Faces&Places

May 2009

Green Mountain Harley-Davidson announced that Bill Veren was hired as business manager for new and pre-owned motorcycles. Christine McConnell has joined the team as rentals manager and service writer. Tom O’Halloran, who will run the company’s motorcycle rental program, has been assisting in the parts department.

Stantec engineer Gary Santy was promoted to principal and leader of the company’s North Springfield office. Santy has worked as a transportation engineer for over 30 years. He is a registered professional engineer in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Jan Riordan, vice president for membership and programs at the Greater Burlington YMCA, announced the appointment of Matt Whitman as director of facilities and John V. McDevitt as membership director. Whitman was with the Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center; McDevitt was with Champlain Radio Group and Vertek Corp.

Thomas S. Leavitt, executive vice president of Merchants Bank, announced the appointment of branch president George E. Araskiewicz to the position of market manager for Bennington County. Araskiewicz will oversee the bank’s offices in Manchester, Bennington, and North Bennington. He has been with Merchants since 2001.

Aimee Hayes, MSPT, joined Champlain Valley Urgent Care as lead physical therapist. Hayes has experience with orthopedic injuries, acute and chronic pain, and work-related injuries. The South Burlington company also announced the opening of a second location, at 394 Mountain Road in Stowe.

The Inn at Essex has been officially renamed: The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa. The name change was announced by Jim Glanville, the manager of the resort, as one that more appropriately identifies the property:a full-service resort with 120 guest rooms and suites, and home to the New England Culinary Institute cooking classes. The inn is also the only Orvis-endorsed fly-fishing lodge in Vermont. It has a championship golf course, tennis courts, banquet and conference facilities, rock- and ice-climbing, and a challenge course, and a custom hot air balloon. In May it will open a full-service spa and natatorium.

Bill Orleans, the owner of PP&D Brochure Distribution, announced the hiring of two service reps. Paul Hamilton, a recent St. Michael’s College graduate, will cover Montpelier, Burlington, the Upper Valley, and New Hampshire. Maurice Hebert will fill displays in the Northeast Kingdom, Jay, Middlebury, Stowe, and Waitsfield.

King Arthur Flour promoted Halley Silver to director of e-commerce in recognition of her leadership of the company’s website revolution. Silver joined the company in September 2007. The company also announced the addition of Todd Andrews as sales manager for the Western region, a newly opened market for the company’s bakery food service flour division. Andrews is the former owner/operator of Loafers Old World Bakery and Coffee House in Bingen, Wash.

Seven Days announced the promotion of three longtime employees, with a combined tenure of 28 years, to associate publisher positions. Cathy Resmer, online editor; Don Eggert, creative director; and Colby Roberts, sales director, will continue in their current roles and take on an increasing number of publishing projects. The announcement was made by Paula Routly, the founder 13 years ago with co-editor Pamela Polston.

Don George was named president and chief executive officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont and its affiliate HMO, The Vermont Health Plan. George has served as interim president and CEO since the retirement of William R. Milnes Jr. in November 2008. He joined the organization in 1993 following several years at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont (now called Fletcher Allen Health Care).

April Cornell Holdings announced a move to offices overlooking Lake Champlain at 131 Battery St., Burlington. The announcement was made by designer and owner April Cornell. In addition to holding the design team, the offices will be home to Internet sales, licensing, and wholesale operations. The flagship retail store remains at 87 Church St. in Burlington.

Bob Lewis was promoted to the position of vice president of residential sales at groSolar. Lewis has led the company’s consumer sales growth over the last four years. His promotion comes after groSolar’s acquisition of the residential solar division of Borrego Solar Systems of El Cajon, Calif.

Charlie Brush, president, founder, and chairman of the board of the Kelly Brush Foundation, announced the hiring of Betsy Cabrera as executive director, the first person to hold the position at the three-year-old nonprofit. Cabrera was with the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce and executive director of Leadership Champlain.

Found Line design firm in Burlington announced the hiring of Joshua Cleaver as designer. Cleaver has been a Young Rembrandt art instructor and has done freelance design work. He earned a fine arts degree from Colby College and continued graphic design studies at the University of Vermont.

The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger announced the addition of Ann Janda as marketing and outreach specialist. Marissa Parisi, the organization’s executive director, made the announcement. Janda has worked part-time at the organization since November, on a special marketing grant. In her additional role, she will implement a strategic marketing and communications plan and manage public relations efforts. She was with Dwight Asset Management.

Jessica Hubbard Riina and Nick Riina, Realtors at Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman Realty in Burlington, have joined forces to become Hubbard and Riina, a husband-and-wife team within the company. They specialize in residential and multi-family homes. Nick has been with the company since 2001; Jessica joined the firm in 2006.

Darrin Clement, the founder and CEO of Maponics LLC, a provider of geographic data based in Norwich, announced two promotions. Mark Friend was named vice president of sales and marketing; he will oversee expansion of U.S. and international spatial database licensing and partnerships. He joined the firm in 2008. Steve Zuckerman was named vice president of technical operations. He joined Maponics in 2003.

Gregory D. Woodworth was named senior vice president and general counsel of National Life Group. The announcement was made by Mehran Assadi, president and chief executive officer. Woodworth has been with the company for three years. Assadi also announced the appointment of Vincent G. Vitiello as chief marketing officer. Vitiello was with Allianz of America as chief business development officer and chief marketing officer.

Peter Hofstetter, chief executive officer of Northwestern Medical Center since 1994, announced that he has accepted a position as CEO at Holy Cross Hospital in Taos, N.M. According to John Casavant, president of the board of directors, a national search will be conducted in conjunction with QHR, a Tennessee organization that provides management services for the hospital. QHR will provide an interim CEO during the transition.

CBA Blue of Vermont, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, announced the following additions to the staff. Rob Stokes is vice president of marketing; Tom Tanner was named director of reporting; and Lynn Fleury is director of client relations. Keri Pike joined Hampton Direct importing and distribution firm in Williston as a buyer. Pike was purchasing coordinator at Bruegger’s Enterprises.

John Stimets, vice president and affiliate manager of Country Business Inc.’s Burlington office, announced that David Stember joined the Burlington office as an associate to represent CBI in the Northeast Kingdom. Stember is a seasoned entrepreneur with extensive business experience.

True Body Products announced the hiring of Otie Filkorn, a package design and supply chain management consultant, as part of its senior management team. Filkorn is charged with developing the operational backbone of the company. Her recent projects include work for Autumn Harp and the Vermont Coffee Co.

Sarah Carpenter, executive director of Vermont Housing Finance Agency, announced that Mark Westergard joined the organization as general counsel. Westergard directs and administers all legal matters for the agency. He was a trial court law clerk for Addison Superior Court.

The painting firm Collegiate Entrepreneurs announced the appointment of Taggart Ramsey to executive regional manager. The UVM College of Business Administration junior will be responsible for painting crews in northern Vermont.

Engineering Ventures Inc. of Burlington announced the expansion of its operations into Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The new office, Engineering Ventures PC, will augment services provided by the firm from its Burlington headquarters and its Lebanon, N.H., location.

Chad Farrell, P.E., principal of Encore Redevelopment, announced that Liza Plantilla joined the firm as project manager. Plantilla has experience in historic preservation, affordable housing finance, and green building techniques.

KeyBank announced the addition of three employees. Peter Nolasco was named mortgage adviser. He works from the Essex Junction branch and services clients throughout the country. He was with Wells Fargo. John Bock is a fiduciary adviser with more than 14 years’ experience in wealth management. He was president of an independent trust company, which he had formed. Michael Williams is a portfolio adviser with 17 years’ experience in the field. He was with a community bank in Pennsylvania.

Thomas S. Leavitt, executive vice president of Merchants Bank, announced the appointment of Christine T. Auriemma to the position of market manager for Chittenden County. Auriemma has been with Merchants for 15 years, most recently as the White Street branch president. Christopher H. Jarvis was named branch president for the Kennedy Drive office. He joined the bank in 1994 and was most recently a corporate banking officer.

Advance System Design hired Eric Laessig as lead installation technician. Laessig, a Certified Technology Specialist, was with a large audiovisual systems integration firm in Las Vegas.

Steve Donahue, principal of Donahue & Associates, announced the addition of Mike Provost as a sales and leasing agent. Provost has more than 20 years’ experience in sales and marketing. He owned and operated the Olympiad Health and Racquet Club.

NRG Systems Inc. announced the hiring of Stuart Adriance as towers technician and Charlotte Merle-Smith as office assistant. Adriance was a freelance screenwriter, editor, and copywriter in the video and film industry. Merle-Smith was in the professional equestrian industry.

Dan Farnham, DPT, PT, ATC, was named director of the Physical Therapy Center of Vermont. He practices sports medicine, rehabilitation, and orthopedic physical therapy in South Burlington. Physical therapists Melissa a. Wojtczak, DPT; Alice C. Grau, PT; and Esther Halden, PT, joined the staff. Wojtczak has experience in aquatic therapy, work-related conditions, and sports medicine. Grau’s clinical expertise is in myofascial release, aquatics, pediatrics, and orthopedics. Halden specializes in home care and rehabilitation.

Marketing group Kelliher Samets Volk announced the hiring of Stephanie Warner as interactive producer and Tim Obarski as search-marketing specialist. Warner, from Los Angeles, co-founded and built the largest macromedia users group in the world and produced Web campaigns for major studios. Obarski was search-marketing manager for a local Web developer and ran his own search-marketing business. Both work in the agency’s Burlington office.

Local Motion announced that Adele Dienno joined the organization as membership and special events coordinator. Dienno, a longtime events organizer with nonprofits, is completing work with the VerMontreal Tour, a 120-person bike ride to Montreal for the Tour de l’Ile in June.

Vermont Mutual Insurance Group announced that Steven Rahl was hired as assistant vice president of marketing. Rahl has more than 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry, most recently with Zurich North America.

Bill Young, executive director of Maple Leaf Farm, announced that Stacey Dutil accepted a position as addiction treatment counselor. Dutil is a 2009 graduate of Champlain College with a bachelor of science in social work. She was assistant family shelter coordinator for COTS Family Shelters.

Jan Grady joined Concentra Inc. as client relations manager, serving the company’s medical centers in South Burlington and Barre. Grady has more than 20 years’ sales and customer service experience. She was with Paychex Inc. in Connecticut and Exterus Technology for Business in Shelburne.

H. Keith Wagner Partnership announced Carolyn Orben of Shelburne is an associate of the firm. Orben has been a project manager with the firm since 2003 and is working on several commercial projects.

Mildred Reardon, MD, clinical professor of medicine and faculty member in the program in integrative medicine at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, announced that Helene Langevin, MD, research associate professor of neurology and orthopaedics and rehabilitation, was named director of the program in integrative medicine. Philip Trabulsy, MD, clinical assistant professor of orthopaedics and rehabilitation, will be the clinical program leader and UVM representative to the steering committee for the national Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine. Tania Bertsch, MD, associate professor of medicine and director of clerkship programs, will continue as education program leader.

The Vermont Foodbank board of trustees announced the hiring of John Sayles as chief executive officer. Sayles was deputy secretary of Natural Resources at the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. •