Current News

Vermont Business Magazine A national security firm has undertaken a new study that found Vermont ranked Number 16 as the best state for women’s rights. Security.org today released the study on The Best and Worst State for Women’s Rights using the most recent data from the US Census Bureau across four key categories: economic freedom, education, health and reproductive freedom, and political participation. Vermont ranked high in education and health, modestly high in economic factors, but low in political success, which ultimately dragged down the state's ranking. The overall rankings generally follow the Red State/Blue State social divide, with Blue States ranking higher in this study.

Vermont Business Magazine Building Bright Futures (BBF) announced today that Dr Morgan Crossman, a native Vermonter from Rutland, has joined the organization as Executive Director. Crossman holds a PhD in Social Policy from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, specializing in Child, Youth and Family Policy as well as Disability Policy, and a Masters in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology from the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College.

Vermont Business Magazine Billie Lynn Allard, MS, RN, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) administrative director of Population Health and Transitions of Care, will receive one of the nursing profession’s highest honors when she is inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) at the Academy’s annual policy conference in Washington, D.C., in October. The AAN is composed of 2,400 of the nation’s top nurse researchers, policy makers, scholars, executives, educators, and practitioners from across the country.

“I am honored to be recognized by my professional nursing colleagues for work developing transitional care and population health programs at SVMC,” Allard said. “I look forward to making continuing contributions to improve health care outcomes for our communities.”

Vermont Business Magazine Monday evening, Governor Phil Scott signed into law the abortion rights bill, as well as several other pieces of legislation passed by the Legislature. But he vetoed the 24-hour gun purchase waiting period bill, S169. The governor had signed gun measures last year and said then and since that he did not envision the need for further gun safety measures. The governor had to act by the end of Monday or the gun bill would have become law without his signature. The Legislature did not schedule a veto session and thus will not have the opportunity to override this or any other veto action taken by Scott until it reconvenes next January.

Vermont Business Magazine Paul Schulick shifted the paradigm on dietary supplements with New Chapter, leveraging his platform to inspire change throughout the industry that all started with New Chapter’s whole food probiotic nutrients integrated with holistic herbal extracts. His commitment to organic and non-GMO certifications blazed a trail for others to follow.

by Mary Hayden As Americans, we believe in justice for all. Yet we fail to live up to this promise when we allow older members of our society to be abused or neglected. Older people are vital, contributing members of American society and their maltreatment diminishes all of us. Just as we have confronted and addressed the social issues of child abuse and domestic violence, so too can we find solutions to address issues like elder abuse, which also threatens the well-being of our community.

Vermont Business Magazine In an effort to improve access to effective mental health treatment, a challenge across Vermont and nationally, Gifford Health Care has partnered with Alpine Telehealth to bring psychiatric services to Emergency Department patients via video conferencing. Per the partnership agreement, telepsychiatry services are available at the Gifford ED and hospital inpatient departments 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Services are provided using video chat on a web-based platform that is fully secure, encrypted, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)-compliant.

Vermont Business Magazine Licensed Acupuncturists, Jonathan Fleming and Kerry Boyle from Integrative Acupuncture in Montpelier attended a legislative advocacy event in Washington D.C., June 1-3 to gain support to mandate acupuncture access for all veterans and military personnel. Over 300 acupuncturists from across the country descended on Capitol Hill to ask their state representatives to support HR 1182- Acupuncture For Heros Act, which mandates veterans and military can access this non pharmacological approach to pain management.

Vermont Business Magazine The VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) has been recognized with an award from the New England Society for Healthcare Communications (NESHCo) to honor achievements in healthcare marketing, public relations and communications. VNAHSR won an Award of Excellence for the Outpatient Therapy Promotional Campaign in the print advertising category. This is the second year that the home health and hospice agency has been recognized for their work.

Vermont Business Magazine John Turner Consulting, Inc, which previously acquired Willis Consulting Engineers, a professional geotechnical engineering firm based in Woodstock, and with its own organic growth, has announced it is consolidating its West Hartford, Vermont, office and the Willis Consulting office to one location in Hartland. Turner said this will allow it to conveniently serve our clients in the Upper Valley, western New Hampshire, and southern Vermont regions. The Hartland office will offer materials testing including full laboratory capabilities, special inspections, geotechnical engineering, and environmental consulting services to all these areas.

New address: 5 Legion Drive, PO Box 16, Hartland, VT 05048
Phone number: 802-295-1100

Vermont Projects

Vermont Business Magazine At a meeting on May 10, the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board awarded $6,656,970 in VHCB funding, Housing Revenue Bond funds, and federal funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for the construction or rehabilitation of 72 affordable homes and to conserve 5,650 acres of natural areas and public recreational lands and 617 acres of farmland.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott, public officials, business owners and guests participated in a June 5^th Ribbon-Cutting ceremony at 296 Beanville Road in Randolph with LEDdynamics (LED) and Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation, in a sparkling new $5 million, 28,000-square-foot office, engineering and production facility.