For our January hike, we will be exploring the western side of the Norwalk River. The trail begins just beside the Red Rooster restaurant off Route 7. More details to come as we approach the date in the New Year.
Trailmaster Alec Wiggin
Month: December 2024
Keith MackieBorn: Aberdeen, Scotland;
Married to Elizabeth, September 11, 1993;
Two son’s: William (29) and John (27);
Worked for Clydesdale Bank, Glasgow 1977 to 1979 and then Barclays Bank PLC 1979 to 2022; now retired;
We have lived in Darien since 1997;
Interests include motor sport, golf, skiing and general fitness
Joseph SarbinowskiJoe Sarbinowski and his wife, Amy, have been residents of Darien since 2002, raising their two sons, George (23) and Will (21). Joe was active in coaching his sons’ soccer and baseball teams during their younger years. Nowadays, he spends his spare time enjoying tennis, golf, cycling, skiing, and his latest passion, boating. Both he and Amy share a love for adventure travel.
Joe recently retired after a 38-year career in business. He spent the first 30 years in the banking industry, primarily at Deutsche Bank, and the last 8 years as the COO and partner at Fintech R&T Deposit Solutions. Joe holds a B.S. in Business Management and Applied Economics from Cornell’s Dyson School of Business, and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Jim Gleason
2 Careers – Financial Risk Management & 6th Grade Science Teacher post 9/11. Darien Resident for 32 years. Helped Sarah raise/launch four boys. Retired 7 years now, yikes! Passionate Sailor, Kite Boarder, Wood worker, gardener & DIYer. Aspiring wing-foiler, scuba diver, traveler, writer & inventor. Currently living in a cluttered, empty house (compared to before they fledged) with Sarah, 2 dogs and 3 cats.
Richard Shear
Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Invōk Brands
Founding Faculty, Masters in Branding Program, School of Visual Arts
For the last 44 years Richard and his wife Pam have raised their family in Darien.
As a graphic designer his 50-year career has been influenced by a fascination with visual history, driven by a curiosity for the culture of retail brands, and guided by rich experience in brand identity and package design.
As a Founding Partner and Chief Creative Officer of Invōk Brands, his expertise lies in helping clients uncover the visual heritage of their most iconic brands and using this design equity to help them build and position brands in ways that inform, connect and motivate. He has had the privilege of working with a wide range of global CPG clients in the beauty, beverage, food, personal care, household product and retail private brand categories.
As Founding Faculty of the Masters in Branding program at the New York’s School of Visual Arts his course, focusing on the history of retail brands, builds an awareness of the rich legacy and growth of the global consumer culture and its intrinsic connection to the evolution of visual history.
As an adjunct to his research he will be publishing, “A History of Brands: Origins of Consumer Markets”, scheduled for release by Rockport Publishers in July of 2025. He is also a Contributing Editor of “The Brand Bible, The Complete Guide to Building, Designing, and Sustaining Brands”.
He has been a frequent speaker at conferences including HOW/Dieline and the Design Management Institute consistently contributing to thought leadership on critical issues facing the retail brand design community. He has been a guest lecturer at colleges including Columbia Business School, Trinity College, and the Fashion Institute of Technology, as well as the President Emeritus of both the American Institute of Graphic Art’s Branding Chapter and the Package Design Council.
Richard has a BFA from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and attended Yale School of Management’s AIGA program for senior design leadership.
Peter Smith graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1978 and Rutgers Law School in 1981. He has been a partner at Connell Foley LLP for more than 36 years. He assists clients with the litigation and arbitration of construction disputes in New Jersey and New York. His deep understanding of complex construction issues and applicable legislation has been honed by his experience providing counsel in regard to a broad range of public and private construction projects.
Peter has served on a variety of construction industry arbitration panels, deciding claims involving major commercial, public and quasi-public construction projects and surety matters. He has been Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as Civil Trial Attorney.
Peter moved to Darien in August, 2024 from Mendham, New Jersey, where he raised his family. His wife passed in 2020. His two married daughters and grandchildren live on the upper west side of Manhattan. He enjoys live music, theater, cycling, hiking and travel.
