Current News

Maponics, LLC (www.maponics.com), a nationwide provider of custom mapping solutions, has announced the expansion of its sales territory design capabilities. This development enables managers to create territories that make as much sense in the field as they do on paper a key to maximizing profitability and employee satisfaction.

BURLINGTON, Vt.--Champlain College is offering a new Information Security degree that will put students on the front line of the information technology battlefield. Students will learn to fend off information loss and computer intrusions--including threats from nefarious hackers, debilitating viruses, stealthy Trojan Horses and denial-of-service attacks.
Starting in the fall, the program joins Champlains Computer Networking and Computer & Digital Forensics programs to create a unique and comprehensive team of undergraduate offerings in this dynamic IT arena. Information Security professionals keep undesireables out of their networks, said program director Gary Kessler, when describing the difference between the programs. Computer forensics professionals investigate the problem once someone has gotten in.

Citizens Bank Foundation Grant Expands Affordable Homeownership Programs
[Burlington, VT] More than 13,000 Vermonters would qualify for a home mortgage but need help finding affordable homes and financial assistance. Thanks to a significant Citizens Bank Foundation grant contribution, hundreds of low and moderate income Vermonters will be able to attain affordable homeownership with home buyer education and financial assistance.

Governor Announces Changes in Administration
Montpelier -- Governor Jim Douglas has announced that the secretaries
of human services and administration are planning to switch positions in
the next phase of the Governor's efforts to strengthen government
services, save Medicaid and reform health care.
Effective Monday, February 21, Charlie Smith will become administration
secretary, state government's equivalent of a chief operating officer and
Mike Smith will become human services secretary, overseeing the largest
and most costly agency in state government. Both men will work closely
together to ensure a smooth transition of all management and legislative
issues.
Governor Douglas said both men have served extraordinarily well in their
current positions and that each agency will benefit from the change.
"Charlie and Mike are invaluable members of my team and both have worked

The Women Business Owners Network (WBON) welcomes 19 new members:

New Study Results Show Visitor Spending Impact On Vermont Economy
MONTPELIER - Governor Jim Douglas and Vermont's Tourism Commissioner have unveiled the results of a major new study that they say is the most detailed and comprehensive ever undertaken to measure the impact of visitor spending on the Vermont economy.
The survey, conducted by Economic and Policy Resources (EPR) of Williston shows that in 2003, visitors made an estimated 12.8 million trips to Vermont and direct visitor spending totaled $1.46 billion. In addition, the study found that visitor spending, both directly and indirectly, supported more than 36,470 jobs (approximately 1 in every 10) for Vermont workers and business owners and added $181.7 million in tax and fee revenues to state coffers in the General, Education and Transportation Funds.

JB PHILLIPS CONSULTING, LLC, a Vermont-based public finance advisory firm, has been established to serve the capital needs of smaller government and non-profit entities in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
As municipalities, school districts, and non-profits (including hospitals, independent schools and museums) assess the need for improvements, renovations and building projects, alternative funding sources may be considered to avoid deferring facility upgrades.
Judy Phillips, Norwich, the firms founder and Principal, is an experienced public finance professional, with over 20 years experience in both the public (NYC government) and private (JP Morgan, Bankers Trust and Merrill Lynch) sectors. She can assist non-profit issuers with their capital plans, through preparation of tax-exempt issues for project financing and as an advisor for investor relations.

Robert resigns position on hospitals board
Elisabeth Robert, president and CEO of Vermont Teddy Bear, resigned her seat of the Fletcher Allen Health Care's Board of Trustees today (February 9, 2005). Robert issued the following statement: "After discussing the matter with other board members at our meeting yesterday, I have decided to resign form the Fletcher Allen Board of Trustees, effective immediately, because I believe this will be in the best interest of the organization. I believed it was necessary to have a discussion with the entire board before reaching this decision and yesterdays meeting was our first opportunity.

Hanover, NH, February 9, 2005 - UK Architects, PC, has finalized a contract with the Sugar River Redevelopment Company, LLC, to be the Architect of Record for the rehabilitation of the Peterson and Wainshal Mill Buildings in Claremont, New Hampshire. UK Architects will be working in collaboration with the Design Collective, an architectural firm from Baltimore, Maryland. The Design Collective will provide master planning and schematic design services for the project, and UK Architects will be responsible for implementing the design and overseeing the construction. This professional collaboration brings expertise in the area of mill building rehabilitation, along with local knowledge and project oversight experience, to Sugar River Redevelopment and the City of Claremont.

Burlington, Monday, February 7, 2005 - City Market, Onion River Coop presented the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) with a large check in the amount of $3,719 from funds raised through the sale of Christmas trees this past holiday season.
$222 of the money raised was matched through a new Neighbor to Neighbor program through Shurfine, a conventional grocery supplier to City Market. Shurfine gives City Market credit, which accrues over time. City Market can then use the money as matching funds for their own efforts. The Trees for COTS project meets the criteria for the matching funds program.
Cumulatively, over the past 7 years, City Market has raised a total of $15,780 for COTS, through the Trees for COTS program. All proceeds are used to provide shelter and services to Vermonts homeless families and individuals.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:

BURLINGTON, Vt.--Champlain Colleges Hotel Management program is now being offered at the Colleges satellite campus in Mumbai, India. The program joins the Software Engineering and Business programs, which were established there previously.
Peter Straube, director of the hospitality management program, reports the hotel industry is growing by leaps and bounds in Mumbai--formerly known as Bombay--as evidenced by new upscale properties including Marriott, Sheraton, Royal Meridien and Leela Kempinski hotels near the airport.
In Mumbai, they are creating entirely new downtown zones to handle the rapid growth of the business sector, Straube said. Theres a huge demand for supervisors and managers in their hotel industry.

Meghan Mathon Named General Manager of EnSave
EnSave Energy Performance, Inc. announces the appointment of Meghan Mathon as its new General Manager. Ms. Mathon assumed the responsibilities of retired EnSave co-founder and General Manager, Paul Ohlson.
EnSave is an energy services company that works exclusively in the agricultural sector helping farmers save energy. EnSave works with public benefits corporations, electric cooperatives, investor-owned utilities, and state and federal organizations to design and implement energy conservation programs for farmers across the United States.
Ms. Mathon will lead EnSaves growth according to a 5-year Master Plan developed with EnSaves Board of Directors. She will build and maintain budgets and cash flow projections, oversee program development and implementation, and supervise all staff.