The Blood in this Town Reveals theDYNAMICS OF RUTLAND

[Who We’ve Interviewed - #6 of 33]

JOHN VALENTE, Attorney & President, Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce

“What we do here is special. And what’s great about Rutland is we’re not afraid to admit that we have challenges - and if other places around the country weren’t afraid to admit they have challenges, they’d probably be better off too -  but in Rutland, we won’t sit on the sidelines, we want to be in the game. So we face the challenges, and do what we can to attack them. We’re really trying to make a difference. Not only for ourselves but for other people.”  – John Valente

John Valente - country lawyer, husband, President of the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce and PEG-TV host - is probably best known as one of Rutland’s most energetic supporters.

Born in Rutland and a graduate of Mount Saint Joseph Academy, this hometown veteran left town to go to school at Boston College and the Suffolk University School of Law. With his degrees, he returned to Rutland for what he thought would be a brief stop-over en route to a big-city law career. Twenty years later, Valente still lives in Rutland with no looking back. Rutland was and still is a wonderful place to live and work, and as Valente notes, he’s living testament.

Valente can tell you about the area’s world-class skiing, hiking and kayaking, but his passion for this city lies in a love for the spirit of Rutland’s people. He’s the first to tell you about the gritty can-do attitude of Rutlanders who celebrate the good times and refuse to quit when things get tough. Rutlanders seem to welcome a good challenge. Valente adds, “When the chips are down, when our backs are against the wall, that’s when folks in Rutland really come through.” It’s the kind of spirit and action that is best reflected in countless community efforts - including the Gift-of-Life Blood Drive, the year-round Farmers’ Market and new entrepreneurial businesses – finding traction and success in the midst of America’s Great Recession.

Valente, who works at the Rutland law firm of Ryan, Smith & Carbine with 24 other lawyers, knows what it takes to grow business and build community at the grass roots. He spends much of his free time serving on local boards, chairing committees, and spearheading community initiatives. Most notably, though, Valente can be found almost anywhere around town - wearing one or several official hats - with sleeves rolled up, ready to pitch-in. “One of the beautiful things about Rutland is that there are lots of people who have problems saying ‘no,’” Valente adds.  “We like to say ‘yes.’  We like to get involved in the opportunities that can make our town better.”


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