Hardworking. Dedicated. Successful – Three words that unequivocally describe the Demaree family - a sibling trio that continues to strive for greatness in their individual fields. Take Maria Demaree Hutchinson for example. The 1986 Spartan grad has just been named Senior Vice President of Enterprise Business and Digital Transformation at Lockheed Martin, a company she’s called home for the past 30 years. And you won’t have to look far to find her brother Ken Demaree ’88. He’s also a senior employee of Lockheed, serving as the Director of Rotary and Tactical Air Training Solutions. Finally, there’s their youngest sister, Christina Gibbons ‘95, a top-producing New Jersey real estate broker and the CEO of the number one real estate team in the New York City suburb of Ridgewood, NJ. As this trio continues to reach for excellence, they each credit their time at Maine-Endwell for helping shape the hardworking individuals they’ve become.
“I had an incredible and influential STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) experience at M-E. I was also on the tennis team, so Mr. Maxian was both my coach and computer science teacher. This led to pursuing a computer science degree at Pennsylvania State University and an MS in Systems Engineering at University of Pennsylvania. One thing I’m grateful for are the teachers. They really cared how you did in class and loved the topics they taught. I remember many times meeting before or after class for extra help if you were challenged. The teachers were really great, and we were fortunate to have such strong faculty. They also went beyond the classroom and were advisors for clubs-which showed it was more than just class work that mattered. They cared about your development as a person, and wanted you to be your personal best,” said Maria Demaree Hutchinson, ’86.
“Maine-Endwell prepared me well for life on my own. It helped me learn how to prepare, learn, and be accountable for my actions which is a key trait in the real-world. In addition, competing at a high level in athletics in baseball and tennis provided me with the experiences to take on the challenges experienced out in the real-world. Additionally, my time at Maine-Endwell was positive with regards to how individuals are treated. There was no divisiveness in the school and my memories remain very positive when I look back on the relationships with my friends and teachers. This was foundational in how I approached building relationships with people in my life post Maine-Endwell years,” said Ken Demaree ’88.
“It gave me the perfect foundation to develop a competitive mindset, which in my industry is key. Being in a sales position, there’s a constant need to be setting goals personally and professionally. I believe there’s both a nature and nurture component to this. I definitely was born with a competitive jean, but my academic foundation/environment only fostered this further,” said Christina Gibbons ’95.
As the head of Lockheed’s national security space, and the first second-generation Lockheed employee in her family, Maria Demaree Hutchinson overseas more than 8,000 employees and the execution of a $6.6 billion portfolio of critical defense and intelligence programs. A responsibility of this magnitude requires a special individual and a special leader – a job this 1986 graduate doesn’t take lightly.
“Leadership comes with responsibility to not only make sure your customers are supported, but also the people that are on your extended team. We definitely operate by a “Mission first, People always” approach. Being in these roles requires dedication and commitment. Leadership is a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. I feel like I have to earn it every day, by doing my very best, and setting and expecting the same from my team. I am proud to have been with Lockheed Martin for 34 years, and to be in a role in Lockheed Martin Space. We have a mantra “We bring people home”. Whether astronauts, service members, or loved ones using GPS- we are proud to bring people home with our systems and capabilities. That inspires me to do my very best, every day,” said Demaree Hutchinson ’86.
Lockheed Martin is large company with more than 130,000 employees. Major positions, especially directorial roles in Tactical Air Training, aren’t given to just anyone. For Ken Demaree, coming to work each day is an honor and privilege.
“I have very much enjoyed my pursuit of increasing my position within this global company. Each level to me has brought new challenges of personal and leadership growth which I really enjoy – figuring out the challenge is what keeps me coming to work every day,” said Demaree ’88.
As the youngest Demaree sibling, Christina Gibbons exemplifies the qualities of a strong leader. Debuting as the CEO of Christina Gibbons Group in 2019, this 1995 M-E grad spearheaded a half a billion dollars in sales volume in the highly competitive New York City suburb market in less than five years. Despite her continued success today, real estate wasn’t always at the forefront of her plans.
“It actually happened by chance. For about 10 years, I was a stay-at-home mom and was looking for something to occupy my free time. Having seen my father be involved in real estate growing up, I looked towards purchasing a multi-family investment property to manage. I quickly learned that being a residential broker, along with investing in homes, was what I wanted to be doing and went down that path,” said Gibbons ’95.
Despite leading a real estate team that sells 200+ homes annually, Gibbons says each sale is special.
“There’s nothing better when a buyer finds their perfect home. I know, and they know immediately that they’ve found their dream home. You can see it in their eyes and expressions, and they feel it. I love helping people, and that’s what’s at the core of it. I recently closed a deal where the buyers searched for a home for 4 years with me before finding the perfect home,” said Gibbons ’95.
While they’ve each been out school for more than three decades, this trio admits it “feels like yesterday” since they were walking the halls of Maine-Endwell, and they each credit their academic and personal experiences for shaping their futures.
“M-E was a great experience because it was a big enough school that you had the opportunity to do so many things; yearbook, band, sports, model UN, but small enough that you knew almost everyone in the school. All our friend’s parents were involved in our lives-from sports to homecoming floats and everything in between, and we often look back now and realize we were really part of a very special community. I’m still close friends with my high school friends, and we stay connected in group texts and social media,” said Demaree Hutchinson ’86.
“My time at Maine-Endwell is always viewed as a positive time in my life. I had a very well-rounded experience where I was challenged in the classroom, was able to compete at a very top level in athletics (basketball and tennis), as well as develop friendships today that still exist today. The teachers were very engaging which enabled me to develop meaningful relationships that helped shape the career I pursued in Computer Science. They really cared about holding students to a level of accountability that required us to be respectful and learn but were actively engaged in ensuring we were successful in the end,” said Demaree ’88.
“I had the best high school experience a kid could want. The academics were strong, the sports were highly competitive, the facility was updated with the newest technology, the environment was perfect to thrive socially, and the teacher support was always there. Maine-Endwell was able to provide an environment that was safe and nurturing while also allowing the kids to feel a need to push themselves to be and do more. I can only hope my kids feel the same way when they’re older and look back on their high school years,” said Gibbons ’95.
As soccer great Pele once said – “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.”