AGC/VT Executive Vice President Richard Wobby. VermontBiz photo.
by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine
Associated General Contractors of Vermont (AGC/VT) Executive Vice President Richard Wobby was presented with the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Citizen of the Year during the Chamber’s annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration March 17. The award was presented by Jeannette Kingsbury, president of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce, at the Elks Lodge in Barre.
Wobby was recognized not only for his decades of leadership in Vermont’s construction industry, but for his extensive record of community service, and the energy and heart he brings to it. His hands-on approach across Central Vermont has played a central role in initiatives that have made a measurable difference across the state, including:
- Wheels for Warmth, which has raised nearly $1 million to help Vermonters heat their homes. Used and discarded tires that are still road-worthy are sold at a discount. Those that are not road safe are recycled. Funds then go to a home heating initiative.
- The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Northfield
- The Contractors Memorial and Dog Park at AGC/VT
- Statewide Narcan distribution,
mental health outreach, and suicide prevention efforts - Numerous community events designed to bring people together for a good cause, including an attempt at the world’s longest sugar-on-snow plate
In accepting the award, Wobby kept the focus where he always does, on the people around him. "This isn’t about me. It’s about Vermont’s spirit of service,” Wobby said. “We show up for each other. We roll up our sleeves. And sometimes we just figure it out as we go.”
He also rallied support for the Central Vermont Humane Society, a cause he has long supported, noting that “helping an animal in need is one of the simplest ways to make a difference.”
AGC/VT leadership emphasized that the recognition reflects more than Wobby’s public work, it reflects how he shows up behind the scenes.
Jeannette Kingsbury, President of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce, present the Citizen of the Year award to AGC Vermont Executive VP Richard Wobby on Tuesday at the Elks Lodge in Barre. VermontBiz photo.
“If something’s happening in this industry or this community, chances are Wobby’s already there,” said AGC/VT Immediate Past President John Casella II. “He brings energy, honesty, and a willingness to jump in, whether that’s leading an initiative or helping someone who needs it. That’s what makes him so effective, and it’s why this recognition fits.”
AGC/VT has won several recent awards. In 2025 they won the national Howard Mock Award for membership growth (also in 2022); in 2024 they won the AGC of America Community Award; in 2023 the ASAE Gold Circle Ward for marketing; and in 2021 they won the AGC of America Chapter of the Year.
Richard Wobby with the awards he and the AGC/VT have received over the years. AGC/VT photo.
AGC/VT in 2024 was a finalist for the prestigious Verdantix 2024 Innovation Award. This honor recognizes AGC/VT’s exceptional achievements in growth, engagement, Innovative Strategies, Technologies and Practices within the construction industry. The other Finalists are Amazon, Google, BESIX and Cal-Poly.
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