Thursday
September 19, 2024 
Dr. Vail P. Garvin gazed around her sumptuous office at the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce. Appropriate for a county as rich as Bucks, and a woman such as Garvin, her office walls are covered with handsome paintings and impressive awards.
But it’s her family photos that have captured pride of place, closest to her desk. “I am all about family—my own family and my Central Bucks family,” Garvin explained.
“I’ll miss this,” she admitted, but, eyes sparkling, she added, “I have other adventures planned.” After more than 23 years as chamber president and CEO and the approach of her 80th birthday, she has announced she will retire in December.
During her 23 years at the chamber she has wholeheartedly embraced the business community, devoting herself to developing economic growth in Central Bucks towns, immersing herself in the job with an enviable energy and deep passion. She has done this for individuals, entrepreneurs, small businesses and large corporations, inspiring fond words from those who have worked with her.
Garvin is a sophisticated, stylish, beautifully groomed and confident woman. She has a fine eye for business possibilities and her attitude is unfailingly positive. She also has a kind of “Gee, whiz” radiance that creates a contagious excitement in others. She likes to follow the words of her favorite quote, attributed by some to Winston Churchill: “You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.”
Barbara Donnelly Bentivoglio, the retired marketing executive who preceded Garvin in the chamber’s top spot, said, “Vail is a master of bringing people, places and things together. She is truly the star of connectivity.”
Michael Araten, president and CEO of Sterling Drive Ventures, agreed. “She’s a force of nature,” said Araten, who is heading the committee searching for her successor. As for herself, Garvin said simply, “I like to help people.” Her caring persona, astounding networking abilities and her sincerity have allowed her to touch many businesses.
Amanda Soler, the chamber’s chief operating officer, credited Garvin with increasing programs and events. “Vail created the chamber’s Veterans Committee and has actually tripled the number of programs the chamber offers its members,” she said.
Garvin’s networking skills have produced some notable speakers at chamber events, people willing to leave the international/national stages for a visit to Bucks County, such as Michelle Howard, the U.S. Navy’s first female four-star admiral, the late Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State; Astronaut Kathryn P. Hire and H.R. McMaster, former U.S. National Security Advisor.
While Garvin has concentrated her talents in Central Bucks her networking reach has extended far beyond the county’s borders. She has collected armloads of awards and professional honors from her associates and served on more than 30 boards of organizations as diverse as the U. S. Global Leadership Coalition, the Boy Scouts, Union League of Philadelphia, American Red Cross, Philadelphia USO and the Doylestown Historical Society, and several colleges.
Garvin has been director for several health care organizations as well as director for music and arts societies—no surprise there, as she played the flute in her student days and also paints in oils. She has even been recognized by the White House for her “exceptional level of commitment to numerous civic, charitable and community endeavors.”
She is especially proud of her work with the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., where she is a trustee emeritus and only the third woman to serve as trustee.
Garvin, whose mother and father had both served in the military, grew up in Levittown, where a childhood case of polio kept her home from school for a year, but her parents, the community and AT&T pulled together to hook up a special telephone line that allowed her to participate in classes.
She said, “I was inspired by that coming together of my parents, a caring community and a business. I didn’t miss a day of school.” It also led her toward a career in health care, beginning with a nursing degree from Emory University and a doctorate in public administration from Nova Southeastern University. A fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Garvin was executive director and CEO at Warminster General Hospital during the 1980s.
Looking forward to moving on while also reflecting on the past, Garvin said she is particularly proud she and the chamber team were able to keep the office open during the COVID-19 pandemic even though normal activities were suspended. “I’ve loved this job and I love our team,” she said.
Although Garvin won’t reveal what post-retirement adventures she’s planned, she did confess, “I love to live life large.” She said she definitely will be spending more time with her husband, Ronald C. Unterberger, an estate lawyer, and their blended family.
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