Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Applications are now being accepted for the 2016 Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence. The annual awards honor the actions taken by Vermonters to conserve and protect natural resources, prevent pollution and promote sustainability. Applications must be received electronically, no later than Monday, February 1, 2016.

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermont's peregrines make their way to somewhat warmer and more food-filled places for the winter, we reflect on the 2015 breeding season, where Vermont's population reached a new all-time record high of 49 breeding pairs and produced a new record of 67 fledglings.

Vermont Business Magazine City Market, a Member-owned cooperative, has declared their annual Patronage Refund to Members, one of the tangible benefits of Co-op Membership. Member purchases totaled almost 68% of Co-op sales in fiscal year 2015, and the City Market Board of Directors has voted to return over $926,000 in cash to Members as this year’s Patronage Refund. On November 6, the Co-op mailed checks to 11,280 Members, with an average check of $82. Almost four cents of every dollar eligible Members spent is being refunded.

Vermont Business Magazine A national rating firm has released growth and investment results for counties across the United States. Chittenden County's GDP growth was highest in Vermont at just under 1 percent. Meanwhile, Los Angeles County ranked higest with 100 percent (doubled its GDP). In a new list of places experiencing the most growth in their local economy released by New York financial technology company SmartAsset, counties were measured by change in the local GDP over a four-year period. Business growth nationally was 0.4 percent.

Top 10 Vermont Counties GDP Growth

Vermont Business Magazine Installed Building Products, Inc (NYSE: IBP), an industry-leading installer of insulation and complementary building products, has announced the acquisition of the Overhead Door Company of Burlington, Inc operating as the Overhead Door Company of Burlington and the Overhead Door Company of Concord. OHD is a well-established 54 year old company with locations in Burlington, VT and Concord, NH. OHD’s focus is installing and servicing garage doors, as well as providing fulfillment services for windows, interior and exterior doors, and molding. The company services commercial and residential customers with approximately 70% of sales from new construction.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) issued this statement on Tuesday for Veterans Day: "It is fitting that on the eve of Veterans Day, the Senate passed an annual VA funding bill that takes further steps toward fulfilling our commitment to those who have served and sacrificed for this nation, for each of us. There is much that is good in this bill. These budget gains are not enough, but they are an improvement, and they will make a difference. Budgets are a reflection of our priorities. Honoring our commitments to America’s veterans must always be a top priority – every year, and always. On Veterans Day, and on every other day, let us always pause to remember. Let us strive to honor and thank these brave men and women and their families for their sacrifices. And let us fulfill our own sacred obligation to care for them when they have returned home to us."

Vermont Business Magazine KeyBank has announced that it has earned the 2016 Military Friendly® Employer and Military Spouse Friendly Employer® designation by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs® and Military Spouse. Companies competed for the elite Military Friendly® Employer title by completing a data-driven survey, with data independently tested by EY (Ernst & Young) based upon the weightings and methodology established by Victory Media and its Advisory Board. Criteria for the survey included a benchmark score across key programs and policies, such as the strength of company military recruiting efforts, percentage of new hires with prior military service, retention programs for veterans, and company policies on National Guard and Reserve service.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College announces that truED® has signed alliances with more than 60 leading government and industry organizations who share a deep commitment to learning as a means to remain competitive, improve employee retention and enhance recruitment. Through truED, employees of alliance organizations access Champlain College’s nationally ranked post-secondary online degrees and certificates tailored specifically to adult professionals at up to 70 percent less than the standard tuition rates through affordable monthly payments.

Vermont Business Magazine More than a month following the October 1 EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) liability shift for businesses, just 41 percent of small businesses have installed EMV chip-enabled payment terminals, according to new research from TD Bank. An additional 40 percent of small business owners (SBOs) say they plan to switch to the new technology soon, but indicated they have obstacles with or concerns about making the conversion. The remaining respondents said they either do not plan to install EMV (10 percent) or they are not aware of the new compliance rules regarding payment terminals (9 percent).

Vermont Business Magazine Each year, VSECU members direct $20,000 to Vermont charities through the member directed giving program, We Care 2. Now through the end of the month, VSECU, a credit union for everybody in Vermont, is accepting We Care 2 applications from organizations seeking funding to help impact issues of food, shelter, heat, or financial education for Vermonters.

Vermont Business Magazine Six months after signing the historic education reform law known as Act 46, Governor Peter Shumlin today highlighted its early success in sparking local conversations statewide about how to enhance educational quality for Vermont’s kids. The governor made the announcement at Essex High School a week after voters from the towns of Essex, Essex Junction, and Westford voted to streamline their governance structure, forming one unified district to serve 10 schools in the three communities. The unification was the first under Act 46 and reduces the number of schoolboards from five to one and superintendents from two to one.

The governor was joined for the announcement by House Speaker Shap Smith, Chairman of the House Education Committee Dave Sharpe, Essex Rep. Tim Jerman, Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe, local schoolboard members, students, and others.

Vermont Business Magazine Moody’s Investors Service on Monday upgraded the Burlington Electric Department’s credit rating to Baa1 from Baa2, citing BED’s renewable and reliable power supply, energy efficiency measures, and proactive strategic planning by BED management as important factors for the boost.