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With the June 30th retirement of CEO William Catto, President Dan Bridge will take on the Chief Executive role. Current Senior Vice President Mark McDonnell will elevate to the number two position in the organization and partner with Bridge to lead the company.

“This completes a well-planned leadership transition that began several years ago”, said Bridge. “Since joining the company in 2014, Mark has made significant contributions to our organization and I look forward to partnering with him as we move the company forward.”

Bridge continued “I think I speak for both Mark and myself when I say we are excited about the future of this organization. We are fortunate to work with an exceptional team here at Vermont Mutual, comprised of both our dedicated employees and our agency partners.”

TThe United States Supreme Court on Thursday granted Vermont’s request to review a lower court decision regarding VHCURES, Vermont’s all-payer health care database. VHCURES is an important repository of health care claims information, which Vermont uses to assess health care costs, access, and quality. The Green Mountain Care Board administers VHCURES and requires all health care payers (including private insurers and plan administrators) to provide de-identified claims data for this database.

Mayor Miro Weinberger today announced that Chief of Staff Mike Kanarick will be leaving the Mayor’s Office after serving in City Hall since Weinberger became Mayor more than three years ago. Kanarick has accepted a position with the Burlington Electric Department where he will serve as Director of Customer Engagement and Communications, effective July 6. The mayor also announced that Brian Lowe will be promoted to the Chief of Staff position after having served for nearly two years as Mayoral Projects Coordinator, and Jen Kaulius will be promoted from her current scheduler and assistant role in which she has served for more than three years to the position being vacated by Lowe.

From left, Weinberger, Kaulius, Kanarick and Lowe. Courtesy photo.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine The patent on the silicon-based integrated circuit was barely five years old when an IBM manager called into his office in East Fishkill, NY, a small group of his best young engineers. This was 50 years ago almost exactly, in the spring of 1965, and he wanted them to try and use ICs for memory. To that point they’d only been used for logic. IBM was developing an important computer for the National Security Agency and VP of Engineering Eric Bloch asked his engineers to see if ICs could be used for one small component. If not, he told them, he’d use something else for the system protect.

RELATED STORY: GlobalFoundries completes acquisition of IBM Microelectronics business, July 1, 2015

Chroma Technology Corp, based in Bellows Falls, has received an award for workplace safety from workers’ compensation insurer MEMIC. Only eight, out of more than 20,000 policyholders, were honored with a safety award at MEMIC’s Annual Meeting. Chroma Technology Corp is an employee-owned manufacturer of optical filters.

“Chroma Technology Corp. has a best practice injury prevention program that gets incredible results year after year,” said its MEMIC safety management consultant, Eric Grant. “Chroma Technology Corp. has taken proactive, self-directed approaches to reducing non-value added tasks, human touches and ergonomic risk factors.” The company has invested in robotic processes and automation that eliminate risk factors and prevent injuries.

Attorney General William H Sorrell has announced that Jennifer Newsome, age 50, of Ludlow, Vermont, was arraigned on June 23, 2015, in Vermont Superior Court for Windsor County on two felony counts of Medicaid Fraud and three felony counts of False Pretenses. The court imposed conditions of release governing Ms. Newsome’s conduct while the case is pending.

by Mike Smith The pathway to the presidency often hinges on the south. This is particularly true for Republicans, but Democrats too must be competitive in key southern states like North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia to win the presidency. That is why, for years, both parties tap-danced around removing the Confederate battle flag from public property and condemning it for what it has become — a symbol of racism. For years, presidential candidates have either said nothing or avoided taking a definitive stance that might anger some southerners. Often they would say that flying a Confederate battle flag was a state issue rather than a federal one. But racism is a national issue.

by Amy Ash Nixon vtdigger.org Superintendents and school board leaders representing 23 supervisory unions in Vermont flocked to Montpelier last week, seeking guidance on how to begin tackling Act 46 – the new education governance reform law which calls for larger school districts to be formed.

The new law pushes the state’s 277 school districts to partner with nearby districts in order to forge larger school systems of at least 900 pupils.

Ben & Jerry’s is celebrating Friday’s landmark decision from the United States Supreme Court making same-sex marriage a basic right for all Americans. Known for taking a stance with its values as much as its euphoric flavors and cleverly named products, Ben & Jerry’s is commemorating the Supreme Court decision by renaming its iconic Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream: “I Dough, I Dough.” I Dough, I Dough will be available in a special commemorative pint sleeve at participating scoop shops for a limited time.

After 20 hours at the bargaining table beginning Friday and continuing into Saturday morning, nurses from the Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals reached a tentative agreement to settle their contract with the management of UVM Medical Center. Nurses will hold their ratification vote over the next week. Nurses won improvements in key areas areas including professional education, wages and scheduling.

"These are issues that we've been fighting for for years. This is a good agreement. It's a relief to settle this contract so we can get back to our patients." said Laurie Aunchman, acting President of the union.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims in Vermont increased by more than 300 and spiked for the first time since early May. Claims had been down to their typically low summer level. There were 761 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont, an increase of 366 from the previous week's total and 34 fewer than they were a year ago. Generally, claims have been running below last year's totals.

During its 20-plus year history Woodstock Farmers’ Market’s (WFM) success has rested on sure and steady growth. What began as a seasonal farmstand has morphed into an integral local favorite food mecca as well as a nationally recognized year round specialty food market. Through the years there remained a missing link – the bakery department. Now thanks to some key culinary professionals the sweet smell of success prevails throughout the market.

“Our popular bakery department makes us totally unique in the Upper Valley area,” explained Executive Chef Lisa Battilana. “We make all of our baked goods in-house according to our standards and to our customers expectations of quality and service. Our bakery department makes everything from fine European pastries to traditional peach, apple and blueberry cobblers made with local seasonal fruits.”