Current News

A new program at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) is attracting podiatry students from across the country who want to train with an outstanding medical staff in a rural hospital. The new podiatry surgical residency program, which launched earlier this year, began with two recent graduates, Dr Vu Nguyen from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA, and Dr Michael Banh from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.

The two newly minted podiatrists will work closely during their three-year stint with Dr William Sarchino, the program director. Dr. Sarchino is a local podiatrist based in Bennington and Greenwich, N.Y. He is a member of American Podiatric Medical Association, a fellow of the American Academy of Wound Healing, and is the president of the American College of Lower Extremity Surgeons. Sarchino, who has taught in England and holds a medical license there, also is a well-known author of scientific papers on podiatric surgery.

American Beer Day returns on October 27th to honor the nation’s favorite cold beverage and celebrate US brewers who have perfected their craft from coast to coast. To help guide thirsty patriots as they seek to imbibe, Roomkey.com has listed its top destinations for craft beer, from Portland, Oregon to Burlington, Vermont. Each brew city on the list boasts exceptional breweries, offering locals and travelers alike the opportunity to enjoy uniquely American creations.

Roomkey.com’s top seven craft beer destinations are:

Burlington, VT

This sleepy college town has the most breweries per capita with just over two dozen filling the area. Magic Hat Brewing Company is one of the most recognized, and is a great place to check out beer being brewed.

Denver, CO

Vermont will receive $90,000 from Lead Concepts, Inc, a company based in Grapevine, Texas, that generated leads for insurance agents by sending direct mailings to Vermonters, many of them elderly, asking them to return postcards with their age and spouse’s name and age, without explaining how the information would be used. Such activity is a violation of state and federal law. Under the settlement, Lead Concepts will pay the State $90,000 and be required to clearly disclose the purpose of its mailings in the future.

According to Attorney General William Sorrell, the settlement reflects his commitment to ensuring that personal information is not obtained for commercial reasons from seniors and other Vermonters without their informed consent. “Privacy is a core value in Vermont, and I will vigorously enforce the law to protect it,” he said.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine IBM (NYSE: IBM) and GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced that they have signed a Definitive Agreement under which GLOBALFOUNDRIES plans to acquire IBM's global commercial semiconductor technology business, including intellectual property, workers and technologies related to IBM Microelectronics, subject to completion of applicable regulatory reviews. IBM will pay GLOBALFOUNDRIES $1.5 billion and in return receive some service contracts. The deal includes the Vermont plant in Essex Junction and essentially all of its employees. Governor Peter Shumlin said that he has spoken with GLOBALFOUNDRIES officials and they have told him they plan to keep the plant and employees as is.

The Vermont Technology Alliance, an industry trade group representing Vermont’s tech businesses, is proud to announce the finalists of the 2014 Vermont Tech Jam Awards, sponsored by Merchants Bank. There are two awards: The Innovation Award is presented to the individual or business with the most innovative new product, application of technology, or way of doing business. The Ambassador Award is presented to an individual or business whose leadership and actions positively represent Vermont as a home for technology business, and whose efforts help put Vermont “on the map” as a place for technology businesses to start, succeed and grow. Tech Jam is October 24 and 25 , held at Memorial Auditorium in Burlington, and is free to attend.

Lake Champlain has received yet another world-class fishing designation. Renowned fishing media outlet, World Fishing Network, ranks Lake Champlain one of the seven best smallmouth bass lakes in North America. The ranking, which was first reported on WFN’s website, describes Lake Champlain as “perhaps the best lake in all of North America for both quality largemouth and smallmouth bass.”

“This reinforces what Vermonters have known for years, that Lake Champlain has some of the best bass fishing anywhere,” said Vermont Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter. “Not only does the big lake have some of the best fishing, it also offers some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere, especially at this time of year.”

EPA awards Healthy Communities Grants to 14 community-based projects across New England, including two for Vermont. The grant funds for New England total about $340,637 that will go towards community projects addressing environmental and public health issues in New England. EPA’s Healthy Communities Grant Program brings together discretionary funding across many different programs to fund community projects that reduce environmental risks, protect and improve human health, improve the quality of life, and advance resilience.

This year there were a large number of applicants for Healthy Communities Grants. There were initially 70 submissions for applications. This year EPA selected 14 projects to receive grants totaling $340,637.

Renewable Energy Vermont (REV) recognized four Vermonters for their outstanding efforts promoting renewable energy business this year at Renewable Energy 2014: “Leading the Change in Energy,” an annual renewable energy conference. RE2014 is Vermont’s annual convention bringing together key players in the clean energy sector. The conference was held Thursday and Friday at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Burlington.

Governor Shumlin speaks at RE2014 Friday. Photo by James K Buck.

One of Vermont’s most picturesque ski towns is now considered one of the nation’s most tech-friendly towns, according to Google. Google has named Stowe as the 2014 eCity for the State of Vermont. The eCity Awards recognize the strongest online business communities in all 50 states. The businesses in these communities are embracing the web to find new customers, connect with existing clients and fueling their local economies. Stowe joins the ranks of America’s leading cities in the digital economy.

“Stowe serves as a prime example of how innovation and growth in e-commerce can successfully contribute to bolstering economic progress and competitiveness,” said Matt Dunne, Head of Google Community Affairs. “Google is proud to recognize Stowe’s accomplishment, and the role it plays in creating Vermont jobs.”

Keurig Green Mountain, Inc, today announced it has received notification from The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it is closing the previously disclosed four-year inquiry into accounting and disclosure matters at the Company and would not be recommending any enforcement action against the Company or any of its current or former employees.

"Since 2010, we have voluntarily cooperated with the government in an open and fulsome manner and we are very pleased to have this matter closed," said Brian Kelley, Keurig's President and CEO. "Throughout this time, every Keurig employee stayed focused on delivering innovative beverage solutions that consumers embrace as part of their daily routines. This led to exceptional quality, convenience and choice for consumers, with more than 275 beverage varieties and over 50 brands in the Keurig brand family."

About Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.

Vermont will receive $83,000 of a settlement state attorneys general reached with TD Bank that resolves a 2012 data breach that affected almost 16,000 Vermont consumers. The breach involved the loss of two unencrypted backup tapes containing 1.4 million files that had been accumulated over eight to ten years. The files contained a variety of personal information belonging to some 260,000 TD Bank customers nationwide.

“Vermont is committed to protecting the privacy of consumer information, whether held by a small retailer or a national bank. The most important things a business can do once it’s suffered a breach are to remedy the problem and get notice out as quickly as possible,” Attorney General Sorrell said. Though the breach occurred in March 2012, notice was not given to consumers or the Attorneys General until October 2012, almost seven months later.

Vermont Business Magazine The cost of decommissioning the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon is estimated to be $1.24 billion, the onsite storage of the spent nuclear fuel should be completed by 2020 and the plant will be put into SAFSTOR for an undisclosed period of time before the site is returned to a "green field" status, according to the plant's owner. Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee has submitted its site assessment study for the decommissioning of the nuclear facility to the State of Vermont’s Public Service Department, Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Health, and Public Service Board.