Dr. Bruce Shields of Eden is the new President and CEO of Ethan Allen Institute. Bruce has a long record of leadership and service to a wide range of Vermont organizations. He has served 10 years as Eden town moderator, 15 years as lister, and three years on the Lamoille North Supervisory District School Board.
Bruce, a family tree farmer, has been active in farm and forestry work for many years. He has served as state treasurer of the Vermont Farm Bureau since 1994 and as vice president and president of the Lamoille County Farm Bureau for 13 years. He has been active for many years in leadership positions in the Vermont Timber Truckers and Producers Association, the Vermont Sugar Makers Association, the Vermont Forestry Foundation, and the Vermont Forest Products Association. Bruce’s small business experience includes managing the Morrisville Agway store for five years and a partnership in the Demeritt Lumber Company of North Wolcott.
Bruce graduated from Harvard, earned a diploma in literature at Edinburgh University in Scotland, and received M.A. and PhD degrees from Rutgers. He has taught at Russell Sage College, Norwich University and Johnson State College.
“The election of a man as qualified, experienced and well known as Bruce Shields to be EAI President will launch EAI into a new phase in our effort to become a more influential force in Vermont for liberty, community, limited and solvent government, competitive enterprise, and economic opportunity”, said Board chair Jack McMullen of Burlington.