Current News

Vermont Business Magazine TheUS Environmental Protection Agency has recognized the University of Vermont as a conference champion of the 2016-17 College & University Green Power Challenge for using more green power than any other school in the America East athletic conference. Green power is zero-emissions electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, eligible biogas, biomass, and low-impact hydro. Using green power helps accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide and helps users reduce their carbon footprints.

Since April 2006, EPA’s Green Power Partnership has tracked and recognized the collegiate athletic conferences with the highest combined green power use within the program. The Individual Conference Champion Award recognizes the school that uses the most green power in a qualifying conference.

Vermont Business Magazine Former House Speaker Shap Smith and Sam & Mary Miller are the winners of this year’s David W Curtis Leadership Awards. The award is given to "outstanding" Vermont Democrats and the winners will be celebrated on May 5th at the 18th Annual David W Curtis Awards at the Burlington Hilton. Guest speaker will be New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Vermont Business Magazine Frustrated by the increasing pressures on independent doctors to sell out to hospitals and health systems, a group of doctors from HealthFirst, Vermont’s largest independent physician group, has joined the Association of Independent Doctors, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping private practices survive. The move establishes the Vermont Chapter of AID, while reinforcing HealthFirst’s resolve to do what’s best for patients and help independent doctors maintain their small practices. The head of Vermont's largest hospital organization said they've only acquired private practices when they've been approached by the doctors themselves.

by Representative Heidi Scheuermann (R-Stowe) With two weeks left in the 2017 Legislative Session, it is time for Vermonters to really start paying attention. After all, this is the time that just about anything can happen. The most recent dust up came late last week when the Vermont NEA, the statewide teacher's union, blasted Governor Phil Scott for working with the Vermont School Boards Association and the Vermont Superintendents Association to develop and propose a new Statewide Health Benefit for teachers and school employees that will provide $26 million in savings to Vermonters.

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael's College has been invited to join the 30 founding members from the nation’s most respected colleges and universities in a new initiative to substantially expand the number of talented low- and moderate-income students at America’s top-performing undergraduate institutions with the highest graduation rates.

The American Talent Initiative (ATI), supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, brings together a diverse set of public and private institutions united in this common goal. They are enhancing their own efforts to recruit and support lower-income students, learn from each other and contribute to research that will help other colleges and universities expand opportunity.

Vermont Business MagazineFor the second year running, Vermont scored highest among the 50 states and District of Columbia in public health protection readiness, according to the new National Health Security Preparedness Index. The Index measures the nation's ability to keep people safe and healthy in the event of epidemics, foodborne disease outbreaks, terrorism and other large-scale public health emergencies.Overall, Vermont scored 7.8 out of 10 points, compared to the national average of 6.8.

by John McClaughry Not so long ago – 2015 – the carbon tax was all the rage among such organizations as VPIRG, Vermont Natural Resources Council, Conservation Law Foundation, and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. Their argument was straightforward. Humankind’s penchant for making use of fossil fuels is (so they believe) inexorably driving the planet toward catastrophic warming by the end of this century. The hour is late! “The science is settled”! Anyone who harbors any doubt is an ignorant yahoo or a tool of the fossil fuel interests!

This must be stopped, and little Vermont must show the world The Way!

Vermont Business MagazineRoyal Philips(NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHIA) has announced that it will feature the company's latest Magnetic Resonance (MR) solutions and neurology-focused clinical applications at theInternational Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine's(ISMRM) 25th annual meeting and exhibition inHawaii on Wednsday. As a part of its newest suite of MR-based software applications dedicated to neurology, Philips will be showcasing MultiBand SENSE, which was developed in collaboration with several partners, including the Larner College of Medicine at theUniversity of Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) has approved $57.4 million in bond and loan financing to support a variety of economic development projects throughout Vermont. "VEDA is pleased to make tax-exempt bond financing available for a large-scale nonprofit development project that will produce jobs," said VEDA Chief Executive Officer Jo Bradley. "Additional energy, agricultural, manufacturing and small business ventures also will receive financing assistance from VEDA, enabling them to create jobs and contribute to Vermont's economic vitality."

The project approved by VEDA for tax-exempt bond financing assistance is:

Vermont Business Magazine Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc(NYSE: BHLB), the parent company of Berkshire Bank with branches in southwestern Vermont, reported on Monday first quarter 2017 earnings of $15.5 million, or 44 cents per share. Core earnings totaled $19.4 million, or $0.55 per share. Net income increased by 50 percentover the prior quarter and core earnings increased by 8 percent, including the first full quarter benefit of the acquired First Choice operations. Non-core after-tax merger charges totaled $0.12 per share for the quarter.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of John Quinn as Secretary of Digital Services and Chief Information Officer. Quinn will lead the Agency of Digital Services (ADS), which was created by Gov. Scott under Executive Order 06-17 to establish a unified organizational structure for the state’s Information Technology (IT) portfolio.

“John has been integral in the planning of the Agency of Digital Services and in our overall strategy for modernizing state government,” said Gov. Scott. “His leadership and experience in IT and project management will continue to be incredibly valuable as we establish this Agency and take a more coordinated and accountable approach to managing the state’s IT infrastructure.”

Vermont Business MagazineAttorney General Donovan today joined a multistate letter calling out the USDepartment of Education for abdicating its responsibility to millions of student loan borrowers. The Department is revoking critical reforms designed to help students avoid default and curtail loan servicer misconduct.The multistate letter – co-sponsored by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and joined by 19 attorneys general and the Office of Consumer Protection of Hawaii – was sent to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in opposition to the Department’s recentrollback of guidanceintended to protect student loan borrowers and reform the student loan servicing industry.