Current News

Alice Christian, MPA, of Colchester has been named executive director of the Champlain Valley Area Health Education Center (CVAHEC), announces Patricia Donehower, MSN, RN, chair of the Board of Directors. She succeeds Fran Joseph, who ably led the organization for two years before resigning in August.

We feel very fortunate to have Alice taking the leadership role at CVAHEC and carrying on the mission of recruitment, retention and healthcare initiatives to meet the healthcare workforce needs for Vermonters. Alice will lead an experienced team in the St. Albans office and adds her wonderful skill, passion and commitment to our workforce.

REGISTER ONLINE NOW AT www.exterusfurniture.com or www.exterusbusiness.com

Exterus Technology for Business and Exterus Business Furniture will be hosting the 1st Annual Exterus Fall Expo 2007 at the Hilton Hotel in Burlington on November 27, 2007. The expo is a one-day exposition featuring 20 furniture and technology exhibitors, educational seminars, product demonstrations, prizes and more. This Expo is designed for new businesses, growing businesses, current office remodeling and those who need to keep abreast of constantly changing technology products and services. There will be educational seminars for attendees to explore the new products and services from both the furniture and technology industries. Registration is free and open to all Vermont professionals.

Richard Felker - Engineering Manager

Rick has over 25 years of product, process and quality management experience. He has 20 years of experience running Engineering / Quality departments for both large and mid-size OEMs, such as Ney Dental International, Midcom, Martin Engineering, Actaris US Gas, Inc.
He also has 10 years of Quality systems management experience guiding firms through the implementation of ISO 9001, Lean and/or Six Sigma certified systems while significantly improving the operational efficiency of manufacturing and service providers. He holds a BS in Manufacturing Technology from Indiana State University and multiple certificates in TQM/Lean Manufacturing from both California State and the University of California.

Frank Dorr - Inside Sales Manager

Quechee, VT Strategic Exit Advisors LLC, a growing business financial services firm, is now open for business in Vermont.

SEA provides owners of privately held companies with business valuation, exit planning and mergers and acquisitions advisory services. The New England office is the companys third. Other offices are located in Princeton, NJ and Doylestown, PA

Craig Allsopp, a founding partner of SEA, will lead the firms business growth efforts in the region.

We chose the Upper Valley because its a growing business hub, accessible to other parts of New England and a great place to live, said Allsopp, who recently moved from the Princeton area. Its as simple as that.

SEA helps business owners consider their options for maximizing value while minimizing taxes as part of the planning process for selling or transferring their companies.

BURLINGTON, VT Champlain Colleges Workforce Development Center, in collaboration with EpikOne, an online marketing and Web analytics consultancy, and Google Analytics, will deliver an Online Marketing Boot Camp on November 12-16, 2007, in Burlington, Vt.
State training dollars are now available to Vermont companies that wish to send employees through the Vermont Training Program at the Vermont Department of Economic Development. This funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis to Vermonters employed by Vermont companies in the following industries: manufacturing, information technology, telecommunications, environmental and healthcare. A $500 tuition reimbursement per attendee will be awarded upon successful completion of the five-day Online Marketing Boot Camp, based on limited availability.

In July '05, VEMAS Corp purchased the former Williams Machine complex and started a comprehensive over-haul/upgrade of the facility to bring it standards required of a manufacturing facility.
In June '07 the company shut down Middlebury operations and relocated to its' new home in Poultney, VT.
In July '07, Gov Douglass and many townspeople enjoyed an Open House gala with many tours and plenty of great food.
VEMAS(Vermont Electro-Mechanical Assembly Services) provides SMT and TH assembly, prototyping, testing service along with systems level assembly, cable assembly & conformal coating processes.

Cathy VanYperen has made history at Champlain College. The Clarendon, Vt., resident is the first to graduate from the Colleges online MBA program.
In just under two years, VanYperen completed her coursework on weekends and evenings through the online program, while she worked and taught at Castleton State College. With her new masters degree on her resume, she was able to become a full-time, tenure-track assistant professor of business administration at Castleton.
"While working full time and teaching part time, there was no way I could go to a classroom for my MBA," she said. "Taking a virtual program meant that I could do my classwork at night or on the weekendsat my convenience."
Prior to becoming a full-time professor, she worked for 12 years in sales and corporate communications at Hubbardton Forge. She said that she started integrating her MBA classwork into her "real" work right away. "I've been using my MBA since I started the classes," she said.

The two-day event took place in Rutland and Williston Oct. 3-4 and was attended by an estimated 400 people. Graybar, a leading electrical supply shop with 250-plus locations throughout North America, organized the festivities. In addition to Local 300, over 45 vendors were on hand to exhibit their products.
Local 300 representatives Jean Watkins and Matt Lash were both on site for the duration of the event to speak with attendees. On the final day, they were joined by IBEW member and journeyman electrician Amy James of Johnson, Vt. A steady stream of people stopped at the unions booth for information.

James S. Fry, Esq. of Champlain College has been admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar. A professor of paralegal studies and business administration at Champlain for 20 years, Fry has joined a select group of attorneys to be been sworn in by a US Chief Justice.
The October 15 ceremony began with coffee and an informal chat with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the conference room of the Court. Fry then joined other alumni of Catholic Universitys Columbus School of Law for the professional thrill of standing with hand raised to repeat an oath administered within the chambers of the Supreme Court. Following the ceremony, he enjoyed a tour of the Court building.

Katie Budreski has joined Stone Environmental, Inc. as a Geographic Information Systems specialist. She will develop GIS and remote sensing applications and mapping services for Stone's clients and for other business units within the company.
Prior to joining Stone, Katie honed her GIS and remote sensing skills working with consultancies and Virgina Techs Department of Forestry. Part of her work at Virginia Tech involved developing and managing GIS data for a land cover classification study in Mali and a socioeconomic study in the Brazilian Amazon. She has also participated in two research studies at the Cape Cod National Seashore, one of which was conducted for Harvard University.
Katie holds a Master of Science degree in Forestry and a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry and Natural Resources, both from Virginia Tech.
The principals of Stone Environmental, Inc. are pleased to welcome Katie to the company.

Most of Vermonts Legislature and many in its media and the general intelligentsia do not really believe our state faces a serious crisis regarding our tax burden or economy; lets look at the facts.

As leader of Vermont Tax Revolt found at www.VermontTaxRevolt.org this recently formed grassroots organization is composed of nonpartisan-seeking citizens who are concerned not only with Vermonts weighty tax burdens, but with what we see as ominous signs of worse things to come. As our web site voluminously lists, lets look at some of those more troubling danger signals should give pause and reflection to all Vermonters.

On September 29, the Robert A. Skiff Alumni Award went to Sarah Soule, the director of admissions and college counseling at Vermont Commons School; the C. Bader Brouilette Alumni Award to Marie Ambusk, financial reporting accountant/principal at GE Healthcare Integrated Information Technology Solutions; the Vermont Alumni Award to Tim Kavanagh of WCAX-TV and Late Night Saturday; the Roger A. Perry Alumni Award to Courtney McAuliffe of New England Kurn Hattin Homes; and the Presidents Alumni Award to Peter Bruhn and Peter Jewett, operators of GoTradingPost.com.
Champlain College President David Finney and many Champlain alumni and friends participated in the celebration aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen.