Current News

Thirty-six candidates have submitted entries for the first round of the Fourth Annual Business Plan Competition offered by the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC). Sixteen are in the New Business category and 20 in the Existing Business category.
Contestants range from a proposed kitchen store to a naturopathic health clinic. Several finalists from previous years returned with new ideas or refined plans. Three business proposals consider using the Internet as their primary medium for interacting with customers for various forms of teaching. Other proposals include candlemakers, timber-frame builders, architects with special design offerings, a farm-based brewhouse, and a Vermont liqueur maker. There are plans to expand a drum-making business, create a new high-end audio product, expand concrete businesses, and manufacture knapsacks.

Week Ending February 28, 2009. There were 1,543 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, an increase of 242 from the week before. Altogether 18,255 new and continuing claims were filed, 822 more than a week ago and 6,891 more than a year earlier. The Department also processed 2,804 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 957 more than a week ago. In addition, there were 898 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program. The Unemployment Weekly Report can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/. Previously released Unemployment Weekly Reports and other UI reports can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/lmipub.htm#uc

Dennise Casey, Governor Douglas deputy chief of staff, has assumed the responsibilities of spokesman for the governor. His former press secretary, Stephen Wark, has accepted a position with the Department of Public Service as Manager of Special Projects. Wark will assume a leadership role in shaping the department s strategy to deploy the federal stimulus funds as well as the continuing development of the All Fuels Efficiency Program.

Governor Howard Dean -- a nationally recognized political figure, presidential candidate and six term Governor -- has agreed to serve as an independent consultant exclusive to the government affairs practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP. Governor Dean will provide guidance to clients, particularly in the areas of healthcare and alternative energy resources.
Governor Dean joins MLA following his tenure as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) where he created and implemented the "50 State Strategy." In his new role as Senior Strategic Advisor and Independent Consultant, he will use his experience running national campaigns to the benefit of states and municipalities. Governor Dean will leverage his position as a thought-leader on policy issues to the benefit of his clients in the health and energy sectors.

Vermont Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, in partnership with the Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, will present the 2009 Centennial Business Awards at the statehouse on Thursday, March 5, at 4:00 p.m.
The award acknowledges Vermont s oldest businesses for enriching the economic heritage and enhancing community life during the last century and beyond. From all across Vermont, these honored businesses represent a wide range of entrepreneurs from country stores and farms to manufacturing companies. This year 11 businesses will be honored for having survived not only into 2009 but for the past century in the competitive and often-unforgiving business landscape.

Secretary of State Deb Markowitz announced today that the Redstone offices of the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA) will be moving to the record center on Route 2 in Middlesex. The move, which will occur during the week of March 9th, is part of an ongoing effort to consolidate and improve the services of VSARA.
Last year the legislature passed a law that transferred the functions of the Public Records Division to the Archives Division of the Secretary of State s Office, said Markowitz. This creates a single, professional voice for advising agencies on the management of their records from point of creation to final disposition, thus increasing efficiency and improving service.

US Rep. Peter Welch announced Tuesday a set of staff transitions geared toward supporting his work on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, to which he was appointed in January.
Welch hired Stephanie Krenrich as Senior Legislative Assistant with a focus on health, education, housing and the environment. Mary Sprayregen, who previously served as Welch s Business Liaison in his Vermont office, has joined the Congressman s Washington office as a Legislative Assistant with a focus on business, energy, telecommunications and appropriations.
I am pleased to welcome Stephanie Krenrich to our team and Mary Sprayregen to our Washington office, Welch said. Stephanie has proven herself as an accomplished legislative assistant and brings a great deal of knowledge and experience to our office. Mary was an invaluable asset to our Vermont office and to the state s business community, and I am excited she will be joining our Washington team.

Executive Vice President Thomas S. Leavitt announced that the Merchants Bank officially celebrated the opening of their new branch, located at 929 Shelburne Road in South Burlington on Friday, February 27. The branch has been open since Tuesday, January 20 of this year. Remarks by bank officials were delivered during a ribbon-cutting ceremony and visitors enjoyed refreshments and toured the new branch. The Bank also made a $500 donation to the Humane Society of Chittenden County.

CIVCO Medical Solutions and Ascension Technology Corporation, based in Burlington, have announced a new biopsy needle localization and guidance system for minimally invasive medical procedures.
When integrated with 3D ultrasound visualization tools it enables accurate, percutaneous targeting to lesions without radiation or open surgery. The companies will show live demonstrations of the system at SIR 2009, San Diego, CA, March 7 - 12, 2009.
Ascension developed the world's smallest six degrees-of-freedom (DOF) sensor, 0.9mm in diameter, for the application. Key advantages include: inconspicuous guidance of surgical instruments, metallic immunity, and fast, simultaneous tracking of multiple sensors.

Governor Jim Douglas has announced the creation of the Office of Economic Stimulus and Recovery (ESR) to coordinate the State s use of federal funds authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Governor has tapped former Vermont Transportation Secretary and high tech entrepreneur Tom Evslin to head the Office as Chief Recovery Officer. The Office will be located in the Agency of Administration and report to Administration Secretary Neale Lunderville.
The Vermont Federal Recovery Office, which was established in January before the recovery bill became law, has been fully incorporated into ESR. Jim Bush will continue to serve in a leadership role as Director of Physical Infrastructure, responsible for oversight and delivery of the nearly $200 million in new state and local infrastructure projects.

Berlin Don George, a Barre native with more than 20 years experience in health care and health financing, has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT) and its affiliate HMO, The Vermont Health Plan (TVHP). The appointment to lead BCBSVT, which has been named by US News and World Report as one of Americas Top 50 Health Plans is effective immediately.
Mr. George, 51, had served as interim President and CEO of the state s largest health plan since the retirement of William R. Milnes, Jr., last November. He joined BCBSVT in 1993 and has held various and increasing levels of responsibility during his career with the plan. Most recently, he was Vice President of the company s Managed Health Systems division and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of TVHP.

Many banks have been hearing a common question from Vermont business owners over the past several months: Are you still lending? And the answer from many Vermont financial institutions is a resounding Yes!
By reading recent news headlines, it is understandable why business owners are asking about available financing. But while some banks might have scaled back their lending efforts, many continue to support local businesses by actively lending and providing lines of credit. And some banks, including TD Banknorth, remain financially strong and stable, enabling them to maintain lending.