Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University announced today that US Army Captain Deshauna Barber, the first-ever soldier to be crowned Miss USA, will deliver the university’s 2022 commencement address to graduating seniors on Saturday, April 30, 2022. Barber is a former Miss USA and award-winning international speaker, coach and entrepreneur with a bold approach to inspiring and encouraging her audience. Barber uses her experience as an Army officer, nonprofit CEO, former Miss USA, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduate to inspire her audience. Barber shows the power of perseverance and tenacity and how it led to her becoming a top-rated speaker sought after by Fortune 500 companies. She works full time as the president and chief executive officer of Service Women’s Action Network

​Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University’s graduating future officers will hear remarks from a fellow alumnus at this spring’s joint services commissioning ceremony. US Army Major General Douglas Stitt is a 1990 Distinguished Military Graduate of Norwich University. MG Stitt has served in various assignments in the United States and overseas. He currently serves as Director, Military Personnel Management in Headquarters Department of the Army.

Vermont Business Magazine M&T Bank Corporation (NYSE: MTB) and People's United Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: PBCT) have jointly announced that the two companies have agreed to extend their merger agreement from today, February 21, 2022, to June 1, 2022. The merger received approval from both the New York State Department of Financial Services and the Connecticut Department of Banking in October 2021. Approval by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is the outstanding regulatory approval required to complete the merger. People's and M&T announced on February 22, 2021, that Buffalo-based M&T would acquire Bridgeport, CT, People's for $7.6 billion. People's has branches across Vermont.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets Working lands farm, food, and forest businesses are integral to Vermont’s landscape. They are the cornerstone of the Vermont economy, a top source for job creation, and fundamentally part of what makes Vermont a quality place to live. Since its formation in August 2012, the Working Lands Enterprise Board has awarded over $7.3 million in grant funds to over 200 Vermont working lands businesses, leveraging more than $11 million in matching funds. View the complete list of previously funded projects, and read the full 2021 Impact Report to visit with the priorities of the Working Lands Enterprise Board, and the stories of the grantees this past year.

Vermont Business Magazine LaunchVT, a division of the Lake Champlain Chamber, is now accepting applications for its 2022 Accelerator. The selected startups will be the tenth cohort to come through LaunchVT’s flagship acceleration program. Over the past nine years, LaunchVT has provided business development support, strategic coaching, and over $859,000 in cash and services to accelerate 60 Vermont startups statewide.

Vermont Business Magazine Lippa’s Estate and Fine Jewelry of Burlington, VT has crafted a custom, breathtaking diamond engagement ring for Super Bowl champion Taylor Rapp of the L.A Rams. The over 3 carat cushion cut diamond is set in a gorgeous 18 karat yellow gold ring. Lippa’s and Rapp had been working together to find the perfect diamond and create a setting for the custom ring.

by Jared Duval When my family moved to Montpelier in late 2014, we found ourselves in a situation many other Vermonters can relate to: living in an old house that was cold and inefficient. That first winter in our new home we had to use over 1,000 gallons of fuel oil to keep warm, at a cost of about $2,400—and that was with the thermostat set to only 65 degrees.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine Lamoille County’s economy is performing better than expected. Early in 2020, the state’s “stay home, stay safe” pandemic emergency measures closed the hotels and restaurants at the core of the county’s tourism economy. Information from the state Department of Labor shows the county has a higher concentration of food and hospitality businesses than the rest of the state. It is also home to the four-season resorts of Stowe Mountain Resort and Smugglers’ Notch Resort.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine All of a sudden, everyone is talking about adding traffic lights in Stowe, explained Town Manager Charles Safford. “I said to my wife, it's gonna take me a little longer to get home at night because I’ve got to go around taking a bunch of rights instead of taking any lefts,” he joked. Lighthearted comments about traffic aside, since the pandemic started in 2020, Stowe has seen its population increase. Last September, the Stowe Reporter published an article outlining an increase in Stowe’s year-round population of 4,314 in 2010 to 5,223 in 2020.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine Parking along Smugglers’ Notch is the Wild West. People seeking to soak up the scenery along the narrow pass, hike the nearby trails, or photograph the 1,000-foot cliffs park their cars ad hoc along the road. In the process, cars end up in small stream beds or squishing rare plant species under their tires. These parking practices harm the very alpine environment visitors come to enjoy and pose safety issues for motorists and pedestrians. They may also contribute to phosphorus levels in Lake Champlain.

by Ken Gornstein, VermontBiz Before Bernie Sanders rode a populist wave into the Burlington mayor’s office, before Ben and Jerry dished out their first scoop of ice cream from a renovated Burlington gas station, before Trey Anastasio and Phish played their first gig at UVM’s Harris Millis cafeteria, there was Vermont Business Magazine. And this year, we turn 50.