Jean M. de Smet

Jean M. de Smet is a Union Master Electrician, a Community Activist in Windham, and one of the founders of Willimantic's 3rd Thursday Street Fests.
Ms. de Smet graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English from the University of Connecticut in 1978.

After a brief stint working as a clerk/typist, Jean enrolled in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers apprentice training program, and has worked as a union electrician for 27 years. She's run construction crews, and worked in the ditches. Well respected by her fellow electricians, she was elected an officer on the Executive Board as Recording Secretary. Jean holds a master's license.

Ms. de Smet is well known in Eastern Connecticut for her work producing Willimantic's 3rd Thursday Street Festivals. The enormously successful Fests were created to distinguish Windham's historic Main Street as the regional arts, entertainment, and shopping focal point. The six monthly festivals each attract between 6,000 and 10,000 visitors to downtown. These unifying, community-based events provide an economic engine for the local economy through a 100% volunteer effort supported by in-kind services and donations from the Town of Windham and local businesses. The success of the Fests is indicative of Jean's organizational and leadership skills, hard work, perseverance and vision.  

Ms. de Smet has spent many years battling environmental threats in Windham, and won several vital ones. She fought to prevent mercury-laden medical waste from being burned at the Windham Energy Recovery Facility in North Windham and stopped construction of a statewide ash landfill along the Shetucket River in Windham Center. Jean chaired the Windham Citizen's Advisory Recycling Committee for 6 years.

Ms. de Smet has received many acclamations for her citizenship, including the Secretary of the State Citizen award, the Storrs Chapter AAUW Woman of the Year, Access Agency's Community Service Award and perhaps most importantly, was chosen Windham's Romantic Willimantic Cupid for 2003.

Ms. de Smet is Co-Chair of the Connecticut Green Party. Jean also serves on many Windham committees and regional organizations, and is a member of too many state and national environmental, civic, art and advocacy groups to list. As a candidate for First Selectman of Windham in 2005, Jean garnered 28 percent of the vote, placing her in front of the Republican candidate, but just short of winning the seat.

Jean de Smet and Bob Hackemack choose to make Willimantic their home because its friendly, small-city atmosphere is surrounded by the beauty of the scenic, sheltered villages, rivers and woodlands of Eastern Connecticut.