Current News

Vermont Business Magazine An opening reception for a new Scientific Imaging Facility in Saint Edmunds 301 at Saint Michael’s College will be Monday afternoon, January 16 at 1:30 pm. This suite features advanced state-of-the-art technology and is of special direct interest to the College’s biology, neuroscience, chemistry, environmental sciences, and physics students and faculty as Saint Michael’s continues a dramatic expansion in the last decade of mentored undergraduate research.

The suite contains 10 high-end computer work stations for 20 students. Each station operates scientific imaging and evaluation programs that students can use for study and research purposes. The suite also will house the Zeiss Axiolmager, which is a state-of-the-art microscope with digital image processing abilities, differential interference contrast and fluorescent capabilities.

Vermont Business Magazine The 4th Annual Made in Vermont Marketplace will take place April 1st and 2^nd at the Champlain Valley Exposition. The trade show is open to the public. The Made in Vermont Marketplace is an extraordinary opportunity for Vermont companies to showcase their Made in Vermont products to an audience of thousands of prospective customers all in one weekend.

The trade show is dedicated to showcasing the great variety of Vermont made products, from furniture, specialty foods, clothing, wines and so much more! Only Vermont companies that made their products in Vermont will be allowed to exhibit.

Exhibitors come from all corners of Vermont, from Brattleboro and Springfield to Cannan, Peacham and Rutland, to Isle La Motte and many areas in-between, we have Vermont covered all under one roof.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) announced the launch of the Winter Central web portal, a new site to help drivers navigate winter conditions in Vermont. Included in the new portal is Plow Finder, a map that will show the location of all 250 VTrans plow trucks in near real-time. The heart of the Plow Finder map is the data from the Automatic Vehicle Location System installed in each truck and augmented by information from the National Weather Service, New England Compass, VTrans' weather stations and point forecast modeling provided by DarkSky.

Vermont Business MagazineMobius will celebrate National Mentoring Month by hosting youth mentees, volunteer mentors, and mentoring supporters for its annual Mentoring Celebration at the Statehouse on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event, made possible by support from lead event sponsor Redstone Commercial Group and other business supporters, will publicly recognize the adult mentors, youth mentees, and mentoring supporters in attendance, as well as the year-round service of the more than 140 mentoring programs and 2,300 volunteer mentors throughout the state.

Mobius photo of Emily and Autumn.

Vermont Business MagazineVermont wild turkey hunters had successful spring and fall hunting seasons in 2016, according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. An initial review of hunting results revealed 6,798 turkeys were taken by hunters during Vermont's three turkey hunting seasons - the spring youth hunt, the regular May spring season, and the fall turkey hunt.

Vermont Business MagazineGreen Mountain Valley School (GMVS) today announced acomprehensive training partnership with the United States Ski and Snowboard Association(USSA) that designates GMVS as both a USSki Team Development Site, and as a USSki team High Performance Center. The USSki Team designations are the result of an ongoingUSSA initiative to develop a pipeline of elite skiing talent, while formalizing its partnershipprograms with leading academic and training institutions, of which GMVS is one.

Vermont Business Magazine The Norwich University Regimental Band and Drill Team,will represent the state of Vermont and perform in the 58^th Presidential Inauguration, to be held on Friday, Jan. 20, in Washington, DC, for Donald J Trump. As the oldest collegiate band in the country, the Regimental Band carries on a long tradition of excellence musically, academically and militarily. Founded in 1820,the Band'smotto is “Semper Zoo.”

“The Norwich University Regimental Band and Drill Team is proud to represent the university and the state of Vermont,” Assistant Commandant and Director of Bands Todd P. Edwards said.

Vermont Business Magazine Franklin Foods Holdings, which bills itself as the world's fastest growing cream cheese company, announced today that Hochland SE, a privately-held Bavaria, Germany-based cheese company, has acquired Franklin Foods and its sister companies. Franklin Foods was founded and continues to operatein Enosburg Falls. It was previously sold, along with its brands Hahn's and All Season's Kitchen, and is now based in Florida. Franklin has taken advantage of the popularity of "Greek" style dairy products. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. It will continue to operate its Vermont manufacturing plant, which employs about 100.

Vermont Business MagazineAt its 30^thAnnual Membership Meeting held at The Capitol Plaza, the Vermont Business Roundtable elected one new director to his first three-year term:Tom Dunn, Vermont Electric Power Company.Elected to their second three-year term were the following directors:Jill Berry Bowen, Northwestern Medical Center, Geoff Glaspie, Husky Injection Molding, Bill Shouldice IV, Vermont Teddy Bear, and John Wilking, Neville Company.

Vermont Business MagazineGovernor Phil Scott todayannounced he has appointed Michael Harrington as deputy commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor.Before joining the Governor’s Administration, Harrington, 35, was a consultant and trainer for his family's firm, New Directions,where he helped to provide national and international companies with employee development and organizational management services. Harrington also served as the economic and community development director for the Town of Bennington.

Michael Harrington, VBM file photo.

Vermont Business Magazine With the naming of a new executive leadership team, Beau Ties Ltd of Vermont has also renewed its commitment to Middlebury. Beau Ties Ltd has named Elizabeth Smith and Cy Day Tall as the company’s new Co-President/CEO. The pair will assume leadership over all corporate functions including merchandising, operations, production, marketing, technology, finance and sales.

David Mutter, co-owner and Chairman, said in an announcement, “This is long overdue recognition of the leadership roles Liz and Cy have brought to Beau Ties over the last decade, and reconfirms our commitment to the Middlebury, VT community.

Vermont Business MagazineWeekly unemployment claims fell nearly 600, as post-holiday employment levels returned to a more stable level. The holidays produce wild swings in these numbers, as retailers, especially, hire then lay off workers in short order. By industry, Construction reported the most claims last week. In an average week, Services usually have the most claims.

For the week of January 7, 2017, there were 940 claims, down 591 from the previous week's total and 215 fewer than than they were a year ago (1,155).

Altogether 7,765 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 488 from a week ago, and 483 fewer than a year ago.

The Department processed 0 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08).