Seven community members have joined the Board of Directors of the non‐profit
(pending) organization of the Vermont Institute of Contemporary Arts (VTica) set to open in the fall in
downtown Chester. A first floor gallery, exhibition and performing arts space is being developed in a
turn‐of‐the‐century building on Depot Street off Rte. 11.
The Board of Directors include : Robert Sarly, President; Abby Raeder, Executive Director; Ronald J
Theissen, Treasurer; Debra Boudrieau; Larry Carbonetti; William Dakin Jr.; and Marji Graf. As Sarly said,
“We wanted to bring together the talents of many individuals to guide the organization in its early years.
Their expertise in financing, marketing and outreach to the artists will be invaluable.”
Sarly and Raeder, both of Andover, conceived the VTica concept more than a year ago. Their goal was
to enhance the opportunities for contemporary artists in Vermont by providing exhibition and teaching
facilities earning recognition of the artists by residents and visitors. As Raeder said “many artists are
working in studios along the backroads of Vermont with limited acknowledgement of their work outside
of major metropolitan areas. We wanted to provide a venue to have their work seen and appreciated.”
One of the early initiatives of the group has been the launch of the Vermont State of the Arts Trail. In its
initial phase, galleries stretching from Salem and Cambridge in New York across the mid‐section of the
state to Bellows Falls will be promoted as driving tours to the visiting public. The next step is adding the
individual studios along the route.
Sarly, who assumes the role of president is an acrylic and watercolor artist and an art lover. He has been
a patron of the arts for over thirty years and has close ties with the Provincetown Art Association and
Museum (PAMM) and the Out of the Blue (OOTB) Gallery in Cambridge, MA. He is the senior vice
president of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Acton, MA.
Debra Boudrieau is the Southeast Area Business Advisor for Vermont Small Business Development
Center in Windham and Southern Windsor Counties. She has an extensive background in both large and
small businesses and the non‐profit arena with experience in marketing, operations management,
financial forecasting, and consulting with small business owners to create efficient and profitable
businesses. Larry Carbonetti was a high school English teacher for 30 years. In addition to his teaching, he served four
years on the Board of Overseers for the Regional Education Laboratory for the Northeast and Islands and six
years as English Department Chair at Springfield High School, Springfield, Vermont. In 2000, he founded Crow
Hill Consulting, which provides instruction for businesses in communication and leadership development. As
he said “my interest in VTICA grows from both my lifelong interest in education and my wife's influence as a
working artist, teacher and author of books dealing with art and creativity. These elements, combined with
the emergence of VTICA as a resource for the local arts community and as a benefit to the town and region,
prompt me to get involved with the Board.”
William E. Dakin, Jr. is a partner in the law firm of Dakin & Benelli, P.C. of Chester and a member of the
Vermont and Virginia bars. Dakin specializes in real estate, commercial transactions, business law, estate
planning and probate administration. He was previously a member and served as the chair of the
Vermont Humanities Council. He serves on the Chester Rotary and other local charities.
Marji Graf is the Executive Director of the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, serving the
towns of Andover, Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow, Mount Holly, Plymouth and Weston. Before this
appointment, she owned two businesses; 1990, MRB Media Services, Inc., which was a media buying
service based out of Connecticut and the UK, and 2000, Wellness Marketing International, LLC, an
international wellness company out of Mount Holly. She has extensive advertising, media and
marketing expertise from her years in television beginning with the start up of ESPN in 1979. After
moving to Mount Holly 16 years ago, she opened Wellness Marketing International, LLC ,an
international wellness company specializing in products to create healthy home and office
environments. This expanded to wellness rooms in hotels around the world with products such as sleep
systems, air, water and shower filtration systems, infrared saunas, sound chairs, and hydrotherapy tubs.
In 2009, she was named to the chamber post.
Ronald J. Thiessen is a certified public accountant and certified financial planner™ professional with more than 30
years of diverse tax and financial planning experience. He is the principal owner of the Ronald J. Theissen,
CPA, CFP accounting firm and managing director of Skygate Financial Group, LLC, both of Chester. He
specializes in comprehensive financial planning services, including tax consulting and preparation. He was a tax
partner at one of the largest international accounting firms (now KPMG), serving a variety of clients from major
corporations, executives, individuals and family interests. He later co‐founded RealVest Corporation, a nationwide
real estate investment firm. He was involved in the early SOHO art scene opening one of its earlier
galleries. Thiessen is an art collector and admirer of contemporary art.
The Vermont Institute of Contemporary Arts can be reached at P.O. Box 972, Chester, VT 05143. To
reach Abby Raeder telephone 802‐875‐4808. The website is www.VTica.org. E‐mail is [email protected].
