Matt Harrington

Author, Speaker, TRainer & COACH

Matt Harrington, the founder and driving force behind Harrington Brands, is a seasoned leadership expert and passionate advocate for empowering individuals, teams, and communities. With over a decade of experience in leadership development, Matt has emerged as a prominent figure guiding organizations and young professionals toward excellence and positive change.

Wearing various hats, including author, speaker, and executive director of a 400-member Chamber of Commerce, Matt possesses keen insights into the dynamic fields of leadership and community development. He firmly believes that the key to success for organizations and communities lies in the people and how they lead others. Success is defined by having the right leaders in the right positions, leveraging their competencies and talents to communicate a vision, garner support, and create outstanding products or services.

This philosophy forms the core of Harrington Brands, founded by Matt to reshape traditional leadership models and introduce a more holistic approach to leadership development. Matt's hands-on approach and commitment to nurturing empathy and emotional intelligence have yielded consistent results for individuals and organizations alike. His dynamic workshops, coaching programs, and community-driven initiatives have impacted many, leaving a lasting legacy of empowered leaders and thriving communities.

Among the notable clients who have benefited from Matt's expertise are the Bennington Museum, CAPCOM Federal Credit Union, Fairbank Group, Keurig Green Mountain, Killington Mountain Resort, Park McCullough Historic Governor’s Mansion, MASS Mutual, New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association, National Ski Area Association, State University of New York, Vermont Health Care, SUNY Technology Conference, USDA - Department of Agriculture, Vermont Housing Management Association, Vermont Federal Credit Union, Vermont Troopers Association, and Western Carolina University.

Matt's book, "Survival of the Hive: 7 Leadership Lessons from a Beehive," which he co-authored with his late mother Deborah Mackin, explores the macro- and micro-responsibilities of a queen bee and her relationship to a hive. Each chapter delves into the functioning of the beehive through the characters of Zync, a queen-in-waiting, and her fellow bees. Using the bee colony as an allegory, the book illustrates leadership in an organized community, providing a practical demonstration of cultural complexity, leadership clarity, and the foundational importance of trust for excellence.

As Matt Harrington's journey unfolds, he remains steadfast in his mission to illuminate the path to transformative leadership, elevate humanity, and create a brighter, more compassionate world for generations to come.

Boards & Committees

Chair (2019-2021), Board Member (2019-Present): Vermont Governor’s Travel and Recreation Council, Montpelier, VT
Executive Board Member: Vermont Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (VACCE), Vermont, 2019 – Present
Faculty, Institute for Organization Management (IOM), 2024
Founder, Chair, Board Member: Shires Young Professionals, Southwestern Vermont, 2018 - Present
Board Member, Advisor: Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) & Regional Economic Development (RED) group, Southwestern Vermont, 2017-2020
Advisor: The Lightning Jar (coworking space and entrepreneurial incubator), Bennington, VT 2016-2020
Judge, Advisor: The Capital Region Chamber’s Entrepreneurial Boot Camp, Albany, NY 2013-2015

Awards

Recipient of the 2021 “Bennington County’s Unsung Heroes” presented by New England Newspapers
Recipient of the 2017 Vermont 40 Under 40 “Rising Star” award presented by Vermont Business Magazine
Recipient of the 2017 ACM Northeast Video Festival for “Bennington Made – Porta Brace”
Recipient of the 2017 Telly Award (Gold) for “Bennington Made: Vermont Wooden Blocks” and Telly Award (Silver) for “Bennington Made: Madison Brewing Company”
“Bennington County Readers’ Choice,” Best Event - Garlic Fest presented by The Bennington Banner (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
"Vermont’s Time-Honored Top 10 Fall Event" - Garlic Fest presented by the Vermont Chamber (2019)

Testimonials

“Have you experienced a workshop led by Matt Harrington? If not, I strongly encourage you to work with Matt and learn from him. He goes the extra mile to make the learning experience valuable. His conference and workshop sessions are developed with the needs of the audience in mind. And, he is just easy to listen to as he has a great ability to connect with people and tell impactful stories. He offers lots of various sessions so you are bound to find something that will advance the work of your organization or group.” - Carolyn Mattiske, Director at SAIL Institute & Organizational Development at SUNY SAIL Institute

“Matt is a strategic leader who has a mindset for creative ideas and the organizational aptitude for implementation and management. He was an exceptional partner for the State of Vermont, and me personally, when we launched and expanded Stay to Stay, the state's economic development tourism initiative. As a chamber and hospitality industry, he understands the importance of building strategic partnerships and demonstrating value, whether that be in the form of member dues or taxpayer dollars. As a young professional leader, he inspires his colleagues of all ages and backgrounds to be forward-thinking and nimble. Matt's astute insights, sharp wit, and easy-going nature make him an excellent collaborator in the vital work of growing Vermont's economy.” - Wendy Knight, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery

“Matt is very bright and enthusiastic and, during his time here at Media Logic, he was always looking for ways to make a positive impact on the company. Matt is also a great ‘people person’ who understands the many benefits of working collaboratively with others.” - David Schultz, Founder and CEO of Media Logic

“Matt Harrington is one of my top favorite professional business consultants. Matt has a strong work ethic and is very passionate about the work he does, plus his in-depth knowledge about everything from small business to social media is right on target every time. Matt is a pleasure to work with and we always look to him first for ideas when planning our training workshops. I recommend Matt highly and enthusiastically!” - Janet Tanguay, Entrepreneur

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