Current News

by Richard Berkfield and McKenna Hayes, Food Connects At the 3rd Annual Southern Vermont Economic Development Summit, I hosted a panel exploring the value of tech within the rural economy and the many ways that it is impacting our communities. I’m compelled to share this experience with a wider audience.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum invites members and the public to its Annual Meeting and a showing of the 1935 film "Schlitz on Mt. Washington" at 5:30PM June 20, 2019. "Schlitz on Mount Washington," an entertaining 20-minute skiing farce is narrated by Lowell Thomas and shows where Warren Miller may have gotten some ideas for his later movies. The plot follows the adventures of the adventurous Dr Wolfgang Schlitz who attempts to climb Mt Washington armed with an umbrella and a well-travelled suitcase packed only with a formal dinner jacket and spirits.

Vermont Business Magazine New owners – John and Cassie Tiffany – will be taking over management at Green Wind Farm and began by transitioning their animals to the organic land in Fairfield.

Vermont Business Magazine After completing five years of service, Champlain College President Don Laackman has decided to step down, effective June 28, 2019. The Board of Trustees has accepted his resignation as announced in a letter to the college community today. Dr Laurie Quinn, Champlain's Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics, has been appointed Interim President, effective July 1, 2019. It is anticipated that she will serve in this capacity until a new permanent President begins.

Vermont Business Magazine It was a short but successful season in the sugarbush. The 2019 Vermont maple syrup production totaled 2.07 million gallons, up 7 percent from the previous year, according to King Whetstone, Regional Director of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Northeastern Regional Field Office. Vermont remains the top producing state in the nation. Vermont produces nearly half the national total and more than twice the next largest state (New York).

Production has been going up in recent years, despite a small slump in 2018, as more taps and more technology like vacuum taps and reverse osmosis machines increase yields and volume.

Vermont Business Magazine Three female founded startups were selected to receive cash awards totalling $35,000 at the seventh annual LaunchVT Demo Night. All eight startups in the 2019 cohort have been partnered with local businesses and will receive professional services worth over $100,000. Demo Night, LaunchVT’s annual investor showcase and pitch event, comes at the end of an eight week intensive program where entrepreneurs in the LaunchVT cohort work with a dedicated coach, strategic advisors, and each other to refine their business models, hone their pitches, and prepare for the future. 

Vermont Business Magazine The People’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, announced that it has awarded $5,000 to Vermont Works for Women in Winooski. This brings the total grant amount from People’s United Community Foundation to $41,000 since 2010. Peoples also announced donations to Spectrum Youth and Family Services in Burlington, Mentor Connector, COTS, Mercy Connections, and the Intervale Center.

Vermont Business Magazine Community Bank N.A. recently presented King Street Center with a $5,000 donation to support the organization’s Afterschool Excellence & Summer Camp programming. The funds will provide care and meals for children who attend. King Street Center’s Afterschool Excellence program and Summer Camp promote safe, healthy fun in a creative environment for kindergarteners through fifth-graders residing in Burlington. The 6-8-week program includes arts and crafts, outdoor and indoor play, cooking, technology, constructive and dramatic play, exploring nature, tennis and science activities.

Vermont Business Magazine Vail Resorts, Inc (NYSE: MTN) has announced that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rob Katz has exercised stock appreciation rights (SARs) and will be donating 100 percent of the shares and proceeds received to his family charitable foundation and donor advised charitable fund. Vail owns Stowe Mountain Resort and Okemo in Vermont.

Based on the market price on the date of exercise of $235.53 per share, the donation is equal to approximately $15.7 million. After withholding taxes, Katz received approximately 66,688 shares of Vail Resorts stock from the SARs exercise, all of which will be donated either in the form of a donation of shares or a donation of cash proceeds that were received from the sale of shares. The charitable foundation and fund have been initially focused on helping to address mental and behavioral health issues in mountain resort communities. 

About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)

Vermont Business Magazine Conscious consumers are demanding products and services from environmentally and socially responsible companies in all industries. Brattleboro-based gluten-free, plant-based meal delivery service, MamaSezz Foods, Inc., is working to provide consumers with food that heals while providing a livable wage, benefits and stock options for employees. To help make this vision a reality, the Flexible Capital Fund (Flex Fund) has announced an investment of $150,000 to help accelerate their growth.

Vermont Business Magazine Having a good credit score is a sign of good financial health. We all know that reducing your debt, and not spending beyond what you can afford can help increase your credit score.  But, here's a surprise: good credit scores are not evenly distributed across the US. Vermont and New Hampshire ranked 2 and 3 best and were among only four states an average credit rating above 700. As a general rule, the average credit score is higher in northern states than the average credit score in southern states.

Vermont Business Magazine The Hickok & Boardman Network of Companies is pleased to announce twelve non-profit recipients of their 2019 charitable gifts, including: Children’s Literacy Foundation, Kids on the Ball, Cancer Patient Support Foundation, Steps to End Domestic Violence, Lake Champlain Committee, C.I.D.E.R. (Champlain Islanders Developing Essential Resources, Inc.), Hope Lodge, Mount Mansfield Village, H.O.P.E. in Lyndonville (Helping Other People Every day), Therapy Dogs of Vermont, Passion 4 Paws and an employee family member in need from the Town of Barre.