Seven from Windham County have won Vermont Business Magazine's Rising Stars recognition award, which honored 40 winners under the age of 40, selected by a panel of judges based on a commitment to business growth, professional excellence, and community involvement.
This year's roster of winners included Juliette Carr of South Newfane, Samba Diallo of Brattleboro, Eric Durocher of Newfane, Conor Floyd of Bellows Falls, Maribeth Fonda of Brattleboro, Zach Rounds of Vernon, and Brittany Schmidt of Brattleboro.
All 2021 Rising Stars from Windham County were also selected as the 2021 Emerging Leaders of Southern Vermont Award. The Emerging Leaders initiative was created in 2017 to increase regional visibility and support for young leaders and to increase statewide recognition of southern Vermont's young leaders.
Emerging Leaders is a joint effort of Bennington's Shires Young Professionals and Southern Vermont Young Professionals, a Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) program.
Diallo, one of the Windham County winners who works for the AIDS Project of Southern Vermont, said in a news release that winning both awards “is truly humbling.”
“Although the past year and half has not been easy for many of us, it was encouraging to see people helping each other, helping neighbors, and just understanding that we all have a role to play in shaping a better community,” Diallo said.
“I'm thankful that I'm able to be involved in the community through my work and also various volunteering opportunities,” he continued. “It feels strange to be recognized for something I enjoy doing but I'm also fortunate to be in the position that I'm in and I will continue to give my time whenever and wherever it is needed.”
Since the establishment of the Emerging Leader recognition, 105 young professionals have been recognized, and the number of Rising Stars from southern Vermont has increased substantially, with an all-time high this year of nine winners from Windham and Bennington counties.