SEAN Buchanan
Favorite Part of Job? Hearing from a customer how much they appreciate what we do. This really helps remind everyone in the company that their job is important.
Most Inspiring Mentor: I’ve worked with and for so many good people that have helped nurture me along the way. The greatest mentor I have is my brother. He is completely selfless and when I see him it makes me want to be a better person, husband, and father.
Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know: In my professional life I go non-stop. In my personal life I’m very boring and when I’m not working I love to cook at home where I can hear the sounds of my wife and kids playing.
Favorite Hobby: Telemark skiing: if I could ski everyday I would be in heaven. Taking naps is a close second.
Favorite Vermont Escape: I love Shelburne Farms. The connection to the land, the intense beauty, and the uniqueness always remind me how special our state is and that our agricultural and business innovation is what defines us.
Favorite Social Media: I am a big fan of person to person. It’s a platform where you have lunch with someone and talk to him or her. It’s been out of fashion for a while but I feel it’s coming back in style.
Favorite Website: I do not have a favorite website. I use the Internet as a tool to find snippets that I can drop into conversations so that I seem smarter than I actually am.
Vermont Business Person you would like to have lunch with: Peter Miller. I find his photography fascinating. He captures everything with fresh eyes, never judging anything, just showing us the pureness in people.
Career Highlights: The first time that I understood that I could really cook was when I won the Winter Park Chefs Cup in Winter Park, CO in the early 2000’s. The last night I cooked dinner at Stowe Mountain Lodge we did a tasting menu for every customer who came in. We did the food I always wanted to do but couldn’t because it was too intricate for the restaurant’s size. Those were the best 20 dinners I ever put out. Being given the reins at Black River is a huge honor. This is a business created from the ground up by 2 people who are true to their values and ethics. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t appreciate everything they’ve done for me and I look forward to following the path they’ve set out.
Community Involvement: We live in a very special place. With only 620,000 people who live in our state it’s important to put time and energy back into your community. Our immediate and state communities are a reflection of all of us; they are what keep us unique.
