Success Story: Talent Connect Serves as Professional Networking ‘Lynchpin’ for Spouse of new RPI VP

Capital Region newcomers Richie and Bruce Hunter

In June of 2016, Bruce and Richie Hunter moved from Houston to Rensselaer County after Richie was appointed as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Vice President of Strategic Communications and External Relations. Having previously lived in Colorado and California, the Hunters were accustomed to transplanting their family, but never had they received the type of welcome they got in the Capital Region through the Center for Economic Growth’s talent attraction program, Talent Connect.

As a new hire of a CEG investor, Richie and her husband were eligible for Talent Connect’s New-Hire Navigation services, which include career support and professional networking for the spouses/partners of new hires, community integration needs, cultural transitioning tools and professionally guided tours. Shortly after moving to the Capital Region, Bruce began his New Hire Navigation by meeting with Talent Connect Program Manager Joanne Bucher at a Troy café.

“It was a great experience. The thing that impressed me when working with Joanne was how personable she was,” said Bruce.

For two hours, Joanne and Bruce talked about his interests and goals and how the region could accommodate them. She gave recommendations about everything from schools (the Hunters have a 16-year-old son) to banking to restaurants to health care. Joanne also showed him around downtown Troy. But that was not all she did for him.

“She helped me make some great connections,” said Bruce, whose background is in education, business innovation, and small business startups.

Prior to moving to New York, Bruce served on the business faculty at Lone Star College. New to the region’s business community, Bruce called Joanne his “lynchpin,” connecting him with many of his contacts in the area when he first moved here.

Last September, he was appointed as the Interim Director of the Office of Intellectual Property, Technology Transfer and New Ventures at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

“Joanne, she was great. She was there to help me at every twist and turn,” Bruce said.

All CEG members have access to Talent Connect services. To schedule a New Hire Navigation, or to learn how Talent Connect can help your business attract skilled workers, call Program Manager Joanne Bucher at 518-465-8975, ext.222 or email her at joanneb@ceg.org. Learn more about Talent Connect here