Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT) and Terry Bicycles are back with the fifth running year of Wellness Revolution, a program designed to promote healthier lifestyles for Vermont women through cycling. Registration for the five-week program begins on March 27 and ends on April 13. Space is limited and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Megan Peek, community relations and health education manager at BCBSVT shares, “We encourage women of all cycling levels to join us! This five-week program not only advances our participants’ cycling abilities but also provides them an opportunity to connect with other women in a fun, supportive environment.”

Peek adds, “BCBSVT and Terry also urge area businesses to let their employees know about this program. We’re also happy to talk with businesses on how to integrate this into a company wellness program.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Behavioral Health Early Childhood program of Community Care Network in Rutland has received grants from The Vermont Country Store and Stewart’s Shops Holiday Match Program to support the launch of two specialized children’s mental health treatment programs in Rutland. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and Child Parent Psychotherapy have recently been introduced to help with specific behavioral and mental health difficulties that some families with young children face, according to Lauren Norford, LICSW, Manager of Early Childhood Mental Health Programs.

Vermont Business Magazine Housewright Construction, Inc, a full service residential general contracting firm headquartered in Newbury, Vermont, is celebrating their 33^rd year of business. Since being founded by Craig Hervey in 1985, Housewright has earned a reputation as a premier builder and remodeler of distinctive homes in New Hampshire and Vermont and as a knowledgeable resource for historic restoration and reproduction.

Their woodworking shop designs and fabricates fine custom cabinetry and millwork for homeowners, architects and designers throughout New England. To learn more about the company or to schedule a project consultation, visit them at www.housewright.net or at their listing on Houzz.

Vermont Business Magazine United Counseling Service (UCS) has been recognized for their outstanding wellness program. For the fifth consecutive year, UCS earned an Excellence in Worksite Wellness award from the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports. The award was presented to members of UCS’ Wellness Committee at the 2018 Vermont Worksite Wellness Awards & Conference held on March 21st in Burlington.

Vermont Business Magazine HealthHUB’s mobile dental hygiene facility has a new site in Randolph. Thanks to support from Gifford Health Care, a new electrical connection is being installed that will allow the facility to park at Gifford Medical Center in the lot behind the OB/Gyn building. The mobile facility – a trailer housing all of the equipment needed to clean teeth and take x-rays – will be in Randolph during school vacation week April 16 – 20, and again this summer. Clinic hours will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, April 16 through Friday, April 20.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Northern Power Systems Corp (TSX:NPS), a next generation renewable energy and energy storage technology company based in Barre, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017. Northern Power reported that in 2017 it had its first break-even year with approximately $40 million in revenue and non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA of $0.8 million, including WEG related royalties. However, wind turbine manufacturing is expected to be suspended and with it furloughs are expected in Vermont. How many workers will be furloughed is not clear at this point. Northern Power reported to VBM that it has 75 employees globally, of which 50 work at the plant in Barre.

by Christine McGowan Dustin Glasscoe, owner of Vermont Farm Table, is quick to point to his team of woodworkers in Bristol when asked about being named 2017’s Vermont Woodworker of the Year. “I’m a business owner,” he clarifies, “not a woodworker.” While he may not be crafting the tables, stools and benches that earned him recognition from the Vermont Wood Works Council, he is unquestionably the visionary at the helm of his small and dedicated team. Glasscoe was named 2018 Vermont Woodworker of the Year in March.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today sent the following letter to the Vermont State Board of Education, detailing his vision for a cradle-to-career education system and the qualifications he’s asking the Board to consider in its evaluation of potential candidates. The State Board of Education is responsible for considering applicants and sending its nominations to the Governor, who then selects an appointee.

View the full letter below:

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Attorney General and Tax Commissioner are urging Vermonters to avoid the worst kind of April Fool’s trick: scams that could lure them into losing hundreds or thousands of dollars. State officials met at the Tax Department two weeks before the April 17^th tax filing deadline to warn Vermonters about the “IRS scam”, identity theft, and what they can do to protect themselves.

“Don’t be fooled,” said Attorney General T.J. Donovan. “With tax season just around the corner we want Vermonters to be alert and avoid problems that could cost them money,” he said. Donovan said that his office received over 5,000 calls reporting scam activity in the last year. More than 45% of those were related to the IRS scam. “The IRS will not call you if you owe them money, they send a letter,” said Donovan. “If you aren’t sure, hang up and call the IRS directly.”

Vermont Business Magazine In today’s rapidly evolving world, business leaders rely on timely and accurate data in order to make informed decisions on how to improve their operations, support their employees, and improve the bottom line. That’s why we, as leaders of companies that employ more than 800 Vermonters and account for over $1 billion in sales each year, are so concerned by your refusal to seek new information and analysis to address threats facing our state.

by Dan Monahan Fat Toad Farm, a small business located in Brookfield, has been named the 2018 Vermont Family-Owned Business of the Year. Husband and wife team, Steve Reid and Judith Irving and their daughter Calley Hastings have owned and operated Fat Toad Farm for 10 years. Throughout most of this time, Christine Porcaro, their “almost daughter,” has also been a critical member of this family team.

Fat Toad Farm specializes in producing a variety of caramel sauces made from local goat’s milk. The family is being recognized by the US Small Business Administration for employment growth, financial success, expansion and community involvement.

Leonine Public Affairs This week guns dominated the conversation in the State House once again. Later in this newsletter is a summary of these discussions. Beyond both chambers’ extended debates on gun legislation their respective committees spent time digging into the details on many of the bills that made the crossover deadline. We are now heading into week 13, which theoretically means there are six weeks remaining in the 2018 legislative session, which in turn means committees face a countdown clock to finish their work.At this point in the session no one issue has presented itself as something that would result in the session running longer than 18 weeks. While the gun control bills are very controversial, it appears they have been fast-tracked and are likely to be wrapped up well in advance of adjournment. Last year the legislative session ran long because the House and Senate were involved in a stand-off with the governor over teacher healthcare plans. The House-passed revenue bill could create such a stand-off as the governor does not support it because it creates $60 million in new income taxes to pay for the Education Fund.