One Yankee's Success Flickers Brightly

For Michael Kittredge, class of ‘73, the adage was true. First figure out what you love to do. Making a living from it will come. His passion is making candles. He made his first candle in 1969 on his parents’ stove from melted crayons as a Christmas gift for his mother. He never imagined it could be a career. He came to Holyoke Community College looking for that career. Like most HCC students, he got to know his professors and advisors well. And they got to know him and his love and talent for making candles. His advisor encouraged him to pursue candle making. It turned out to be multimillion dollar advice. Michael founded the highly successful Yankee Candle Company. Michael recently gave a $1 million gift to HCC for the new Kittredge Business Center opening in 2006. “Entrepreneurialism is in the soul,” he says, “but colleges like HCC can release that spirit and teach the skills needed to apply it.” Holyoke, 2007  |   Holyoke Community College 303 Homestead Ave. Holyoke, MA (413) 538-7000