LUDLOW, Vt. – Please join the Expeditionary School at Black River (ESBR) Board of Trustees in welcoming their newest member, Stephen Messina. A native of Newport, R.I. originally, Stephen also has strong ties to Ludlow, spending many years visiting his sister’s family here and sharing an appreciation of what this community offers, including skiing and the lakes. This connection eventually led to Stephen purchasing his own place here in Vermont and investing in Mary W. Davis Realtor and Associates Inc. with his sister, Suzanne Garvey and fellow ESBR board member Julie Abraham.
Stephen acquired a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Rhode Island. He then received his Master in Business Administration from St. Leo University. For fifteen years he fulfilled several roles with Progressive Insurance as it progressed from humble beginnings into a Fortune 50 company. Following this success, Stephen has since served as a VP of Claims, Division President, and currently, Chief Claims Officer & SVP of Insurance Operations for a family-owned insurance company in Florida.
Stephen’s experience as well as his love of the Vermont outdoor lifestyle is a wonderful addition to the ESBR Team. With a keen eye for detail, he has provided a fresh view on the Expeditionary School’s growth. His assistance is greatly felt and appreciated, and the ESBR Board looks forward to the future with their newest Member’s presence.
ESBR is also grateful to have been invited to share the Mary W. Davis Realtor and Associates, Inc. table at the Best of Vermont Festival, hosted by the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce over the weekend of Aug. 20-21, 2022. ESBR will be selling golf ball raffle tickets for the next four weeks; a portion of these proceeds will be donated to ESBR as well as Assisting Children Today, a fellow 501©3 supported by our community partners Fox Run Golf Club and Calcutta’s. The golf ball raffle ticket drawing is part of the Helicopter Ball Drop conducted at the charity golf tournament on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022 at Fox Run.
Further information on ESBR is available at www.esblackriver.org, as well as details for the previously announced Third Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction fundraiser, which fully benefits the Expeditionary School and its Trailblazer learners: www.esblackriver.org/social-fundraisers. Even if you cannot attend in person the Silent Auction will be available, for the first time ever, online at www.32auctions.com/2022ESBRSILENTAUCTION. Everyone is welcome, and any support in anyway is always greatly appreciated!
If you would like to learn more about the school or get involved, please contact Gary Blodgett, Chair of the Board, at gblodgett@esblackriver.org or Kendra Rickerby, Head of School at krickerby@esblackriver.org. Please visit our website www.esblackriver.org. Donations can be made on the website or by mailing a check to P.O. Box 485, Ludlow, VT 05149.