Janette K Bombardier, PE, has been named Vermont’s 2019 Engineer of the Year. Ms. Bombardier is Chief Technology Officer of Chroma Technology located in Rockingham, VT. Ms Bombardier was selected for this award based on her technical accomplishments, stature in the profession, contributions to professional organizations, and involvement in the community. Ms Bombardier received her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering magna cum laude at the University of Vermont in 1980 and her Master’s degree in Civil Engineering at UVM in 1984. She joined IBM as a facilities engineer and led the construction team which built IBM’s bridge across the Winooski River, a bridge which has since been named for her. A highly skilled leader, Ms Bombardier quickly rose through IBM’s ranks. In 2006, she was named IBM’s Director of Vermont Site Operations, and this role was expanded in 2013 to include Director of East Fishkill Site Operations. Ms Bombardier continued in these positions under new owner GLOBALFOUNDRIES. In 2015, she became the Vermont Senior Location Executive responsible for overall management of 4,500 site employees and tenants. In early 2017, Ms Bombardier undertook a new career challenge and joined Green Mountain Power as Senior Vice President responsible for commercial and industrial customer relations and business development, power production, and continuous improvement projects.
In mid-2018, Ms Bombardier returned to her roots in technology manufacturing, when she signed on as Chief Technology Officer at employee-owned Chroma Technology, a rapidly growing optical filter and associated products company based in Rockingham, VT. In this position, she is responsible to support the advancement of manufacturing, and product development and implement a technology road map for emerging technologies and markets by overseeing the technical direction of the organization, including project management and priority management.
Ms Bombardier’s extensive business experience has been reflected in her professional society involvement. She currently serves as the Executive Chair on the Executive Board of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, and has also serves on the Board of Directors of the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies. Ms. Bombardier received the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation’s C. Harry Behney Lifetime Economic Development Achievement Award in 2013 and was recognized as the Vermont Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 2015.
Ms Bombardier and her husband, Greg, live in Colchester and are parents to two grown children, Matthew and Kirsten.
Ms Bombardier will be presented with her award at the annual Engineers Week banquet, which will be held on February 22.
Vermont Engineers Week is sponsored annually by the state’s engineering societies, and the Vermont Engineer of the Year award is presented to a licensed professional engineer in Vermont. Selection of the award winner is made by a committee comprised of the five most recent winners of the Vermont Engineer of the Year award