Business Management Coaching

Peter Cole is the founder and principal of Cole Consulting and has been in private practice as an organizational development consultant since 1994, focusing on strategic assessment and planning, business development, executive coaching and leadership development. The foundation of the work Peter does is built on developing and integrating emotional intelligence – understanding ourselves, understanding others and cultivating connection through the practice of behavioral flexibility. Before going into private practice, Peter spent 16 years in the energy management industry, pioneering energy conservation and renewable energy efforts for commercial and industrial businesses. He founded and led a number of successful businesses and community-based organizations. He has held senior management positions in large and small companies, including directorships in IT, customer service and in sales & marketing, as well as COO and CEO. With a love for growing collaborative teams, Peter’s focus has been helping teams find their strength-based sweet spot, enabling them to scale rapidly while staying grounded in their core values.

Carolyn Cooke is a dedicated business and brand champion, whose roles have included co-founder and president, general manager, and vice president of sales within innovative, market leading companies and has unique expertise in pioneering start-up products and brands. In 1998 she co-founded ISIS, an outdoor women’s wholesale clothing company. In her role as president and CEO, she oversaw all aspects of the business from brand platform and product development to sales and marketing strategy. She is well versed in bank and equity financing and in 2011 led a successful sale of the company to American Recreation Products. Since leaving ISIS, she has been the finance director at Vermont Works for Women, the co-director of the 2-day Full Circle Festival and the director of sales & marketing at AllEarth Renewables, an innovative solar energy company based in Williston, Vermont. Prior to founding ISIS, she spent 12 years with Karhu/Merrell, and as the vice president of sales, was a key player on the small team that transitioned Merrell from a niche telemark ski boot company to a worldwide footwear brand. She has served on numerous industry and community boards and is the current board chair of Vermont Works for Women, a nonprofit organization offering training for women and girls to develop economic independence.

With 30 years’ experience providing HR, executive search and general recruiting services to Vermont growth companies and non-profits, Beth Gilpin is passionate about helping employers find, attract and retain the right people at all levels of an organization; navigate the complex world of HR and employee relations; and simplify and/or create processes, policies and procedures aligned with the organization’s values and supportive of the desired workplace culture.

Beth has had the good fortune to work with clients across a diversity of industries, including: consumer products (food, furniture, technology, and clothing); hospitality; technology services and products; and professional services (IT, accounting, and wealth management).

Before running her own consulting practice, Beth served as HR Manager for Rossignol Ski Company and Skis Dynastar; Merrell Footwear and Karhu/Trak Skis; and Vermont Country Cyclers (d.b.a. Travent and Four Seasons Cycling). Beth keeps a foot in the outdoor product/activity side of her career by introducing others to the beauty of backcountry skiing through weekend clinics and tours at Bolton Valley.

Jean Kissner is a proven leader of operations, project management and IT with over 25 years experience in a variety of fast growing consumer products and eCommerce consulting companies, including Country Home Products, Competitive Computing, Juno Rising Inc. (ISISwomen’s clothes).

In her VP roles, Jean successfully positioned organizations to grow smoothly by defining and implementing a wide variety of operational/IT projects, including enterprise/web systems, cloud, plug-in and custom applications, systems integrations as well as numerous process improvement efforts. Throughout change initiatives, Jean mentored and supported staff to improve their skills and increase throughput at the same time.

Jean’s consulting practice, Excellence in Operations, focuses on collaborating with growing or changing organizations who want to improve the quality, effectiveness & efficiency of their operations by improving staff skills, updating processes and/or selecting/implementing new tools and systems. Recent projects have included selecting/implementing enterprise computer systems, roles/responsibility and process reviews as well as department assessments. She has also trained organizations on converting strategy into solid tactical plans through the use of cascading goal setting.

Her education includes a MBA from University of Vermont and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Cornell University. Certifications include: Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Manager of Quality & Organization Excellence (ASQ).

Lawrence Miller is an independent consultant operating as Five Vine Consulting, LLC. From 2014 through 2016 he was senior advisor and Chief of Health Care Reform for former Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin. From 2011 to 2014 he was Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development. Lawrence started his career as the founder and brew master of Otter Creek Brewing, in Middlebury, Vermont. After the successful sale of Otter Creek in 2002, he worked as an independent small business advisor. From 2008 through 2010, he was CEO of Danforth Pewter. Lawrence also supported the development of the Flexible Capital Fund and VSJF’s peer to peer advising services (then named the Peer to Peer Collaborative). He currently serves on the board of the National Bank of Middlebury, and has previously served on the boards of VSJF, the Vermont Economic Development Authority, Vermont Economic Progress Counsel, Clean Energy Development Fund, Vermont Brewers Association, and the Brewers Association of America.

Victor has diverse management experience ranging from working as the Financial Operations Manager for IBM’s Semiconductor Manufacturing Division to serving as CFO for SkiTuner/Grindrite, a small manufacturer of ski and snowboard tuning equipment, to CFO/VP of Finance and Administration for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, the CFO and later CEO of the Elan Ski and Snowboard Company to President of American Flatbread, and more recently as the CEO and COO of Dr. Hauschka Skin Care. At Dr. Hauschka, he was instrumental in securing B-Corp status.

Victor currently works locally as a financial and management consultant, focusing on sustainable business strategy development and executive management coaching. Victor has enjoyed being part of the VSJF business coaching team and working with companies to help them address business strategy and management skill building. He has authored articles on a wide range of subjects such as: “Emotional Self-Control: A Leaders’ Perspective on Staying Cool under Pressure.” He is known as an effective leader and supportive coach skilled in guiding executives and team members in building trusting relationships.

Steve Voigt was president and CEO of King Arthur Flour from 1999 to 2014. Hired in 1992 as vice president of finance, Steve became chief operating officer in 1998. Prior to King Arthur Flour, Steve worked for Benedetto, Gartland & Greene in New York, where he raised private equity for venture, LBO and alternative asset funds. During his tenure there, Steve also supported his wife in founding, and later selling, Robin’s Homemade Breads of Greenwich, Connecticut. He also consulted out of Zurich, Switzerland and Cleveland, Ohio for McKinsey & Company. Steve is a graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, and Colgate University. Steve serves on the boards of Newport Harbor Corporation, Vermont Mutual Insurance Company, Dansko, Montshire Museum of Science, and Tuck’s Center for Business, Government & Society. He has also been an active member of The ESOP Association serving as chair of the Board of Governors from 2003-2009.