Current News

Vermont Business Magazine For the fourth year in a row, Vermont Federal Credit Union has been awarded Best-In-State Credit Union by Forbes Magazine. Forbes and Statista identified America’s Best-In-State Credit Unions 2021 based on an independent survey of approximately 25,000 US consumers who were asked to rate credit unions at which they have or previously have had checking accounts.

Vermont Business Magazine As part of Keller Williams’ annual company-wide day of service (RED Day) KW Vermont volunteers raised funds and collected personal hygiene items for Spectrum Youth. RED Day is a day where KW members dedicate their time to renewing, energizing, and donating to the communities they serve. Founded in 1970, Spectrum is a nationally recognized leader in helping youth ages 12-26 and their families turn their lives around. Each year, they serve 1,500 teenagers, young adults, and their family members. Their programs for youth are centered in Burlington and St Albans.

​Vermont Business Magazine Ledyard National Bank recently donated $5000 to support Vital Communities’ work to strengthen the Upper Valley’s local economy. As members of Vital Communities’ Corporate Council and supporter of the Vital Economy and Workforce Housing Initiatives, Ledyard shares Vital Communities’ recognition that regional prosperity grows from communities actively building economies that strengthen and sustain the places we love.

Governor Phil Scott After 16 long and difficult months dealing with a once-in-a-century pandemic, this Independence Day, Vermonters are together once again, celebrating the birth of our great nation with friends and family. Many around the state will be attending parades, cookouts and firework displays - heading to state parks, the lake or downtown, with a new sense of independence, born from our collective efforts, hard work and determination in our battle against COVID-19.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets 2020 was a year of turbulence, uncertainty and change, with many important societal issues highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets has been deeply involved in many of these issues impacting Vermonters, while ensuring that important agriculture considerations continue to stay at the forefront of ongoing legislative discussions.

by Geoff Robertson As Ron Wexler sat in his office one cold winter day back in 2014, he got to thinking about windows. The seven large casement windows in his office allowed natural light to flow into his workspace—along with freezing cold drafts from the icy wind outside. Replacing the windows would be expensive in the 1925 building, prohibitively so at the time, but it bothered Ron that so much energy was seeping out those windows—not only because he was cold, but also because as a product developer and environmentalist, he understood how those old, drafty windows were contributing to the much larger problem of climate change.

by Dan MacArthur & Douglas Korb The Legislature has recently passed S.13 establishing a Task Force to study and implement updates to Weighting Factors in Vermont’s Education Funding Formula. The task force will use a study commissioned by the Vermont Legislature, and completed by Professor Kolbe from UVM, which contains some very specific recommendations for how to address the issue of inequity, as the basis for its work. It is important to note that the recommendations of the study do NOT add any funding from either state or local sources, they simply re-allocate the same pot of money so that local tax rates become more equitable.

Vermont Business Magazine The official Vermont State Butterfly, the Monarch, will soon be returning to Vermont, and with it a new children’s book from New York Times Best Selling Authors and Essex residents John and Jennifer Churchman. This will be the Churchman’s seventh book since 2015 when they debuted with their first book Sweet Pea & Friends The SheepOver.

Vermont Business Magazine Opera North has announced a grant of $10,000 from the Couch Family Foundation that supports organizations serving the Upper Valley and Martha's Vineyard. Opera North usually hosts more than 7,000 people at our summer festival productions. Last year, though we managed to Sing ON under very careful and constrained conditions, we sang for just 750. That significant drop in ticket sales threatened more than just finances and awareness; it meant a re-evaluation of vision and mission.

Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing As all have heard by now, more than 80 percent of eligible Vermonters have received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and Governor Phil Scott has lifted all business, gathering, and travel related restrictions.

Vermont Business Magazine Community National Bank (CNB) CEO Kathy Austin has announced the promotion of Christopher (Chris) Caldwell to Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer. The Board of Directors of Community Bancorp. and Community National Bank in Derby voted to approve Caldwell’s promotion to Executive Officer of the Bank and Vice President of Community Bancorp., to be effective July 1, 2021. Austin commented, “Chris will be a great addition to our Executive team. He brings a wealth of knowledge gained in his previous lending and executive leadership positions.”

Vermont Business Magazine As the UVM Health Network continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and a widespread cyberattack, the FY 2022 budget submission filed today with the Green Mountain Care Board focuses on advancing the Network’s commitment to serve patients with the highest quality care and services at the lowest possible cost. The combined net patient revenue increase is 6 percent. The hospitals include UVMMC, CVMC and Porter.