Current News

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (CFG) today announced that it is launching accessBUSINESS Manager, an all-in-one, fixed-price package of cash management products developed specifically for small and mid-sized businesses. This first-to-market offering provides business owners with a combination of convenience and cash management services in a bundled package.
"We listened to our Citizens Bank and Charter One customers, who told us that, above all, they were looking for simplicity, convenience and efficiency in their cash management operations," said Prabhat Vira, Head of CFG's Global Transaction Services Americas. "We developed accessBUSINESS Manager to provide both the ease-of-use they desired and the specific cash management products they need to run their businesses better and more efficiently."

In light of the recent heavy rains and continued cool, overcast weather, gardeners and commercial growers are reminded of the threat to tomatoes, potatoes, and other solanaceous vegetables from late blight. Reminiscent of 2009, the last few days have been characterized by cool temperatures and periods of rain and drizzle, conditions suitable for the development of the disease.
The Agency of Agriculture is alerting home gardeners and commercial growers of the potential of late blight this growing season. Late blight is a plant disease that spreads rapidly from plant to plant in wet, cool weather that causes tomato and potato plants, primarily, to wilt and die.

Rejecting rate increases initially sought by health insurer MVP after departmental review, BISHCA Commissioner Steve Kimbell approved new rates but only after sending MVP back to sharpen their pencils and reduce their initial request.
Kimbell said, ‘MVP’s initial rate filings reflected’inappropriately, we believe’the inherent uncertainty of reliance on high-deductible health care plans. MVP apparently misunderstood the impact of moving so aggressively toward these unpredictable product designs. Vermont businesses and individuals are not going to bear the full cost of this miscalculation.’
MVP had submitted significant rate increases for network-based insurance products, citing unforeseen performance results from new high-deductible products.
A high deductible plan requires an insured person to pay a larger amount of his or her own money for care before insurance pays any part of medical bills. The new rates go into effect July 1, 2011.

At their monthly Board last week the Directors of the Lamoille Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) approved a grant of $20,000 to the Vermont Mountain Bike Association to be used toward the continued construction of the Vermont Ride Center trail system in Stowe.
This network of trails will include Trapp Family Lodge, Sterling Valley, Stowe Town Forest and Adams Camp connecting to neighboring trail networks in Little River State Park and the Cotton Brook area of Mt. Mansfield State Forest in Moscow. When completed, it will be one of the largest mountain biking trail systems in the Northeast.
This project has been under development for 3 years and has received financial and other support from the International Mountain Bicycling Association, the Stowe Land Trust, the Town of Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge, the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation the Stowe Area Association and the Vermont Department of Tourism.

Mack Molding was named a winner of Managing Automation Communications’ prestigious 2011 Progressive Manufacturing 100 Award last week at the Manufacturing Leadership Summit, Palm Beach, FL. Mack was recognized for redefining the company as a major North American manufacturer in the new millennium.
A decade ago, amidst the throes of a recession that drove major technology OEMs to offshore manufacturing, Mack crafted a new business model that would expand its position as both a contract manufacturer for the medical market, as well as a custom plastic molder of super-large parts. With great strides being made on both of those fronts, Mack has concentrated of late on the third leg of the business model ‘ big, bulky, complex products ‘ that diversify its markets beyond medical and emphasizes its services beyond injection molding.

Attorney General William Sorrell announced today that he has joined the Attorneys General of 41 other jurisdictions (40 states and the District of Columbia) in an agreement with Circle K Stores, Inc. and Mac’s Convenience Stores LLC to enhance efforts to eliminate underage tobacco sales. The agreement, called an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance, covers about 4,000 convenience store operations in 32 states, all of which sell tobacco products. Stores covered by the agreement operate under the names Circle K, Dairymart, and On The Run. There are currently 12 stores in Vermont affected by the agreement.

Jager Di Paola Kemp Design will officially launch the Modern Mobility Movement with the opening of its Maglianero Café on May 27. The café will be located at JDK’s headquarters at 47 Maple Street in Burlington.
Michael Jager, JDK Chief Creative Officer and founder of Maglianero, describes the café as a ‘farm-direct, handcrafted’ coffee house, a commuter cycling hub, and a community gathering space. Maglianero also will offer a line of cycling apparel designed with the year-round commuter cyclist in mind.
Coffees and teas will be provided by Vermont Artisan Coffee & Tea (vtartisancoffee.com) of Waterbury, Vt a leading specialty company known for its high-quality products. Vermont Artisan’s coffees and teas are sourced ethically, often though direct relationships with small growers. Owner Mané Alves travels the world to find the best products available, and has played a key role in developing a unique coffee experience for the Maglianero Café.

Results of Vermont Electric Cooperative’s (VEC) director elections and proposed bylaw amendments were announced during the Cooperative’s Annual Meeting held in Derby on Saturday, May 21, 2011.
Incumbent District 1 Director Don Worth of Island Pond won re-election with 307 votes; challengers Ken Mason received 208 and Paul King received 75. Incumbent District 6 Director Dan Parsons of Richford ran unopposed and received 366 votes. Incumbent West Zone Director Dan Carswell of Franklin won re-election with 764 votes; challengers Robert Pearl received 262 votes, Caleb Elder 211 votes and Naomi Shaw 186 votes.
Two proposed amendments to the bylaws also passed. An amendment to add conditions and processes for removing Directors passed with 2,293 votes in favor and 314 opposed and an amendment to eliminate a requirement that regular meetings of the board of directors be held within the VEC service territory passed with 2,296 votes in favor and 325 opposed.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc, (NASDAQ: GMCR), a leader in specialty coffee and coffeemakers, today announced that the Company will be added to the NASDAQ-100 Index, effective at the start of trading on Friday, May 27, 2011. The NASDAQ-100 Index is composed of the 100 largest non-financial stocks on the NASDAQ stock market.

"I speak for all of the employees of GMCR when I say we are pleased to be added to the roster of companies that comprise the NASDAQ-100 Index," said Lawrence J Blanford, GMCR's president and CEO. "We believe this is another acknowledgement of GMCR as an enduring company that has achieved strong growth over three decades and remains guided by the synthesis of financial results, social responsibility and strong commitment to our employees."
About Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.

Merchants Bank has been recognized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as a Money Smart for Young Adults Partner for its leadership in promoting financial education for young people.
‘We are giving young adults the skills they need to succeed in today’s world,’ said Doreen Allen, Community Reinvestment Act officer at Merchants Bank and president of the Northfield branch. ‘The need for financial literacy is greater than ever.’
The Partner program applauds people and organizations who share a commitment to building young adults’ personal financial management skills. It offers a curriculum designed to help teens develop skills to become confident, productive, self-reliant adults who are able to take full advantage of mainstream financial opportunities.
Allen said the program is offered community-wide through schools, scout troops and other youth organizations.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King served up three pieces of advice to grads at Sunday's commencement ceremony: No. 1: Learn how to learn. No. 2: Relationships are everything. No. 3: Be a problem solver.
"Study history," King said, elaborating on her first point. "The more you know about history, the more you know yourself." One of Life magazine’s 100 most important Americans in the 20th century, King changed history when, in 1973, she beat former champion Bobby Riggs in The Battle of the Sexes, sending a strong message for gender equality at a time when, King noted on Sunday, women couldn't get their own credit cards.

In two short weeks, University of Vermont senior Anna Griem, was able to earn 6 units of college credit, land the internship of her dreams, and learn the business basics that would put her on track for her first job post-college. She did it with UVM Continuing & Professional Study’s ‘Business Savvy,’ an intensive course for non-business majors that teaches career-building skills.
Young job seekers face a grim reality. Last April, the unemployment rate for Americans ages 16-24 was 19.5 percent, a record high. One in four college-educated adults work in jobs unrelated to their degrees; that rate increases to 40 percent for those ages 25 and younger. However, there are signs of hope: the National Association of Colleges and Employees reported that employers anticipate hiring 13.5 percent more new college graduates in 2011 than they did in 2010.