Rising to Rutland's Opportunities

Joshua Lake

If you ask Joshua Lake “Why Rutland?” his answer is immediate. “Opportunity, opportunity, and opportunity.”

And he would know! At the end of his workday as a Client Care Relationship Manager at Carpenter & Costin, a major commercial landscape company in Rutland, Joshua comes home to spend time with his dogs, work on his 1978 Corvette, or head to one of the board meetings, committee meetings, or social mixers that might be happening that night. Still in his twenties, he serves on the boards of directors for both The Mint, a creative makerspace, and the Rutland Young Professionals organization, and sees this kind of involvement as one of the defining perks of living in Rutland as a 20-something...

“Imagine living in other states besides Vermont and trying to launch your career and really get noticed in your early twenties. I’ve been invited to share my perspective on the boards of two excellent organizations which I really enjoy, and that kind of inclusion doesn't happen just anywhere. I think it is great that young people with fresh perspectives are sought after and invited to have a voice and make a difference. I love that about this town.”

When he’s not in the office or a meeting, Joshua and his partner, Emma, are usually enjoying the outdoors. Joshua and Emma’s hobbies shift in concert with Vermont’s four seasons: fishing in Summer, hunting in Fall, and reading in early winter — until the ice is thick enough in January for ice fishing. “And in the Winter and Spring I snowboard, of course!”

Joshua gives the Rutland community a lot of credit for his never-a-dull-moment mindset. He describes one recent Autumn weekend when Carpenter & Costin laid out 6,000 square feet of sod in the middle of Downtown Rutland to create a green play space for kids. It had never been done before and the kids played on it for hours, while a Shriners Parade and 2-4-6-8K fun run took place simultaneously. And it was all done with volunteers. Now that’s pretty creative!

There’s a little something extra that holds it all together, says Joshua. “Rutland is an outstanding community. There are countless community events and networking opportunities which really makes being a Rutlander amazing.”