Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Hergenrother Realty Group, based in South Burlington, was recognized in the top 500 of the Inc. 5000 for 2020 with 1,038% growth in just three years. The Inc. 5000 list is the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses.

Vermont Business Magazine Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc (RISI), a Hartland, Vermont-based social enterprise advancing inclusive economic development in rural America, on Wednesday announced that two rural communities from across their Rural Innovation Initiative have secured Venture Challenge grants via the US Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Build to Scale (B2S) program. The two successful grant applications came from Waterville, Maine and Platteville, Wisconsin. The value of the grants is nearly $2.3 million.

Vermont Business Magazine Driving electric now costs less and is more convenient with Green Mountain Power’s (GMP) two new discounted charging rates. The new off-peak EV rates approved by regulators are more than 20 percent less than traditional residential power rates, making charging up an EV, on average, equivalent to paying about $1 per gallon of gas. The rates are designed to help reduce costs for all GMP customers. Transportation is the number one cause of carbon emissions in Vermont.

by Olivia Campbell-Andersen, Executive Director, Renewable Energy Vermont In the wake of this summer’s rolling blackouts in California and now devastating wildfires, the commentary by Mr John McClaughry of the Ethan Allen Institute not only denied the existence of the climate crisis, but falsely blamed renewable electricity – wind, solar, and hydro - for the power outages. In fact, to create an energy supply that will be resilient in the face of climate change, California and Vermont alike must hurry up and build a robust array of renewable energy and storage resources.

Vermont Business Magazine The Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions (AVCC) will hold its Annual Summit, Conservation in the Time of COVID-19, as an online series beginning on September 23. The program will consist of four Zoom sessions and a keynote address by Paul Costello, Executive Director of the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD).Virtual sessions will explore how conservation commissions have adapted to get work done during the pandemic; the value of town forests in a time of social distancing; perspectives on land access, equity, and conservation; and the impact of agriculture on water quality in Vermont. Each session will take place at noon on Wednesdays through early November, via Zoom.

Vermont Business Magazine Artist Rob Mullen began the Long Trail Painting Expedition in support of the Vermont Wildlife Coalition Wednesday. The Expedition will see Mullen hike the 272-mile path over the next four weeks, allowing three weeks to hike and one week to paint (about 10 miles/day, plus painting). No stranger to art expeditions, Mullen has spent years exploring and painting uninhabited regions of Alaska and Canada. Indeed, Mullen is perhaps best well known in Vermont for painting a bear that was charging at him on a remote river in Alaska. With COVID-19 upending Mullen’s 2020 expedition plans to the “Barrenlands” of the Northwest Territories, the artist decided to stick closer to home and hike and paint the length of the state.

Vermont Business Magazine September is National Preparedness Month, a good time to make sure we’re ready in case of an emergency or disaster. The coronavirus pandemic puts into perspective just how unpredictable disasters are and how far-reaching their impact can be. If you don’t have a supplies kit, it’s a good time to make one — including food, water and other essential items to last for several days. Consider your family’s unique needs, such as medications or supplies for pets.

Vermont Business Magazine The Buy Local Vermont program drew an overwhelming response as soon as the program went live last week. Almost 12,000 Vermonters received discount offers to support local businesses in their communities. ACCD has released a status report that shows economic activity happening above the average $30 gift amount per customer. Vermonters who have redeemed their gifts thus far have spent 53 percent more than the value of the discount, resulting in approximately $1.50 in economic activity for local businesses for every $1 invested in the program in just the first week.

University of Vermont This email was sent to all UVM students at 1:42 p.m. and shared with faculty and staff at 1:48 on September 16. The university will continue its existing testing protocols. All students who are not entirely remote are required to continue to receive PCR testing every seven days. This requirement will remain in place until November 1, at which time we will revisit the results to date with our medical expert panel again.

Reversal follows letters from the Members and Governors Scott, Sununu, and Mills asking President Trump to reverse 10% tariff on aluminum.

Vermont Business Magazine Representatives Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Annie Kuster (D-N.H.-2), Chellie Pingree (D- Maine-1) and Jason Pappas (D- N.H.-1) applauded the Trump administration’s decision to suspend a 10 percent tariff on Canadian aluminum imports. The decision comes just days after the representatives wrote President Trump supporting the request of Governors Scott, Sununu and Mills to lift the tariffs.

“We are pleased that by working together with our governors and congressional delegations, we succeeded in reversing this harmful tariff on Canadian aluminum imports,” said Welch, Kuster, Pingree and Pappas. “This is an important victory for our regional economy and for the continued close cooperation with Canada.”

by President Elaine C Collins, Northern Vermont University The end of August marked the return of many of our students to campus. Beyond the masks, the intense new cleaning regimens and mandatory COVID testing, the return of students has brought back a semblance of normalcy during these strange and unsettling times.

Their return has also provided a stark reminder of the value that NVU students and alumni bring to our community, our region and our employers. The vast majority of our students – 70 percent – are Vermonters and nearly half are the first in their family to attend college.

While at NVU, our students enrich our local community with their skills, their community engagement and their economic output.

When they graduate, they more often than not become an integral and critical part of Vermont’s workforce – providing employers with the hard to find skills needed for success.

Vermont Business Magazine The Justice Department’s Office On Violence Against Women (OVW) announced today that it will direct over $6 million in grant funding to Vermont victims service organizations to curb domestic violence.

These awards are part of a larger portfolio of new grants designed to help law enforcement, victim services providers, and prosecutors identify and assist victims at high risk for being killed by an abusive partner.

Christina Nolan, United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, noted: “As hard as my office works – and will continue to work – to prevent violent offenders from causing harm and death, we know that victims need more than justice in court to recover and move forward. The OVW grants to victim services groups in Vermont will help identify victims, support their recovery, and give them the chance at living the rest of their lives free from abuse.”