Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Shadow Productions and Shadow Associates in Behavior Change are proud to welcome Mary Catherine Jones as a producer and researcher. In the role of producer for Shadow Productions, Jones works with clients, directs talent, and produces both audio and video marketing materials for a variety of local and regional clients. As a researcher for Shadow Associates in Behavior Change (Shadow ABC), Jones will rely on her background in social psychology and her extensive community contacts to organize and conduct qualitative and quantitative research in the areas of health, energy, and environmental communication.

Vermont Business Magazine Last week Gayle Oberg of Little River Realty in Stowe was out touring homes in Washington and Chittenden Counties. Not unusual for a real estate professional with Gayle’s experience and clientele. What make this particular Thursday unusual is she was accompanied by 17 real estate professionals from Japan. The Japanese Realtors were visiting the US from Japan to attend the annual meeting of the National Associations of Realtors Convention in Orlando Florida.

Vermont Business Magazine During the 2016 Shop for Miracles Campaign, New England Federal Credit Union (NEFCU) staff and members contributed $7,153.75 to benefit the University of Vermont Medical Center Children’s Hospital. According to Jackie Woodwell, UVM Medical Center Foundation Event Specialist, “Donations from partners like NEFCU fund critical treatments and healthcare services, providing our pediatric patients with the most advanced child-friendly, family-centered quality care in Vermont and northern New York. Contributions like these also support special activities like art and play providing additional comfort when families need it most.”

Left: Jackie Woodwell, Event Specialist, The University of Vermont Medical Center Foundation;  Cindy Morgan, Senior Marketing Executive, NEFCU

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Teddy Bear Company has donated two of its 3’ “Big Bears” for tonight’s Norwich/St. Michael’s men’s hockey game, taking place at Kreitzberg Arena at 7pm. “Many of our employees at Vermont Teddy Bear – including myself – have children who play hockey,” says Bill Shouldice, CEO of Vermont Teddy Bear Company. “It takes a lot of time, energy and money to keep up with the sport, and we are excited to help support the Norwich Men’s and Women’s hockey teams and their community endeavors.”

Vermont Business Magazine Main Street Alliance of Vermont held their year-end celebration at the Alchemist Brewery on Sunday night where they awarded, Stephanie Hainely, COO of White + Burke, it’s 2016 Business of the Year award, and Speaker Shap Smith and Senator Philip Baruth were recognized as Legislators of the Year in a Year-End Celebration hosted by The Alchemist.

“Steph has led and directed our team as we created this organization and made a place for ourselves in this state,” said Jen Kimmich, MSA-VT Board Chair and co-wner of The Alchemist, “Her vision and her work helped to give structure to an idea that we all shared.”

Vermont Business Magazine Jeffords Steel and Engineering is proud to announce the addition of the Jeffords Machine Shop in its Plattsburgh Facility. “The addition of the machine shop completes us as a steel fabricator”, said Larry Jeffords, Founder and CEO of Jeffords Steel, “We are now a 100% full service steel fabrication operation.” The new machine shop is managed by Bob Davenport, who has over 25 years in the machining business.

Jeffords continued, “Bob becoming available was the last piece of the puzzle for us. Our shop couldn’t be in more professional hands.” Said Davenport, “The machine shop business is not easy and the market has seen them come and go over the years. Businesses couldn’t rely on one consistent supplier. Jeffords has been here for over 30 years. We aren’t going anywhere.”

Vermont Business Magazine Child care in Vermont costs too much and workers get paid too little. A report released today on early child care in Vermont says that equitable early care and learning for all Vermont children ages birth to five is the most significant opportunity for the state to make systemic and dynamic improvements that will foster economic development, advance social and community well-being, and provide the greatest positive impact for future generations. The report also suggests that the state nearly double its investment to just over $90 million (the current budget for CCFAP in State Fiscal Year 2017 is $47.3 million; an additional $43.5 million would be needed to fund the proposed changes.)

Vermont Business Magazine Mike Smiles has resigned as Executive Director of Lake Champlain Maritime Museum effective December 31 to pursue new opportunities. “Mike has made valuable contributions to the museum during his tenure,” said Bob Beach, President of the LCMM Board of Directors. “Through his innovative approaches to enhancing and expanding our educational programs and partnering with AmeriCorps, Mike has positioned LCMM as a vital Expanded Learning Opportunity Provider.  We wish Mike the best in his future endeavors.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Law Firms of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC and Nixon, Vogelman, Barry, Slawsky & Simoneau P.A. have filed a class action complaint in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire against Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, on behalf of twenty-two Southern New Hampshire residents who were potentially exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in the water supply of Merrimack and Litchfield New Hampshire.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont will receive over $220,000 from a settlement entered into by Attorney General William H Sorrell and 42 other Attorneys General with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (“BMS”). The settlement relates to the drug company’s alleged improper marketing of Abilify. The total settlement amount is $19.5 million. Abilify is the brand name for the prescription drug aripiprazole.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET) is proud to announce Start Here (www.vcet.co/podcast), a podcast sharing the stories of active, aspiring, and accidental entrepreneurs. With support from the Vermont Technology Council and FairPoint Communications, Start Here is co-hosted by VCET’s David Bradbury and Sam Roach-Gerber, and is available to listeners on SoundCloud beginning December 7th and iTunes on December 14th. 

Vermont Business Magazine Lamoille Housing Partnership was recently awarded a $100,000 affordable housing grant through the TD Charitable Foundation’s Housing for Everyone Grant Competition. The grant will be used to assist in the funding of Evergreen Mobile Home Park in Hardwick. The Lamoille Housing Partnership (LHP) was created in 1991 to provide and maintain safe, decent, and affordable housing without discrimination or prejudice. Through rentals, home ownership, or other means, LHP serves a variety of people, including low income individuals and families, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and seniors living on social security that seek to live independently as they age.