Harrington Named VermontBiz Alumni of the Year

Southwestern Vermont Chamber CEO Matt Harrington receives the honor as a former Rising Star with sustained leadership record.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Philanthropy

Wide photograph of an empty small-town Vermont Main Street lined with red brick storefronts, with forested hills rising behind in early autumn light. — Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce CEO Matt Harrington was named VermontBiz's 2026 Rising Star Alumni of the Year at a Burlington ceremony on November 4. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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VermontBiz named Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce CEO Matt Harrington its 2026 Rising Star Alumni of the Year. The recognition was presented at the Rising Stars celebration on November 4, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Burlington.

Why it matters

The honor recognizes a former Rising Star who has continued to demonstrate leadership after the early-career award. It also reflects the Chamber's shift from a traditional business association toward a regional economic and community development organization in Vermont.

The Southwestern Vermont Chamber serves 17 communities across Bennington County. Harrington was also named among VermontBiz's 91 Influencers in both 2025 and 2026.

The players

Matt Harrington

Harrington is a Certified Association Executive and co-author of Survival of the Hive: Seven Leadership Lessons from a Beehive.

VermontBiz

VermontBiz is a Vermont business publication that runs the Rising Stars program and publishes its annual Influencers list.

Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber is a regional business organization serving 17 communities in Bennington County, Vermont.

The details

Harrington, who became Chamber leader in 2016 and was named a Rising Star in 2017, launched the Southwestern Vermont Chamber Foundation in 2026. He previously received an Unsung Hero recognition from Vermont News & Media for coordinating the regional business response during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2016: Harrington assumed leadership of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber.
2017: Harrington was named a VermontBiz Rising Star.
2025: Harrington was named among VermontBiz's 91 Influencers.
2026: The Chamber Foundation launched and the Alumni of the Year honor was announced.
November 4, 2026: Recognition presented at the Rising Stars celebration in Burlington.

Season Trajectory

The VermontBiz Rising Stars program recognizes early-career professionals, and this honor follows that path by recognizing a former honoree for sustained leadership. It shows how regional chambers in Vermont increasingly position themselves as economic and community development engines.

Residents of Bennington County and surrounding Vermont communities may see the Chamber's expanded regional development work through its foundation. The recognition signals continued leadership focus at a local business organization that serves 17 communities.

The takeaway

Sustained leadership after early-career recognition can reshape a regional organization's role in its community. Harrington's work at the Chamber shows how a business association can expand into broader economic and community development.