Attorney Peter D. Van Oot of the law firm Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC has been named Volunteer of the Year for 2011 in the eleven northeast states by the Northeast Economic Development Association. The award will be presented at NEDA’s annual meeting on October 24 at the Sheraton Hotel in Burlington.
“Pete Van Oot worked tirelessly to promote economic development in southern Vermont during his many years in Brattleboro,” according to Jeff Lewis, executive director of the Brattleboro Economic Development Corporation. “His focus and leadership helped the organization create a dynamic strategy that addressed widespread economic decline in the region. Under his leadership BDCC developed a CEO council, a robust public policy activity, annual plan reviews, and led a transformation of board membership. BDCC now annually exceeds its goals for economic development and its own financial stability. Based on Pete’s work with the board, BDCC is now leading a regional strategy project looking to address long-term job and population loss, and the prospective loss of the region’s largest employer.”
For the past several years, Van Oot has been transitioning from Brattleboro to the firm’s Lebanon office, where he has recently worked with the Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation. “The GMEDC is the economic development engine for the east-central and Upper Valley regions of Vermont,” explained Joan Goldstein, executive director. “Pete has brought that same deep level of commitment to his role on the board at GMEDC. Leadership of this type ought to be recognized, and I am pleased that NEDA saw it the same way we did.”
The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes an individual who serves without pay to promote effective economic development. Criteria include service to community, region, and/or organization; demonstrated leadership, and long-term commitment.
At DRM, where he is a director, Van Oot advises commercial clients, utilities and institutions on significant policy issues, permits and transactions that require a range of expertise in corporate, environmental and real estate law. He co-chairs the firms Regulated Entities Group. He has been selected by his peers for recognition in The Best Lawyers in America, is recognized among New England Superlawyers and earned the AV Preeminent Peer Rating from Martindale Hubbell for environmental law. He is also recognized in Chambers USA 2011: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.
Outside of his professional duties, Van Oot serves on the board of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and GMEDC. He has served as president of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation and is a former member of Vermont Governor James H. Douglas’ Jobs Cabinet and the Brownfields Advisory Committee to the Vermont Legislature. He is a member of the Vermont Community Foundation, has been chair of the United Way of Windham County and was a member of the board of World Learning, Inc.
The Northeastern Economic Developers Association consists of over 500 professional economic developers, appointed and volunteer economic development officials, and others committed to sound economic development practice, in the eleven northeastern states and the District of Columbia. (Specifically, these states include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.) NEDA provides professional development education, publishes information about best professional practices, and supports the pursuit of individual economic development education throughout the Northeast.
Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC is a full-service law firm with more than 60 attorneys and six offices in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. DRM provides legal services to local, national and international clients in practice areas that include bankruptcy and business restructuring, business law, captive insurance, energy and telecommunications, family law, health law, intellectual property, labor and employment, litigation, real estate and land use, environmental law, tax law and trusts and estates. The firm represents clients in legislative, regulatory and public affairs through the Government and Public Affairs group. DRM is the law firm member for Vermont of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms.