Faces&Places

August 2001

Faces&Places

The Vermont Chamber of the Alzheimer's Association hired Kimm Dittrich as the chapter's first major gift director. Dittrich started his fund-raising career at Colgate University. He has worked on campaigns for Champlain College, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Littleton Regional Hospital and Mount Ascutney Hospital.

Jim Willard joined Maple Landmark Woodcraft in Middlebury as sales manager. Willard has more than 30 years' experience in the sales of wooden toys and games worldwide. He worked for Montgomery Schoolhouse manufacturers, which was acquired by Maple Landmark.

The Greater Burlington Industrial Corp. promoted Sam Matthews to vice president. Matthews has been with GBIC for three years as director of business development. Previously, she was the industrial expansion and regional support coordinator for the Vermont Department of Economic Development. She serves on the Vermont Real Estate Commission and chairs the State of Vermont IntraBoard.

Cindy Abbiati joined the Vermont Federal Credit Union as assistant branch manager, where she helps oversee daily operations of the Burlington branch. Abbiati has more than 10 years' experience in the financial services industry. Amy Carlson was promoted to branch manager at the Burlington location. Carlson started at the credit union as branch coordinator in 1998. Donna Bogue was promoted to loan supervisor, overseeing the Burlington branch loan department. She has been with the credit union since 1993. Erin Navin was promoted to branch manager of the Middlebury branch. Navin manages and supervises staff at the new Washington Street location and branch facility. She has been with the credit union for five years. Laurie Desabrais was promoted to loan officer/member service representative at the Middlebury branch.

Michell Langlais, director of business development and relocation services at Hickok & Boardman Realty Inc. in Burlington, was promoted to vice president. Langlais has been with Hickok & Boardman for seven years. As manager of the company's corporate relocation department, Langlais provides area businesses with relocation services ranging from managed home-finding assistance to area orientation tours to extensive rental services. She is also responsible for creating, implementing and marketing new programs, services and tools to better meet customer needs.

Laura Levering O'Connell was promoted to president of the Windjammer Hospitality Group in South Burlington, and Thomas O'Connell was promoted to vice president of operations. Levering O'Connell has been with the hospitality group for more than 10 years and has held several positions, including general manager of Cafe Espresso, sales manager, catering and conference director and director of sales at the Best Western Windjammer Inn & Conference Center, and vice president of operations for the Windjammer Hospitality Group. O'Connell started with the hospitality group as executive chief and general manager of Cafe Espresso. He was also sales manager at Best Western Windjammer & Conference Center and general manager of the Windjammer Restaurant.

Northeast Handling Systems in Burlington hired Dave Bourgea as technical sales and service representative. Bourgea has more than 20 years' experience in sales and marketing, most recently as a financial advisor with MetLife Financial Services. Before that, Bourgea spent 18 years with Bouyea-Fassetts Bakery as regional sales manager. Northeast Handling builds custom overhead construction cranes, sells and services overhead cranes, hoists and door systems, and is a certified overhead crane and hoist inspector.

Network Performance Inc., a computer networking firm in South Burlington, added Gordon White to its technical staff. White is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer with six years of information technology experience from Bock Interactive and Harvard University in Massachusetts. He specializes in Microsoft Exchange and teaches TaeKwonDo in Burlington.

Barbara S. Graf was named human resources manager at the Burlington law firm Downs Rachlin & Martin PLLC. Graf manages employment policy for about 160 employees working in five locations. She has administrative, human resources and financial experience, having served as human resources director at the Howard Center for Human Services in Burlington. The firm's employee population includes 85 attorneys and paralegals, as well as accounting, clerical, information systems and other support staff.

Michael J. McKean was named commandant and vice president for student affairs at Norwich University in Northfield. McKean is responsible for assisting military and civilian students in the development of leadership skills and character while supporting academics. He is also responsible for overseeing a leadership development program, student activities, housing, counseling services, athletics, intramural programs, religious services and the Cadet uniform store. He was chairman of the multinational EURO-NATO training committee, responsible for reorganizing and standing up the Air Base Ground Defense Command of the U.S. Army.

Jim Furgeson was named director of marketing for the Vermont owned stations of Clear Channel Radio, a division of Clear Channel Communications. He is responsible for marketing and promotion efforts for nine radio stations. For the last three years, Furgeson was director of marketing for the Clear Channel station group in Burlington.

Jean Coffey RN, MSN, PNP was appointed director of the Maternal and Child Health Division of the Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle counties. Coffey is a clinical leader, advanced practice nurse clinician, educator and advocate for children and families. She is also a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Vermont. She was the nurse leader for the pediatric and adolescent care unit at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and nurse leader for the children's health care service at Fletcher Allen Health Care.

IFSCO Mail & Production, a print shop and presorting mailing bureau in Colchester, changed its name to North Country Mailing and Printing Inc. It is a subsidiary of Fletcher Allen Health Care.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in Waterbury has announced that Lance Mansfield, who has been with the company for a number of years, has been promoted to the position of service dispatch supervisor.

Christine Canavan was hired by The Johnson Co., Inc., a Montpelier environmental science and engineering firm, as a project scientist. Canavan has nine years' experience in the environmental industry. Kristopher Hammer and Caroline Marsh joined The Johnson Co. as environmental technicians. Marsh is certified in OSHA hazardous material, supervisor training and confined-space.

Anna McDonald was named associate vice president of human resources at The University of Vermont. McDonald has 24 years of management experience in human resources and employment equity, having worked in the California State University system. Keith Williams was hired as the university's registrar, after working as the senior associate university registrar at SUNY Binghamton. Williams has experience in advising and admissions. William Kelly, professor emeritus, is interim director of the Office of International Education. Kelly was assistant academic vice president, associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Science, and a faculty member and chairman in the department of community development and applied economics.

The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory Co. in Shelburne hired Al Diem as offshore development and operations manager and Grant McLean as key account sales manager. Diem ensures the company meets its needs for high-quality raw materials by building relationships with current offshore suppliers and researching new ones. He was a purchasing and sourcing agent with Champion Jogbra in Essex. McLean is responsible for further developing the "Bears to Business" incentive and affinity program with nationally recognized corporations. He was a project manager at LandVest in Burlington.

Donald W. Jenkins was hired as investment counselor for Chittenden Investment Services, servicing the Montpelier and Barre areas. Jenkins assists customers in financial planning and investment management. He has worked at Merrill Lynch as a financial consultant, and Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc. as a financial analyst. He is a fundraiser with the Jeff Stone Memorial Tennis Tournament and is treasurer of the Himalayan Cataract Project.

Encompass Mechanical Services, specializing in commercial design/build plumbing and heating ventilation and cooling systems, hired Deb Longe as service dispatcher for the South Burlington office. Longe has 15 years of experience in the HVAC and plumbing industry, having worked at VGS Plumbing Co. Encompass also hired Marianne Olshefski as administrative assistant/receptionist, where she is responsible for payroll, billing and front office reception. She has several years of experience in the mechanical contracting industry.

Joseph A. Gaida was elected vice president of the corporation as manager of investments and marketing at Hackett Valine & MacDonald Inc., a South Burlington employee benefits company. Gaida joined Hackett & Co. in 1998 after an extensive career in the financial services industry. As a former business owner and consultant to business, education and government, he is familiar with a wide range of retirement planning issues and has been honored for his work in the field of gerontology. He has been active in a variety of civic and professional groups. Erin R. Helmken was elected to vice president of the corporation. Helmken joined the company this year as a senior pension administrator. She has extensive knowledge of employee benefits and experience in finance and computer technology, spending five years at KEA Technologies as controller, and seven years at Future Planning Associates.

Linda Goldsmith joined SE Group, a planning, design and environmental consulting firm in Burlington, to expand the company's environmental services capabilities. Goldsmith was a principal environmental, health and safety specialist with General Dynamics in Burlington. She has more than 12 years' experience in the environmental field, specializing in environmental assessment and planning, water and air quality services, and environmental compliance management.

Lang Associates real estate firm headquartered in Burlington hired Betsy Francklyn, Jennifer Ponder and Maureen Jennette as sales professionals. Francklyn works out of the South Burlington office. She was in the sales division of the home builders department at the Snyder Company. Ponder works out of the Middlebury location. She also works at Middlebury College as a dance lighting designer. Jennette works out of the St. Albans office. She is a member of the Vermont Association of Realtors, the National Association of Realtors and the Franklin County Board of Realtors.

Douglas J. Wacek was elected president and chief executive officer of the Union Mutual Fire Insurance Co. and New England Guaranty Insurance Co., Inc. in Montpelier. Wacek joined Union Mutual in 1994 with a diversified and extensive background in business, finance and government spanning 20 years. He has held several positions with both companies, serving as chief financial officer, senior vice president and most recently as executive vice president and chief operating officer. He serves on a variety of industry boards, as well as the board of the National Kidney Foundation and the Green Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

New England Air Systems, a full-service mechanical contractor in Williston, hired Scott Bellows as building automation service department manager, Jaime Blake as service coordinator support, and Valerie Wennar as front desk coordinator. Bellows has an electronics degree and more than 20 years' experience in Honeywell building automation/control systems. Blake has six years of administrative experience. Wennar has more than nine years' experience in customer service.

The Vermont Community Botanical Garden appointed Jacquelyn F. Arbuckle to executive director. Most recently a trainer/supervisor at Gardener's Supply Co. in Burlington, Arbuckle is the founder of Vermont Respite House Inc. and served as executive director for the organization's first seven years.

The Chittenden County Transportation Authority hired Christopher J. Cole as general manager, where he oversees all finances and operations. Cole has worked for the last three years as a financial analyst in the joint fiscal office of the Vermont Legislature, focusing on transportation finances and public policy.

Roderick J. Owens has changed the name of his Burlington firm, RTO Marketing Services Inc. to Interactive Marketing Concepts Inc. Interactive Marketing Concepts will continue to focus on telemarketing, lead generation, fulfillment and mail processing services.

Gordon's Window Decor in Essex Junction hired Susan Lackey as director of business development. Lackey has 16 years' experience in management, system design, personnel issues and sales training. She also has 30 years' experience in fine tailoring and design. She worked for Doncaster as director of business development and national trainer for the last nine years. Gordon's Window Decor also added Sandra Valenta to its design team. Valenta is a specialist in the use of fabric for custom draperies, top treatments and bedding accessories to personalize a look throughout a home. She has 16 years of custom design and fabrication experience and is responsible for offering greater outsourcing, production and installation capabilities.

Robin Russom was appointed retail sales manager at Banknorth Group Inc. in Burlington. Russom is responsible for the company's Vermont marketplace, managing and coordinating all retail sales programs and activities through a network of 38 branch locations operated by Howard Bank, First Vermont Bank and Franklin Lamoille Bank.

Heather J. Cruickshank was appointed branch president of Merchants Bank's College Street office in Burlington. Cruickshank is responsible for overseeing customer service representatives and tellers. She started as a teller with Merchants Bank in 1995 and was promoted to customer representative.

Kari Landry was hired as client services supervisor at Spherion Workforce Architects in South Burlington. Landry is responsible for sourcing, selecting and placing qualified employees on flexible assignments to service different office disciplines. She worked for a staffing service in Arizona.

Last updated: 8/18/04