Every year, in honor of the late Arthur Gibb and his legacy of commitment to safeguarding Vermont’s environment and communities, VNRC recognizes an individual whose leadership has brought about positive and lasting change by building healthy, equitable and sustainable communities. 

Arthur Gibb dedicated much of his life to ensuring that Vermont was a better place for future generations. Beginning his public service in his adopted hometown of Weybridge, Art Gibb served his community and state in countless ways until his death in 2005 at the age of 97. 

This year, as a part of VNRC’s annual celebration, the Arthur Gibb Award for Sustainable Community Leadership was presented to Beth Humstone, who has dedicated her career, volunteer time, and financial support to enhance Vermont’s communities through smart growth planning and protecting natural resources.

Humstone was born in Brooklyn, New York, but moved to the Green Mountain State to pursue her career in community planning after receiving a master’s degree in city planning from Harvard University. While living in Vermont, she has worked as an urban planning consultant for 47 years and throughout this time has held roles as a land use planner for the state, member of the Burlington Planning Commission, co-founder of the Vermont Forum on Sprawl, and President of Smart Growth Vermont to name a few. 

In addition to her expansive work in community planning, Humstone also helped develop the  Small Grants for Smart Growth grant program in conjunction with VNRC and her son, Chris Gignoux. These grants fund community-led initiatives that promote sustainable and well-planned development and help catalyze change at the local level.

In his nomination letter in support of Humstone, former VNRC Executive Director Brian Shupe noted, Beth has been a tireless advocate for Vermont’s sustainable communities since she first started working in 1973. She dedicated her career, volunteer time, and financial support to protect and enhance the fabric of Vermont’s communities for almost 50 years.” 

About receiving the award, Humstone said, “It was an honor to receive the Art Gibb award from VNRC this past Tuesday night amongst so many friends and colleagues. Art Gibb’s commitment to public service and his integrity are values that I have always admired.  VNRC holds a special place in my heart and I am grateful for all the organization’s work to protect Vermont’s unique character and sense of community.” 

Each year, a recipient for the Arthur Gibb Award for Sustainable Community Leadership  is chosen based on the following criteria: 

• Leadership and the ability to motivate others around shared goals related to community planning, economic well-being, and the enhancement of Vermont’s natural resources and unique sense of place.
• Commitment to Public Service, including a willingness to enthusiastically volunteer to better their community. 
• Vision to recognize the challenges facing Vermont’s environment, landscape and communities now and in the future, and understand how those challenges can best be addressed through public policy and personal initiative.
• Creativity in crafting innovative solutions, policies and programs that strengthen Vermont’s community life and unique sense of place.
• Collaboration through the proactive and dedicated engagement of community members from a diversity of perspectives and lived experiences.  
• The ability to Balance competing interests in order to forge consensus and build bridges between those holding opposing views.
• Integrity and steadfastness in public service that earns the respect of colleagues, neighbors and diverse interest groups.
• Humility, expressed through respect for others, including those holding opposing viewpoints, and a willingness to work cooperatively and share recognition for accomplishments.

“Out of the many inspiring nominations received for this year’s Arthur Gibb Award for Sustainable Community Leadership, Beth Humstone truly stood out,” said Kati Gallagher, Sustainable Communities Program Director at VNRC. “Her dedication to and impact on the whole state of Vermont spans decades, including leading the smart growth and anti-sprawl policies and programs that have been instrumental in supporting and revitalizing Vermont’s downtowns and village centers. Beth’s pioneering work helped these critical areas hold on to their defining characteristics at a time when much of the country was losing theirs to strip malls, big box stores, and scattered development – along with the social, economic and environmental benefits those places provide.”