Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont now has a certified testing center for Intuit and Adobe products. Lyndon State College has opened a new Certiport Authorized Testing Center.  Previously, those wanting to take certification exams in Vermont had to travel to Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, or New York. Certiport is the leading provider of value-added, computerized test delivery services that include an expanding network of testing centers worldwide.

Through the Certiport partnership, Lyndon can help prepare Vermonters for future success in technology-driven learning and workforce environments. LSC students will also benefit by earning certification credentials and their degree simultaneously, making them more competitive when they enter the job market. This in-state solution for globally recognized, performance-based certification testing in areas that employers’ value will help students and adult learners advance their careers.

Vermont Business Magazine A new state-by-state analysis released two days before the 23^rd anniversary of the day the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) took effect shows that few states have expanded upon the FMLA’s unpaid leave protections or adopted other supports to assist expecting and new parents who are employed. But Vermont fares well above average and has made significant progress, although the state’s working families still lack some basic protections. Expecting Better: A State-by-State Analysis of Laws That Help Expecting and New Parents is the most comprehensive analysis to date of state laws and regulations governing paid leave and other workplace rights for expecting and new parents in the United States.

Vermont Business Magazine The Phil Scott campaign today filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s office because the political advertisement paid for by the American Future Fund Political Action Committee, a pro-Lisman PAC, appears to have violated or abused provisions of Vermont's campaign finance and transparency laws. On Thursday the Scott campaign first pointed out the Lisman PAC appears to be in violation of Vermont’s campaign finance laws requiring disclosure of donors, which were designed so PACs have to disclose where their money comes from and private interests in elections are transparent. Scott and Lisman are Republican candidates for governor. The primary is Tuesday, August 9

Vermont Business Magazine Over the past 72 hours, Lisman for Vermont has been notified by supporters of Bruce Lisman that they received deceitful phone calls in conjunction with the upcoming Republican primary. Scott and Lisman are Republican candidates for governor. The primary is Tuesday, August 9. There is a consistent pattern to the calls, the Lisman campaign said. The individual receiving the call is asked if he/she supports Bruce Lisman for Governor. If the voter says “yes”, the caller offers a series of false and outrageous claims designed to defame Bruce Lisman’s character. If the person receiving the call still indicates support for Bruce Lisman, or seeks to end the call, he/she is told, “Don’t forget to vote in the state primary on August 23.” The August 23 date is two weeks after the actual primary election date.

Vermont Business Magazine As part of a continuing effort to bolster economic development in Northern Vermont, Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I), Congressman Peter Welch (D) and Governor Peter Shumlin (D) joined Northern Border Regional Commission Chair Mark Scarano in announcing more than $1.8 million in federal grants on Friday. In a joint statement, Leahy, Sanders, and Welch said:  “The grants are as varied and unique as the communities they will help, but they share a common theme.  Each one will grow the economy and have a measurable impact on the lives of Vermonters, and communities across our Northern Counties.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington Discover Jazz Festival announced today that New England Federal Credit Union (NEFCU) will be the festival’s new Presenting Sponsor, beginning a three-year commitment. Discover Jazz will again present 10 days of live music throughout downtown Burlington beginning on June 2, 2017. Next June will mark the 34th anniversary of the festival, which is known for bringing legendary musicians like Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Mavis Staples to the Queen City. The event is one of the state’s most accessible music festivals, offering over 100 hours of free live music, and is a major showcase for musical artists from Vermont and around the region. 

Discover Jazz at Leunig's on Church Street in Burlington.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Public Service invites all interested Vermonters to provide input on the standards the Department must create per Act 174 of 2016 for determining consistency of regional and municipal plans with state energy policy. The Department will host a forum to gather input on August 30, from 9 a.m. to noon, in Montpelier at the Vermont College of Fine Arts (Noble Hall). For those who prefer to provide input in writing, the Department has published an online survey, available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WMTZFF2. Responses to the survey are due September 5, and those received by August 25 will help inform the discussion at the forum on the 30^th. The Department expects to release an initial draft of the standards later in September for additional public comment.

by Beth Fastiggi, FairPoint Communications Vermont State President Companies often find it challenging to stay on top of the most up-to-date tech products for their offices because they are busy focusing on the core needs of their business. Though understandable, this focus can prevent them from taking advantage of the new technologies that would truly make a positive impact on their businesses.

Vermont Business Magazine After the previous week's spike and relatively high summer numbers, weekly unemployment claims fell last week to their lowest level of the season. Claims in 2016 generally have been running above 2015 claims, but were down last week year-to-year. For the week of July 30, 2016, there were 362 claims, down 277 from the previous week's total and 26 fewer than they were a year ago. By industry, claims claims were down across the board, especially for Manufacturing, which spike in the previous report. Service, the usual leader, again had the most claims. 

Altogether 4,060 new and continuing claims were filed, a decrease of 176 from a week ago, and 68 more than a year ago.

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

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Senator Leahy joined public officials, residents and staff from Downstreet Housing & Community Development celebrate the official opening of Downstreet’s new office, community space and 27 units of affordable housing known as Downstreet Apartments. The ceremony included the unveiling of a new granite sculpture, designed and created by Barre artist George Kurjanowicz, in the green space surrounding the new building.

The building is located in downtown Barre at 22 Keith Avenue, (on the corner of Summer St. and Keith Ave.) which provides easy access for residents to downtown Barre amenities, and makes Downstreet staff more accessible to residents and clients with ground-floor offices, according to Liz Genge, Downstreet’s Director of Property Management.

by Yana Walder, Lake Point Property Management Moving your office operations into a new space will most likely be exciting and stressful. To avoid it being mostly the latter, read on for seven insights on leasing a professional office space in Vermont. It can take a small to midsize company three to six months to secure a lease for a new office. There is no standard commercial lease deal; each tenant, property owner, and building is unique. It is helpful to understand how they fit together.

Before you set out to find your new ‘just right’ office space, consider the workflow of the space your company currently occupies. Does the size, budget, location, and fit up work for you? What doesn’t work? Are you growing, downsizing or running steady? Do you require privacy and confidentiality or do you bank on interaction and creativity by leasing in a shared space?

1. Budget the right amount of space

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power President and CEO Mary Powell was named among the top 25 Most Influential Women of the Mid-Market CEO Connection in 2016. This list recognizes the top 25 women in the U.S. based on their ability to influence change, innovation, and standards for excellence in companies with annual sales between $100 million and $3 billion. GMP hopes trailblazing CEOs like Powell will inspire the next generation of female leaders to break barriers and take chances. Other winners include businesswoman and fashion designer Tory Burch.

Mary Powell. GMP photo.