Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Modern Healthcare magazine has ranked the Brattleboro Retreat as number 14 on its 2014 list of the 15 largest behavioral health providers in the United States.

The rankings are reflective of net patient revenue in 2012 based on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Cost report data. This is the first time the Retreat has appeared on the list.

The Retreat’s net patient revenue in 2012 was $53 million. Though not captured in the report, that number increased an additional nine percent in 2013.

Today, the US EPA recognized three organizations and/or individuals from Vermont at the 2014 Environmental Merit Awards ceremony. The Vermont awardees were among 26 recipients across New England honored for contributing to improving New England’s environment.

Each year EPA’s New England office recognizes individuals and groups whose work has protected or improved the region’s environment in distinct ways. The merit awards, given out since 1970, honor individuals and groups who have shown particular ingenuity and commitment in their efforts.

“We extend our congratulations and gratitude to this year’s Environmental Merit Award winners, who are helping to ensure a cleaner environment and healthier communities here in New England,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “In addition to iconic natural beauty and vibrant communities, New England is fortunate to have citizens who care deeply about the environment we share.”

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Tuesday celebrated Earth Day by announcing record support for 116 projects that will improve water and wastewater services for rural Americans and benefit the environment. Two Vermont towns, Plainfield and Lyndon, will receive a total of $1.4 million to help the communities install new water lines and make wastewater system upgrades.

“Having reliable, clean and safe water is essential for any community to thrive and grow,” Vilsack said. “I am proud that USDA helps build rural communities from the ground up by supporting water and wastewater infrastructure projects like these. I’m especially proud that we can help communities that are struggling economically and those that have urgent health and safety concerns due to their failing or inadequate utility systems.”

Business leaders at 91 Vermont worksites received awards March 27 for their onsite efforts to promote physical fitness and a healthy work-life balance. Governor Peter Shumlin, state health commissioner Harry Chen, and Janet Franz, chair of the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, presented the awards. More than 300 people attended the ceremony at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Burlington.

Through the awards, the council acknowledges efforts made to enhance productivity, bolster a healthy environment, and improve the lives of Vermont citizens.

During the ceremony, Governor Shumlin expressed his support for Vermont companies that understand that a fit workforce leads to a stronger community and a robust state.

The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) Eighth Commencement Ceremony takes place on Saturday, May 17 at 11am, at Northern Stage Theater (at the Briggs Opera House) in White River Junction, Vermont. This year’s speaker is the creator of the bestselling Amulet series and illustrator of the Harry Potter book covers, cartoonist Kazu Kibuishi. A special opening reception for the Thesis Exhibition, featuring the graduating students’ original artwork, will take place immediately following the ceremony. All events are free and open to the public.

What: 2014 Commencement Ceremony, with guest speaker Kazu Kibuishi.

Vermont Business Magazine NG Advantage LLC has been trucking compressed natural gas (CNG) to large institutions and industrial customers not located on a gas pipeline since March 2013 from its first compressor station in Milton, Vermont. NG Advantage uses its “virtual pipeline” of 27 tanker trailers to deliver 24/7/365 to customers in Vermont, New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts.

To date the company’s customers have saved the environment from 31,643, 857 lbs. of CO2 emissions by replacing their legacy fuel oil and propane with cleaner, less expensive, American natural gas. Moreover these customers have almost eliminated dangerous sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, and particulate emissions.

by Morgan True vtdigger.org Attempts by the state auditor to determine whether Vermont is getting a good deal on prescription drug benefits offered through the state employees’ health plan have been stymied by the contract’s language.

“We explored the possibility of auditing the Express Scripts contract with the State but found that certain contract language prohibited us from accessing the information necessary,” State Auditor Doug Hoffer wrote in an email to lawmakers on the House Health Care Committee.

Doug Hoffer

Fletcher Allen Earns Governor’s Gold Award for Worksite Wellness

Burlington, VT — Fletcher Allen has been chosen for a Gold Worksite Wellness Award from the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for the company’s extensive efforts to improve employee health. State Health Commissioner Harry Chen presented the award to Fletcher Allen president and CEO John Brumsted, MD at the annual Fletcher Allen Quality Forum on April 17.

The award recognizes leadership support for wellness initiatives that engaged 35 percent of Fletcher Allen’s 7,200 employees. Key elements of the program included tobacco cessation, fitness challenges and testing of basic health indicators like blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

The Lake Region Union High School FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) will be headed to Nashville for the National Conference.

Lake Region Union High School FBLA members gather round for the Business Person of the Year presentation to Claudio Fort, President & CEO, North Country Hospital. Front row L to R – Sydney Whipple, Morgan Mason, Katie Menard, Claudio Fort, Grace Miller, Keshia Paddleford, Betsy Calhoun (FBLA Advisor); Back row Ryan Steeter, Andre Messier (LRUHS Principal). Photo courtesy of North Country Hospital.

Last month the group nominated Claudio Fort, President & CEO of North Country Hospital, and Vermont FBLA selected him as Business Person of the Year. His name will be entered as the Vermont nominee at the National Conference.

The Public Assets Institute, based in Montpelier, is developing a series of charts depicting proposed Vermont state spending for fiscal 2015. It tracks the annual appropriations bill makes its way through the Vermont General Assembly, from the governor’s recommendation in early January to the final House and Senate compromise passed on the last day of the session.

Vermont Business Magazine In response to several proposals to transmit energy from Vermont’s north and west to markets in southern New England, the Renewable Energy Vermont board of directors last week announced its support of a “Green Energy Corridor.”

While REV has not endorsed any specific proposal, the trade association said it favors projects that:

Berkshire Bank and its two charitable foundations contributed $196,599 to local United Way organizations as part of its 2014 workplace campaign. The money raised includes corporate donations from the two foundations of $77,500, employee contributions of $85,390 and matching donations of $33,709.