SVC 2010 Distinguished Alumni Chosen

Edward Haberek, Jr., Chosen as 2010 Distinguished Alumnus

The Distinguished Alumni Award is given at Commencement to an alumna or alumnus of Southern Vermont College or its predecessor, St. Joseph College, in recognition of a combination of career, community service and personal achievements. From a field of highly impressive candidates, Edward Haberek, Jr.'89 has been chosen as the SVC Distinguised Alumnus for 2010.  Haberek is currently the First Selectman for the Town of Stonington, CT, and has demonstrated remarkable leadership skills, community responsibility and continuing academic achievement and growth.

Haberek graduated from Southern Vermont College in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a minor in Communications. He received a master’s degree in Marketing from Johnson and Wales University and an Advanced Certificate in Graduate Studies for Business Administration from TUI University. Haberek is currently completing his Ph.D. in Management/Political Economics from the International Academy of Management and Economics in Makati City, Philippines.

Haberek was elected as First Selectman of Stonington in November 2007 and is currently serving his second term. He has brought a number of achievements to the town such as two long-awaited streetscapes, development on a Senior Center, local park revitalization, innovative economic development, and various village and highway projects.

Haberek served as Program Director/Assistant Professor of the Marketing Department in the School of Business Administration and Legal Studies Division at Briarwood College in Southington, Conn. He also served as a chair or member for a number of the college’s committees including the Task Force Committee on Academic Advising, the Professional Development Committee, Program Review and NEASC Self Study Committee.

Haberek was an adjunct business faculty instructor for Eastern Connecticut State University, Central Connecticut State University and Colorado Technical University Online. His business experiences includes sales, marketing and management for several Fortune 500 companies including Becton Dickinson and DuPont. 

We congratulate Ed and look forward to presenting him with this prestigious award on May 8, 2010 at SVC's 83rd Commencement Exercises.

Past Recipients:
2009 - Richard B. Gauthier '91
2008 - Benjamin F. Patten II '84
2007 - Michael Donoghue '71
2006 - no award given
2005 - Ira J. Wagner '83
2004 - no award given
2003 - Penny Rich Smith '77
2002 - no award given
2001 - James Baker '91
2000 - Kim Hall-Sprague '89
1999 - Robert I. Walker '87
1998 - Robert Mather '93
1997 - Marilyn K. Douglas '62
1996 - Paul Doucette '90
1995 - Katherine Baranowski Hooper '89
1994 - John Seaton '89
1993 - LeAnne Holt '82
1992 - John Morrissey '82

Nick Safay is Distinguished Young Alumnus

In an effort to recognize the remarkable achievements of some of our recent graduates, this year Southern Vermont College will present its first Distinguished Young Alumni Award. This honor will be presented annually to an alumnus/a who has graduated in the previous ten years, and who had received recognition as an emerging leader through professional and/or community achievements; who has achieved a position or distinction noteworthy for one so recently graduated; and who has served as an outstanding role model for current and future SVC students.

The Office of Alumni Relations is proud to announce that Nick Safay, Class of 2004 has been selected as the Distinguished Young Alumnus for 2009-10. Since earning his BS in Business Administration at SVC, Nick has been working in the environmental non-profit sector, first with Appalachian Sustainable Development in Abington, VA and Rural Action, Incorporated in Athens, OH. Nick is currently the Green Building Operations Manager for People Incorporated of Virginia in Abingdon, VA, a community action agency that provides green and healthy homes for low-income households, as well as offering green building and energy efficiency trainings. Nick and his wife, Jenny, live in Abingdon, right in the middle of the beautiful southern Appalachian Mountains.

The Distinguished Young alumni Award will be presented to Safay on May 8th at the Alumni Reunion Dinner.