Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Rural Ventures through June 2017 has raised more than $47 million in new capital through the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program to support 15 projects in Vermont and neighboring areas, creating 559 new jobs and retaining 1,332 existing jobs. NMTC funds are used to retain and create jobs and essential services by financing key community developments in downtowns and village centers and in other concerted efforts that demonstrate positive community impacts. Using New Markets Tax Credits, these investments provided $47,693,516 of equity to 15 projects, allowing expansion and job growth.

Vermont Business Magazine The state wants 30,000 more Vermont high schoolers to get more education. Governor Phil Scott today announced the launch of 70x2025vt, an education and economic development initiative aimed at having 70 percent of Vermonters hold a training or education credential by the 2025. “As part of my ‘cradle to career’ focus on education and training, we owe it to Vermonters to provide the pathways necessary to develop the skills to be successful at work, at home and in the community,” Governor Scott said at an event at PC Construction in South Burlington.

Governor Scott and VSAC's Scott Giles.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in partnership with the Vermont State Police, Sheriff’s Departments and Police Departments throughout Vermont, will hold its fourteenth National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 28th, 2017. Vermont Attorney General TJDonovan recommends that all members of the public safeguard and properly dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired drugs at National Take Back Day. This is an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

Vermont Business Magazine The Board of Directors of Superior Technical Ceramics(STC) based in St Albans today announced former Weidmann executive John Goodrichhas been named president, effective October 1st.He will take up the role asRichard Feeserembraces retirement, having served a distinguished32-year career withSuperior Technical Ceramics. Throughout his over 40 years of service in the ceramics industry, the last 32 of which he spent at STC, Feeser has shown a passion for driving ever higher levels of customer satisfaction and has been instrumental in developing innovative and profitable new product lines.Critically, he provided a well managed transition in leadership following the death of the company's founder.He has achieved all this while respecting the firm's employees, valued suppliers, and ultimately, STC customers, who remain the firm's lifeblood.

Vermont Business MagazineBar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American:BHB) reported third quarter GAAP earnings of $8.6 million, or 56 cents per share. Core earnings totaled $8.8 million or 57 cents per share representing a 10% increase over the prior quarter. This increase reflects the strength of the company's now expanded footprint. Bar Harbor bought Lake Sunapee Bank last January.Lake Sunapee Bank has branches in central Vermont and New Hampshire.

Vermont Business Magazine Today Thumbtack released the grades from its 2017 Small Business Friendliness Survey, the largest continuous study of small business perceptions of government policy in the US. On overall small business friendliness, Vermont ranked 16 (out of 50), earning an "A-"; in 2013 the state received an "F." Much of Vermont's high ranking this time relative to other states, despite many bad grades on other measures, is due to the excellence of its government web sites.

by John McClaughryBack in 1999 Robert Reich, President Clinton’s very liberal ex-Secretary of Labor, penned an op ed piece that said, “The era of big government may be over, but the era of regulation through litigation has just begun.”

Reich argued that Congress, since 1994 under the control of pro-business Republicans, will not enact liberal proposals for regulating and taxing the tobacco and firearms industries, and it won’t change the antitrust laws to benefit the competitors of Microsoft. Therefore, wrote Reich, forget Congress - we’ll sue. He conceded that this regulation through litigation isn’t efficient, and may not serve the public interest, but “perhaps regulating through lawsuits is better than not regulating at all.”

Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) and Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning (GMALL) will partner to present a “Medicine Today” lecture about antibiotic resistance.The talk,The Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance,will be co-presented by Dr. Michael Calderwood, a specialist in infectious disease at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and Dr. Marie George, a specialist in infectious disease with SVMC Infectious Disease, which is now a part of the SVMC Multispecialty Practice.

The talk will be held5:30 – 7 p.m. Monday, November 13, 2017, at Equinox Village, at49 Maple Streetin Manchester Center, VT. The event is free, but advanced registration is required. Visit the science section of the programs tab atwww.greenmtnacademy.orgto register.

Vermont Business MagazineNorthern Vermont University-Johnson’s biannual Integrative Medicine Day will be8:30 am-4 pmNov4at McClelland Hall on campus.The event, which will include group sessions on varied wellness, healing and stress-reduction approaches, is free for prospective students and their families interested in NVU-Johnson’s Wellness & Alternative Medicine (WAM) Bachelor of Science program. High school students may attend a WAM homeopathy class, talk with current WAM students, and go to sessions on music therapy, yoga, healing with horses and plants, and other treatments and techniques.

Integrative medicine, which employs conventional and alternative treatments, is used in some major U.S. hospitals. Alternative medicine uses natural, non-invasive approaches including nutrition, herbalism and homeopathy.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovanjoined a coalition of Attorneys General in opposing the US Department of Labor’s efforts to roll back overtime pay protections for25,000 Vermonters and millions of Americans. The attorneys general submitted comments in response to the US Department of Labor’s (USDOL) Request for Information concerning the executive, administrative, and professional (EAP) exemptions to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).By this action, the USDOL threatens to roll back the Obama administration’s rule that expanded overtime compensation for workers by raising the salary level test that would limit the number of employees who qualify for the FLSA exemptions.

Vermont Business Magazine The Snelling Center for Government has announced the Vermont Leadership Institute Class of 2018. The Class of 2018 is comprised of 23 associates from across the state who represent a wide variety of organizations from the public, private and non-profit sectors. The Snelling Center for Government is a non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to fostering responsible and ethical civic leadership, encouraging public service by private citizens, and promoting informed citizen participation in shaping public policy in Vermont.

Vermont Leadership Institute Class of 2018

Vermont Business MagazineCondé Nast Travelerreaders have rated the top hotels in New England for 2017 and six prestigious Vermont lodging properties were among the 40 that were recognized. Five Vermont properties, including Hotel Vermont of Burlington at No. 4, were named among the Top 20 hotels inCondé Nast Traveler’sTop Hotels in New England: Readers’ Choice Awards. This is the third year in a row that Hotel Vermont has been honored in the Top 5 of these rankings.

Hotel Vermont in Burlington. Courtesy of Hotel Vermont.

Rounding out Vermont’s presence in the rankings were The Pitcher Inn of Warren at No. 12, Twin Farms of Barnard at No. 15, Windham Hill Inn of West Townshend at No. 17, Kimpton Taconic Hotel of Manchester at No. 18, and Field Guide of Stowe at No. 23.