Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 354 cases of COVID-19 for Sunday. Cases in Vermont this week plummeted by more than 3,000—a decrease of 40%. In the last two weeks, cases have fallen 56%. However, the VDH today reported six additional deaths for 542. January now has the second most cases with 62; this number could increase once all the data is accumulated.

Vermont Business Magazine The Board of Directors for Lund announced today that President and CEO, Patricia (Tricia) Coates will step down as leader of the organization in June. Coates’ tenure has stretched the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic and has positioned the agency to continue to provide essential services to Vermont families for many years to come. In her time, Coates led the integration of programs to better meet client needs, transformation of data use through a new electronic health record system, strengthened partnerships, and significantly improved finances.

Vermont Business Magazine The Securities Division of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation announced today that it is participating in a multijurisdictional, coordinated enforcement action to stop a fraudulent precious metals scheme that resulted in investments exceeding $68 million from at least 450 investors nationwide. In Vermont, two investors were defrauded out of over $100,000 in this nationwide scheme.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Captive Insurance Association, the largest captive membership association in the world, has chosen Kevin Mead as its next president. He starts on February 22, replacing Richard Smith, who led the organization for 12 years. Mead brings a wealth of association management and financial tact to VCIA, having engineered a merger of three global independent accounting associations and forming PrimeGlobal, which represented 2,000 partners and 14,000 employees in 90+ countries. Mead then facilitated rapid membership and revenue growth, increasing the net income 25% from 2 billion to 2.5 billion USD for PrimeGlobal.

AccuWeather Global Weather Center A robust cross-country storm system is set to unleash a slew of weather impacts ranging from heavy snow, ice and even some severe thunderstorms. The storm will ramp up on Groundhog Day and last into Thursday, covering more than 2,000 miles and at least 19 states. Parts of Vermont could get up to 12 inches of snow with an ice storm threatening the southern part of the state.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today joined other governors across the country in designating February as Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. At a press conference on Tuesday, the Governor highlighted the importance of the trades and several of his budget proposals to make significant investment in CTE in Vermont.

Vermont Employee Ownership Center Although our 2021 annual meeting was held virtually, we were able to share an informative and animated evening with the employee ownership community in Vermont. For those who were unable to attend, just click video. We heard from Justine Belle Lambright, who told the compelling story of how VEOC Executive Director Matt Cropp served as an invaluable resource throughout the 1.5-year process of building Kalchē Wine Co.--a brand new worker-owned winery in Fletcher--from the soil up. Justine also shares a fun video of highlights from Kalchē's first year in business. We think everyone will enjoy it.

Vermont Business Magazine The Global Leadership Program at Essex High School focuses on global studies, cross-cultural competency, and leadership development. We've been pioneers in the shift to hybrid and virtual programming - from our international exchanges to our Speaker Series. Our international exchange is happening right now with Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, and Spain - and Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos announced the activation of Vermont’s membership in the Nurse Licensure Compact, which will help address workforce capacity shortages in nursing fields while increasing mobility options for nurses looking to become employed in Vermont. The Nursing Compact aligns with our goal to reduce barriers to licensure while ensuring public protection.

Vermont Business Magazine At Monday night’s meeting, the City Council failed to confirm Mayor Weinberger's appointment of Jon Murad as Burlington Police Chief by a 6-6 vote. Councilors had previously stated that the vote would likely fail. Some of those opposed wanted more time for the process of selecting a new chief. Weinberger issued the following statement: “Tonight, the Council missed an important opportunity to confirm a highly-qualified and committed permanent chief, strengthen our Police Department, and move forward on some of our community’s most pressing issues, and instead dealt another needless blow to public safety in our City."

Vermont Business Magazine The Shires Young Professionals is proud to announce Beth Wallace as the new chair of the organization’s board. Wallace currently serves as the Family and Community Partnership Manager of United Counseling Service in Bennington, as well as the Bennington County Head Start/Early Head Start. She was recently named Vermont Business Magazine’s 40 Under 40 Rising Star’s Class of 2021. Wallace has also served as president of the Bennington Rotary Club.

Beth Wallace, new advisory board chair of SYP, was named a VermontBiz Rising Star last November. (provided photo)

​Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Mutual Insurance Group, one of the oldest and most successful property and casualty insurers in the Northeast, has partnered with University of Vermont Athletics in a multi-year sponsorship of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Recognizing the importance that athletics can have in both the personal and professional development of students and youth, the initiative is designed to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of female athletes, enhance the influence of women and girls in the sports world, and promote the continued growth of women in all aspects of sports. In addition, the UVM and Vermont Mutual initiative will provide promotional opportunities to further expose young females to sports at UVM and encourage fans to show-up to support the female student-athletes