Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Treasurer-Elect Mike Pieciak announced today that he has selected Gavin Boyles to serve as Deputy State Treasurer beginning in January. Boyles most recently worked as General Counsel for the Department of Financial Regulation overseeing all legal functions at the Department and a team of nine legal professionals. Boyles has 14 years of government service in Vermont including time as an Assistant Attorney General and as Law Clerk for Chief Justice Paul Reiber at the Vermont Supreme Court.

Vermont Business Magazine Helping Vermont’s rural communities thrive—in the face of big challenges brought about by climate change and population shifts—will be the focus of a new institute at the University of Vermont. UVM’s Institute for Rural Partnerships, which will begin its work immediately but will be formally unveiled in the summer at the UVM Innovation Partnership Summit, is made possible by a $9.3 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, with leadership and support from U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, (D-Vermont).

VermontBiz Tim Kight states rather bluntly that if an organization isn't performing as well as its leader would like, the first place the leader should look to improve the organization's performance is in the mirror.

A lot of people in positions of management "are too quick to blame others," says Kight, who is founder and CEO of leadership training firm Focus 3 of Columbus, Ohio. "They're too quick to find fault, as opposed to looking at themselves and the way they lead."

Kight extolled the virtues of what he calls "relentless leadership" in the December episode of the 21st Century Business Forum, a webcast that features monthly one-on-one interviews with some of the nation's most prominent business minds and thought leaders.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Institute of Natural Science has been granted an award from The Dorr Foundation to fund a new branch of their Homeschool Initiative program. The VINS Homeschool Initiative is a growing program designed to build science literacy and provide a community of learning for children that come from different parts of the Upper Valley. The new facets of the program aim to meet the needs of homeschool parents in science, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) and place-based education, and to help them navigate the evolving field of science instruction.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) is beginning a public engagement process to identify opportunities to help Vermont chart a path forward to protect the long-term viability of forest-based businesses – and the many benefits they provide to the state’s environment, economy, and quality of life. To launch the project, FPR is asking all users of forest products to complete a survey to help understand their perspectives and opinions about key topics shaping the future of the forest economy and forest products sector in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) is providing a second round of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to support low- and moderate-income Vermont homeowners in repairing or replacing their failed or inadequate on-site water or wastewater systems – often referred to as wells or septic systems. Eligible homeowners may apply for this round of ARPA On-Site funding by January 31, 2023.

Vermont Business Magazine Williston-based iSun, Inc (NASDAQ: ISUN), a leading solar energy and clean mobility infrastructure company with 50-years of experience accelerating the adoption of innovative electrical technologies, today announced that it was awarded a $3.1 million contract to implement solar energy solutions in Middlebury, Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Expansion of Fidium Fiber’s multi-gig speeds will continue across northern New England in 2023. Residents in St. Albans, as well as in the communities of Lewiston, Scarborough, Ellsworth, and Blue Hill, Maine, can pre-order Fidium Fiber, Consolidated Communications’ residential fiber internet service. Fidium Fiber delivers multi-gig, symmetrical, fiber internet without contracts, data caps or hassles. All Fidium plans offer symmetrical speeds from 50 Mbps to 2 Gigs. Customers can also get phone service through VoIP plans and streaming TV service.

by David Fleming When I heard that David Hill of the Energy Futures Group was scheduled to present its model to Vermont’s Climate Council two months ago, I was skeptical. The Climate Council’s plan, released in December 2021, seemed to rely heavily on a “Social Cost of Carbon” to justify future climate proposals. While Hill’s presentation justified a few of my priors, it also unearthed an even larger concern. Even with a Social Cost of Carbon estimate triple the rate set by the Biden Administration ($146/ton vs. $51/ton), many of the proposals were still so expensive that they could not be justified in terms of a ‘invest money now, see benefits later’ mentality. They will always be net losers, regardless of time frame or geographic scope.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association Have you signed up for the December 13 VECAN webinar on Vermont’s new Municipal Energy Resilience Program? Representative Sibilia, Commissioner Fitch of VT Buildings and General Services (BGS), and Peter Gregory from TRORC will provide a program overview. A recording will be available. The Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) is designed to provide staffing support, technical assistance, & funding to help energy burdened communities across the state become more resilient, reduce their energy use, & curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Vermont Business Magazine The Shires of Southwestern Vermont Destination Marketing Organization, in coordination with the Manchester Business Association, presented The Shires Holiday Inn Tours once again this holiday season. Continuing a three decade's long tradition, The Shires' Holiday Inn Tours organized sixteen local lodging properties, including historic hotels, quaint inns and charming B & B’s, and encouraged them to open their doors to visitors from near and far during the holiday season. On Saturday, December 3rd and Saturday, December 10th over 330 visitors experienced the true meaning of hospitality as lodging properties throughout Bennington County showcased their unique properties in a festive holiday atmosphere.