Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Vail Resorts, Inc (NYSE: MTN), based in Broomfield, CO, announced that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rob Katz has exercised stock appreciation rights (SARs) that were expiring over the next two years and will be donating 100 percent of the shares and proceeds received to his family charitable foundation and donor advised charitable fund. Based on the market price on the date of exercise of $275.25 per share, the donation is equal to approximately $31 million. Vail owns the ski operations at Stowe Mountain Resort, which it bought last year, and is in the process of acquiring Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow.

Vermont Business Magazine Mack Molding, a leading custom plastics molder and supplier of contract manufacturing services, announced today additions to its senior staff with the appointments of Jessica Fredette as director of human resources and Joe Prandini as director of information technology. Both Fredette and Prandini have responsibilities for the Northern Division, reporting directly to President Jeff Somple.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources’ Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today that Hemlock Ridge at Killington Owners Association, Inc, a condominium complex in Killington, was fined $19,500 for many years of failing to properly manage and maintain the public drinking water system supplying the complex.

Vermont Business Magazine On Monday, June 11, 85 Vermont Housing & Conservation Board staff, VHCB AmeriCorps members and program supporters turned out for eight community service projects in Burlington, Huntington, Essex Junction, Shelburne and Richmond. The efforts resulted in gardening, landscaping and new raised beds at affordable housing sites, painting at several locations, trail work, helping at the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf and assisting at the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps Farm. Other beneficiaries of the service projects are residents of housing managed by the Champlain Housing Trust, Cathedral Square Corporation, and the Committee on Temporary Shelter; visitors to Audubon Vermont’s Huntington headquarters; and hikers using trails managed by the Catamount Trail Association and the Green Mountain Club.

​Vermont Business Magazine The podiatry team at Gifford Health Care will provide free foot screenings by appointment during a series of five sessions throughout the summer. Open to all Gifford and non-Gifford patients.

Vermont Business Magazine Community College of Vermont (CCV) will receive a 30 percent increase in philanthropic support from the J Warren & Lois McClure Foundation for academic year 2018-19. The College is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a total of $235,000 to support its work in four critical areas. This year’s funding includes $60,000 for the development of innovative occupational credentials that will enhance college-to-career pathways, and $90,000 provides broad support for CCV’s secondary education initiatives, which prepare Vermont middle and high school students for successful transitions to college and beyond, building on many years of support from the McClure Foundation for CCV’s Introduction to College and Careers course.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Public Utility Commission announced today that it is seeking eight members to serve on the Vermont System Planning Committee – one primary member and an alternate representing each of the following four interests: residential electric consumers, commercial and industrial electric consumers, town and regional planning organizations, and environmental protection. The alternates will attend VSPC meetings when the primary member is not available.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Tech’s Office of Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) has announced two recent hires to their staff. Lyle Jepson and Katherine Barwin have been hired for the Continuing Education and Workforce Development team.

Vermont Business Magazine As the comment period for the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts Label draws to a close, Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Representative Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottleib last Friday insisting he exempt pure maple syrup and honey from any new “added sugars” disclosure requirements.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) held a Vermont Energy Resource Fair and Town Meeting Saturday at Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center to discuss how Vermonters can make their homes and businesses more efficient and to help Vermonters determine what type of renewable energy works best for their needs. More than 300 people from throughout the state joined Sanders for the town meeting, which featured May Boeve, executive director of 350.org, as the guest keynote speaker. Boeve founded the climate justice group with Vermonter Bill McKibben.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) will host its annual Residency Conference June 18-22. The week represents the culmination of CGCS students’ experiences in online learning, with over 505 individuals gathering on the Northfield, Vt., campus to partake in presentations, academic conferences, networking events and commencement exercises.

Leonine Public Affairs The legislature ended the third week of the 2018 special session without any indication a final adjournment is on the horizon. The standoff between Democratic leaders in the legislature and the Republican governor over the budget is more intense now than ever. Governor Phil Scott is vehement in his position that he will not support any increase in the statewide property tax rate and that utilizing one-time money combined with a long-term effort to reduce student-teacher ratios and impose a statewide teacher contract is the best path forward. Democratic leaders maintain that using one-time money for the teacher’s retirement obligation is fiscally prudent, and that using one-time money to buy down property tax rates will only result in significant property tax increases in the future.