Daniel Gauthier
37 | Talent Development Partner, VSECU
Residence: Montpelier
Career highlight(s) you are most proud of:
Being a member of this year’s class of Rising Stars certainly sits near, or at, the top of the list. I’m also proud of the work we’ve done in my time at VSECU to continue to enhance the employee experience. In 
2019, we hosted the inaugural VESCUs, an employee recognition and appreciation gala. That same year we launched a revamped learning and development initiative as part of the organization’s quarterly objectives. One of the outcomes of that was the creation of the 52 Hours Project, which saw us close the credit union to members from 8 to 9 am every Wednesday to provide our staff with dedicated time for learning and development.
Your community involvement:
A lot of my community involvement revolves around youth sports and schools, whether that’s coaching a team, organizing a fundraiser or chaperoning a field trip. 
For me, it’s all about trying to help create a positive experience for the kids. That’s such a formative time in their lives, so it’s important to foster a welcoming, engaging environment that, hopefully, inspires them in some way down the road.
Inspiration for living and working in Vermont:
As a born-and-raised Vermonter, it’s all I’ve ever known! I’ve loved growing up and living in Vermont, largely because of its small-town, community feel; that’s something my wife and I are looking forward to our children experiencing.
Favorite part of your job:
The people I get to interact with each day. Whether it’s our current employees or job candidates, I thoroughly enjoy making connections and building relationships. I also have to acknowledge my boss, Yvonne, and my team, Kassie, Stephanie and Eileen. They are all such a joy to be around and make each day enjoyable.
Most inspiring mentor:
My current boss, Yvonne Garand, hands down. Quite frankly, she took a chance on me and gave me an opportunity that I will forever be grateful for. She saw something in me that I’m not sure I saw in myself at the time. She has given me her trust since day one and continues to support my professional growth and development in any way that she can.
Best career advice you have received:
Surround yourself with good people and the rest will take care of itself.
Something fun about yourself that few people know:
I was Skip, the Vermont Mountaineers’ mascot, for one summer and won the mascot home run derby at the New England Collegiate Baseball League All-Star game.
Three words that best describe you:
Enthusiastic, driven and fun-loving.
Favorite Vermont escape:
The West Dover Inn and 1846 Tavern, which is home to the Green Mountain Adventure Challenge. My wife and I started doing the Challenge several years ago, and it has become an annual tradition for us.
Favorite Vermont season:
It’s hard to beat fall in Vermont; cool, crisp mornings, sunshiny afternoons and that foliage, not to mention back-to-school, my birthday and Halloween. Fall also serves as a warm-up to the full-blown holiday season, which is another personal favorite.
Favorite downtime activities:
Spending time with my wife and children, going out to eat or watching sports or a favorite show on TV.
Favorite social media:
Twitter. It’s my go-to for news, sports and educational content. I use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family and have recently been leaning more into LinkedIn.
Person you would most like to share a Vermont beverage with:
LeBron James.
Cause(s) you would support if you had unlimited funds:
Those that benefit kids: schools, before- and after-school care and activities, athletics, etc. And as a proud Norwich University alum, I would donate to my alma mater too.
A song on your playlist you are embarrassed to admit to your best friend:
“About Damn Time” by Lizzo.
Where you see yourself professionally in the next five to 10 years:
I want to expand my knowledge in the human resources space, with hopes of moving into a senior- or C-suite-level leadership role.
Goal(s) you’d like to accomplish in the next five to 10 years:
Being part of creating an exceptional, transformational employee experience. In my mind, that begins when a candidate first interacts with your brand as an employer and continues even after they have (potentially) left your organization.
How your community service has changed since the pandemic:
After seeing how food insecurity skyrocketed for so many, evidenced by the thousands of Vermonters at the food distribution events statewide, I was thankful that VSECU pivoted to offering a virtual participation option for Point to Point, the Vermont Foodbank’s largest annual fundraiser. Also, I continued coaching basketball, which included a variety of accommodations to help keep everyone safe.
How your job has changed since the pandemic:
When the pandemic first hit, I went from regularly being in the office, interacting face-to-face with employees and candidates, to doing everything from my home office. As a people person, I found that to be a difficult transition. But the silver lining was that I got to be home with our daughter, who was 9 months old at the time. Now that we are transitioning to a post-pandemic world, I’m looking forward to being able to connect with folks in person again.
