Martel came to GMHFH after working at Hickok and Boardman as a home services director. She was introduced to Habitat through H & B’s involvement with the 2005 “Raise the Roof” campaign that helped fund Habitat houses on Venus Avenue in Burlington. Prior to Hickok and Boardman, Martel worked for Fletcher Allen Health Care on its annual funding and Children’s Miracle Network campaigns. The draw to work for Habitat, Martel says, “was that if I spend 40 hours a week at my job, I want that time well-spent in giving to my community.”  Martel, who has a degree in architectural preservation, says, “This job couldn’t have been more well suited to my skills; it incorporates my love of building and trades and my experience in fundraising.”

A strategizing retreat is scheduled for late October or early November. “In the meantime,” says Martel, “I will chat with volunteers and community members to get their perspective and answer these questions, ‘Who is Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity?  What comes to mind when you hear about it? What do you think our goals should be?’” 

Stu Burroughs is the current board president, having served at Habitat for several years prior in building construction.  He brought his long-time friend Ted Johnson on board when he realized a marketing strategy was needed to bring the chapter to the next level of growth. When they are not volunteering for Habitat, the two, former IBMers run a private consulting business together which specializes in project management, business planning, strategic planning, marketing and product development for profit and non-profit organizations.

Burroughs is excited about moving to the next level. “Our main thrust is to communicate within the community we live; Habitat is a well-known name and cause, and we can have a larger effect on this community both in terms of volunteer recruitment and locating families to serve.  We always had a mission statement; now we have a vision. At our retreat we will take the initiatives that we have listed and determine goals and objectives for each one.  We want to pay attention to sustainable growth -- how are we good stewards of materials and good support for partner families?  We expect to come out of the retreat with a three-year plan, a reshaping strategy – each year we’ll update the three year, and every two years see if we can add more necessary steps – in family selection, building, supporting our local affiliates in Franklin and Grand Isle, and outreach - to get us further along on our way.  We want to do it responsibly.”

Russ Willis rounds out the core team. An electrical engineer with experience in teaching and administration in higher education, he now has a career in strategic consulting.  As provost and chief academic officer at Champlain College, Willis led the first comprehensive strategic planning process in the school’s 126-year history.

The core group also has the benefit of consulting with Bruce Rodgers of Habitat International, who, says Burroughs, wants to “make sure we continue to improve the product we already have – a simple, decent, well-insulated affordable house that will last 50 years.”

The group has a monumental task ahead. One of the biggest challenges, Johnson says, is “Land acquisition.  We must look high and low for decent land that we can afford.”

Johnson explains that fundraising is closely linked with marketing.  “It is labor intensive to hold events; we must pick and choose which events make the most sense.  The way we will fund long-term growth is to expand our base of supporters.  We will make more use of the Internet than we have in the past to get the word out. Our last picnic at Shelburne Farms drew the largest crowd we have ever had, due to emailing for this event.  And, based on that mailing, our hit rate on our volunteer web page increased four to five times.”

Johnson recently accompanied David Mullin to a Habitat meeting in Atlanta for training sponsored by Indiana University’s Center for Philanthropy.  “This was an A-Z on how to raise funds,” says Johnson.  “It was the most dynamic workshop I’ve been to in years.  We met and mingled with all other affiliate directors and board members and shared ideas.”

Johnson sees himself as a storyteller and artist and will bring those skills to Habitat by helping the community create a compelling story, and he also will create the art for the brochures, one for general use and one for corporate sponsorship, the chapter’s first foray into that sector.

Johnson sums up the executive strategic planning team and the task ahead of them. “Everyone is in sync -- this is where we want to go and grow responsibly.  While we almost never have a shortage of volunteers for building, we can’t sustain a new level of growth without a substantial increase in funds and volunteers.  Our strongest qualities are our long track record of success, volunteer dedication and commitment, qualified effective leadership, especially our Executive Director David Mullin, who is energized and motivating.  We are poised to put all the pieces together to make a successful 2010.”