Current News

Vermont Business MagazineBioTek Instruments celebrated the completion of a $4.5 million facility expansion and renovation during a company-wide event on Thursday, May 18. The 22,000 square foot expansion is already supporting the Company’s rapid growth. While many departments are benefitting from the additional space, the Company’s manufacturing area is most notably affected, growing by 33%. The project also includes a new 1,400 square foot training facility for the Company’s new and existing employees.

In a letter to the company, Vermont Governor, Phil Scott, congratulated BioTek on the expansion stating, “BioTek is a working example of how a high-technology company can make its home here in Vermont and compete with and win against top companies located anywhere in the world.”

Council Established in Governor’s Executive Order to Combat Vermont’s Opioid Crisis Holds its First Meeting

Vermont Business Magazine Earlier this month, Governor Phil Scott convened the inaugural meeting of his Opioid Coordination Council (OCC). The Council, which the Governor established byExecutive Order 02-17as one of his first actions upon taking office, is charged withleading and strengthening Vermont’s response to the opiate crisis by ensuring full inter- and intra-agency coordination between state and local governments in the areas of prevention, treatment, recovery and law enforcement activities.

Vermont Business Magazine Recently, Jon and Pam Baker of Roswell, Ga. celebrated a moment they were not sure would ever come. Their sons, Gavin and Jake Baker took their first dose of Orkambi, a drug recently approved by the FDA to help control their cystic fibrosis. At this “First Dose Party,” the Bakers were surrounded by hundreds of family and friends that helped make this special drug possible.

On Saturday, March 18, 2017, their army of dedicated supporters from Vermont teamed up with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) for the3rd Annual ShamRockin’ for a Cure VTevent at The Abbey Restaurant in Sheldon, VT. The evening helped them surpass their goal in their fundraising efforts to fight CF.

Vermont Business Magazine ThePeople’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, announced that it has awarded $20,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington for their Early Promise program.

The Early Promise program encompasses a wide range of academic components that help Club members be successful in school and prepare them for education beyond high school. The program serves 175 young people each day through a total of ten different learning opportunities.

“We have been a supporter of the Boys & Girls Club Early Promise program for 10 years,” saidMichael Seaver, Officer, People’s United Community Foundation and President, People's United Bank Vermont. “It is something we support because we are seeing results. Kids coming through the Club have dreams of going to college and the staff makes sure they get there.”

by Jennifer NachburUniversity of Vermont All it takes is the flip of a protein “switch” within the tiny wire-like capillaries of the brain to increase the blood flow that ensures optimal brain function. New research has uncovered that capillaries have the capacity to both sense brain activity and generate an electrical vasodilatory signal to evoke blood flow and direct nutrients to nourish hard-working neurons.

Thomas Longden, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology and Fabrice Dabertrand, Ph.D., an assistant professor of pharmacology (Photo: LCOM Creative Services)

Vermont Business Magazine The March of Dimes, in collaboration with the USCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has awarded grants to conduct one year of surveillanceon neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in three states with high rates of NAS:Vermont,Illinois, andNew Mexico. NASis a group of problems that occur in newborns who were exposed to addictive opiate drugs while in the mother's womb. The project will enable each state to conduct enhanced identification of babies born with NAS and evaluate the health services needed by these babies through one year of age.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Board of Trustees today passed the lowest tuition percentage increase in 40 years at its Commencement weekend meeting.Under the resolution approved by the Board, in-state tuition increased$408 or 2.7 percent (from $15,096 to $15,504 per year); and out-of-state tuition increased$960 or 2.5 percent (from $38,160 to $39,120 per year).

by Mike SmithRace fans at Talladega Superspeedway call it “the big one.” It usually happens toward the end of a NASCAR race when drivers are tense, emotions are high, and the cars are tightly bunched vying for a win. And then: a wrong move by one driver starts a massive chain reaction crash that eliminates many of the cars from the race.

There was a political wreck last week when Democratic leaders failed to reach an agreement with Republican GovernorPhil Scott over how to reap savings when teachers have to change to new health care plans at the beginning of next year. And depending how events play out, this could result in “the big one,” where a political pileup could alter fortunes.

The Affordable Care Act means Vermont teachers will switch to lower-cost plans in January. This will present a unique opportunity to capture savings.

University of VermontBefore Bethany Kelly graduates in May she will have helped young adults train for the Special Olympics, worked with psychiatry patients at the UVM Medical Center, and taught strengthening exercises to individuals with multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. The exercise and movement science major is currently training local athletes in a Special Olympics Unified Fitness Program launched in 2016 by Associate Professor Susan Kasser. Kelly and six of her classmates are working with young adults to develop a workout regime that supports their personal and Olympic goals. In the process, they are writing a manual for future exercise science majors who will expand the program next year.

Senior care leader, Home Care Assistance, will be hosting a Grand Opening Event in cooperation with the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, May 24th from 5 pm to 7pm

Greg Cox, President of the Vermont Farmers Food Center (VFFC) Board of Directors, todayhosted a site visit and discussion with Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman. The Board was alsorepresented by Ryan Yoder, Vice President; Jody Condon, Treasurer; Kathleen Krevetski, Secretary; andJoshua MacDuff.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my site tour of the Vermont Farmers Food Center in Rutland. Farmer and BoardPresident, Greg Cox, and his team are on the cutting edge of developing market opportunities for localfarmers. Their facility is an outstanding example of an incubator for many innovative farm value-addedprojects. As a farmer, I can really appreciate how the Vermont Farmers Food Center is bringing local farmerstogether to find successful ventures to save and expand small Vermont farms and create new jobopportunities," said Lt. Governor Zuckerman.

Two University of Vermont spin-off companies, Majorwise and Packetized Energy, finished first and second in the 2017 LaunchVT competition, Vermont’s oldest and largest business pitch contest.

Majorwise, an on-line job platform that connects college students with local employers, was launched by UVM seniors Peter Silverman and Max Robbins in 2015 when the business majors were sophomores. It also has application for state departments of labor, businesses and non-profits.

It is the first student-led company to win LaunchVT. NBC News.com recently profiled the start-up:http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/college-game-plan/vermont-startup-pairs-students-employers-seeking-flexible-labor-n762116