Expert: David Beckett - 11/5/2005

Question
Hi David,

I have been skiing all my life, and just graduated from Parsons in NYC with an industrial design degree.  I've got experience designing all kinds of products (including high-performance canine search and rescue gear) and would LOVE to design ski gear.  

I've done some research about companies in the area (one of my best friends is interviewing at Burton) and found out that Bogner, Dynastar, Look, Lange, and Rossignol have offices in or around Burlington.  Do you know if any of these companies actually have design departments in-house?  I would never move without having a job lined up first, but am concerned about sustaining myself in such a small town (I've only lived in large cities thus far).  Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Lindsey

Answer
Hi Lindsey -

I have all sorts of observations but sadly no real answer to your question. I'm GUESSING that the design departments of these firms you mention, are indeed "in house" but not at the Burlington locations for the most part.

There are more companies like the ones you mention in the Burlington area as well. Burton, the Snowboard company is an example - and since Burton's world HQ is in Burlington, I'd guess thier design department IS in Burlington.

I like big cities too. One of the things that people who know it like about Burlington - is that Montreal Canada is an hour and a half (90 miles) up the road, (Montreal's something of a design mecca as you know) Boston is 3.5 hours drive, and NYC is a very short flight on Jet Blue. That means we're something of a regional hub for the performing arts as well as outdoor recreation. There are, for instance, 4 major destination ski etc resorts within an hour drive and another few within 1.5 hours. I've been a ski instructor, part time, at SUGARBUSH for 19 years.

Come visit Burlington some time. It's always going to be dwarfed by NYC, It may not feel like as small a town as you'd imagined.

If you'd care to provide a postal address, I'll send you a Business Directory published by VT business magazine. It's a pretty comprehensive directory, you can use to further your research.

Cheers,
David Beckett
PRM - 120 Kimball Ave, ste 110
South Burlington VT 05403

1 800 488 5609 x215
david@askdavidbeckett.com