Current News

Vermont Business Magazine KSV, the Burlington, Vermont-based integrated agency, has joined forces with Canopy Brand Group in New York City to expand its depth of services for clients in the Northeast and throughout the country. The merged agency – which will do business as KSV – strengthens KSV’s already robust marketing firepower while bringing together senior leadership and a team of 55 passionate thinkers with impressive branding, creative, media, and activation credentials.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin announced today that he will appoint attorney Kirstin Schoonover, presently of Vermont Legal Aid, Inc, to the Vermont trial bench. Schoonover fills the seat left open by the appointment of Judge Harold “Duke” Eaton, Jr, to serve on the Vermont Supreme Court. Schoonover has advocated on behalf of low-income Vermonters at Legal Aid since 2007. Previously she worked as a public defender in the Chittenden County Public Defender’s Office and as an Assistant Attorney General handling appellate and trial court cases for the Department for Children and Families.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College, based in Burlington, is included in the 2016 edition of the Princeton Review's annual college guide, "The Best 380 Colleges," published Tuesday, August 4. "We are very pleased that The Princeton Review and other publications continue to include Champlain College as one of the top colleges in the nation," noted Catherine O'Rourke, vice president of Enrollment Management at Champlain.

Vermont Business Magazine Employment in Vermont’s only large county, Chittenden, increased 1.3 percent from December 2013 to December 2014, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday. All 13 smaller counties in Vermont had average weekly wages below the national average. Regional Commissioner Deborah A Brown noted that the average weekly wage in Chittenden County rose 3.9 percent from the fourth quarter of 2013 to the fourth quarter of 2014, to $1,032. The US average was 3.5 percent. Nationally, employment increased 2.2 percent from December 2013 to December 2014, as 319 of the 339 largest counties registered increases.

Employment in Chittenden County was 101,554 in December 2014, accounting for 32.6 percent of employment statewide. Nationwide, the 339 largest counties accounted for 72.1 percent of total US employment.

by Bill Schubart I’m not one to spoil a party but I remain puzzled by Castleton’s decision to become a university. It’s a fine school and President Wolk deserves kudos for making it so, but times are changing and so must higher ed. Aspirational renaming won’t make this happen. If the goal is to attract full-tuition payers from the Mid- and Far-East, that ship has sailed. Yes, foreign elites still clamor to get into our best colleges and do, but China is now building more than a hundred colleges on the Stanford and MIT model and if we don’t address our own high ed issues, our grandchildren may be going to college over there.

Vermont Business Magazine The City of Rutland Vermont was just awarded a national prize from the US Small Business Administration (SBA) in recognition of the City’s recent pledge to streamline and automate its business licensing and permitting process, thus making it simpler and more efficient for a new business to begin operations within the City. Burlington was the only other winner from Vermont. They were among 27 municipalities selected nationally to receive the $50,000 cash prize award. Many of the other award recipients were much larger cities such as Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC. The total prize money was $1.6 million.

Vermont Business Magazine The Addison Rutland Natural Gas Project (ARNGP) is slated to bring millions of dollars in economic benefits to Vermont over the next 20 years and beyond. According to Vermont Gas System, mainline construction is continuing on the 41-mile project that promises an affordable, clean energy choice for Vermont families and businesses. With the construction also come job opportunities and a boost to the local economy. Michels Corporation, a Wisconsin-based family-owned company, has announced it will hire up to 50 percent of the needed labor force within the area of the signatory Pipeline Contractors Association (PLCA) local unions. The company is also committed to purchasing needed construction materials through local vendors during the construction season, wherever possible.

Vermont Business Magazine Ledyard Financial Group, Inc (ticker symbol LFGP), the holding company for Ledyard National Bank with branches in New Hampshire and Vermont, today reported quarterly earnings for the second quarter of 2015. Net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2015, was $1,021,601 or $1.00 per share compared to $987,650 or $0.97 per share for the same period in 2014, an increase of $33,951 or 3%. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2015 was $2,141,281 or $2.09 per share compared to $1,925,956 or $1.90 per share for the same period in 2014, an increase of $212,325 or 11%. The strength of our core businesses continues to drive improvement in our operating results and returns to our shareholders.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights (Committee) will convene a public meeting to examine the persistence of housing discrimination in Vermont. Forty-seven years ago President Lyndon Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act of 1968 (FHA), a federal law aimed at ending blatant housing discrimination against African Americans. The law also proscribes housing discrimination based on national origin, religion, sex, familial status and disability.

What: Briefing of the Vermont Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
When: Monday, August 10, 2015 10:00 a.m.
Where: Vermont State House 115 State Street Montpelier, VT 05633-5301

Vermont Business Magazine From Franklin to Windham, from Bennington to Orleans, Vermont’s 14 counties have a rich history of unique people, special places and roots sunk deep in the Vermont soil. Over three very special Thursday evenings beginning August 6th, Vermont PBS will be serving up a historical snapshot of each and every county in the state. Life in Vermont’s Counties uses archival footage and photos, interviews with residents – and a rich sense of place – to describe local life and historical highlights of Vermont's 14 counties.

The series of 14 films were all produced, over a period of several years, by students in Senator Bill Doyle’s history class at Johnson State College, in collaboration with Waterbury, Vt., filmmaker Vince Franke of Peregrine Productions. Each film brings to life the history, the stories and the characters that help to define Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin, Barre Mayor Thom Lauzon, and the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) today announced a loan program to assist Vermont owners of rental housing properties damaged by the July 2015 flooding that affected Barre, Plainfield, and surrounding areas. While businesses and homeowners have access to flood assistance programs, non-occupier owners of rental properties fall through a gap. The program announced today is designed to give those individuals assistance as they work to rebuild from the flooding.

“I’m always amazed at the resilience of Vermont communities after the flood waters recede and it’s time to rebuild,” Shumlin said. “As Vermonters we come together to help our neighbors recover and this program is one way we are doing that.”

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Vermont Business Magazine The honoree for Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s 2015 Health Care Leadership Award is Richard "Dick" Guerrero, MD. Roby Harrington, III is the recipient of SVHC’s 2015 Distinguished Community Service Award. Every September, SVHC presents the Vision Awards at the Harvest Ball, an event sponsored by the SVHC Foundation. The ball will take place on Saturday, September 12 at the 1768 Hubbell Homestead at Colgate Park in Bennington. This year, SVHC will honor Guerrero and Harrington, a physician and a community member, for their efforts to advance the health system’s vision of healthier communities.

“Dr. Guerrero and Mr. Harrington are truly deserving of these honors,” said Thomas A. Dee, FACHE, president and CEO of SVHC. “Both men use their extensive experience to help guide this organization and this community through complex times toward an even healthier future. We are truly grateful for their contributions.”