The Name
I renovated the historic gristmill as a venue and collaborative space , but I knew the key to success was building a state-ofthe-art recording studio . Why ?
1 ) There wasn ’ t a recording studio in Southern Vermont , so it would fill a community need and be a great complement to existing cultural institutions and organizations in the region .
2 ) Music is the universal connector . We may not all like the same music , but everyone likes SOME kind of music . Music serves as a bridge that connects us all and brings us closer to each other .
And that was key to the vision . collaboration through music could thrive .
So — why choose the name “ Old Mill Road ” ?
I thought about Sesame Street . It is a physical place ; a campus . But it is also a culture . A community .
I thought about the “ Yellow Brick Road ” from The Wizard of Oz — and how it is both a path with an end goal ( Emerald City ), but along the way , adventures happen and friendships are made .
I thought about “ Abbey Road .” Three syllables . Great rhythm .
Old Mill Road isn ’ t just a street , a studio , or a media company ; it ’ s a state of mind .
I began working as a theatrical designer on Broadway as a teenager . My mentors included Al Hirschfeld , Peter Harvey , Santo Loquasto , Willa Kim , and Tony Walton . As part of Walton ’ s design team , I worked on the TONY ® Award-winning Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun , among others .
I wasn ’ t just interested in building a media company or a production facility . This was about creating a culture and environment in which positivity , creativity , and
By my early 20s , I was producing theater and music regularly , while also attending medical school at SUNY Stony Brook .
The Unexpected
My parents always told me that “ the best moments in life are the unexpected moments ”. They were right .
When I bought The Mill in 2014 , I certainly didn ’ t expect to find love . But that ’ s exactly what happened in 2017 .
Two colleagues ( husband and wife , Dr . Janel Kittredge and Dr . Thomas Sterling ) told me , “ Our friend , Carolyn Blitz , is the Chair of The Carlos Otis Medical Clinic at Stratton and Chair of the Stratton Community Foundation . Carolyn recently bought STRATTON Magazine . She should do an article on you and The Mill .” At the same time , they told Carolyn , “ You ’ ve got to meet this guy ; He ’ s a doctor and has a background on Broadway — and he just bought this historic gristmill . He ’ d be a great magazine story !”
Carolyn and I met on Old Mill Road in
March . By that summer , we were in love .
Carolyn had spent most of her professional career working for the National Basketball Association ( NBA ). From that experience , in addition to her early years with the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce , she knew that media and promotion were critical to a community ’ s success . That ’ s why she bought STRATTON Magazine and created Manchester Life . She wanted to utilize those media assets to promote all of the wonderful businesses and organizations in the Southern Vermont community . Her favorite quote ? “ A rising tide lifts all boats .”
Carolyn also loved music .
Although most of her life had been spent in the corporate world , she always told me that when she was 18 , who she really wanted to be was Mary Travers ( of “ Peter , Paul & Mary ” fame ).
Much of our private time together was spent listening and dancing to music .
Carolyn and I were married on September 9 , 2018 .
Music is , indeed , the universal connector .
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