Newport Native Tony Pomerleau Keeps Promise

Newport native Tony Pomerleau challenges golfers at hospital tournament for healthcare career scholarships.

Tony Pomerleau has spent much of life making money. Now at 90 years old the Burlington based real estate developer, who grew up in Newport, is better known for giving his money away to good causes.
The multi-millionaire developer has been a good friend to Newport. He owns several pieces of real estate in Newport, including the Waterfront Plaza, and he has donated to a number of worthy local causes, including donating $100,000 for the construction of the Ron Holland MD Community Dialysis Center. Recently he donated $14,800 to the North Country Hospital Healthcare Career Scholarship Fund. The fund helps to offset the cost for local students pursing careers in the healthcare field.
“This money is going toward a great cause,” Pomerleau said. The donation came as a result of a challenge he made to golfers taking part in North Country’s 19th annual golf tournament held at the Newport Country Club on August 25. He said that he would give $100 for every birdie that was made during the tournament. A birdie is when a golfer gets the ball in the hole one stroke below par for the given hole.
“I decided to make my donation in the way of a challenge,” Pomerleau explained.
Of the 144 golfers who took part in the tournament, 148 birdies were recorded. Pomerleau upheld his end of the bargain. He happily wrote out a check for $14,800.
This year’s golf tournament was the 19th annual such tournament. During that time 153 scholarships have been awarded to deserving students. North Country Hospital and Health System now employs some of those students who went on to graduate from a healthcare program.
The Burlington man is quick to point out why he bestows so much generosity into North Country and the community of Newport.
“I’m proud of my roots in Newport,” Pomerleau said confidently. “This is one way that I can give back to a community that means so much to me.”
Reflecting back on his youth, Pomerleau recalled his love of Newport, especially of Main Street. He is able to list every store that lined the streets in the days of his youth. The one store that holds the most memories and gave him his first taste of the work world is Newberrys, a discount store that served Newport until the 1990s.
“I used to dress the windows,” he explained. In other words, he made the window displays attractive and tempting for passing pedestrians and motorists. He then began selling shoes for a local store chain, before working his way up the ladder. One thing led to another, and in time, he began buying real estate, and developing shopping plazas of his own.
Success has a way of making some people forget their humble beginnings. That surely isn’t the case with Pomerleau. Not only has he not forgotten Orleans County, but he hasn’t forgotten his youth in Newport during the Depression years when the Pomerleau family had to scrimp and save like others in Orleans County to keep themselves fed and a roof over their heads. He also credits the region of his youth for instilling in him a strong work ethic, an ethic that has served him well in the business world.
Pomerleau is known throughout the state for his philanthropy toward worthy causes. Besides concern for the people of Orleans County, he said he chose to donate to North Country Hospital because of the care his father received at the hospital in his dying days decades ago when the hospital was located on Highland Avenue and known as Orleans County Memorial Hospital.
“The people there treated my father great,” Pomerleau said. “I haven’t forgotten that.” He said he remembers thinking even at the time that he wished he could do something to help out the little hospital. But at the time, he said he didn’t have any money to give. Years later, the Newport boy made good has returned to fulfill his wish – to do something for the hospital, as well as make a difference in the lives of the people of the area.
In addition to Pomerleau’s involvement in this charitable tournament, those involved in organizing it are extremely appreciative of all the business owners, individuals, and organizations that contributed to it. More than $25,000 was raised, money that will help some area college students become our newest healthcare providers.

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