Current News

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Most business owners know how to talk about what they do, but not why it truly matters. The Hidden Brand 10-week workshop is designed to change that. This immersive experience will help you uncover the deeper ideas behind your farm, food, or forest business—your purpose, your voice, and the belief that sets you apart—so you can build a brand that resonates far beyond products and services. The workshop is offered by Steve Redmond of Rival Brands, a Vermont-based brand strategy business that works with all kinds of Vermont food and beverage businesses. Across 10 weeks between August and October 2026, you’ll be guided through a powerful framework that brings clarity to your strategy and confidence to your leadership.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for two community leadership awards: the 2026 Arthur Gibb Award for Sustainable Community Leadership and the newly established Local Leadership Award. Both awards celebrate Vermonters whose vision, dedication, and courage are making a lasting difference for their neighbors and the places they call home. Nominations for both awards are due no later than Friday, July 3rd.

Vermont Business Magazine Middlebury College marked its 225th Commencement ceremony on May 24 as 558 graduates gathered with friends, family, faculty, and staff on the Voter Quad to celebrate the Class of 2026. Students from 45 states and U.S. territories and more than 20 countries were greeted on stage by President Ian Baucom in his first Commencement at Middlebury. They  received their diplomas and replicas of Gamaliel Painter’s cane, presented by Hannah Burnett ’10, president of the Middlebury Alumni Association. The class included Fulbright scholars, National Science Foundation grant recipients, a Yenching Scholar, Critical Language Scholarship recipients, and student-athletes who earned All-America honors and competed on national championship and NESCAC title-winning teams.

Vermont Business Magazine The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will celebrate the 2026 Vermont Small Business Persons of the Year June 11 in Burlington. Also to be honored at the event hosted by VermontBiz Magazine are the category winners. The SBA will recognize Diane Abruzzini and Colin Riggs of Rigorous Technology Inc for their impact and economic contributions in Vermont on June 11 at Hula in Burlington. Rigorous is an industrial robotics company based in Williston. Since founding Rigorous in 2020 as a homebased business, Diane and Colin have grown their operations to include a team of 12, currently occupying 10,000 square feet across multiple buildings. 

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of May 25, 2026.  To learn more about the projects listed below or to sign up to receive weekly construction updates via email, visit the Construction Updates page. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.  

by Dan Smith, President & CEO, The Vermont Community Foundation In Vermont, we take pride in being resilient. We show up for one another in hard moments. We rebuild after floods. We check on neighbors during long winters. That neighborliness is one of the defining strengths of this place. But resilience is not enough. Declining discourse and the erosion of understanding for our neighbors threatens our sense of community. With it goes our ability to navigate disagreement and solve problems.

Vermont Business Magazine It was more than a typical meeting of the membership on May 14 when nearly 200 guests gathered at The Paramount Theatre in Rutland, VT for a festive evening filled with nostalgia, giveaways, and plenty of fanfare as Heritage Family Credit Union (HFCU) celebrated 70 years of serving its members. Heritage Family’s story began back in 1956 when 57 GE employees came together in Ludlow, VT to form the Ludlow-Rutland General Electric Employees’ Credit Union. What started with $800 in deposits in its first month has become an $800 million credit union with more than 50,000 members and 11 locations in three states. Although much has changed in the last seven decades including the Credit Union’s name and scope of service, Heritage Family’s focus remains the same – serving its members and answering the needs of local communities.

by Ed Neuert, UVM More UVM students and recent alumni have received Fulbright U.S. Student Awards this year than ever before, with 11 set to teach English as a second language in seven countries, and three pursuing graduate study or independent research in New Zealand, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the United Kingdom. This academic year also saw a record number of applicants for the program from UVM, and a new high level for the number of semi-finalists. Considered one of the most prestigious scholarships in the United States, the Fulbright Program was founded just after the conclusion of World War II, the brainchild of U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. Since 1946, thousands of American college graduates have received support for travel expenses, tuition, books, and living expenses for yearlong teaching assistantships or research projects.

Vermont Business Magazine Girls on the Run Vermont (GOTRVT), a statewide nonprofit organization for girls in 3rd-8th grade, will be culminating its spring season with a joyful 5K event at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction on Saturday, May 30th, 2026 that will celebrate the accomplishments of over 1,300 participants from northern Vermont GOTR and Heart & Sole teams this spring season. Girls will be accompanied by over 400 volunteer coaches, approximately 500 running buddies, over 100 volunteers, countless spectators and other supporters in the GOTRVT community, cheering them on through the finish line. This event is supported by GOTRVT’s 23-year statewide sponsor, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and is presented by 15+ year partner, M&T Bank. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Best of Vermont Summer Festival returns August 22–23, 2026, bringing two full days of music, food, artisans, family fun, and Vermont‑made excellence to Okemo Field in Ludlow. Running from 11 AM to 5 PM each day, the festival showcases the very best of Vermont’s summer spirit — from handcrafted goods and local flavors to live entertainment and community activities. This year’s festival features an energized musical lineup spanning folk, rock, Americana, jam, and interactive dance programming.

Vermont Business Magazine The Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Manchester Business Association are proud to announce the return of the annual B2B Golf Classic on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at The Golf Club at The Equinox in Manchester, Vermont. Now entering its eighth event, the B2B Golf Classic has become one of the region’s biggest business networking and fundraising events, bringing together professionals, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and organizations from across Southwestern Vermont and the broader tri-state region for a day of connection, collaboration, and friendly competition.

Vermont Business Magazine The Colchester Historical Society, in partnership with the Vermont Italian Cultural Association (VICA), announced a public celebration to dedicate a new historic marker honoring the legacy and contributions of Italian immigrant families who settled here and built a thriving farming community. The commemoration follows an 18-month effort led by Colchester resident John Devino, with support from the town of Colchester, to recognize the contributions of these families. The dedication ceremony will take place Saturday, June 13, at 10 a.m. across the street from the former Brigante’s fruit and vegetable stand at 682 Malletts Bay Avenue.