National Life Group has appointed financial services veteran Joseph Tavernite as general agent. Tavernite joins the Long Island, New York, agency from Northwestern Mutual, where he served as managing director.
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Multimedia artist Corrine Yonce of Burlington has been named recipient of the 2025 Diane Gabriel Visual Artist Award by Burlington City Arts. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize and $1,000 class credit at BCA Studios.
Citizens has named Senior Vice President Marc Lubelczyk as its New Hampshire and Vermont president, succeeding Joseph Carelli, who will retire from the bank effective May 2. Lubelczyk is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and holds an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University.
Darcey Lafreniere, a respiratory therapist at University of Vermont Medical Center, has been honored as 2024 Respiratory Therapist of the Year by the Vermont-New Hampshire Society for Respiratory Care.
May Hanlon, former deputy director of direct marketing at the Democratic National Committee, has been appointed executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party. She succeeds Jim Dandeneau, who recently stepped down after serving over two years in the role.
Charlie Johnston, dam group manager at DuBois & King in Randolph, has been named 2025 Young Engineer of the Year by the Vermont Society of Professional Engineers. He accepted the honor at the Engineers Week Banquet in South Burlington in late March.
Neagley & Chase Construction Co., one of northern New England's leading commercial construction firms, has promoted Project Engineer Phil Eseppi to assistant project manager.
Charlie Phippen, former CEO at Water Tower Research in Wilton, Connecticut, has been named CEO at Resource Systems Group, a leader in data-driven research, analytics and modeling based in White River Junction. He succeeds Tim Young, who had served as interim CEO since May 2024.
Kaj Samsom, former chief auditor at National Life Group, has been named commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation. He has more than 14 years of experience in state government, including various positions at DFR.
Samsom, a certified public accountant, holds a bachelor's degree and Master of Public Administration from the University of Vermont.
Kali Ali, a student at Burlington High School and member of the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington, has been named 2025 Vermont state Youth of the Year — the highest honor athat can be bestowed on a member of a Boys & Girls Club in Vermont. Ali will advance to the Northeast Regional Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year competition in New York City on June 17.
The Lake Champlain Chamber has presented Sophie Owen Jankowski, director of operations and technology at the commercial real estate agency Redstone, with its 2025 Emerging Leader Award for her “exceptional professional achievements and outstanding community leadership.” The presentation was made at the chamber's 114th annual gala April 10 at Hula in Burlington.
Shayne Foley, co-founder and content creator at The PA Blueprint and a former adjunct professor at University of New England, has joined Gifford Health Care’s family practice in Berlin as a physician assistant.