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by Mike Rother As Dealer.com’s General Manager, I can say with confidence that the future of our company is very bright. In 2016, Dealer.com joined the Cox Enterprises and Cox Automotive family of companies, and I believe wholeheartedly that it’s a great fit. Both companies were built on brave, innovative and entrepreneurial spirits. As a fourth-generation private company, Cox has always operated with a high sense of purpose and commitment to advancing local communities. With Dealer.com being the largest location outside the Atlanta headquarters, and with several other local businesses, Cox truly understands, values and supports our impact and connection to the community.

Vermont Business Magazine Jay Peak Resort today announced the creation of the Flake Foundation, a community-oriented initiative focused on supporting local causes and events throughout the Northeast Kingdom. The foundation is also tasked with promoting other civically-focused organizations within Orleans, Essex, Caledonia, and Franklin counties.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of Rory Thibault as Washington County state’s attorney. Scott appointed Thibault as the county’s interim state’s attorney earlier this month, filling the vacancy after former State’s Attorney Scott Williams resigned. He brings more than seven years of litigation experience with a practice focused on complex cases, including murder, sexual assault, child exploitation and fraud.

File photo of Rory Thibault being sworn in as interim Washington County state’s attorney by Governor Scott in early January.

“I’m very pleased to make this appointment, as Rory has continued to demonstrate his leadership and commitment to serving his community and seeking justice for Vermonters,” said Governor Scott.

Vermont Business Magazine As the Administration prepares a broad infrastructure plan, 23 million Americans living in rural areas across the country still lack access to high-speed broadband. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) joined a letter penned by U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) to President Trump urging him to include funding to support broadband deployment in unserved rural areas across the country. Leahy is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Vermont Business Magazine AM Best Company, the global rating agency for the insurance industry, recently affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A+ (Superior) for Vermont Mutual Insurance Group, consisting of Vermont Mutual Insurance Company, Northern Security Insurance Company, Inc and Granite Mutual Insurance Company.

Vermont Business Magazine Employee-owned and Burlington-based Gardener’s Supply Company has opened its newest garden center in Lebanon, NH. Longacres’ Nursery, an Upper Valley icon for over 40 years, was bought by Gardener's and recently re-fitted.

Vermont Business Magazine Hill Farmstead Brewery has been named Best Brewery in the World for the year 2017, as well as Best Brewery in the United States and Vermont, by RateBeer, the world’s largest, most popular beer review and rating website. This is the fourth year in a row and the fifth time in the past six years that the brewery has been honored as Best Brewery in the World, United States and Vermont. Hill Farmstead was the only Vermont brewer to make the Top 100. Eight Hill Farmstead beers were included in the Top 100 beers in the world. The Alchemist's Heady Topper was the only other Vermont beer so honored for 2017.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center and many of its resource partner are hosting ExporTech Spring 2018 from March to May at the Hampton Inn in Colchester. ExporTech provides three full-day classes, plus individualized coaching and a review by experts of the customized EXPORT PLAN that will be developed specifically for your company. This program will help accelerate profitable export sales, save you many hours of work and help avoid unnecessary costs and potential headaches.

Vermont State Police On January 30, 2018, Troopers from the Vermont State Police, Rutland Barracks conducted a motor vehicle stop on Vermont Route 103 in the Town of Mount Holly (VT) for a speeding violation. The operator was identified as Kevin Burnham (49). Troopers also identified Deana Burnham and Keeghan Burnham (25) as passengers in the vehicle. (VSP did not identify the relationship of the Burnhams).

Troopers obtained consent to search the vehicle to further their investigation into the possibility of criminal activity. Based on the information obtained during the traffic stop Troopers authored and subsequently were granted a search warrant for Kevin Burnham’s residence in Proctor.

Renewable Energy Vermont Residents of the Green Mountain State are committed to self-reliance and clean energy, however, a keystone program enabling Vermonters to generate their own renewable energy and keep their dollars local has languished, resulting in lost economic opportunity. Net metering allows Vermonters the freedom to generate their own renewable energy while also supporting their friends, neighbors, and communities. Following a major overhaul to the program in January 2017, Vermont is seeing a dramatic decline in new net metered solar projects.

Vermont Business Magazine Some of Vermont’s largest and oldest office buildings are now also among the state’s greenest. In late December 2017 the United States Green Building Council awarded the State Office Complex in Waterbury, Vermont its highest honor: LEED Platinum. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, commonly referred to as LEED, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. The points-based system evaluates buildings across several categories designed to improve human well-being, reduce our environmental footprint, and save building owners money.

Vermont Business Magazine We’re a little less than a week away from the 2017 Census of Agriculture response deadline of Monday, February 5th. Producers should respond online at www.agcounts.usda.gov or by mail. The online questionnaire offers new timesaving features. Every five years brings an important event for Vermont farmers and the agricultural community across the country. Conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the census aims to get a complete and accurate picture of American agriculture. The census results are then used by farmers, ranchers, trade associations, researchers, policymakers, and many others to help make decisions in community planning, farm assistance programs, technology development, farm advocacy, agribusiness setup, rural development, and more.