Current News
by tim
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE: Sept. 11,
2008
CONTACT: Lisa Ventriss, President, Vermont
Business Roundtable, 802-865-0410; Tim Volk, Chair, Vermont Business Roundtable,
802-862-8261.
Business
Roundtable Releases Third Quarter CEO
Survey
(So. Burlington, Vt.) The
chief executives of Vermont’s leading businesses are cautious about sales
prospects for the fall and winter, but they continue to invest in the state’s
economy hoping for the business climate to improve. The mood of the business community was
assessed in the middle of the third quarter and released today by Vermont
Business Roundtable Chairman Tim Volk and President Lisa
Ventriss.
“Clearly the expectations of the business community for robust economic
activity have fallen since our last survey in late 2006,” Ventriss said. “These expectations seem to mirror the
by tim
Week Ending September 6, 2008
There were 575 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, a decrease of 31 from the week before. Altogether 6,030 new and continuing claims were filed, 989 less than a week ago and 1,626 more than a year earlier. In addition, the Department processed 1,778 claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008, a decrease of 23 from last week.
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
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VBSR Builds Bridge Between Vermont Businesses and College Students
Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) announced that the Vermont Department of Labor has renewed a grant that funds a program to connect students approaching graduation from Vermont colleges and universities to exciting job opportunities with member companies. VBSRs Internship Program helps member businesses define intern positions and then finds qualified students who are interested in learning more about similar career positions. A recent survey of U.S. employers showed that 62% of college hires last year had held internships and that 31% of new college hires had come directly through an internship program.
by tim
September 11, 2008
Business Roundtable Releases Third Quarter CEO Survey
(South Burlington) The chief executives of Vermont's leading businesses are cautious about sales prospects for the fall and winter, but they continue to invest in the state's economy hoping for the business climate to improve. The mood of the business community was assessed in the middle of the third quarter and released today by Vermont Business Roundtable Chairman Tim Volk and President Lisa Ventriss.
"Clearly the expectations of the business community for robust economic activity have fallen since our last survey in late 2006," Ventriss said. "These expectations seem to mirror the nationwide economic slowdown and gloomy predictions for the New England economy."
by tim
Vermont Woodworking School Expansion Project
Receives USDA Grant for Bio-Mass Furnace
The USDA has awarded Fairfax Woodworking, LLC an energy-efficiency grant to install a bio-mass furnace at its Vermont Woodworking School VWS expansion project. The school is moving from its industrial park location in Colchester to a 15,000 square foot red barn in Fairfax just 4 miles west of Cambridge on Route 104. As part of this expansion, this three-story cattle barn that was being used as a venue to sell books and other thrift items is receiving an energy efficient fit-up and will be a modern shop for woodworking students and residents.
Fairfax Woodworking, LLC is managing the renovation project in consultation with Efficiency Vermont and Vermont Department of Historic Preservation. In addition to the bio-mass furnace, the project will use closed cell foam insulation, energy efficient lighting, and radiant heat flooring.
by tim
Governor Douglas Expands Food Assistance Eligibility
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League of Women Voters & Vermont Business Roundtable
Host Discussion on Health Care in Vermont
BURLINGTON - This month, the League of Women Voters of the Champlain Valley and the Vermont Business Roundtable will tackle the issue of health care with a panel discussion and Q&A session entitled, "The Road to Health Care: Paved with Good Intentions." The event will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 7 - 8:30 p.m., at Speeder & Earl's Coffee, 412 Pine St. This event is free and open to the public.
Panelists include:
* Craig Jones, MD, director of the Vermont Blueprint for Health - a vision, a plan and a statewide partnership to improve health and the health care system for Vermonters
* Dan Johnson, principal of Hickok & Boardman Group Benefits, member of the Vermont Business Roundtable Health Care Working Group and board member of the Vermont Program for Quality Health Care
by tim
NORTH FERRISBURGH, Vt. - John Anderson, a longtime Vermont architect who has been honored for his creative commercial and residential designs, has shifted gears to concentrate on the broad range of artwork that he creates. Anderson has launched a new Web site at www.johnandersonstudio.com to highlight this change in focus.
The new Web site features art that Anderson created over the last two decades, including mixed medium drawings and sketches, murals, photo collages, 3-D paper designs and photography. Some of the artwork relates to architecture and construction, while other pieces reflect Andersons travels over the years. The artwork ranges in size from the 15-inch-wide Paper as a 3D Object series to 28-foot-long murals.
by tim
The purpose of the Legislative Report Card is to clearly and succinctly depict the positions of Vermont's 180 legislators on important business issues. The Vermont Chamber works closely with members of all political parties to champion legislation that will help businesses prosper and stay in Vermont.
According to Duane Marsh, "We have found that many of our issues, the business communities, are the same issues facing all Vermonters - property taxes, roads and bridges, healthcare, and the cost of living within the state. With the current economic climate, it is even more important that business owners and all Vermonters understand how their legislators voted on the issues that affect their daily life."
www.vtchamber.com
Vermont Chamber of Commerce | Legislative Report Card
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by tim
Vermont's $182.9 Million Judgment on Behalf of Claimants and Creditors of Ambassador Insurance Co. Upheld on Appeal
Montpelier, Vermont --
(September 10, 2008) The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion yesterday upholding a judgment of $182.9 million against PriceWaterhouseCoopers in favor of the courtappointed Receiver for Ambassador Insurance Co., Paulette J. Thabault, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration (BISHCA). Ambassador Insurance Co. (a Vermont domiciled surplus lines insurance company with headquarters in New Jersey) was seized in 1983 and placed into court-supervised rehabilitation and subsequent liquidation as a result of its insolvency. Since that time, the principal obligation of the Commissioner as Receiver has been to collect and distribute assets under court supervision in order to pay the rightful claims of persons insured and owed money by Ambassador.
by tim
Clean and Clear offers ecosystem restoration grants
WATERBURY (September 9, 2008)- Governor Jim Douglas announced today that the Center for Clean and Clear at the Agency of Natural Resources is making up to $500,000 in grants available for its Ecosystem Restoration Program.
Governor Douglas said the newly expanded program broadens the range of eligible projects to more fully encompass the multitude of strategies and techniques available for improving water quality in the state, with special emphasis on reducing phosphorus and sediment pollution associated with wet weather runoff.
"These grants will help our watershed partners do the work that improves water quality town by town across Vermont," said Julie Moore, director of the Center for Clean and Clear. "The improvements we make on land have direct impacts on protecting our rivers, streams, ponds and lakes."
by tim
ROTARY TO SPONSOR TRIP FOR 4 TO TAIWAN
Group Study Exchange Program for Local Professionals
In its ongoing effort to support cultural and professional exchange, the local Rotary will be sponsoring an all-expense paid, month-long paid trip to Taiwan. Four individuals from the ages of 25 to 40 living in Vermont, New Hampshire or Quebec will be selected to participate in the international professional and cultural exchange program. Rotary's District 7850 will sponsors the trip to Taiwan which will be conducted during the spring of 2009 with participants traveling to half of northern Taiwan and a third of central Taiwan.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for international social and occupational networking," stated Sara Sprayregen, Director of the Group Study Exchange Program. "It will truly promote understanding and goodwill between our countries."