen LLP in Philadelphia. William J. Dodge has joined the firm as an associate in corporate and commercial law. He clerked in federal court in El Paso, Texas, after graduating from the University of Texas. Suzanne M. Monte has been hired as an associate. She is a May 2000 magna cum laude graduate of Vermont Law School. Before going to law school she was an accountant with Coopers & Lybrand in Austin, Texas and Boston, Mass.

RE/MAX Preferred of Burlington has hired Chad Dion as part of their team of real estate professionals. Jeanie Gracey has also joined the company. She is experienced in new construction and residential home sales. The company provides commercial and residential real estate services.

John H. Fitzhugh has joined Union Mutual Fire Insurance Co. and New England Guaranty Insurance Co. Inc. of Montpelier as vice president and general counsel. Since 1993 he has run a sole law practice in Montpelier. Fitzhugh will handle all legal matters involving the Union Mutual Group, a property and casualty insurer that provides insurance through a network of independent agents around New England.

Phelps Engineering Inc. has hired Alan Huizenga as senior project manager. He worked for Green Mountain Engineering Inc. as project manager. Huizenga has more than 15 years of experience in the fields of civil and environmental engineering.

Craig Bailey was hired as the Web/graphic designer for Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) in Bur-lington. Bailey was managing editor of Business People magazine in Williston. VHFA helps low- and moderate-income Vermonters obtain affordable housing.

Jager Di Paola Kemp Design of Burlington has appointed Kate Dodge to general manager. She has worked for the firm since 1993 as the primary account manager. She will direct account management activities, provide operational oversight and integrate new business into the studio.

James A. Caffry of Waitsfield has joined the law firm of Darby Laundon Stearns Thorndike & Kolter LLP. He worked as the assistant general counsel to the American Skiing Company and was an enivronmental litigation attorney for the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Caffry has a general civil practice concentrating in environmental law.

Celeste Gaspari has been appointed as the director of the Marketing Management degree program at Champlain College. She worked as manager of market strategy and research at GreenMountain.com and has been an assistant professor at the University of Vermont and Wellesley College. Nancy Hahra of Burlington has been appointed as director of the Honors program at Champlain College. Besides coordinating the Honors Program, she teaches British Literature, Western Civilization and Honors English.

Paul Ugalde of Colchester has joined Vermont Public Television as director of special gifts. The position is responsible for seeking donations from individuals. He was director of development for Burlington City Arts and worked for Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans.

Jean Gilmond has been appointed as director of developmental services at Northwestern Counseling & Support Services in St. Albans. She served for seven months as acting director. Other positions within the organization include direct service staff, services coordinator and team leader.