Past Meetings

Wednesday, March 21st, 2007

A Discussion on the Vermont Software Sector and its role in Vermont's Economy

James Douglas
Governor of Vermont

Pat Moulton
Commissioner of Labor

Mike Quinn
Commissioner of Economic Development

Topic of Discussion

Governor James Douglas will be making remarks about the Vermont Software Development sector and its role in Vermont's economic future. We've also been informed that he has plans to make a very special announcement regarding the vtSDA. 

View the governor's press release here >>>.

Mike Quinn and Pat Moulton will follow the Governor's remarks with a presentation and Q&A period about the Vermont business environment, specifically relating to the software industry.

Bios

Governor James Douglas has been serving the people of Vermont for more than 30 years. Elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1972-the same year he graduated from Middlebury College-his influence as a legislator increased quickly, becoming assistant majority leader in his second term and majority leader in his third term at the age of 25. Governor Douglas retired from the state legislature in 1979 to become a top aide to Governor Richard Snelling. In 1980, Governor Douglas was elected Secretary of State, a post he held until 1992-winning reelection five times and receiving the nomination of both parties on three occasions. Governor Douglas was elected State Treasurer in 1994, receiving the nomination of both parties and winning with 94 percent of the vote. He served as Treasurer until being elected Governor in 2002.

Governor Douglas has been a member of the Middlebury Republican Town Committee for 30 years.

Over the course of his career, Governor Douglas has received more votes than any other person in Vermont history—a testament to his appeal to voters of all political persuasions.

His counterparts elected Governor Douglas as President of the National Association of Secretaries of State and as president of the National Association of State Treasurers.

Outside of government and politics, Governor Douglas has been active in many community organizations. He's a past President of the Addison County Chamber of Commerce and Porter Medical Center. He was master of his Masonic Lodge, Treasurer of the State 4-H Foundation and President of the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ. He has served on the boards of the Mary Johnson Day Care Center, the Counseling Service of Addison County, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and the United Ways of both Addison County and Vermont.

The First Lady of Vermont is Dorothy Foster Douglas. The Governor and Mrs. Douglas have two grown sons, Matthew and Andrew.

Patricia Moulton Powden was appointed Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor by Governor James Douglas in August 2006.  Prior to her position as Commissioner, Ms. Powden was appointed by Governor Douglas to serve as the full-time Chair of the Vermont Natural Resources Board which is responsible for administering Vermont's land use and development law and establishing water policy for the State of Vermont.

Pat was initially appointed by Governor Douglas in February 2003 to Chair the Vermont Environmental Board prior to taking over as Chair of the newly created Natural Resources Board.  Prior to her environmental regulation and policy work, Pat spent 22 years in the practice of economic development
on the local, regional, and state levels.  Working for several different local and regional development corporations, Pat helped many companies start-up, expand, and relocate to Vermont.  In 1990, she was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Economic Development by Governor Snelling and subsequently appointed Commissioner of Economic Development by Governor Dean.

During her time in economic development, Pat worked on a number of workforce development issues.  She was a member of several workforce investment boards and committees as well as being part of the design and development team that created the Howard Dean Education Center in Springfield, Vermont.  She has helped develop several training programs in many regions of Vermont.  Pat also ran her own economic development consulting company for several years.  She is a native Vermonter born in Rutland and educated in public schools in Montpelier and Hartford, Vermont.  Ms. Powden is a graduate of the University of Vermont with a bachelor's degree in Political Science.  Pat is married to Timothy Powden and lives in South Londonderry, Vermont. 

Michael Quinn was appointed Commissioner of Economic Development in February, 2003.  Quinn served most recently as senior vice president and development team leader for Banknorth Vermont since 1991, and was promoted to senior vice president in 1998.  He has also held vice president positions at the Bank of Vermont, Irving Financial Centers and Chittenden Bank.

Quinn has played a key role in developing and implementing Governor Jim Douglas' plans to expand entrepreneurial activity in Vermont through coordination of business incubators, SBIR and promoting capital investment efforts including the annual Vermont Investors Forum.

Quinn is a United Way volunteer serving on the Board of Directors as treasurer, operations chair and formerly served as allocations chair. He is a former president of the board of Champlain Vocational Services, a nonprofit organization that provides training and employment services, and he is a member of Leadership Champlain. 

He formerly co-chaired the Essex Junction/Essex Town Economic Development Committee, serving as the site selection chair for the Regional Technical Academy Supervisory Union Joint Study Group, and chaired the Budget Advisory Sub-Committee for the Essex Junction Prudential Committee.

Quinn lives in Essex with his wife and two daughters.

Meeting Specifics

Time:  11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Place: Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center
           870 Williston Road
           Burlington, VT

Plenty of free Parking
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