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Lisaius Marketing and Northwestern Medical Center recently attended the New England Society for Healthcare Communications (NESHCO) annual conference, where two of their collaborated works had been nominated for NESCHO’s 2015 Lamplighter Award. NESHCO, New England’s premier professional society for healthcare communications and marketing, established the Lamplighter Awards to recognize achievement of the highest professional standards in healthcare communications.

The team was proud to bring home gold honors in two categories, Special Events and Community Relations Events.

See the depth of all Lisaius Marketing’s design work and capabilities at Lisaius.com

Based in Burlington, Vermont, Lisaius Marketing is a brand development and full-service marketing agency that works with a range of national and regional clients in a variety of industries.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) Renal Dialysis has received the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC) for outstanding performance in advancing the nephrology nursing certification. “Because of the frequency patients visit and the relationships they develop with staff, SVMC Renal Dialysis is a really special place at the hospital,” said Thomas A. Dee, FACHE, president and CEO of Southwestern Vermont Health Care. “We are proud that the entire staff there is certified and received this national recognition.”

The Vermont Small Business Development Center, a program of Vermont Technical College, in Randolph is receiving a $100,000 grant through the Small Business Administration’s Federal and State Technology partnership program. “The center is ecstatic it was awarded this FAST Grant,” said Linda Rossi, VtSBDC state director. “With this grant, we are ensuring Vermont small businesses remain on the cutting edge of research and development in when it comes to science and technology.”

FAST is a competitive grants program supporting small business innovation research and small business technology.

As part of the Winooski Valley Long Trail Relocation opening celebration, the Green Mountain Club will have a ribbon cutting ceremony at the site of the new 224-foot Long Trail suspension bridge at 3 pm, Friday, June 12 in Bolton. In 1912, legislation was introduced to build a bridge over the Winooski River. In 1913, $500 was appropriated to the project, but subsequent trail rerouting limited plans and a bridge was never built. Since then, 25 cent ferry rides from a local farmer and long road walks have been the only options for crossing the River.

“I am profoundly humbled by the determination, hard work, and financial support that, after 100 years, turned this vision into a reality,” said Green Mountain Club President Jean Haigh. “This is a major milestone in the history of the Club and it is my hope that folks will continue to support our work as we move forward. There is a lot more to be done.”

Keurig Green Mountain, Inc, (NASDAQ: GMCR), a leader in specialty coffee, coffee makers, teas and other beverages with its innovative brewing technology, is proud to report it has been ranked 14th among the 500 largest publicly-traded US companies on environmental performance in a study done for Newsweek magazine. Keurig jumped to #14 from its #132 ranking in 2014.

by Tom Brown vtdigger.org Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin announced Monday that he will not seek a fourth term. Flanked by current and former members of his cabinet, Shumlin told reporters that after much thought and consideration he wanted to return to private life.

“I decided to make this decision now because I want these next 18 months in office to be focused entirely on continuing the work we started together,” Shumlin said.

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Vermont Business Magazine While there was not a drop in bad mortgages in Vermont from March to April, as there was from February to March, the annual decline in non-current mortgages continues in Vermont and in the US. For April, total non-current mortgages in Vermont were 6.0 percent (delinquent, 4.0 percent; foreclosures, 2.0 percent; down 20.9 percent from April 2014). These are nearly identical to the March numbers, which in turn were better than in February (non-current 6.9 percent, down 15.4 percent).

The American Federation of Teachers issued a statement Monday that the Vermont State Colleges Faculty Federation late Friday afternoon reached a tentative agreement for a new full time faculty contract, following a final negotiation session at the Chancellor's office in Montpelier.

After months of negotiation, the terms of the 2014-2018 deal include:

Two days after signing into law an economic development bill last week that will help continue the strong job growth Vermont has seen in recent years, Goveror Peter Shumlin joined with employers to highlight an upcoming job fair with 35 employers looking to fill over 600 positions.

“It’s promising to see so many Vermont employers hiring,” Shumlin said. “Our challenge is to help those employers find workers to fill those positions. So for those looking for work, be sure to mark June 12^th on your calendar.”

Although it is the only New England state not to border the Atlantic Ocean, Vermont is home to businesses that contribute significantly to the construction of the most powerful ships at sea: US Navy aircraft carriers. Two manufacturing companies in the state—Velan Valve in Williston and Champlain Cable Corp in Colchester—perform more than $9 million worth of work for aircraft carrier construction and maintenance.

With a workforce of nearly 300 skilled men and women who provide parts and services for carriers, Vermont is a valuable asset for the aircraft carrier industrial base—the community of small, medium and large businesses that build and maintain these ships. The United States’ ability to sustain a powerful fleet of aircraft carriers to respond in times of crisis depends on this robust and skilled industrial base.

Vermont Student Assistance Corp. has announced its low fixed rates for Vermont Advantage education loans for the 2015-16 academic year. The Vermont Advantage offers rates as low as 5.50 percent APR for both undergraduate and graduate students who need additional financing for postsecondary education or training. Vermont students attending college in the U.S. or abroad or students from out of state attending a Vermont institution are eligible for this financing.

“The Vermont Advantage is good option for students and families to help make up the difference between the total cost of education and the various kinds of financial aid they already may have received,” said Scott Giles, president and CEO of VSAC. “For 50 years, VSAC has been Vermont’s postsecondary education and training information resource. We are dedicated to working with Vermonters as they continue their studies after high school and helping them to finance their education.”

by Amy Ash Nixon vtdigger.org Concerns over Vermont Yankee’s decommissioning plan have led a nuclear watchdog group to ask State Auditor Doug Hoffer to find a way to provide public oversight of the $665 million trust fund to be used to dismantle the defunct plant. That amount is about half the estimated cost to decommission the nuclear plant, and the work will not commence until the fund has grown enough to cover the full costs.

The Vernon facility, owned by a subsidiary of Louisiana-based Entergy Corp, ceased to operate at the end of last year after a more than 40 years.