Hampton Direct of Williston gave $20,000 to local charities last Friday. Employees decided which local charities were to receive donations.
A reporter sent to cover the event was late. It was cold and the front door was locked. There was no receptionist at the desk. No one was in the front offices. Eventually, a young man with an infant joined the reporter. The intercom button was pushed several times to no avail. Finally, Miss Vermont let them in.
The reporter said, ‘You’re Miss Vermont.’ Ashley Wheeler said, ‘I’m the old Miss Vermont.’ The reporter said, ‘You’re not old.’ Her hair was perfect. She happened to be at Hampton Direct as a model to do a product shoot.
The Williston company develops and markets several popular “As Seen on TV” products, such as the “Twin Draft Guard” and “Wonder Hanger.” Founder and CEO Steve Heroux moved his company to Williston to be near his hometown of Montreal while also being in the United States. Vermont has benefited from several like-minded companies that want or need to be in the United States (such as defense contractors Revision Eyewear in Essex and Triosyn, also in Williston, among others).
For the event at Hampton (watch video), employees were split into groups and each group chose a local 501(c)3 company to be a recipient of a company donation. The company puts up the money, but the employees got to choose who would get it. After the charitable organizations were chosen and a 5x7 envelope with their name on it was taped to the wall, a representative of each employee group explained what the organization did and why they were chosen. Then, a few employees at a time, each wielding five, $100 bills, were called up to fill the envelopes as each saw fit.
The ground rules stated that each of the nonprofits must receive at least one donation and no organization could receive more than $5,000.
Hampton Direct is one the most dynamic young companies in Vermont. The company states that 2009 sales are on pace to more than triple 2008’s, which was the company’s banner year.
Recently, the company announced a retail partnership with Lowe’s to carry the Twin Draft Guard product in 350 stores in the Northeast in the Northeast Region. The company recently purchased the new Williston headquarters, which more than triples the square footage of their previous location (20,000 square feet compared to 66,000). The company also plans to increase their staff, which is now 50 employees.
In the video, Human Resources Director Mary Wylde is the master of ceremonies. Steve Heroux is standing up to her right.