Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Sustainability-based curriculum, practicums with major companies, exclusive job network sets program apart.Six years ago when Sanjay Sharma took over as dean of the Grossman School of Business, he set his sights on an ambitious goal: to become the top MBA program in the country for sustainable innovation.

That dream became reality on Oct. 31 whenThePrinceton Reviewranked the University of Vermont Grossman School of Business’ Sustainable Innovation MBA program No. 1 on its 2018 list of“Best Green MBA” programs. UVM took over the top spot from the University of Oregon, which dropped to No. 4 behind second-place Yale and Portland State, followed by No. 5 Stanford.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) announces grants totaling $254,117 for seven projects to benefit Vermont producers of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, maple, wine grapes, and value-added products and to increase consumer access to locally produced food. These grants, funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP), were awarded to five agricultural organizations to undertake a range of research, technology development, education, marketing, and program-building projects. The grants will leverage over $161,000 in additional matching funds in support of Vermont specialty crop production.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington City Council, in a stunning move before an expectant crowd at City Hall the evening of October 30, decided to suspend its meeting and come back next Monday to decide on a new owner of Burlington Telecom. The bidders are Keep Burlington Telecom Local and Ting/Tucows from Toronto. The Council vote was delayed whenalmost exactly two hours after the meeting began, Councilor Karen Paul recused herself because of a conflict of interest.

A visibly upset fellow Democrat Councilor Dave Hartnett asked that the meeting be suspended given this development. After a prolonged discussion and initial failure of the motion, councilors eventually decided to suspend the meeting. The next meeting, November 6, will be a continuation of the previous one, meaning there will not be further public input.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) has recently completed a draft long-range management plan for the Camel’s Hump Management Unit, including Camel’s Hump State Park, Camel’s Hump State Forest, Robbins Mountain Wildlife Management Area, and Huntington Gap Wildlife Management Area. Land management plans are drafted and reassessed periodically and are the product of a collaboration among agency experts and public input. These plans determine the Agency’s course of action to protect natural resources, provide recreational opportunities to the public, produce sustainably-harvested forest products, and conserve high-quality wildlife habitat on public land. ANR staff will present the draft plan for public input at a series of open-house meetings during November.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont has received a $598,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to investigate links between harmful algal blooms and human well-being, and to explore how a community along Lake Champlain works to take action based on scientific information about those links. In lakes and ponds worldwide, cyanobacteria blooms, also known as “blue-green algae,” threaten water quality, ecosystem health and human well-being.

Vermont Business Magazine Hitting the road this month is a brand-new bulk pellet delivery truck for Vermont Renewable Fuels (VRF). The 2017 Kenworth capable of hauling 16-tons of pellets with fully pneumatic delivery system was funded in part by a $94,000 grant from the Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund (CEDF). Vermont Renewable Fuels delivers bulk wood pellets throughout Vermont and surrounding areas providing over 1300 tons (2.6 million pounds) of heating fuel to customers each year. They travel over 25,000 miles every heating season delivering to both residential and commercial venues.

When asked about the new truck, Alison MacDonald, VRF Office Manager, said, "We're so grateful to have received this grant to make this investment possible. Adding the new truck to our fleet will allow for faster response times and expand the amount the local, renewable fuel we're distributing to Vermonters."

Vermont Business MagazineThe Nature Conservancy in Vermont is honored to have two new and exemplary community members join its Board of Trustees who exhibit a passionate commitment to the vibrancy and health of Vermont’s natural landscape, economy, and its people.

Vermont Business Magazine Hunters are gearing up for the start of Vermont's traditionally popular 16-day rifle deer season that begins Saturday, November 11 and ends Sunday, November 26. A hunter may take one buck during this season with at least one antler having two or more points one inch or longer. A point must be one inch or longer from base to tip. The main beam counts as a point, regardless of length. Spike-antlered deer, mostly yearlings, are protected during this season.

"Vermont's pre-hunt deer population is estimated at approximately 157,000 this year with the greatest numbers of deer found in the southwest, east-central, and northwestern regions of the state," said Deer Project Leader Nick Fortin.

Vermont Business Magazine Valley Vista, the 99-bed inpatient alcohol and chemical dependency treatment center in Bradford, will once again host what has now become a regular performance of "Telling My Story." The event will take place on Thursday, November 2ndand Friday, November 3rdbeginning at 7pm both nights.Telling MyStory is a means by which patients at the residential drug and alcohol treatment facility use theater as a medium for self reflection and relationship building.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) issued a bulletin authorizing the use of emergency adjusters and appraisers to review and approve insurance claims resulting from the recent windstorms. This measure will allow insurance companies to use additional resources from other states to more efficiently settle claims and get Vermonters money for repairs.

Commissioner Michael S Pieciak, in addition to issuing the bulletin, encouraged Vermonters who have questions about their insurance policies and coverage to contact DFR.

“This bulletin will help our insurance companies to more quickly review claims and get money into the pockets of Vermonters that experienced property damage,” said Commissioner Pieciak. “I also encourage Vermonters to call DFR’s knowledgeable and experienced staff if they have insurance questions as DFR has tools that may facilitate a speedier resolution.”

Vermont Business Magazine Northfield Savings Bank President and CEO Thomas Leavitt along with other bank officials presented Norwich University President Richard W. Schneider with a $150,000 gift to the “Forging the Future” bicentennial campaign in celebration of a longtime relationship between the two institutions during the hockey game held in Kreitzberg Arena on Friday, Oct. 27.

Northfield Savings Bank and Norwich University have enjoyed a 150-year relationship, beginning with the bank’s founding by Norwich president Reverend Edward Bourns in 1867. This gift brings the total investment by the Northfield Savings Bank in the Forging the Future campaign to $300,000.

Vermont Business MagazineOver 270 members of the Vermont Farm to Plate Network convened October 26-27, 2017 at the 7th annual Farm to Plate Network Gathering in Killington to address workforce development and business succession challenges in Vermont’s farm and food economy. Comprised of food producers, farmers, food system businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, capital providers, and government officials, the Farm to Plate Network is responsible for implementing Vermont’s statewide food system plan to increase jobs and economic development in the farm and food economy and improve access to healthy local food for all Vermonters.