Board
Robert Beauchamp
Beauchamp & O’Rourke Pharmacy, Rutland, VT beauchmp@sover.net.
Robert Beauchamp, practicing pharmacist for over 50 years and owner of Beauchamp & O'Rourke Pharmacy in Rutland, VT. Past president of VRA, still active on board. Past president of VT Pharmacists Assoc. and active in community affairs. Stays busy and healthy with tennis, skiing and cycling. Passionate about cooking and gardening.
Bob Bouchard
Bouchard-Pierce, Essex Junction, VT, bpbob1@yahoo.com
Vice President VRA Board of Trustees
Arthur Breault
Arthur’s Department Store, Morrisville, VT, arthursdeptstore@pshift.com
Robert Diaco
Sign*A*Rama, So. Burlington, VT, bob@signaramavt.com
Larry Duffany
Duffany Corporation, Manchester Center, VT, ltdbgd@comcast.net
Martha Dwyer
The Ginger Tree Ltd., Rutland, VT, mmd4@hotmail.com.
Secretary, VRA Board of Trustees
Martha Marro Dwyer: Born and raised in Rutland Vermont, educated in Rutland Schools. Further education : St Elizabeth's Hospital School of Nursing Boston, Boston College, and The College of St Joseph in Rutland, Vermont. Prior to opening The Ginger Tree (incorporated in 1977) was on an Open Heart Team in Boston, Staff nurse in the Operating Room Rutland Regional Medical Center. Married to Philip Dwyer formerly of Boston. They have two sons Philip and Patrick. As "Shopkeeper" has owned and operated The Ginger Tree offering clothing (including formalwear) and accessories for women on North Main Street at the jct of 4 & 7 in Rutland since 1978. VRA Board member since 1989, was on the original board of Downtown Development now The Downtown Rutland Partnership. A member of The Rutland Garden Club Martha enjoys gardening, reading, walking, biking and most of all spending time with her granddaughter Harper.
John Gebbie
St. Jay Hardware, St. Johnsbury, VT, askjohn@truevalue.net
Bonnie Hawley
Hawley’s Florist, Rutland, VT, florist@sover.net.
President, VRA Board of Trustees
Bonnie Hawley, owner of Hawley’s Florist, founded in 1977 in Downtown Rutland. Bonnie is a native Vermonter who graduated from University of Massachusetts with a BS degree in Plant and Soil Science, and minor in Art. She worked at many flower shops throughout the country before returning to Vermont to open her own business.
Bonnie is a Past President of the Paramount Theatre Board. The Paramount is very dear to her heart as she worked with many others for 15 years to raise the money to restore and renovate the theatre, which had been dark since 1975. Today it is a flourishing performing arts theatre.
Bonnie was active for many years in the FTD (Florist Transworld Delivery) Association, serving on the state, regional, and national levels, including as a National Director. She also served on the Boards of The Downtown Rutland Partnership, and BPW (Business and Professional Women’s Organization.
Bonnie has a son Eric, who is a career submariner in the US Navy. She resides in Hampton, NY, where she serves as chairman of the Town of Hampton Planning Board.
Bonnie loves gardening, reading, and relaxes by mowing her meadows on her John Deere Tractor.
Richard Huestis
Huestis Farm Supply, Bridport, VT, huestisfarmsupply@gmavt.net.
Richard grew up on a dairy farm in Bridport. After graduating from Middlebury Union High School he served four years in the U.S. Air Force, stationed in Texas, Pakistan, and Okinawa. He moved to Japan after graduating from UVM to attend Waseda University in Tokyo for Japanese language study. It was there he met and married Shizu, a language classmate, and a native of Taiwan. They have three daughters.
After returning to Vermont in 1981 he worked with his father at the family business in Bridport. He took over Huestis Farm Supply in 1981. One of his hobbies is genealogy.
Lisa Jardine
Sears Roebuck Company, So. Burlington, VT, ljardin@searshc.com.
Lynn Miles
Samara’s Cards & Gifts, Stowe, VT, info@samaracardsandgifts.com.
Over thirty years ago Lynn Miles opened Samara, a small craft shop, in a renovated gas station in Jeffersonville. The business is now located in Stowe and continues to feature crafts and gifts by local crafters and artists.
Thomas Rupp
J.C. Penney, Berlin, VT, trupp1@jcpenney.com.
Treasurer, Board of Trustes.
Alexandra Serra
Wal-Mart Stores, Williston VT/Augusta ME, alexandra.serra@wal-mart.com.
Brian Shedd
Best Buy, Williston, VT, brian.shedd@bestbuy.com
Brian Shedd is the General Manager of the Williston Best Buy. Brian has been employed with Best Buy since 1999. In the past ten years, he has worked for the company in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. Brian graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology. A native Vermonter, Brian was excited at the opportunity to come back to Vermont two years ago. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife Nina and son Joseph and also enjoys spending time outdoors.
Christine Tattersall
Tattersall’s Clothing Emporium, Rutland, VT, christine@tattersallsclothing.com
Christine Tattersall founded Tattersall’s Clothing Emporium in Downtown Rutland, in 1995. Since then, she has become very connected with the local retail community and enjoys meeting and working with her customers, many of whom have become friends over the years
Christine attended St. Godric’s College in London and worked there for 3 years in London before emigrating to the US in 1965 to take a research support position at Yale University. In 1985 she began her career in retail, first as a travel agent, then in all aspects of a sporting goods store in Connecticut prior to moving to Grafton, Vermont.
Christine has served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Rutland Region Workforce Investment Board since 2003 and on the Tourism and Marketing Committees of both the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Rutland Partnership. She has been involved in the development of the Rutland Area Physical Activity Coalition.
Christine’s passion is road running. For many years she raced competitively around the United States and is preparing to race again as she enters a new age group. She also loves to garden and to drive her 1974 MGB roadster.
Heather Tremblay
University Mall, So. Burlington, VT, htremblay@finardproperties.com
Heather Tremblay is a Vice President, Asset and Property Management, with 21 years of real estate industry experience, all spent at Finard Properties. Heather is responsible for 1.2 million square feet of property in Vermont and Maine, including the 610,000 square foot University Mall in South Burlington, Vermont, the state’s largest enclosed shopping center. Heather oversees all areas of services provided at these properties, including management, construction and leasing. Heather holds a BA from the University of Vermont and a Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Real Property Administrator designation. She is a member of BOMA, the International Council of Shopping Centers, and is Past-President of the Vermont Retail Association.
Thomas R. Zapf Esq
Macy’s, Burlington, VT/NYC, tom.zapf@macys.com
Tom Zapf graduated from Seton Hall University and Seton Hall University School of Law. Tom is dedicated to family, church and town, and the United States of America. He serves first responders and uniformed services as a volunteer as a focus as well. He likes to work on his 1922 farmhouse, including running electric, complete room renovations, new windows, landscaping and more. He enjoys running and working on his own vehicles, target shooting, swimming, reading, painting, and social entertainment.
