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by Joyce Marcel, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s rural life, with its rugged mountains, open farmland, maple stands and isolated homes, has always contained a wide variety of gender identities and sexual proclivities. In the past, they might have been whispered about, obscured, dismissed with a shrug or hidden. Now they are being celebrated. One of leaders of this movement is innovator and community organizer HB Lozito (they, them), co-founder and executive director of the Brattleboro nonprofit Out in the Open, or OITO, whose mission is to connect rural LGBTQIA+ people to build community, visibility, knowledge and power. For their work, Lozito last year received the penultimate Con Hogan Award for Creative, Entrepreneurial, Community Leadership from the Vermont Community Foundation. 

Vermont Business Magazine Girls on the Run Vermont will host its annual fall benefit, Sneaker Soirée, on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Burlington Beer Company from 6-10 p.m. This year’s event marks the 25th anniversary of the organization in Vermont.  A fundraiser like no other, the Sneaker Soiree will surely be the most comfortable cocktail party in town. Suggested attire is semi-formal and of course… your favorite sneakers! This 18+ event will be held in BBCO’s new event space. Check out an incredible Silent Auction packed full of fantastic getaways, lift tickets to VT ski resorts, spa treatments, yoga packages, custom artw

Vermont Business Magazine Looking for a meaningful job that pays the bills? Want to meet entrepreneurs building successful Vermont-based businesses? You’ll find both at the Vermont Tech Jam on Saturday, October 26, at Hula in Burlington. The free event, organized by Seven Days and presented by Hula and Marvell, runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is followed by a keynote presentation. Dozens of recruiters from some of Vermont’s largest and most innovative employers will be scouting for talent at the Tech Jam, including Beta Technologies, Waterbury’s KORE Power and NOMAD, National Life Group and Colchester-based VIP. 

VermontBiz This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.  

Note: When projects are completed, they are no longer listed in this report.  

by Vermont Small Business Development Center Kaleidoscope Art Supply is a creative haven for those who love art, make art or simply want to engage with the community through an artistic lens. Curator and artist Raven Crispino had always dreamed of opening a space where creatives could converge and share their passion. She imagined a place where lesser-known artists could showcase their work, and where art enthusiasts could readily find premium art supplies. Driven by this vision, she took a bold leap of faith determined to turn her dream into reality. Moving to Vermont from New Jersey, Crispino set her sights on Rutland after she was warmly welcomed at several mixers hosted by the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Travel and tourism have been a cornerstone of Vermont’s economy for over a century. However, recent years have brought significant disruptions, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel restrictions and lockdowns forced hospitality venues to close, impacting everything from cozy B&Bs to sprawling ski resorts. As the pandemic restrictions eased, Vermont experienced a surge in tourism, leading to an economic boom. However, this influx of visitors also triggered a housing crisis, characterized by a decline in available housing and a rise in housing costs. This phenomenon involved the conversion of second homes into permanent residences and the transformation of permanent homes into short-term rentals. While the ski industry was still recovering from the lingering effects of COVID, the hospitality sector was rebounding. However, two devastating events further disrupted travel and tourism: the floods of July 2023 and July 2024.

Vermont Chamber of Commerce Join the Vermont Chamber at the Manufacturing Summit on November 13-14, 2024, where Vermont's manufacturing sector takes center stage. Designed for businesses of all types and sizes within the manufacturing industry, this reimagined event offers a unique opportunity to connect with industry peers, suppliers, and potential business partners from across Vermont, New England, and Canada. Discover actionable strategies and resources to enhance your business operations, explore new growth opportunities, and gain insights into the latest trends shaping the future of manufacturing. Don’t miss this chance to build a more resilient supply chain and drive your business forward.

VermontBiz The Vermont Agency of Education announced the next phase of its 2024 Listen and Learn Tour and invites the public to participate in community conversations focused on key topics in education. These public engagement sessions will help the Agency develop its strategic plan and ensure that its work is supporting the educational priorities of communities across Vermont. Following a series of data reports and regional planning sessions with more than 250 education leaders, the Agency is eager to expand these conversations to include educators, parents, students, and community members across the state.

"Hearing from Vermonters in every corner of the state is essential for the Agency of Education to develop goals and initiatives that support Vermont in building an education system that meets the needs of every student from cradle to career.” said Interim Secretary Zoie Saunders.”

VermontBiz ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is excited to announce the addition of a 30-foot sculpture of Champ, America’s lake monster. Blending art and science, ECHO's exhibit team worked with dinosaur casting experts, Research Casting International, over nine months to imagine what Champ looks like. The sculpture hangs above the mezzanine, giving visitors viewing opportunities throughout all levels of the museum.

“Lake Champlain is such an enormous resource for all of us in Vermont, and knowing that it is the only home for a healthy and happy Champ inspires us to care more about our incredible lake,” said Elliott Katz, ECHO’s Senior Exhibits Designer. “We are thrilled to see the new Champ sculpture at ECHO because seeing it in real life leads to even more questions and wonder about this incredible wild creature!”

Vermont Business Magazine Health Care report offers grim future without radical change; MVP to drop UVMHN Medicare Advantage plan; GMCB announces FY25 hospital budget decisions and enforcement of FY2023 budgets; Tax revenues up in August, but Rooms & Meals misses its target; Audit finds faults with state distribution of $50 million of COVID funds to businesses and nonprofits; Killington sale closes, Great Gulf becomes minority investor; Walmart to relocate Rutland store to former Diamond Run Mall; Vermont State Dental Society to bring dental school to Vermont; and more.

Vermont Business Magazine Lawson’s Finest Liquids is joining forces with Vermont-based, hand crafted ski maker J skis to produce Mogul Masher Pale Ale (5.5% ABV), an après-friendly pale ale, and colorful, limited-edition skis to match! J skis collaborates with artists and brands to create unique ski graphics that stand apart from other ski brands. Only 200 pairs of the custom “Masher” graphic skis will be available, starting mid-October at Lawson’s Finest’s destination brewery and taproom in Waitsfield, at the J skis Intergalactic Headquarters in Burlington and online at jskis.com. One hundred percent of Lawson’s Finest’s royalties from ski sales will be donated to The Afterglow Foundation, a Vermont nonprofit shining light on suicide awareness and prevention.  

VermontBiz In coordination with state and local partners, we will be permanently closing the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Waterbury at 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 12, 2024.

This center is currently open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturdays at:

• Waterbury Armory - 294 Armory Drive, Waterbury, VT 05676

As an alternative, Vermonters can visit two other DRCs currently open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturdays at:

• Lyndonville Public Safety Facility - 316 Main Street, Lyndon, VT 05851
• Hinesburg Town Hall - 10632 Route 116, Hinesburg, VT 05461

The closure of these temporary centers is coordinated with state and local partners generally based on the volume of visitors and needs of the community.