Rising Stars Alumni of the Year Award:
In honor of the 10th year of the Rising Stars Awards, VermontBiz will recognize one alumni from previous years to be awarded Alumni of the Year each year moving forward.
Nicole Junas Ravlin named 2019 Rising Stars Alumnus of the Year
Nicole Junas Ravlin
Owner, Junapr
Nicole Ravlin, Rising Star Class of 2010 and owner of Junapr, a communications and public relations company located in Shelburne, Vermont. For more than two decades, Ravlin has worked in communications and public relations and this past summer opened her new company, Junapr. Nicole is very active in her community serving on the executive level on the Board of Directors for Vermont Public Radio and working with several local organizations.
Dan Smith named 2020 Rising Stars Alumnus of the Year
Dan Smith
President & CEO, The Vermont Community Foundation
Dan Smith, President and CEO of the Vermont Community Foundation, the state’s largest philanthropic organization has been awarded the Rising Stars Alumni of the Year Award. The Alumni Award was started in 2019 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the VBM Rising Stars Award which began in 2010.
Dan is an outstanding choice for this award according to John Boutin, Publisher of Vermont Business Magazine. When we started this awards program back in 2010, we wanted to highlight the great young leaders we have here in Vermont and to date we have honored over 441 individuals, said Boutin. These young people are recognized each year for what they bring to their places of employment as well as their communities and Dan has gone above and beyond since first receiving this award, said Boutin.
Dan was recognized as a Rising Star the very first year of the program back in 2010. At the time he was working in the Chancellor’s office as director of community relations and public policy. Shortly after that Smith served as the president of Vermont Technical College, where he strengthened the college’s financial picture and led a reorganization of college curriculum while deepening partnerships with employers in key state industries.
In 2016, Smith Joined the Vermont Community Foundation as President and CEO. Under his leadership, the Foundation has focused its efforts on closing Vermont’s “opportunity gap”—the circumstances that disrupt communities because of differential access to child care, postsecondary education and career training, good jobs and careers, health, and economic security based on factors like socio-economic status, race, ethnicity and zip code. To support this work, the Foundation has aligned its philanthropic resources around a commitment to community engagement, innovative grantmaking, and putting foundation assets to work in Vermont through place-based mission investments.
On March 13, 2020, the Foundation launched the VT Covid-19 Response Fund to help marshal a coordinated philanthropic response to the emerging pandemic. To date, the fund has raised $7.6 million. Working with state, federal, municipal, public health, and nonprofit leadership, those funds have provided flexible resources to nonprofits working to address the most immediate public health and economic impacts of the disease, focusing on vulnerable populations and the organizations that support them.
In September, the Foundation announced five initiatives that focus on seeding an economic recovery that builds greater resilience across Vermont communities. Those initiatives explore the role of community philanthropy in the following areas:
Rural Entrepreneurship: Creating strong rural communities by supporting infrastructure for entrepreneurship, small businesses, and vibrant downtowns.
Food System Resilience: Strengthening local food systems by investing in farm viability and connections between local food, food insecurity, and food access.
Rural Connectivity: Establishing equitable internet access for communities by exploring and expanding existing models.
Learning in Transition: Developing cradle-to-career infrastructure by identifying the best career pathways and supporting service and skill-building for youth and adults.
Welcoming, Equitable, Anti-Racist Communities: Setting the stage for a more inclusive Vermont by building community capacity to engage and address racial equity, diversity, and systemic racism.
There are two criteria that the Rising Stars judges look for each year when selecting the 40 winners, commitment to business growth and professional excellence as well as involvement in their communities. That was why Dan Smith was chosen to be in the Rising Stars Class of 2010 and why he has been chosen as this year’s Alumni of the year. The professional criteria is well documented above and you would think that would be more than enough to cover his community involvement as well, but Smith also serves on the boards of Grow Kids, the Curtis Fund, the J Warren and Lois McClure Foundation, the Vermont Council of Rural Development and Cynosure, Inc.
Dan and his wife Lindsay live in Burlington with their three young sons. How he has time to do all he does is beyond me, says Boutin. All I know is we need more Dan Smith’s in Vermont!
Neale Lunderville named 2021 Rising Stars Alumnus of the Year
Neale Lunderville
President & CEO, VGS
Neale F Lunderville, President and CEO of VGS (Vermont Gas), northwest Vermont’s energy services company, has been awarded the Rising Stars Alumni of the Year Award. The Alumni Award was started in 2019 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the VBM Rising Stars Award which began in 2010.
“Neale is an outstanding choice for this award,” according to John Boutin, Publisher of Vermont Business Magazine. “When we started this awards program back in 2010, we wanted to highlight the great young leaders we have here in Vermont and to date we have honored over 481 individuals,” said Boutin. “These young people are recognized each year for what they bring to their places of employment as well as their communities and Neale has gone above and beyond since first receiving this award in 2012,” said Boutin.
Neale was recognized as a Rising Star back in 2012. At the time he was the CEO and co-founder of NG Advantage in Milton, VT, a natural gas distribution company.
Prior to winning the award in 2012, Neale’s career highlights included Secretary of Civil & Military Affairs, Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Administration in Governor Jim Douglas’s administration. He served as the Irene Recovery Officer for Governor Peter Shumlin, leading and coordinating recovery from the state’s worst natural disaster since the floods of 1927 and was the Leader for Enterprise Innovation for Green Mountain Power.
Prior to joining the team at VGS, Neale had served as General Manager of the Burlington Electric Department, where he worked closely with Mayor Miro Weinberger to advance the community’s efforts to become a Net Zero Energy City.
“I am honored to be named the Alumnus of the Year and to celebrate the Class of 2021 Rising Stars. This year’s Stars are already leaders in our community and making an outsized impact in our beloved state. I am humbled to be recognized alongside such great company,” Neale said.
Neale serves on the boards of Preservation Trust of Vermont, Vermont Journalism Trust (VTDigger), Energy Action Network (EAN), Champlain College, and Bolton Valley Resort. He serves as Co-Chair of EAN’s Weatherization at Scale Network Action Team, as well as a member of the Vermont Council on Rural Development’s Climate Economy and Future of Vermont action teams. Neale is proud to serve as an Honorary Commander of the Vermont Air National Guard.
He graduated from American University in Washington, DC, and was given their 2012 Alumni Achievement award. Neale lives in South Burlington with his better half, Dennise Casey, and their two amazing dogs, Molly and Otis.
Ted Brady named 2022 Rising Stars Alumnus of the Year
Ted Brady
Executive Director, Vermont League of Cities and Towns
Ted Brady, executive director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT), has been awarded the Rising Stars Alumni of the Year Award 2022. The Alumni Award was started in 2019 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Rising Stars Award, which began in 2010. VLCT is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1967 with the mission of serving and strengthening Vermont local government. All 247 cities and towns and another 142 units of local government (such as villages and water districts) are currently members. VLCT offers support, knowledge, representation, insurance and connection to its members.
“Ted is an outstanding choice for this award,” according to John Boutin, publisher of VermontBiz. “When we started this awards program back in 2010, we wanted to highlight the great young leaders we have here in Vermont, and to date we have honored over 520 individuals. These young people are recognized each year for what they bring to their places of employment as well as their communities, and Ted has gone above and beyond since first receiving this award in 2014.”
Brady was recognized as a Rising Star back in 2014, when at the time he was the Vermont and New Hampshire state director for USDA Rural Development. Appointed to this position by President Obama, he oversaw the administration of more than $1 billion in housing, business, and community development loans and grants.
Prior to winning the award in 2014, Brady spent more than a decade working as a community and economic development liaison in US Senator Patrick Leahy’s office, both in Washington, DC, and in Vermont.
“I’m sort of offended that I’m considered a Rising Star alumnus. Does that mean I’m a falling star? I’m in awe of this year’s Rising Stars. The commitment, accomplishments and ambition of this year’s class are inspiring. Young Vermonters are making enormous contributions to Vermont’s future, whether they are in the agriculture sector, local government, entrepreneurship, or non-profit leadership. Each class seems to be more and more accomplished, making me appreciate my membership in this club even more.”
Brady lives in Williston with his wife, Vermont Rep. Erin Brady, and their two children. He serves on the boards of the Vermont Council on Rural Development, the Preservation Trust of Vermont, and the Champlain Valley Exposition. He spends his free time musing about the future of Vermont while fishing, skiing and enjoying the Green Mountains.
Most inspiring mentor:
Senator Patrick Leahy, with a very close second of Paul Bruhn, the founding director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont.
Who is your living hero:
My wife, Erin Brady. She’s a state representative, school board member, teacher, and mom. If every Vermonter were that engaged, we could solve just about any problem.
Favorite Vermont season:
Winter. Every season is amazing, but nothing beats a good snowstorm.
Favorite downtime activity:
Skiing.
Favorite Vermont Escape:
Catamount Community Forest, Williston.
Favorite social network:
Don’t judge me: Facebook. I was a Rising Star at a different time.
Favorite website:
Besides vermontbiz.com? Vtdigger.org.
Vermont businessperson you would most want to network with:
Anyone considering starting a business or leaving Vermont. I’d like to convince them to grow here.
Michael Pieciak named 2023 Rising Stars Alumnus of the Year
Michael Pieciak
Vermont State Treasurer, State of Vermont
Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak has been named the recipient of the 2023 Rising Stars Alumnus of the Year.
A 2016 Rising Star recipient, Pieciak was inaugurated in January as Vermont’s 31st treasurer. In his new role, Pieciak has worked to strengthen Vermont’s economy and build financial equity.
This past legislative session, Pieciak successfully championed the passage of Vermont Saves, a publicly administered retirement program that will be available to the more than 80,000 Vermonters who currently lack access to an employer-based retirement plan.
He also expanded the 10% in Vermont program and made the development of new housing a top priority. In September, the treasurer’s office announced $55.5 million in low-interest housing loans that are expected to leverage an estimated $340 million in additional capital to support the construction of over 1,100 housing units in Vermont.
Pieciak previously served six years as commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, where he was first appointed by Gov. Peter Shumlin in 2016 and then reappointed by Gov. Phil Scott in 2017. During the pandemic, Pieciak served on the COVID-19 pandemic response team, providing regular data and modeling updates at the governor’s weekly news conferences.
He also served as deputy commissioner of DFR’s securities division, where he led the investigation into the Jay Peak EB-5 projects.
Prior to his public service, Pieciak practiced law in New York City and at Downs Rachlin Martin in Burlington in the Business Law Group.
Pieciak grew up in Brattleboro and graduated cum laude from Union College with a degree in political science. He received a law degree summa cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the “Miami Law Review.” Pieciak lives in Winooski with his partner, Will, and English Setter, Jetty.
“Mike is an outstanding choice for this award,” said John Boutin, publisher of VermontBiz. “When we started this awards program in 2010, we wanted to highlight the great young leaders we have here in Vermont. Mike has clearly lived up to expectations of all past Rising Stars with his commitment to Vermont and its community.
“These young people are recognized each year for what they bring to their places of employment as well as their communities,” Boutin added, “and Mike has gone above and beyond since first receiving this award in 2016.”
Pieciak expressed his thanks to VermontBiz for the honor of being named 2023 Alumnus of the Year and for the chance to celebrate with this year’s “impressive group of young leaders.
“I’ve never been so optimistic about the future of our state, in large part because of the next generation of Vermont leaders who are already having an outsized impact on our state,” he said.
Gwen Pokalo Hart named Rising Stars Alumna of the Year 2024
Gwen Pokalo Hart
Director, Vermont Office of the Center for Women & Enterprise
Vermont office of the Center for Women & Enterprise Director Gwen Pokalo Hart has been named the recipient of the 2024 Rising Stars Alumnus of the Year.
A 2014 Rising Star recipient, Gwen has served as Director of Vermont’s Women’s Business Center, a technical assistance nonprofit, for eight years. She reopened the federal public-private partnership under the regional Center for Women & Enterprise in 2016 and has grown the institution to serve over 300 Vermont women entrepreneurs and small business owners per year through individual business counseling, group learning experiences, and procurement certification. Gwen also led efforts to build out the regional organization’s Data and Policy Departments. It is a toss-up what’s her favorite thing to do at work; getting to know some of Vermont’s bravest, most creative thinkers & doers (our clients – small business owners!), collaborating with the awesome network of partners in the work, and creating accessible, enjoyable entrepreneur/finance programs all bring Gwen great joy. Gwen deeply believes that everyone has an innate entrepreneurial spirit, and that we can build an equitable future through creative community resourcing.
Gwen serves on the boards of All Brains Belong, Association of Women’s Business Centers, Vermont Community Loan Fund, and the Vermont Seed Capital Fund, and is a Corporator for Mascoma Bank. She is in the first cohort of the Northeast Transition Institute’s professional fellows program, where she is learning about business transition strategy and the power of worker/employee ownership.
Gwen holds degrees in Community Development & Applied Economics from the University of Vermont, where she first fell in love with the power and potential of Vermont community. She’s worked in microbusiness incubation & retail (her passion), rural development research, and with people with developmental disabilities.
Her professional identity blends relatively well with her private one, though in her private life, Gwen tends to be much sillier than professional constraints allow. Gwen is the enthusiastic mom of George (2) and partner of Jason (a Montpelier High School Math Teacher). Though rich in interests and hobbies, Gwen is spending the majority of her time basking in fun with loved ones, learning to lead a more sustainable life, and soaking up Vermont autumn. The scariest book Gwen read recently was ‘We Used to Live Here’, her work bible is ‘Emergent Strategy’, and she has been carrying around ‘Entangled Life’ in her backpack for months.