Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Physician's Computer Company (PCC), the leading pediatric-focused vendor for independent pediatricians nationwide based in Winooski, has announced new patient portal payment functionality. Coinciding with the company's PCC 8.4 software release, this functionality was created to improve both the patient and provider experience. The ability to make payments in a patient portal greatly improves patient engagement. Rather than posting a payment via a practice's website, portal payments drive the patient directly to the place where there is additional content the practice wants them to see. A patient portal affords the ability to:

​by Seth N Blanchard Healthcare costs are a significant concern for many Americans, particularly for those approaching retirement. One increasingly popular way to manage medical expenses is to save into a Health Savings Account (HSA). If you have access to an HSA, read on for details on how you may use it to optimize your healthcare savings.

Vermont Business Magazine In Senator Leahy’s first full year as Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, funding to protect and restore Lake Champlain is at an historic high water mark. In a statement, Leahy said this is despite a spending plan from President Trump and his administration that would have eliminated many clean water programs.

The EPA Lake Champlain Program is funded at $8.399 million, an increase of $4 million over FY17. The $4 million increase is to be targeted to implement Vermont’s 2016 Phosphorus TMDL while the base of $4.399 will fund ongoing work in Vermont and New York. While still being finalized, the $4 million will enable two new programs targeting the biggest problems:

Developed Lands Implementation Projects: $1.805 million

Vermont Business Magazine Flanked by maple producers at a Vermont sugarbush in Richmond, Attorney General TJ Donovan called on the federal government to amend its proposed guidance on a rule that would require maple and honey producers to declare “added sugar” content on their labels – even for 100% pure single-ingredient products like maple and honey. Donovan said single-ingredient producers should be exempt, or have other options, when the new rule takes effect. And, he unveiled a new webpage that allows Vermonters to comment on the proposed rule and guidance.

“Today, we’re calling on the FDA to listen to Vermonters,” said Donovan. “I support clear and transparent labeling, and I support common sense. That is why I stand with Vermont’s sugarmakers to ask the FDA to amend its guidance so that consumers are not led to believe that anything is added to their 100% pure Vermont maple or honey products.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation has issued a cease and desist order to LevelNet, of Irving, California, for violations related to the Vermont Uniform Securities Act. LevelNet is conducting an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) seeking to raise money from investors across the country in exchange for their newly created cryptocurrency. The department’s investigation determined LevelNet is violating Vermont law by deceptively advertising unfounded and unrealistic investment returns and failing to properly register the investment. The department ordered LevelNet to immediately stop advertising and selling in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Otter Creek Awnings of Williston has been purchased by Kristopher and Sarah Larson of Charlotte. Kristopher Larson has worked at Otter Creek Awnings for the past five years, most recently as the Sales Manager. His wife Sarah was employed with the University of Vermont Medical Center for 10 years. Terms were not released.

by Maia Segura Vermont Business Magazine The Town of Wilmington wants your business. More specifically, it wants your business. A crowd of approximately 30 locals and town advocates gathered on Wilmington’s Main Street on May 24, as Wilmington Works kicked off “Make It on Main Street: The Downtown Wilmington, VT Business Challenge,” a “Shark Tank” styled competition which seeks to award $20,000 to a new business launched in Wilmington.

Vermont Business Magazine National Life Group released the following statement Saturday from Ross Sneyd, Director of Corporate Communications. At around 3 pm Saturday, June 2, 2018, a small fire broke out on the National Life campus in the Deane C Davis Building, which is occupied by the state of Vermont. The sprinkler system activated in that area and extinguished the fire. There is, however, considerable water damage on the east side – facing the parking lot – of the second, third and fourth floors of the Davis building.

There were no injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

The offices and operations of National Life were not affected. Representatives of the state of Vermont are reviewing the situation and will be communicating with affected employees.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Colorado-based Vail Resorts, Inc (NYSE: MTN) continues to storm across North America, spread the influence of its Epic pass and gobble up another Vermont resort. This time it's Okemo in Ludlow. Last year it was Stowe Mountain Resort. Vail announced today it had bought four resorts. It has entered into an agreement to purchase Triple Peaks, LLC, the parent company of Okemo Mountain Resort, Mount Sunapee Resort in New Hampshire, and Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado. Vail will purchase Triple Peaks from the Mueller family for a purchase price of $82 million, subject to certain adjustments. At closing, Triple Peaks will pay $155 million to pay off the leases that all three resorts have with Ski Resort Holdings, LLC, an affiliate of Oz Real Estate, with funds provided by Vail Resorts.

Vermont Business Magazine The Community College of Vermont (CCV) held its graduation ceremony Saturday at Norwich University’s Shapiro Field House. More than 500 students from across the state received associate degrees. Students representing all 14 Vermont counties graduated along with students from 11 other states and 15 other countries. The youngest graduate was 17 and the oldest was 73. Also among the graduates were more than 60 veteran and military-connected students.

Jen Kimmich, CEO and co-founder of The Alchemist Brewery, delivered the keynote address. Governor Phil Scott also addressed the Class of 2018. CCV President Joyce Judy officiated.

Vermont Business Magazine CA Technologies, a global software firm, has made a gift of $300,000 to the University of Vermont to establish and fund doctoral fellowships in complex systems and data science. The fellowships will provide a competitive tuition and stipend package for up to two Ph.D. students per year for a minimum of three years. The gift coincides with the launch, in fall 2018, of a new PhD program in Complex Systems and Data Science at the university.

“We're thrilled to receive this generous gift from CA Technologies, which could not have come at a more important time,” said David Rosowsky, University of Vermont provost. "In field after field, there is a tremendous need to structure the glut of raw information the computer age has ushered in and extract meaning from it. These doctoral fellows, and the new doctoral program of which they’ll be an active part, are perfectly positioned to do just that.”

by Christine McGowan Sawmills were East Burke’s first industry, bringing brave and adventurous souls to the northern reaches of Vermont to work, establish farms and, eventually, build the local school, church and meeting house that would become the village of East Burke. It wasn’t until the mid-1900’s that residents began to think about building a tourism industry around the area’s natural resources, including Burke Mountain and nearby Lake Willoughby.