Newsletter Introduction

By Chris Cassidy, CEO

Trust Company of Vermont turned twenty-five this past month having been founded in September of 1999. The state’s first independent trust company started, thanks to eight entrepreneurial Founders who had all worked together in the trust department of Vermont National Bank.

The company began with the belief that if you provide a high level of personalized service to your clients, create a positive and empowering work environment for your employee-owners, collaborate with professionals in your market areas and give back to the communities that you work in, that success will follow. Thankfully, it has.

What began with eight people and zero assets under management has grown to forty-eight people and almost $3 billion in assets under management. Although office locations and faces have changed over the years, the steadfast commitment to clients, colleagues and communities has not.

My own personal journey with TCV began in March of 2004 when I was home on spring break in East Dummerston, Vermont. I wanted to secure an internship in finance for the summer, and asked some friends and family who I should talk to. The name Jack Davidson and Trust Company of Vermont was mentioned.

Not knowing any better, I walked into the Trust Company of Vermont Brattleboro Office, without an appointment, and asked to speak to Jack, who was the President of the company. Luckily, Jack was willing to speak with me. I told him that I was looking for an internship for the summer and I was happy with an unpaid internship, and that I was willing to do whatever was asked of me. He said “so I don’t have to pay you, and you will do whatever work we give you? I think we can figure something out.”

That summer, I had a little rolltop desk right next to Jack’s desk, and my work ranged from exciting tasks such as researching companies and economic sectors to less glamorous jobs such as cleaning out parts of the office basement. I loved it.

Although the experience was great, I assumed that I would need to take a job in a large city after graduation. I was all set to start a job in the financial district of Boston when Jack called me out of the blue. He informed me that Trust Company of Vermont was buying a building in Burlington and wanted to offer me a job as a portfolio manager in that office. I accepted, and almost twenty years later I’m still here.

Although Jack retired almost four years ago from TCV, he is still a Board Member and wise counsel for the current management team. Many clients, colleagues and professionals have missed Jack’s colorful quarterly newsletter articles. Thankfully, Jack is writing a new series of articles the first of which is featured in this Newsletter. A big thank you to Jack and all the Founders for setting a solid foundation for the success of the company. Happy 25th Trust Company of Vermont.