Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Want to know exactly what it takes to get your next project or initiative funded? Stop guessing what grant reviewers are looking for and hear it straight from the source. Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) invites you to the next session of the Windham Leadership Series on Thursday, June 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Brattleboro Elks Lodge. This special luncheon features live presentations on the Catalyst Program from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) and the Vermont Department of Economic Development. Attendees will also learn about the Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships 2026 fall grant opportunity.

Vermont Business Magazine On July 4, the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation invites visitors to readings of the Declaration of Independence at your State Historic Sites. At the President Chester A. Arthur, President Calvin Coolidge, Chimney Point, Hubbardton Battlefield, and Mount Independence State Historic Sites, readings will commence at 11:30am. Bennington Battle Monument State Historic Site will host a reading at noon. In addition to the reading, on July 4, the President Coolidge State Historic Site will offer free admission for the day to celebrate the birthday of America’s 30th president and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Vermont Business Magazine Cameron (Cam) Gilfoy, a 2019 graduate of Vermont State University Lyndon, has an assistant mixing engineer credit on the new Taylor Swift song, “I Knew It, I Knew You," featured in the Toy Story 5 movie, in theaters today. It’s his biggest credit to date, and an exciting moment for Cam, who launched his dream of working in the music industry four years ago when he moved to Los Angeles. In fact, he packed his entire life into a car and drove the six-day road trip from the east coast to Los Angeles in January 2022 with virtual strangers. A few months before, he’d sent a message to his former professor at VTSU, Brian Warwick, saying he was moving to LA and seeking his advice.

Vermont Business Magazine Christine Wade, founder of X-Figure Entrepreneur, has officially launched BOSS by X-Figure, a Business Operating System created specifically for service-based businesses. Built for entrepreneurs who often find themselves overwhelmed by competing priorities, inconsistent workflows, and businesses that rely entirely on them to function, BOSS introduces a practical structure for running a business with greater clarity, consistency, and momentum. Unlike traditional business frameworks built primarily for larger leadership teams, BOSS was designed specifically for solopreneurs and small service-based businesses where one person often carries multiple operational roles at once.

Vermont Business Magazine Shock, the Vermont-based community technology company that created the Bee app, today announced the acquisition of Dono, a volunteer management and in-kind delivery software platform, and the appointment of Dono's creator, Margarita Ivanova, as Founder-in-Residence. The Bee app, launched in June 2025, connects community members with local volunteer opportunities and neighborhood events through a map-based experience. Following its launch, nonprofit partners made clear that a dedicated volunteer management tool was needed to sustain engagement beyond initial recruitment. Dono fills that gap.

Vermont Business Magazine Ocean State Job Lot (OSJL), a leading closeout retailer known for its Crazy Deals, with 175 locations across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, will host a hiring event at its St. Johnsbury, Vermont store at the Green Mountain Mall (2000 Memorial Drive) on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday, June 26, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day. OSJL is hiring for part-time temporary/seasonal Store Associate, Store Specialist, and Facilities Associate roles at the location. The hiring event is part of a broader recruitment effort at six high-priority stores, with approximately 40 openings available across those locations.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott on Thursday evening signed 16 bills into law announced action on the following bills, including H.949, An act relating to homestead property tax yields, the non-homestead property tax rate, and technical changes to education finance. He also vetoed S.230, An act relating to fair employment practices. in doing so, he said, "While I do not understand why this bill passed in the first place, the Legislature had the foresight to add previously agreed upon provisions within S.230 to S.313, in anticipation of my objection to being pulled into the gamesmanship between unions. As a result, and as the Legislature was made aware, this bill is completely unnecessary."

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Scott signed S.328 granting the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) the ability to lend to housing projects with five or more units beginning on July 1. Prior to this legislation, VEDA was only permitted to lend to farm housing and farmworker housing. VEDA’s financing abilities extend beyond building actual homes. The creation of the Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP) last year permits lenders, including VEDA, to invest in infrastructure that supports new housing. We look forward to exploring the use of CHIP as developers plan their projects. VEDA is also poised to finance a host of energy projects under the state’s new Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program created by S.327.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced Kristin McClure will take over as Department of Human Resources (DHR) Commissioner as Beth Fastiggi steps down on June 27. McClure has served as deputy secretary of the Agency of Human Services (AHS) since July 2024. Fastiggi has served as commissioner since 2017, supporting critical initiatives, including the governor’s voluntary paid family leave program which covers all state employees and is open to the private sector, the State’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic from a state human resources perspective, and more.

by Chris Graff As the 1985 General Assembly convened, Rep. Robert Kinsey, R-Craftsbury, was confident that he would be elected speaker of the House. He needed 76 votes to win, the Republicans held a 78-72 majority, and his latest count of pledges gave him a nice cushion of 80 votes. But Kinsey had underestimated the scrappy Democratic candidate, Ralph Wright of Bennington, who loved a good fight, played hardball and relished being the underdog. Shock rippled through the House chamber as Secretary of State James Douglas announced the results: Wright had won by the narrowest of margins, 76-74, launching a 10-year speakership that would redefine the office and make him the most powerful speaker in the state’s history.

Vermont Business Magazine Discover how Rockwell’s years in Arlington (1939–1953) helped shape an enduring image of Vermont as a place of resilience, community, and quiet independence. Featuring newly acquired paintings celebrating Vermont’s granite industry, the exhibition also explores the artists, communities, and creative networks that transformed the state into a powerful symbol of American identity and nostalgia. Join us to explore the stories, landscapes, and people that inspired some of Rockwell’s most iconic works.

by State Auditor of Accounts Doug Hoffer We were disappointed to learn Tuesday that the Governor vetoed legislation that would have provided broad property tax relief to homeowners and renters and made health insurance more affordable for Vermonters who were hit worst by Congress’s failure to extend premium subsidies. Five years ago, our office introduced to legislators and the Scott Administration the concept of “reference-based pricing,” a tool that lowers the amount paid for some excessively priced medical services while pushing health care providers to operate more efficiently. We estimated that if reference-based pricing was applied to the State employee health plan, the State would save more than $16 million annually.