MARY Parent
Favorite Part of Job? Working closely with clients to accomplish their goals, whether it be starting a new business, funding a renewable energy project, or engaging a new customer.
Most Inspiring Mentor: My father, who taught me that if I was going to start something, I should continue it through to the finish, even if it was difficult. That skill of perseverance has served me well in balancing my career, family and community work.
Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know: My undergraduate major was biology, with a focus in botany, and a minor in chemistry. I never became a research scientist, but to this day, I can rattle off the latin names of many of the species of ferns and wildflowers of New England.
Favorite Hobby: Spending time outside hiking, biking or swimming with my family.
Favorite Vermont Escape: A morning at the St. Johnsbury Farmer’s Market, a beer at the Kingdom Tap Room and an indie flick at Catamount Arts. If I’m with the kids, a swim in spectacular Lake Willoughby, a visit to the Fairbanks Museum, and a trip to Boxcar and Caboose for some good books.
Favorite Social Media: I spend a lot of time on Pintrest at night when I am laying with my youngest son as he falls asleep. I have way too many boards…
Favorite Website: I have two – www.discoverstjvt.com, and the “Mindful Moms and Dads of the NEK” facebook page, as they both have good listings of local resources and events going on in St. Johnsbury and the Northeast Kingdom.
Vermont Business Person you would like to have lunch with: Madeline Kunin -- I found her book “The New Feminist Agenda” fascinating. It was an accurate and thorough discussion of many of the issues that are important to me as I balance career and family while working on a flex schedule.
Career Highlights: Working on a transaction involving many Major League Baseball teams – seeing Bud Selig’s signature on documents was pretty exciting!
Community Involvement: I currently serve on the board of directors of the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, as well as on the Union Bank St. Johnsbury regional advisory board and the Lyndon State College Center for Rural Entrepreneurship Advisory Board. I am the immediate past president of the St. Johnsbury Chamber of Commerce, was previously a director of the Chamber, and currently co-chair the Chamber’s Economic Restructuring Committee. I volunteer at my younger son’s daycare, and as a room parent at my older son’s elementary school.
I also serve as the treasurer of the Caledonia County Bar Association. I have previously served as a director on the board of Catamount Film & Arts and as the Co-Coordinator of the St. Johnsbury Chapter of the Women Business Owner’s Network.
