![Andrew Siebengartner
'03 excelled in the John Dewey Honors program and hopes to share his love of classical languages with the next generation of students and scholars.
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Robert Stiller, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in Waterbury, Vermont
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09.27.04 ENTREPRENEURS IN THE GREEN MOUNTAIN STATE
Senior Vice President and Provost John Bramley put the spotlight on entrepreneurship in Vermont in his most recent stops on the Provost's Tour, a series of informational gatherings for alumni, parents, and friends of the University.
Two Vermont events were held this past summer on the theme, "Voices of Vermont: Entrepreneurs in the Green Mountain State." More than 75 people attended each event, which also gave the Provost an opportunity to talk about new initiatives at the University and provide an update on the status of The Campaign for the University of Vermont.
Robert Stiller, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in Waterbury, Vermont, was the featured speaker at the first event, held at the Cliff House Restaurant in Stowe. Stiller, who is a member of the Business School Board of Advisors, heads a company that reported over $116 million in sales in fiscal 2003. The firm has three times been listed among the 100 "Fastest-Growing Small Companies" in America by Fortune Small Business (FSB) magazine and was named 5th overall on Business Ethics magazine's 2004 list of the "100 Best Corporate Citizens." Stiller said that keeping employees motivated and involved in the company is a key to its success. He emphasized the company's commitment to corporate social responsibility, environmental stewardship, and the local and global communities.
Jan '84 and David '81 Blittersdorf, owners of NRG Systems in Hinesburg, Vermont, were featured at the second event, held at the home of Phil '63 and Crea G'78 Lintilhac in Shelburne. The Blittersdorfs have been manufacturing wind energy products in Hinesburg since 1982, and today their company is acknowledged as a world leader in wind energy assessment technology. Jan Blittersdorf is the company's vice president and chief financial officer, and also handles human resources for the growing company. She shared with guests a brief company history, from start-up through the lean years to growing and managing the business and the construction of their new 46,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Hinesburg, a model of green building design. As company president, David Blittersdorf oversees its research and development, purchasing and marketing activities. He spoke about energy and renewable energy, our reliance on fossil fuels, the hope for wind energy as an alternative, and the process of creating a green building.
The two events offered a fascinating inside look at two young companies that have grown to become vital components of the economic engine that drives Vermont.