Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) is proud to announce this year’s annual award recipients.
Volunteer of the Year: Bobby Poquette
This year CEDRR will be presenting a new award, the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award. We could not think of a better first recipient than Bobby Poquette.
Local nonprofits from the Paramount Theatre to food shelves to the Red Cross depend on legions of committed volunteers – and no volunteer is more committed than Bobby Poquette. Bobby’s can-do spirit is second only to his loyalty to the community.
Quite simply, Bobby represents the very best of Rutland County, and we are blessed in that he has chosen to channel his ever-optimistic energy toward making our region a better place. In the last decade, Bobby has dedicated thousands of hours to the Gift-of-Life Marathon, the Moose Lodge, Pack the Paramount Food Drive, and more than 400 Paramount Theatre events – hanging posters, greeting people, assisting blood donors, raising money to help others. The list can go on. Bobby has done it all and done it with his signature infectious smile on his face. We are proud to name Bobby the Volunteer of The Year. Bravo, Bobby! You are worthy of a lengthy standing ovation!
Innovator of the Year: Marie Pavini, M.D.
When it comes to passion, creativity, and ingenuity, we could not think of a more ideal candidate to receive the 2021 Innovator of the Year award. Congratulations Marie Pavini, MD!
As an Intensive Care Unit physician, Marie Pavini MD FCCM FCCP couldn’t help but notice the widely accepted practice of sedating patients to the point of being comatose and tied to their beds. This is done in the name of Risk Management and is often harmful and inhumane. The practice of physical and chemical restraint, in particular, leads to delirium, dementia, and post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) which is basically PTSD with the addition of frailty.
She was one of the first members of The Mint where she iterated on her restraint alternative, now called the Exersides™ Refraint™, and was introduced to the maker space community of which she would become an integral part. She presented her innovation at international medical conferences and began to garner interest from medical staff around the world. With her idea and a prototype, she was awarded NIH grants and performed several clinical trials across the country. Healthy Design found a home on May 1, 2021, at the old Rutland Herald building which had just been acquired by Belden Construction.
Healthy Design has 10 employees and is now launching at a major medical center in Boston. The company has other products in research and development and expects to follow the same pathway to success with future innovations. The company foresees growth and prosperity but mostly looks forward to making a positive difference in the lives of patients, families, and medical staff around the world.
Business Leader of the Year: Laurie Mecier-Brochu
Laurie Mecier-Brochu is the perfect person to be the Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region Business Leader of the Year.
Her compassion, drive, and commitment to making this region the best it can be not only shown in her professional career as President of Four Seasons Sotheby’s International but also in her numerous hours in leadership roles in many organizations – including her years of service at the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce and her instrumental role in crafting and supporting the merger of the Chamber and REDC.
Laurie has led the charge in raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Paramount Theater through the Festival of Trees. She was chosen Rutland County Realtor of the year in 2002, 2007, and 2011 and Vermont Realtor of the year in 2011. It is our honor to recognized Laurie Mecier-Brochu as the CEDRR Business Leader of the Year for 2021.
Community Leader of the Year: Rutland Regional Medical Center
This year, we are recognizing Rutland Regional Medical Center as the Chamber & Economic Development’s Community Leader of the Year. The hospital has successfully led our community’s response to COVID-19, protecting patients and keeping the community safe as we continue to navigate the pandemic. Claudio Fort, Rutland Regional’s president, and CEO accepted the award on behalf of the hospital.
In 2021, hospital staff provided more than 60,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and vaccinated more than three-quarters of our county’s residents. They did all of this while working to ensure that our hospital remained open to care for anyone who needed it. We are all safer and healthier because of the staff at Rutland Regional.
We sincerely thank all of you who work at Rutland Regional Medical Center. You are all heroes.
