Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Seventh Generation has issued its Corporate Consciousness 2015 Report detailing the company's effort and progress against its 2020 aspirations and goals. Seventh Generation's climate strategy touches all aspects of its operations from offices to product transportation, to the plant-based and recycled materials in the products and packaging. "The carbon tax anchors our greenhouse has reduction strategy in the heart of our business, activating our entire organization in support of our 2020 goal to obtain our energy from non-fossil fuel sources," said CEO John Replogle. "Decreasing our carbon footprint is mission-critical for Seventh Generation in caring for the next seven generations."

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power’s first customers with Tesla Powerwall Battery got to test the system’s capabilities during recent storms. The cutting edge battery storage technology was used during this weekend’s severe storm to keep the lights on. Three customers in impacted areas were able to use the Powerwall to provide back-up power to their homes for the duration of the outage, meaning they never lost power.

A Tesla Powerwall Battery gets installed at a home in Vermont in May. GMP photos.

Lisman Ad As hardworking, over-taxed Vermonters are driving to and from work, starting tomorrow many will hear a radio ad from Bruce Lisman about Phil Scott’s call for a new mileage tax. Scott called for a mileage tax during a July 19 Vermont Public Television event in Rutland and has not back away from it at subsequent public forums. “A new mileage tax will hurt Vermonters. Residents who drive long distances to work and are struggling to make ends meet, will be punished the most,” says Bruce Lisman in the ad.

The ad will begin airing on Thursday, July 28 and be on many radio stations throughout Vermont.

To hear the ad click: http://www.lismanforvermont.com/radio_ad_vote_for_change.

Here is a transcript of the 60-second ad:

Vermont Business Magazine University of Vermont Health Network - Central Vermont Medical Center has earned the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) coveted ENERGY STAR certification, which signifies the facility performs in the top 25 percent of all hospitals nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

“We are pleased to accept the ENERGY STAR certification, in recognition of our efficiency efforts,” said CVMC Vice President of Support Services Richard Morley. “Through this achievement, we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship, lowered our energy costs and provided a healing environment for our patients, where spaces are lit and conditioned to industry best practices.”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Auditor Doug Hoffer released his review of whether certain departments of state government were performing their required employee performance review. His conclusion was that they largely were not and that some long-serving employees had never received a performance review, as required by state policy. The auditor does not have the authority to punish another department or personnel. But the departments in question agreed with Hoffer’s assessment of the situation and with his suggested remedies, some of which are already in place.

Doug Hoffer. See full report HERE.

Vermont Business Magazine Franklin Foods, the world's fastest-growing cream cheese company with a manufacturing facility in Enosburg Falls, has been recognized by Shamrock Foods as the 2016 Dairy Supplier of the Year. As one of the top 10 foodservice distributors nationwide, Shamrock Foods recognizes its supplier partners' excellence with its annual Supplier of the Year Awards, presented during the company's Supplier Summit.

The supplier awards are based on criteria including growth, profitability, service level, marketing support and compliance to industry standards such as GS1 -- a data and communication tool used for supply chain efficiency. In all, 15 supplier partners were recognized in six categories including Center of Plate, Frozen Grocery, Dairy/Cheese, Dry Grocery, Non Foods/Beverage and the overarching Supplier of the Year category.

Vermont Business Magazine Ice cream moguls Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, founders of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc, issued a statement today supporting Democrat Matt Dunne in the race for governor of Vermont.

by Lisa Ventriss, President of Vermont Business Roundtable After a tremendous amount of hard and important work by the Legislature and Administration in the last biennium around education reform, for which they deserve our recognition and appreciation, Act 46: Unification to Achieve Sustainable Governance, was signed into law in June 2015. It created immediate opportunities for school districts and supervisory unions to unify, an action which will result in better educational opportunities for students and cost effectiveness for taxpayers.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Loan Fund (VCLF) has announced the 2016 Building Bright Spaces for Bright Futures Fund (BBSFBFF) grants, with a total of $57,600 awarded to eight Vermont child care programs.

Vermont Business Magazine Lab results are back for the 477 adults and children who participated in PFOA blood draw clinics in the Bennington test area. The average PFOA level there is nearly five times the US average. The Health Department conducted eight blood test clinics in April, May and June at the Bennington District Office for people whose private drinking water was contaminated with PFOA, or who currently or formerly lived or worked at the former Chemfab site.

Overall, the results for PFOA in blood range from 0.3 to 1125.6 micrograms/Liter (µg/L). The geometric mean – a type of average – for the Bennington/North Bennington group is 10.0 µg/L, higher than 2.1 µg/L for the U.S. population. PFOA is found in the blood of most Americans.

Vermont Business Magazine Two tobacco dealers will pay Vermont a total of $69,000 for violating Vermont’s tobacco laws and Consumer Protection Act. In the spring of 2015, McIssac and Bairos New England Distribution, LLC of Avon, Massachusetts, a licensed wholesale dealer of tobacco products, sold 263 packs of Seneca cigarettes, a product that is illegal to sell in Vermont as it is not on Vermont’s tobacco directory, to Vermont retailers. 

Vermont Business Magazine Braeburn Pharmaceuticals announced today that healthcare provider training and certification for Probuphine will take place on July 29 and 30 in Burlington. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 26, 2016, Probuphine is the first implant for the maintenance treatment of opioid dependence in patients who have sustained clinical stability on low-to-moderate doses of buprenorphine, specifically 8 mg or less per day.