After 16 years of running the pouring room, we wish Sue a happy retirement! Sue receiving a retirement gift, a Vaillancourt one of a kind with elements from every employee at Vaillancourt. Joining the Vaillancourt family in 2002—then at the Armsby Road location—Sue was an integral part of the team ensuring both quality and quantity were met with complete professionalism. Taking a proactive approach, Sue trained and managed her pouring team to always think ahead and anticipate not only what pieces were needed now, but which pieces would be needed in the future. When Judi Vaillancourt would unexpectedly require a batch of the most challenging pieces—often requiring modifications, additions, and carving—Sue’s leadership ensured that her staff could be flexible enough to fulfill the unexpected orders while meeting the scheduled quotas. (Her organizational skills also ensured that hundreds of collectors were well-fed when she managed the cooking for multiple Collector’s Weekend breakfasts, lunches, and snacks!) Working in the most critical department (you need a beautiful canvas to paint a beautiful piece of fine art), Sue’s professional attitude and experience learned through 16 years of trial and error ensured the Vaillancourt artists would have the pieces to paint, and the retail and wholesale divisions would have the pieces that thousands of collectors around the world would admire in their homes. Sue ensured that families could celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. As Sue hangs up her apron for the last time today, we wish her well and will miss all that she contributed to the Vaillancourt family.
