WESTMINSTER, Vt. – New England Kurn Hattin Homes for Children held its Annual Meeting of Trustees and Incorporators on Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the Mayo Memorial Center, the Homes’ academic building.
The board reelected six incorporators to serve three-year terms: Heather Hunter (Grafton, N.H.), Lyssa Jackson (Ballston Spa, N.Y.), Susan Johnson (Walpole, N.H.), Michael Obuchowski (Montpelier, Vt.), David Therrien (Alstead, N.H.), and Janet Wilson (Walpole, N.H.).
Additionally, the board elected three new incorporators to serve three-year terms: Shannon Nolan (New York, N.Y.), Bob Swartz (Swanzey, N.H.), and Rennie Washburn (Chesterfield, N.H.).
The Board also reelected Susan Johnson (Walpole, N.H.) as trustee for a three-year term.
Two new trustees were elected to serve three-year terms: Michael Fahner (New York, N.Y.) and Leslie Rennie-Hill (Harwich, Mass.).
Officers re-elected for terms of one year include the following: Mark Bodin (Andover, Vt.), president; Christopher Hackett (Westminster, Vt.), vice president; Eric Velto (Springfield, Vt.), vice president; Janet Wilson (Walpole, N.H.), treasurer; and Diane Bazin (Westminster, Vt.), secretary.
Elected as a non-officer member of the executive committee for a term of one year, Jerry Bardwell (Middleboro, Mass.) will serve as member at large.
Governance committee members are Trustees Eric Velto (Springfield, Vt.), chairperson; Diane Bazin (Westminster, Vt.); Rhonda Nolan (Danbury, Conn.); Janet Wilson (Walpole, N.H.); Greg Worden (Brattleboro, Vt.); and Incorporator Dave Therrien (Alstead, N.H.).
Ex officio members include Stephen Harrison, executive director; Sue Kessler, assistant executive director, and Hugh Montgomery, chief advancement officer.
Two trustees have expiring terms. Cathy McGrath (Fairlee, Vt.) will not serve another term. We thank her for her service to the Homes for the past three years.
Eleven incorporators have expiring terms. Wende Beck (Lyme, N.H.), Patricia Farmer (Jaffrey, N.H.), Cathy McGrath (Fairlee, Vt.), Brian Morgan (Brattleboro, Vt.), and Elaine Sinclair (Windham, N.H.) will not serve another term. We thank them for representing and serving Kurn Hattin Homes for the length of their tenures, and we particularly wish to recognize and thank Elaine Sinclair, who has served as an incorporator for 30 years.
President Mark Bodin opened the meeting by praising the Homes for its resiliency, for standing tall and not backing away from responsibilities as it dealt with the final phase of the pandemic constraints and allegations of past abuse. He said, “I’m proud to be part of this organization. This period could have shut us down, but instead it made us stronger than ever, and we’re ready to move forward.”
In his remarks, executive director Stephen Harrison described the last year as a time of transition and said, “We have lived through a wide range of experiences that have reshaped some of the look, feel, and operations of the Homes, but our basic mission and commitment to serving children as they transform their lives remains the same. We are strong, sturdy, and stable – ready for the next 129 years of service to children in need.”