Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union (VFCU) is proud to announce it has been selected as one of the recipients of the 2025 MeridianLink Arc Award, recognizing its innovative use of the MeridianLink One platform to drive impact, efficiency, and strengthened member service across Vermont. Now in its third year, the MeridianLink Arc Award celebrates financial institutions that harness technology with purpose—transforming lending processes, optimizing operations, and creating meaningful outcomes for their communities. Vermont Federal joins a distinguished group of ten winners, including Bangor Savings Bank, Empower Federal Credit Union, and Greater Iowa Credit Union.

Vermont Business Magazine School for International Training (SIT) has announced that Dr. Sophia Howlett has decided to step down from her role as SIT president effective December 31, 2025. This will mark the end of her second term and nine years of service with SIT. The announcement was shared with the World Learning Board of Trustees earlier this summer. World Learning CEO Carol Jenkins will assume the role of acting SIT president while continuing to lead World Learning, an international nongovernmental organization. Jenkins has served as CEO since 2017, a role that oversees both World Learning and SIT.

Vermont Business Magazine Retreat Farm is hosting their 2nd Annual bike ride, the Retreat Farm Ramble, on Saturday, August 16 from 8am-2pm at 45 Farmhouse Square in Brattleboro. The ride features 15, 30, and 50 mile routes through farmlands, covered bridges, and rolling hills with rest stops at iconic local farms, including Scott Farm Orchard and Bunker Farm. Day-of registration and ride check-in is at 8:00am, with 50-mile riders heading out at 8:30am, 30-mile riders leaving at 9:00am, and 15-mile riders starting at 9:30am.

Vermont Business Magazine The Board of Directors of Capstone Community Action has announced the appointment of Alison Calderara as the organization’s next Executive Director. Following a comprehensive national search led by Beth Gilpin Consulting and Capstone's Executive Director Search Committee, Calderara was selected to lead the organization with overall strategic and operational responsibility. As Executive Director, she will report to the Board of Directors and oversee Capstone’s mission-driven programs, dedicated staff, and business affairs while guiding the organization’s community impact, financial sustainability, and long-term growth.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont weekly unemployment claims for the week ending August 2, 2025, fell back to their usual season norms after a spike in manufacturing layoffs the week before. New claims were 251 last week, down 221 claims from the week before and down 37 from last year at this time. Claims, which tend to be lowest in the summer, were 181 at the end of September 2024. In Vermont for the weekly report, manufacturing accounted for 15% of the total (about 38 claims), down from 67% or about 315 claims from the previous week. The Vermont Department of Labor is not authorized to disclose from which firm(s) those layoffs came. The Service industry, which typically accounts for the most claims, last week reported 55% from the previous week, or about 138 claims, up from about 35 claims. Construction was 8%, up 4 points. 

by Camryn Woods, Community News Service A new logging plan for the Green Mountain National Forest could harvest almost 5 million cubic feet of timber, or enough trees to fill 5,000 school buses. The Telephone Gap Integrated Resource project was approved on June 13 after seven years of assessment. It will manage 72,000 acres of federal, state and private land primarily in the towns of Brandon, Chittenden, Goshen, Killington, Mendon, Pittsfield and Pittsford, according to the U.S. Forest Service’s Final Decision Notice, a document outlining the new plan. The Forest Service said in its final plan that the Telephone Gap project would improve wildlife habitat, restore soils and wetlands, allow for prescribed burns and trail building and increase logging. But the project has received both praise and pushback from environmental organizations in Vermont over the last few years of its development.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the City of Burlington announced cooling centers in anticipation of a heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service. The forecast projects midday heat index values in the mid-to-upper 90s beginning Sunday, August 10 and lasting through Wednesday, August 12. These conditions can cause increased health risks during outdoor activities and for anyone without access to air conditioning. 

Vermont Business Magazine After several warm, dry weeks and recent wildfires in Vermont, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) is reminding Vermonters of steps we can take to prevent human-caused fires. Much of Vermont is experiencing abnormally dry summer conditions. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor 72% of Vermont is now in drought. While certain areas have received some rain, it has been inconsistent, leading to elevated fire danger across the state. Vermonters can help keep their communities safe by limiting fires as much as possible during dry periods and being aware of nearby fuel sources when considering any outdoor burning activities, like grilling, campfires, debris burning, and smoking.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) this week joined Northeastern U.S. Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Angus King (I-Maine), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in demanding information from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin about how the Trump Administration has increased energy costs for families. In their letter, the Senators slammed Trump Administration policies that have raised electricity bills for Americans and called on the Administration to take immediate action that will actually support energy affordability in New England and across the country.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery is seeking public comment on proposed changes to the Vermont Lottery’s regulations. The proposed changes to CVR 01-130-001 update the Vermont Lottery’s regulations to align with statutory changes following the consolidation of the previously independent Department of Liquor Control and Vermont Lottery Commission. This proposed rule change replaces outdated references, expands the Commissioner’s authority, clarifies licensing eligibility, and outlines updated conditions for lottery license suspension or revocation. The revisions introduce new definitions, streamline administrative procedures, and reinforce consumer protections.

by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, Vermont Business Magazine A Northfield man, whose father died in a suspicious shooting at his home last year, has been arrested on charges for stealing and selling firearms from the dead man’s home. Peter Baez, 41, of Northfield pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Burlington Thursday afternoon to a two-count federal indictment obtained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Vermont Business Magazine United Way of Northwest Vermont elected new leadership to its Board of Directors and welcomed four new board members. United Way’s Board of Directors unanimously elected new leadership: Rick Blount as the new Chair and Katie Titterton as Secretary. Adrina Walker, Vice Chair, and John St. Hilaire, Treasurer, will continue in their current roles. The Board also elected four new members: Jerry Carter, of Milton, Liz Gamache, of St. Albans, Julia Guy, of Burlington, and Heidi Stumpff, of Shelburne.