Current News

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Colorado-based Vail Resorts, Inc (NYSE: MTN) continues to storm across North America, spread the influence of its Epic pass and gobble up another Vermont resort. This time it's Okemo in Ludlow. Last year it was Stowe Mountain Resort. Vail announced today it had bought four resorts. It has entered into an agreement to purchase Triple Peaks, LLC, the parent company of Okemo Mountain Resort, Mount Sunapee Resort in New Hampshire, and Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado. Vail will purchase Triple Peaks from the Mueller family for a purchase price of $82 million, subject to certain adjustments. At closing, Triple Peaks will pay $155 million to pay off the leases that all three resorts have with Ski Resort Holdings, LLC, an affiliate of Oz Real Estate, with funds provided by Vail Resorts.

Vermont Business Magazine The Community College of Vermont (CCV) held its graduation ceremony Saturday at Norwich University’s Shapiro Field House. More than 500 students from across the state received associate degrees. Students representing all 14 Vermont counties graduated along with students from 11 other states and 15 other countries. The youngest graduate was 17 and the oldest was 73. Also among the graduates were more than 60 veteran and military-connected students.

Jen Kimmich, CEO and co-founder of The Alchemist Brewery, delivered the keynote address. Governor Phil Scott also addressed the Class of 2018. CCV President Joyce Judy officiated.

Vermont Business Magazine CA Technologies, a global software firm, has made a gift of $300,000 to the University of Vermont to establish and fund doctoral fellowships in complex systems and data science. The fellowships will provide a competitive tuition and stipend package for up to two Ph.D. students per year for a minimum of three years. The gift coincides with the launch, in fall 2018, of a new PhD program in Complex Systems and Data Science at the university.

“We're thrilled to receive this generous gift from CA Technologies, which could not have come at a more important time,” said David Rosowsky, University of Vermont provost. "In field after field, there is a tremendous need to structure the glut of raw information the computer age has ushered in and extract meaning from it. These doctoral fellows, and the new doctoral program of which they’ll be an active part, are perfectly positioned to do just that.”

by Christine McGowan Sawmills were East Burke’s first industry, bringing brave and adventurous souls to the northern reaches of Vermont to work, establish farms and, eventually, build the local school, church and meeting house that would become the village of East Burke. It wasn’t until the mid-1900’s that residents began to think about building a tourism industry around the area’s natural resources, including Burke Mountain and nearby Lake Willoughby.

by Bill Schubart I’ve finally reached that mind-body equilibrium we all seek. I’m both a Roads Scholar and a Gravel-road Slalom competitor. You’re probably not familiar with either unless you live at the end of four miles of a dirt road in Vermont and live here year-round. For many of us the primal terror of “mud season” faded with the invention of Tyvek, now underlying the uppermost gravel layer on our back roads. The white lingerie gracing many unfinished homes in our backwoods turned out also to be a boon for those of us living on back roads where in spring the water-table overtakes the road surface. Tyvek has drastically reduced the boggy swales that mired our cars each spring.

​Vermont Business Magazine This year the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame celebrates its 16th year and will expand its nomination criteria to reflect the evolving face of Vermont agriculture. For the first time ever, nominations will be accepted in three categories: Emerging Leaders, Ag Innovators, and The Lifetime Achievement Award.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on Mexico, the European Union and Canada.

Vermont Business Magazine In 1918, the Allies declared victory in World War 1, Babe Ruth pitched 29 1/3 scoreless innings for the Red Sox in the World Series, Woodrow Wilson was president, color movies were invented, and Effie Ballou opened the Wayside on the Barre-Montpelier Road. Originally just a roadside eatery, the Wayside Restaurant has withstood the test of time and is ready to celebrate its 100th Anniversary this year. In an industry where 70 percent of all restaurants fail after 10 years, the Wayside has defied the odds.

Vermont Business Magazine A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” of National Guaranty Insurance Company of Vermont (NGIC) (Burlington, VT). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) remains stable. The ratings reflect NGIC’s balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

Leonine Public Affairs The second week of the special session of the Vermont General Assembly came to a close on Friday with the governor and legislative leaders still at an impasse over education finance and budget matters. See statements made Friday by Governor Phil Scott's communication's director and Speaker Mitzi Johnson below.

Vermont Business Magazine Northern Power Systems Corp (TSX:NPS), based in Barre, announced Thursday that on May 24, 2018, it received a letter from the Toronto Stock Exchange notifying the company that the TSX had initiated a review of the company’s eligibility for continued listing on the TSX. It is questionable as to whether the company will be able to continue as a going concern.

Vermont Business Magazine University of Vermont President Tom Sullivan today announced the appointment of Richard L Page, MD, as the 18th dean of the Larner College of Medicine at UVM, effective October 1, 2018. Page is currently the George R and Elaine Love Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Page will succeed Frederick Morin, MD, who has served as dean of the Larner College of Medicine since August 2007.

A nationally-recognized specialist in cardiac arrhythmias with interest in treatment of atrial fibrillation and sudden cardiac arrest, Page has led a department at the University of Wisconsin that is committed to professionalism in the pursuit of patient-centered care, transformational research, and innovative educational programs.