Current News

by tim

Vermont Business Magazine Howard Center’s Chittenden Clinic recently announced that it is providing services to 1,000 people between its two sites. In addition, the Clinic, which principally treats opioid addictions,has reduced its waitlist from 750 people in 2013 to fewer than 90 in 2017. The average wait time is 40-50 days.

Dana Poverman, Howard Center Director of Medication Assisted Treatment Programs, says, “While these numbers represent our commitment to provide evidenced-based services in a timely manner, we continue to work with community partners toward the shared goal of achieving access to treatment upon demand, not only for medication assisted treatment but for residential services, as well.

by tim

Vermont Business Magazine​Home Care Assistance of Greater Burlington have opened the doors toits office in Essex Junction. The Grand Opening was held on Wednesday, May 24.“I am excited to share what makes Home Care Assistance unique in the home care industry,” said Tom Lee, co-owner.

Based on the scientific studies of the world’s healthiest seniors, the Balanced Care Methodpromotes five key lifestyle behaviors correlated with healthy longevity: healthy diet, physical exercise, active social ties, mental stimulation and a sense of purpose and calm. Caregivers are professionally trained to incorporate the Method into daily care to encourage healthy mind, body and spirit.

by tim

by Bill SchubartMy father died in Leyte Gulf in the Philippines on December 3, 1944, when the ship on which he was serving as a Naval lieutenant was hit by a Japanese torpedo and sank in under a minute. 168 were rescued when they swam to a nearby island and 191 were lost. I never knew my father. I was born four months later in New York City to a war widow in mourning, who shortly after my birth, moved with me to Morrisville, Vermont. Several years later she married a handsome French-Canadian ski instructor named Emile Rene Couture, and so I grew up in a small catholic community as Bill Couture.

by tim

Vermont Business Magazine The 552 graduates of the Middlebury College Class of 2017 basked in a splendid spring morning on Sunday, May 28, to celebrate the formal conclusion of their undergraduate careers. Thousands of friends and family gathered in the main quadrangle for Commencement, as the temperature hovered around the 70-degree mark, to hear from two guest speakers, watch as five honorary degrees were conferred, and cheer as the graduates crossed the platform one-by-one to receive their diplomas.

by tim

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation will be hosting a Leadership Seminar on Wednesday June 7 from 7:15 to 9:15 am in the Milano Ballroom on the Norwich University campus in Northfield. This year’s keynote address will be given by Roseanna DeMaria, Founder and Principal of The DeMaria Group.

Ms. DeMaria's 20 plus years of business and management experience is broad based, from government to start-ups to Fortune 50 corporations. Roseanna's leadership skills and business results consistently achieved industry and Board recognition. She brings this rich body of knowledge and experience to her performance consulting practice to systematically transform organizations, teams and individuals. High Performance Transformation is her calling card.

by tim

Vermont Business Magazine Yankee Magazine’s “Best of New England” travel guide has named Stone Hill Inn the 2017 Editors’ Choice for Romantic Getaway, noting, “Luxury is the hallmark of this couples-only retreat nestled on nearly 10 acres in the heart of Stowe.” Kristie Roling, who took ownership of the B&B with her husband, Todd, last December, said, “We fell in love with the romanticism of the gardens, the rooms and the seclusion, and love to share it with other couples, who often come to celebrate a special milestone in their lives.”

"Nearly half our guests come to celebrate an event–a proposal, an engagement, a wedding, an elopement, a honeymoon, an anniversary or a birthday,” agreed Todd Roling, who added, “But Stone Hill Inn is the perfect spot for couples to just spend time together recharging and reconnecting in a romantic escape from their hectic daily lives.”

by tim

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced two appointments to the leadership team at the Agency of Natural Resource’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and appointed a state librarian within the Agency of Administration. Rebecca Ellis, senior counsel for Government Affairs with DEC has been appointed to the position of deputy commissioner and Neil Kamman,manager of DEC’s Monitoring, Assessment and Planning Program, has been promoted to the role of senior policy advisor in the Commissioner’s Office.

“Vermont’s natural resources play a critical role in our economy, quality of life, and the health of all Vermonters,” said Scott. “Rebecca and Neil both bring valuable skills and a commitment to public service that will benefit the state, our environment, and all Vermonters.”

by tim

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael's College President John JNeuhauser announced plans to leave the College in June of 2018 in a memo to the College community onMay 26, 2017.Named 16thpresident of the residential liberal arts Catholic College on July 1, 2007, President Neuhauser successfully led the College through the USfinancial crisis to dramatically improve the College’s academic standing, the student experience, and facilities.

by tim

Vermont Business MagazineNew England Federal Credit Union (NEFCU) President/CEO John JDwyer, Jrannounced today a $1 million grant from NEFCU to Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) to address the critical need for affordable housing. The money will be awarded by VHFA over the coming year to several housing developments that have funding shortfalls.

The grant is a bold step toward helping Vermont’s 30,000 low-income renter households who receive no housing assistance but face rents that are out of line with their income. More than half of the state’s low-income renters live in Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille and Washington counties—the 6 counties served by NEFCU.

by katie

Vermont Business Magazine Four years of planning and 16 months of construction culminated in the May 25 open house celebration at Red Clover Commons, a 55-unit apartment building which will provide replacement housing for residents of Melrose Terrace and others.

Melrose Terrace, constructed by the Brattleboro Housing Authority in 1965, is adjacent to the Whetstone Brook and much of the property is in the floodway and flood plain. The entire site was flooded by Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011 and 60 of the 80 apartments were damaged. Those units have been repaired and re-occupied, but it was clear to the Housing Authority that the senior and disabled residents needed to be relocated to a safer site.

by tim

Leonine Public Affairs Little will be remembered about the 2017 legislative session beyond what happened during the last four weeks. The end of session debate over teachers’ health insurance contracts and Governor Phil Scott’s subsequent threat to veto the budget largely defines the first year of the biennium.

by tim

Vermont Business Magazine Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), joined by 28 of their colleagues in the Senate, introduced legislation to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Reps Bobby Scott (D-Va) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn) introduced a companion bill Thursday with 152 cosponsors in the House.

“Just a few short years ago, we were told that raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour was ‘radical.’ But a grassroots movement of millions of workers throughout this country refused to take ‘no’ for an answer,” Sanders said. “Our job in the wealthiest country in the history of the world is to make sure that every worker has at least a modest and decent standard of living.”