Active in the Community
Hardy Machia served the Islands on the Grand Isle
Selectboard in 1999 and 2000--as its Chair during
the second of those years. He has also served as Justice
of the Peace and as Grand Isle's Town Representative
to the Northwest Regional Planning Commission. Recently,
Hardy helped spearhead a community coalition to expand
broadband access to the islands.
Background
Hardy graduated from Essex Junction High School
in 1987, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science
degree in Computer Science from Drexel University
in 1992. After a stint as computer engineer for the
Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station from 1988 to
1994 in Philadelphia (winning the Navy's co-op student
of the year award in 1990) Hardy moved back to Vermont
and started up Catamount
Software.
Business Experience
Hardy Machia works at home in Grand Isle, developing
computer software for Palm OS and PocketPC handheld
computers, sometimes collaborating on various projects
with other Vermont software companies. His best-selling
software title is PocketMoney®, which is available
"off the shelf" in retail stores such as Staples and
BestBuy. He has over 20,000 customers in over 70 countries,
and his programs have been translated into more than
ten languages.
Additional Political Experience
Hardy is currently chairman of the Vermont
Libertarian Party. In 2006 he was elected by his
peers to serve as the regional representative for
New England, New York and New Jersey to the Libertarian
National Committee (LNC), and also serves on the LNC's
Executive Committee. In 2002 he co-founded the Vermont
Chapter of NORML in order to help lobby for the
passage of Vermont's medical marijuana bill. In 2005
Hardy also co-founded the Vermont
Chapter of the National Youth Rights Association,
which is active in opposing age discriminatory laws
against youth, and holds conferences to educate high
school students about their civil rights. He is active
in NFIB, Grand Isle Chamber of Commerce, Grand Isle
broadband coalition, and Vermont Citizens for Property
Rights.
Personal
Hardy has been a resident of Grand Isle for the last
ten years. He lives in the old Grand Isle Train Depot,
which was relocated in 1976 from its original location.
He is married to Bonnie Jeanne Scott. They have no children
(yet), just a Newfoundland, two cats, and a small flock
of chickens. Hardy's hobbies include traveling, snowboarding,
hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and snowshoeing. |