Current News

Vermont Business Magazine As the holiday shopping season begins, the City of Burlington and its partners are excited to announce a series of promotions for free parking in downtown Burlington. As part of an ongoing commitment to support the commercial dynamism of Burlington’s downtown, the City, Church Street Marketplace (CSM), and the Burlington Business Association (BBA) have arranged the following promotions beginning on Black Friday (November 23) and lasting until Christmas:

Vermont Business Magazine Mount Mansfield Maple Products announced today that their Coffee-Infused Organic Maple Syrup is included in this year’s Oprah’s Favorite Things holiday gift list, featured in the December issue of O, The Oprah Magazine and on OprahMag.com. Available alone, or packaged in a beautiful, Vermont-made custom wooden crate, the Coffee-Infused Organic Maple Syrup can be purchased from Mount Mansfield Maple’s production facility in Winooski, at www.Mansfieldmaple.com, as well as in the Oprah’s Favorite Things storefront on Amazon at amazon.com/oprah or on the Amazon App anytime, anywhere.

Senator Patrick Leahy It is outrageous that House Republicans and the Trump Administration are continuing to hold up the Farm Bill negotiations over harmful and extreme forestry provisions. Secretaries Perdue and Zinke shockingly are trying to co-opt the terrible tragedies in California to push for the Trump Administration’s crass, cynical and unaccountable logging of the public’s national forests.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office and the Vermont Department of Human Resources have settled a dispute with the state’s pharmacy benefits manager for $503,500. The State’s pharmacy benefits manager, Express Scripts, oversees management of prescription benefits for the State’s employees and retirees. The state will receive the settlement amount in increased guaranteed prescription rebates payable in 2019 for prescriptions purchased in 2018. The settlement resolves a dispute about charges paid by the state several years ago under a now-expired contract.

“I am pleased that we were able to deliver real value to the State while resolving our disagreement. Health care is more expensive every year and Vermont taxpayers and State employees need to know that State government is looking out for them.” Attorney General Donovan said.

Vermont Business Magazine The Life Insurance Policy Locator, launched by the Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), has matched consumers with policies totaling $98,255 in the past 12 months, November 4, 2017 – October 31, 2018. The NAIC launched the free national locator service in November 2016 to make it easier to connect consumers with lost life insurance policies or annuities. In Vermont, 34 beneficiaries have been matched with $112,125 since November 2016.

“It is of the upmost importance for insurance companies to honor the commitments made to Vermonters and their beneficiaries,” said DFR Commissioner Michael Pieciak.

“This tool helps consumers easily navigate among each and every life insurance company licensed to do business in Vermont and connect them with any lost or unknown policies and any associated payments they are rightfully owed.”

Vermont Business Magazine Small Business Saturday, November 24, is a day set aside to show support for local small businesses. The day, created in 2010 by American Express, has become a popular way for members of the community to support and celebrate local small businesses. It offers an opportunity to enjoy a stroll down your town’s Main Street one day after the hustle bustle of Black Friday. “There are many benefits to shopping at small businesses all over our state on Small Business Saturday,” said Shawn Shouldice, state director of NFIB in Vermont. “Retailers carry some of Vermont’s most special products that you won’t find when shopping on line, and even better, you are going to get personalized service. Our local businesses work hard to keep their customers happy so they return over and over again.”

by Wendell G Davis, New England Regional Administrator, US Small Business Administration Every small business begins with taking a risk. Think about it, you have an idea for a product or service, you spend time, energy and money thinking and planning how things are going to go, but even the best ideas and the best laid plans require a leap of faith. When you start a new business venture, you are putting yourself on the line by risking your time, your money, or the security of being an employee verses an employer. But when you succeed in your risk, it’s empowering.

One of the best parts of my job as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s New England Regional Administrator is the opportunity I get to visit entrepreneurs in their element, at their businesses, talking to them and hearing their stories. It’s inspiring to hear about the risks they’ve taken and what they had to do to succeed.

Vermont Business Magazine People’s United Bank has announced that it has awarded $2,000 to The Mentor Connector in Rutland. This donation will be used to fund one-on-one mentoring for hundreds of youth ages 5-21 in Rutland County, with the goal of helping them develop life skills, educational curiosity and workforce readiness. This is accomplished through individualized coaching designed to expos the mentees to skills that enable them to develop into successful adults. Through encouraging a love of learning to help them connect schooling to the real world, and by helping to build knowledge, the hope is they will develop the skills and attitudes necessary to succeed in the workplace and at home.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont announced today that it is participating in a massive new effort, working collaboratively with 130 public universities and systems, to increase college access, close the achievement gap and award hundreds of thousands more degrees by 2025. The participating institutions will work within clusters of four to 12 institutions to implement innovative and effective practices to advance student success on their campuses. Collectively, the institutions enroll 3 million students, including 1 million students who receive Pell Grants.

Vermont Business Magazine The “Employee Owners of Vermont,” a group of local employee-owned companies that work together to benefit Vermont communities, recently celebrated the conclusion of their most successful collaboration to date. For the month of October, which is Employee Ownership Month, the companies decided to collect donations for the Vermont Food Bank, and set the goal of raising $5,000.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power kicked off Vermont’s heating season by giving $133,000 to Community Action Agencies in support of the WARMTH program. GMP is urging customers to donate, too, and together will help more families. Since 1986, WARMTH has provided emergency heating assistance to more than 90,000 Vermonters. All funds donated go to Vermonters who need emergency help paying for heat.

“We love this program because it gives direct help to Vermont families who need it. No one should be cold in the winter,” said Mary Powell, Green Mountain Power president and CEO. “We’re proud to partner with our customers this way. It is always so heartening to see how willing they are to help neighbors in need. Vermonters know how cold it can get, but they also know how well WARMTH has helped families get through tough times while staying comfortable and safe right at home.”

Vermont Business Magazine Joshua White, MD, will serve as Gifford Health Care’s chief medical officer (CMO) effective January 1, 2019, Gifford officials announced today, a promotion that will further align Gifford’s medical leadership with its administration. White, an emergency medicine physician at the Randolph hospital, currently serves as Gifford’s hospital division medical director. As CMO, he will oversee all medical services, staff and providers; work closely with department leads as well as Gifford administrators; and represent medical staff at Board of Directors meetings.