Current News
by tim
Hackett & Company and Future Planning Associates, Inc. Merge
Williston, VT - on November 1, 2004, South Burlington-based Hackett &
Company's retirement plan and administrative group will merge with Future
Planning Associates, Inc. of Williston, bringing together two of Vermont's
leading retirement consulting and administration firms with over 60 years
of combined service.
The merged company, with a combined staff of 20 "qualified plan"
specialists, will operate as Future Planning Associates, Inc. under the
leadership of Suzanne Stewart as chairman and Luther F. Hackett as Vice
Chairman. The other directors of the merged company include Jan Emmons,
Marilyn Jae Lehto and Loretta Wood of Future Planning Associates and Patty
Barry, Erin Helmken and Daryl Straw from Hackett & Company.
"We believe that by combining our two companies we will be able to provide
by tim
Demont & Associates, Inc. of Portland, Maine honored Walter G. Bruska of Burlington, for his half century of service in several top development posts including Cornell University and the University of Vermont where he hired and trained some of the most successful and notable development professionals in the country. He is currently an officer at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, Vermont and Vice President of the Board at Prevent Child Abuse Vermont.
by tim
WESTAFF ACQUIRES SYNERGY STAFFING
Burlington, Vermont -- Westaff, provider of staffing services, of
Burlington, Vermont announced today the acquisition of the Essex
Junction-based Synergy Staffing. The acquisition was completed on
September 15, 2004.
³The acquisition has allowed a smaller, well-respected staffing service to
take advantage of the employee benefits available to Westaff employees,²
commented Dave Mount, Westaff CEO.
As a result, former Synergy clients now have access to the larger staff of
personnel specialists and broader pool of talent available through
Westaff. In addition to 40 new clients, Westaff gained 60 employees with
the acquisition.
A provider of essential staffing services including temporary,
temp-to-hire and direct recruitment placement services, Westaff Burlington
now serves more than 250 clients locally. Westaff currently employs more
by tim
Banknorth reports record earnings; Net Income Up 8%
PORTLAND, Maine Oct. 18, 2004 -- Banknorth Group, Inc. (NYSE: BNK) today reported record
quarterly net income of $97.8 million for the third quarter ended
September 30, 2004, up 8% from net income of $90.3 million for the third
quarter a year ago. On a per diluted share basis, net income was 55 cents
for the third quarter of 2004 and 55 cents for the third quarter of 2003.
Exclusive of merger and consolidation costs, income was $102.1 million for
the quarter ended September 30, 2004, up 12% from $90.8 million for the
quarter ended September 30, 2003. On a per diluted share basis, income
exclusive of merger and consolidation costs was 58 cents for the quarter
ended September 30, 2004, up 5.5% from 55 cents for the quarter ended
September 30, 2003.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2004, net income was up 10% over
by tim
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont to Offer Educational Seminars to Seniors on the New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
Berlin, VT - Congress signed a Medicare bill last year that effects how Medicare beneficiaries pay for prescription drugs. A wide variety of discount prescription drug cards issued because of the new law can save seniors money on drugs. Picking between the cards, however, can be confusing.
To address questions about the new law and the drug cards, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is hosting two free educational seminars for the public. The seminar will provide information about Medicare-approved pharmacy discount cards and also about discounts on prescriptions available with BCBSVTs Medi-Comp coverage.
The informational seminars will be held in Central Vermont and Rutland:
Thursday, October 21st from 2:00pm 3:30pm
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
445 Industrial Lane, Berlin
by tim
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. announced on October 12 an exclusive agreement with Granco International, d.b.a. Green Mountain Company, Ltd. (GMC Ltd.) of Hong Kong to be the sole importer and distributor of Green Mountain Coffee throughout Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Under the terms of the agreement, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters will supply coffee to GMC Ltd., which plans to open a minimum of five branded retail outlets in greater Shanghai in 2005 under the name Green Mountain Café. GMC Ltd. Is also authorized to distribute Green Mountain Coffee to institutional accounts and other existing coffee shops in Hong Kong and China.
by tim
BURLINGTON, Vt.--Some Champlain College students have been hitting the bricks of the Church Street Marketplace, but this time they arent shopping. Students in Champlains Consumer Behavior course this semester are working with five businesses on the Marketplace to complete store-specific marketing research.
This is the second semester to feature such projects, which bring clipboard-carrying Marketing and Business students to the pedestrian marketplace. Last spring students worked with eight businesses on Church Street, while others conducted research for Church Street Marketplaces director Ron Redmond.
It had been difficult to acquire market research because of our budget restrictions, said Marketplace director Ron Redmond. Champlain College students answered our call.
by tim
Vermont SBA Sets Lending Record for Fiscal Year 2004
by tim
Vermont Federal Credit Union Welcomes a New Employee
BURLINGTON, VT-Joseph M. Finnigan, president and CEO of Vermont Federal Credit Union (VTFCU), is pleased to announce that Holly O. Sheltra has joined the VTFCU staff as Manager of their Burlington branch location.
Holly brings to the Credit Union more than 10 years of management, sales and lending experience. Prior to coming to the Credit Union, Holly was a Sr. Loan Officer/Jr. Underwriter for Homebound Mortgage, Inc. She was also a Consumer Loan Officer/Branch Supervisor for New England Federal Credit Union.
VTFCU is a $135 million plus financial institution, currently serving over 21,000 members. We provide membership to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Chittenden, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Franklin, Washington, or Addison Counties in Vermont.
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by tim
Vermont Federal Credit Union adds senior manager
BURLINGTON, VT-Joseph M. Finnigan, president and CEO of Vermont Federal Credit Union (VTFCU), is pleased to announce that Janet S. Astore, CPA, has joined the Vermont Federal Credit Union senior management team as Controller.
Janet brings to the Credit Union over 20 years of professional experience in accounting, finance, taxation, public accounting and administration. Prior to moving to Vermont, she worked in New York City where she held various management positions at Citibank including; Tax Department Vice President, as well as Tax Department Manager. She was employed at other large multi-national banks including; Sakura Bank, as Tax Compliance Manager, Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank as Tax Compliance Manager, and Arthur Anderson & Co. as a Public Accountant.
by tim
Contact Communications of Vermont has acquired all facilities and customers previously owned by Message Center of Burlington, Vermont.
Lincoln Communications; DBA Contact Communications, A+ Paging (Vermont) and Contact Plus; was established in 1989. Together, Contact Communications and Message Center combine the expertise of over 50 years of Paging and Answering Service experience. Contact Communications and Contact Plus are Full Service Paging, Wireless and Answering Service centers. Current retail locations include Burlington and Barre, VT, and Malone and Plattsburgh, NY. Operations and Technical Headquarters are located in Williston, Vermont.
Contact Communications specializes in custom designed Paging and Answering Services offering Local, Wide-Area, New England, Expanded New England; and Nationwide Paging coverage as well as 24 hour live Answering Services.
by tim
Saint Michael's College Centennial Week: featured public events
The public is invited to attend the following public events during the
featured week, celebrating the Saint Michael's College Centennial
anniversary:
Monday, Oct. 18, panel discussion, "The Medieval Roots of Saint Michael's
College," at 7 p.m. in the McCarthy Arts Center. Distinguished
author/professor panelists, who will explore 12th and 13th century
cultural influences, include, Anne Clark, University of Vermont, associate
professor of religion; Maureen Miller, University of California, Berkeley,
associate professor of history, and Terryl Kinder, author of Architecture
of Silence: Cistercian Abbeys of France, with George Dameron, Saint
Michael's College professor of history, moderating and commenting.
Tuesday, Oct. 19, Centenary Student Association Meeting at 7 p.m. in the