Robert A. Reese '79

Bob is recognized as a far-sighted entrepreneur who has played a significant role in developing the artisan cheese movement in America.

In 1984, Bob and his business partner, Allison Hooper, took a few thousand dollars in start-up money and founded Vermont Butter and Cheese. Today, the company is called Vermont Creamery and employs over one hundred people at its central Vermont cheesemaking facility.

Under Bob's leadership, Vermont Creamery became a Certified B Corporation and built a strong reputation for innovation and for its commitment to sustainability. Bob has received widespread recognition in the dairy and food sectors, earning praise not only for creating outstanding artisanal products, but for promoting consumers' awareness, appreciation, and demand for high-quality, local cheeses.

Recently he was inducted into the Specialty Food Hall of Fame by the Specialty Food Association. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated exceptional dedication to the farmers, lands, and creamery artisans of Vermont, and has been a leader in a dairy and cheesemaking industry that is crucial to Vermont's economic vitality, particularly in rural areas.

A Burlington native, Bob majored in agricultural economics in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at UVM and went on to earn an MBA from the University of Southern New Hampshire. Bob resides in South Hero, Vermont with his wife, Sandra. The couple has three adult sons and two grandchildren.