Current News

Buy a Snowflake and Help Beat Cancer!
Fayston Illustrator Sarah Dillard is one of nearly 200 childrens book illustrators who have created original works of art on snowflakes, for Roberts Snow: for Cancers Cure, a unique fundraiser on behalf of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute for cancer research. Snowflakes will be auctioned on-line from November 2 to December 12.
Roberts Snow: for Cancers Cure was created by childrens book author/illustrator Grace Lin.
Using the news of her husbands cancer as a catalyst, Lin called on her colleagues to donate their time and skills to help raise money for cancer research. An impressive list of childrens illustrators including Chris Van Allsburg (The Polar Express), Marc Brown (Arthur) and Mary Grand Pre (Harry Potter) have created exclusive images on wooden snowflakes. Auction information and all of the snowflakes can be found at http://www.robertssnow.com.

GREEN MOUNTAIN POWER FILES COST OF SERVICE STUDY FOR
1.9 PERCENT RATE INCREASE
COLCHESTER -- Green Mountain Power (NYSE: GMP) has filed its
cost-of-service study supporting the implementation of a January 2005 rate
increase of 1.9 percent, pursuant to a plan previously approved by the
Vermont Public Service Board (VPSB). This will be the first increase for
Green Mountain Power customers in four years.
"Our success in controlling costs and managing the business well has meant
that our customers have not had an increase in rates since January 2001.
During those four years, the consumers' price index has risen 9.1 percent
and electricity prices across the nation have gone up 10.6 percent. While
it would be preferable to continue without an increase, we're pleased that
we have been able to limit the increase to 1.9 percent while continuing to

GMP ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER EARNINGS
COLCHESTER -- Green Mountain Power Corporation (NYSE: GMP) has announced consolidated earnings of $0.65 per share of common stock, diluted, for the third quarter of 2004 compared with earnings of $0.59 per share of common stock, diluted, for the same period in 2003. Year to date earnings for 2004 are $1.70 per share, diluted, compared with earnings of $1.60 per share for the first nine months of 2003.
Earnings improved in the third quarter of 2004 primarily as a result of the realization of certain tax benefits resulting from the 2002 sale of Vermont Yankee that were partially offset by a decline in retail revenues. "We are pleased to report improved results despite cooler summer temperatures that adversely impacted retail electricity sales," said Christopher L. Dutton, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We continue to expect earnings between $2.05 and $2.15 per share for 2004."

GLC Communications, a Fayston based telecommunications service provider company is now offering www.ConferLynx.com on-demand audio conferencing services.
www.ConferLynx.com enables businesses to more efficiently control a reservationless audio conference via the web.
ConferLynx delivers real-time caller-ID, outbound calling, attendee muting, and sub-conferences.
The GLC Communications system utilizes the world market leader audio conferencing bridge from Spectel. Most of the moderator conference controls available from the web interface are duplicated using telephone keys. After each conference call an email is sent to the account owner. Complete call records are updated every 20 minutes

Howard Printing Earns Neenah Award
BRATTLEBORO -- Howard Printing, Inc., a commercial offset printing company founded in Brattleboro in 1991, was recently recognized by Neenah Paper for outstanding quality on a printed design piece.
Neenah selected Howard Printing as the East Coast Silver Award winner in the Letterhead Contest. The award-winning entry was Retreat Healthcare letterhead.
Neenah Paper, founded in 1873, is a world class manufacturer of premium writing, text, cover, specialty and private watermark papers. Its parent company is Kimberly-Clark Corporation.
Retreat Healthcare, a client of Howard Printing since 1998, is a not-for-profit, regional specialty psychiatric hospital and addictions treatment center in Brattleboro. Originally founded in 1834, Retreat Healthcare provides a full range of diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitation services for individuals of all ages and their families.

VERMONT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (VEDA)
WINS PERFORMANCE AWARDS FROM TWO FEDERAL AGENCIES
AUTHORITY ENDS 30TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR WITH DOUBLE-DIGIT INCREASES IN COMMERCIAL LOAN VOLUME
Stowe - The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) ended its 30th anniversary year with key national recognition, receiving awards from both the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Farm Service Agency for their work. Also, for the second year running, VEDA saw a double- digit increase in commercial lending activity. VEDA Chief Executive Officer Jo Bradley announced the awards, and the Authority's 2004 fiscal year performance at VEDA's 30th Annual Meeting, held this year in Stowe.

Champlain College trustees announced the creation of the College's first endowed chair, naming it in honor of retiring President Roger Perry. The Board of Trustees voted to create this $1 million academic fund, The Doctor Roger H. Perry Endowed Chair, as part of the College's successful Power of Three Capital Campaign.
The news came at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees on October 22, when Champlain College trustees announced the Power of Three campaign has already raised $15 million, exceeding its $12 million goal a full year before the official close of the campaign.
The campaign supports the construction of three new facilities at the private, career-oriented college: The Main Street Suites & Conference Center, The S.D. Ireland Family Center for Global Business & Technology, and the Student Life Complex. The campaign, the most ambitious in the Colleges 126-year history, included the goal of growing endowment by at least $2 million.

October 9, 2004 -- The McDonald Consulting Group was formally launched at a gala party on October 9, 2004 in Austin, Texas. Representatives from both the Austin, TX, and Burlington, VT, offices were on hand to unveil the company's new product and services offering as well as their new logo.
Mary McDonald, CEO, stated, "We were very successful for the past 9 years as Individual Solution Options/Quality Services, Inc., but it was time to rebrand ourselves to reflect the addition of our new services in the banking and service sectors as well as our new product lines in Lean Manufacturing, Restriction of Hazardous Substances support, and ISO management systems integration."

Last month at its Annual Meeting members of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce elected seven businesspeople to the Board of Directors.
The Vermont Chamber welcomes the following individuals to its Board of Directors:

Tom Donahue; Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce

Kevin Dwyer; Hackett, Valine, and MacDonald

Daria Mason; Central Vermont Medical Center

Bob Rogan; Burlington, Vermont

Kathleen Schirling; Chittenden Bank

Stephen Terry; Green Mountain Power

David Wolk; Castleton State College
Duane Marsh, Vermont Chamber President, stated, "We are very pleased that these individuals have agreed to bring their talents to the table. They will add to the Vermont Chamber's diverse representation of the Vermont business community."
Each new member will serve for a one-year term, effective immediately.
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Chittenden Reports Earnings and Quarterly Dividend
(NYSE: CHZ) Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul A.
Perrault, of Chittenden Corp in Burlington has announced earnings for the quarter ended September 30,
2004 of $19.5 million or $0.42 per diluted share, compared to $19.9
million or $0.43 per diluted share a year ago. For the first nine months
of 2004, earnings were $55.1 million or $1.18 per diluted share, compared
to $55.1 million or $1.23 per diluted share a year ago. Chittenden also
announced its quarterly dividend of $0.18 per share. The dividend will be
paid on November 12, 2004, to shareholders of record on October 29, 2004.

BURLINGTON, Vt.--The U.S. Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has awarded Champlain College a $185,000 grant, which will be used to further develop the college's Computer & Digital Forensics program and promote it as the national educational model to help fight electronic crime and cyber terrorism.
Realizing that the United States is facing increasing incidents of electronic crime and terrorism and a lack of trained professionals to investigate these crimes, the NIJ has been charged with fostering educational programs in this field. According to Martin Novak, program manager at National Institute of Justice, there are very few college-level programs in computer forensics in existence, and the NIJ is looking to Champlain's program to help create a workforce within the law enforcement and business communities to combat electronic crime.

ESSEX, VT (September 2004) - Dale Carnegie Training welcomes Sarah Jo Willey to the position of Training Consultant at its Essex office. Willey will be coordinating area sales and marketing efforts.
Willeys background includes teaching Marketing Education at the high school level at the Cold Hollow Career Center in Enosburg Falls, VT as well as at Lake Region Union High School in Orleans, VT. Willeys marketing career also includes several years on the Vermont DECA (An Association of Marketing Students) Management Team. She was recognized by Vermont DECA, in 2002 as Advisor of the Year.
Willey successfully completed the Dale Carnegie Core Competency Training in June 2004 and will also be joining the Instructional Team.