Current News

BURLINGTON, Vt. --The state of Vermont has an extremely strong small-business tradition--running the gamut from specialty food companies to graphic design firms to high-tech start-ups--all providing employment to Vermonters and bolstering the states economy.
Building on that tradition and Champlain Colleges reputation for innovative, hands-on education, Champlain President David F. Finney unveiled a new program on June 15 that will help young entrepreneurs grow their businesses while they attend Champlain.

Governor Douglas to Call Emergency Dairy Summit
Also Seeks Federal Emergency Relief

WHAT: Governor
to Call Emergency Dairy Summit

Burlington, Vt.-Governor Jim Douglas has announced
that his administration, working with the Vermont Milk Commission, is organizing an Emergency Dairy Summit to discuss all available
means to help farmers in the near term so that they can weather what the
Governor calls a 'perfect storm' of circumstances.

"Low milk prices, high fuel and energy cost and poor crop, or in
some cases destroyed crops, due to extended spring rains are contributing to
what is now a clear crisis situation for Vermont's
dairy farmers," Governor Douglas said. "Because of this perfect
storm of events, I have directed my Secretary of Administration, Mike Smith to
work closely with my entire cabinet in coordination with our partners in the

BURLINGTON, Vt.--Area experts in Internet marketing and business practices are teaching five new 'mini-courses' at Champlain College this summer and fall. The online courses are well-suited to business professionals who want to use Internet technologies to advance their organizations. Each of the one-credit courses runs for five weeks.
"These are tactics that don't require traditional textbook teaching," said Elaine Young, director of Champlain's e-Business Management program. "These are practical, ready-to-use-right-away courses."
Dave Winslow and Alex Broussard of EpikOne will teach the first three courses, where students will getting the most current information possible in the areas of: 'Search Engine Optimization,' 'Google AdWords' and 'Web Analytics.' These three courses begin July 5. Winslow, a Champlain alumnus, and Broussard are Google Enterprise Professional and Google Analytics Authorized Consultants.

SBA Vermont Small Business Person of the Year and Champion Award Celebration
NEWS EVENT: The 2006 Vermont Small Business Person of the Year and Champion Award recipients will be honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) at a ceremony presented by Vermont Business Magazine at Burlington's Waterfront Park.

Gov. James Douglas will present the Small Business Person of the Year award to John Wall, Wall/Goldfinger, Inc., Northfield, Vermont, with additional remarks by Mayor Bob Kiss, City of Burlington, SBA Regional Administrator Charlie Summers, and others.
Champion awards will be presented to the following individuals:

Janet Bullard, Vermont Commission on Women, Montpelier;
James Keyes, Citizens Bank, Burlington;

Berlin, Vt -- A $25,000 Quality Incentive Award was presented to Woodridge Nursing Home of Central Vermont Medical Center during National Nursing Home Week.
Patrick Flood, Commissioner of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living presented the award to members of the Woodridge team.
Awards are made annually to nursing facilities providing and sustaining a superior quality of care in an efficient and effective manner. The award must be used to enhance the quality of service provided to residents of the facility. In order to be eligible for the award, a facility must participate in the Vermont Medicaid program and meet the following criteria:
1. Resident satisfaction surveys above the statewide average.
2. Designated Gold Star Provider.
3. No substantiated complaints in previous 12 months related to the quality of care, quality of life, or residents' rights.

Ever since attending the University of Vermont in the 1960's, Steve Burzon has known that he wanted to live and work in Vermont. But first came years working in the big city as a publishing executive where he studied marketing and design; a requirement for both making a living and living a passionate life. Then in 1998, the time came for a full time move to his home in Danby Four Corners and the beginnings of Garden Arts Custom Landscapes was launched officially in the Spring of 2001.
Now, five years later Garden Arts boasts of an extensive list of steady clients, a consistent growth in revenue and achievements, an enviable record of increasing employment of local people and commerce with local businesses, and a growing New England wide reputation as a knowledgeable designer and green industry entrepreneur.

Shelburne, VT: Vermont Document Company, LLC of Shelburne, VT and Mach One Computers, Inc. of Williston, VT have announced the merger of the two companies to form Exterus Technology for Business, effective immediately.
Exterus provides hardware, software and service for all of your business information technology needs. Whether it is computer networking, phone systems, point of sale, internet connectivity, security, state of the art Xerox copiers, or office fax/printer solutions, Exterus has the knowledge and expertise to put it all together to make it work for you. 4750 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT 05482. 802-658-8225. For more information, visit www.exterusbusiness.com.

B. Christopher Brown is pleased to announce the launch of Brown Builders Real Estate Investments LLC, a full service real estate investment advisory business with offices in Richmond and Burlington, Vermont. Brown Builders will provide individual investors with the opportunity to diversify their investment portfolios by offering a wide selection of professionally acquired and managed commercial real estate products. The advisory services of Brown Builders will cater to both experienced real estate investors who are looking for ways to maximize their portfolio by utilizing a Tenant in Common investment program in a 1031 exchange and to new investors who are looking for ways to participate as passive real estate investors.

BMA OPENS NEW OFFICE IN BENNINGTON
BENNINGTON, VT - BMA Architects & Planners has opened a new office in the recently renovated and self designed 210 South Street that stands in the heart of downtown Bennington.
BMA's new space occupies 2,000 square feet of the 38,000 square-foot historic commercial block and employs four highly motivated design professionals. Jeffrey Goldstone, AIA, has joined Principal Architect Kirk Moore, AIA, to manage a full spectrum of services from site selection and permitting through design and construction administration for both residential and commercial buildings.

Thomas Pelletier, President of the Central Vermont Economic Development Corp, is pleased to announce that Susan 'Sam' Matthews has been hired to succeed Richard Angney as Executive Vice President of CVEDC. Angney who is retiring on June 30 has headed CVEDC for the past nine and a half years.
CVEDC is a private, nonprofit economic organization founded in 1976. Matthews will be only the fourth EVP over that period of time. CVEDC's mission is to facilitate economic development activity in the 23 towns and cities that make up the Central Vermont region.

BURLINGTON, Vt - Champlain College honored Tammy Miller, the circulation coordinator at the Miller Information Commons, with the Elizabeth Durick Staff Service Award at the College's annual Commencement Dinner in May. The award is named in honor of the late Elizabeth A. Durick, a longtime faculty and staff member at the College.
Every two years this award honors a member of the Champlain College staff who has had a positive impact on the campus community. "This award recognizes the qualities that are all one could ask for in a staff member: not only one who performs his or her job in a professional, dedicated and flexible manner, but also one whose commitment to his or her fellow employees manifests itself in a helpful attitude and a high level of initiative," said Champlain College President David F. Finney.

Burlington, VT - March 27, 2006 - Amalia Veralli, a Warren Vermont photographer, has recently completed an installation of her work at NRG Systems in Hinesburg VT. NRG Systems is a global leader in wind energy assessment, and one of only four industrial facilities in the world to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold level certification.
"Amalia's photos are breathtaking! They drew me in the moment I saw her work," exclaimed Jan Blittersdorf, President/CEO, NRG Systems, Inc. "She achieves a level of color, clarity and detail rarely seen in nature photos. These photos are a glorious addition to our workplace environment, adding a punch of color, and lots of interest from our employees and visitors."
In keeping with their commitment to provide a work environment that improves the quality of their employees' lives, NRG offered employees an opportunity to participate in choosing the photographs for display in the various departments.