Current News

Vermont Business Magazine FirstLight, a leading fiber-optic bandwidth infrastructure services provider operating in the Northeast, announced today that it has completed its acquisition of 186 Communications, based in Nashua, NH. This latest acquisition marks the Company’s fourth successful acquisition in the past year. FirstLight previously completed the acquisitions of Oxford Networks, Sovernet Communications of Bellows Falls and Finger Lakes Technologies Group (FLTG). Financial terms of these transactions were not disclosed.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Tech offers a unique learning experience dedicated to focused, hands-on, applied learning taught by faculty who are experts in their field. The Office of Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) brings this style of education to a wide range of professions and professionals.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) celebrated 30 years of grant making at an event at Shelburne Farms, then held a Board meeting two days later, making grants totaling almost $5.2 million to support major affordable housing developments in four communities and to protect farmland in Franklin and Caledonia Counties.

The 30th anniversary celebration at Shelburne Farms, attended by nearly 300 people, highlighted VHCB’s partnerships with dozens of organizations and communities resulting in protection of 265,000 acres of working forests, recreational lands, and natural areas; conservation of 162,000 acres of farmland; development of 12,500 units of affordable housing; restoration of 67 historic properties for community use; lead paint abatement in 2,500 homes; and business planning assistance to 550 farm and forestland owners.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will use $3.6 million in new federal funding to purchase conservation easements on farmland. The funds come from the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), a Farm Bill initiative.

Vermont Business Magazine A Vermont farm and its champion cow is celebrating taking the top prize at the World Dairy Expo. “Blexy,” a classic black-and-white Holstein, was selected as the top bovine of all the dairy breeds at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. With more than 2,300 entries, the dairy show is considered the Kentucky Derby of the cow world.

Vermont Business Magazine A majority of college administrators in a new survey say that more students believe marijuana to be "safe," drawing concern that changing attitudes about marijuana might have downstream effects on college campuses. Administrators say the number of students with marijuana-related problems has either increased (37 percent) or stayed the same (32 percent), while almost none say such problems have lessened. And while they report a variety of negative impacts of marijuana use, and acknowledge the need to address the problem, they are also dealing with gaps in information and policy. A Presidents' Panel with the associated presentation event includedUniversity of Vermont President Tom Sullivan.

Vermont Business Magazine Utopus Insights has announced that Vermont Electric Power Company executive Kerrick Johnson has joined the leadership team of Utopus as Chief Ecosystem Officer. Johnson has almost 20 years of experience in the electric utility industry. A well-known figure politically and in the electric industry in Vermont, he will be responsible for developing a network of industry connections, partnerships, and related communication and marketing activities. Based inValhalla, NY, Utopus Insights is a new company started in February 2017 that was formed by IBM and VELCO to help plan for the next generation of the electric grid.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard resort in Eastern North America and part of the POWDR adventure lifestyle company, has begun snowmaking in advance of the 2017 Audi FIS Ski World Cup on November 24-26, 2017. Killington Resort was the first North American ski mountain to open its season to the general public in 2016 and last to close in 2017 for Eastern North America, in part because of the resort’s advanced snowmaking and grooming prowess.

Vermont Business Magazine During the last quarter, the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) approved $9.9 million in financing to help support commercial, agricultural, energy and small business projects totaling more than $29 million throughout Vermont, including to Rhino Foods, St Albans Bay marina, Sunrise Orchards, Rogers Hill Sugar Maple Farm, Milton McMullen Road Solar, Gaines Farm Community Solar, and the Woodstock Farmers Market.

“VEDA is pleased to help a Vermont manufacturer create more jobs,” said Jo Bradley, VEDA’s Chief Executive Officer. “Improving St. Albans’ tourism infrastructure is also a project VEDA supported, as well as several agricultural expansion projects, and a number of energy projects.”

Included among the nearly $4 million in commercial project loans approved by VEDA are the following projects:

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont PBS and the Vermont International Film Foundation (VTIFF) today announced the launch of a joint online database of Vermont films and TV programs past and present, the Vermont Archive Movie Project (VAMP) database. This searchable resource will allow students, historians, filmmakers and the public at large to tap into the state’s rich history on film. The VAMP database will increase understanding about the films and filmmakers here in the state.

“As Vermont's only statewide educational television service we have a visual record of Vermont history and culture spanning the last 50 years," said Holly Groschner, President and CEO of Vermont PBS. “We have begun stewardship of this historic resource, and want to ensure that the index is available to researchers, students, and historians. We are delighted to work with VTIFF, which has shown leadership in developing this project for Vermont.”

Vermont Business MagazineCorporate Knightshas released the 15thedition of the Better World MBA ranking. The University of Vermont Grossman School of Business ranked 8th in the global assessment. The ranking, which has been published annually since 2002, evaluates instruction and research in sustainability from a base universe of the top 100 schools on the Financial Times Global MBA rankings, and invites all other accredited MBA programs (AMBA, AACSB, EQUIS) to opt-in. Eligible programs are assessed on the number of core courses, institutes and centres, and faculty research produced in the last three years related to sustainability, including corporate responsibility, human rights and ethics.

Vermont Business Magazine NorthCountry Federal Credit Union’s two new branches are open for business at328 North Main Street, Barreand 1 National Life Drive in Montpelier, former locations of Granite Hills Credit Union. At a special meeting onJune 22, Granite Hills Credit Union members approved their Board of Directors’ recommendation to merge with NorthCountry Federal Credit Union.