Hilltop Happenings

SALISBURY GENTLEMAN GREG ERDMANN '83 SHARES HIS STORY WITH THE SALISBURY COMMUNITY 

I grew up in New Canaan, CT and graduated from University of Vermont with a degree in Economics and Art History in 1987. I learned about Salisbury School when my older brother Jeff Erdmann '81 went there two years ahead of me, and we overlapped one year together. His friends were fantastic and the campus was great. From my visits and the many tales he and his friends told me, I realized it was the only school I wanted to go to – so I knew what to expect. And being an all-boys school I knew I could concentrate on my studies and sports – I played football, hockey and lacrosse.

School can be really hard sometimes and so can life. My first algebra class had four people in it and it definitely was not the advanced class! Hard work, determination and attention from teachers make a difference. Seek help when you need it and never give up. And of course, “To be, rather than to seem to be”. Make it real, don’t be fake. Esse quam videri.   

Without any doubt Bill Reeves and Charles Tait made a huge impact on me during my time on the Hilltop. Mr. Reeves took me under his wing and made sure I was always okay. Those evening one-on-one algebra sessions in his apartment got me through that class. Reverend Tait taught me that it is dangerous to look at the world from only one perspective, and it is our responsibility as educated people to look at the world from all different angles. Seeing the world from every perspective is a major guiding principal for me to this day.

One of my favorite places on campus to visit when I was a student was the forest. Late night Wood’s Committee ski patrols in the snow were amazing, as were the countless hours hiking, exploring, and disconnecting from the normal stress of school. I haven't been back to the Hilltop since my 25th Reunion, but look forward to my next visit.

Today, I am VP of Global Sales at NRG Systems (www.nrgsystems.com), a technology company based in Vermont. We design and manufacture sensor technologies for the commercial wind and solar industry. If you have ever seen a large wind farm, anywhere in the world, there is a very good chance that we have products in there.

Renewable energy fascinated me decades ago when most of my friends thought I was nuts. I helped start this company in the early '90’s. I have worked for several different wind companies since, but came back seven years ago to help the owner turn the company around and sell it (we were acquired by ESCO Technologies in 2018). I travel several thousands of miles globally every year, not only managing sales, but evangelizing wind energy as a board member of the Global Wind Energy Council.

There are three things that Salisbury gave me that helped me get to where I am today:

1.     Salisbury taught me to work hard and stick to challenges even when people doubted me. Hard classes, major injuries and challenges at work happen to us all – thank you Mr. Reeves.

2.     Salisbury taught me to look at every angle in life before drawing conclusions. That is how I became convinced two decades ago that fossil fuels are seriously polluting our planet and changing our climate, and if we continue to innovate and promote renewable energy, we could solve a lot of problems – thank you Reverend Tait.

3.     Salisbury taught me to explore. There are amazing things both right under our noses and way out there in the world. I’ve been to over 40 countries and always make sure that I get the most out visiting somewhere interesting – thank you Salisbury woods.

When everybody zigs, it’s okay to zag. Learning what you don’t want to do in life is just as important as learning what you do want to do in life – so take the chance and you will figure it out. Find something you are passionate about and make a plan to get to where you want to go even if it does mean some less than exciting entry level jobs to get there. And most importantly - don’t give up. 

My experience at Salisbury was a very important part of my life!