Current News

Burlington to host largest Captive Insurance Conference in the World
The Vermont Captive Insurance Association (VCIA) will host the largest captive insurance conference in the world, August 10-12, 2004 in Burlington, Vermont. More than 1000 people from around the world and throughout the United States are expected to attend.
The Conference will be held at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center. Diving into Captives is the theme of the gathering and will feature keynote speaker, Dr. Robert Ballard, a renowned deep sea explorer and discoverer of the sunken R.M.S. Titanic.

Triple Peaks, LLC and American Skiing Company settle Steamboat suit
Triple Peaks, LLC and American Skiing Company have jointly announced (July 12, 2004) the settlement of the lawsuit regarding the termination of the proposed sale of the Steamboat Ski Resort to Triple Peaks, LLC. In return for a cash settlement, Triple Peaks has agreed to a full dismissal of all claims relating to the sale of the Steamboat Ski Resort.
"Reaching a settlement with Triple Peaks allows us to focus on the future success of Steamboat and America Skiing Company, while putting to rest any uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the Steamboat resort," said B.J. Fair, CEO of American Skiing Company.

Champlain College professor Ann DeMarle has been named an Apple Distinguished Educator. DeMarle directs the Multimedia & Graphic Design program and the new Electronic Game and Interactive Development program at Champlain.
The Apple Distinguished Educator program includes a select group of faculty members from North America and Europe who use Apple technology in creative and influential ways. According to a statement from Apple Computer, Inc., when new technologies are developed, these leading educators are the first to make effective use of technology to support learning objectives in the classroom. They also model effective administrative leadership and teacher professionalism.
As mentors, they are committed to engage, motivate, and inspire young minds, and they influence other educators by presenting their successes at key conferences and events, leading hands-on workshops, and getting actively involved at the local, state, and national levels.

Creative Labels of Vermont, located in Winooski, has been cited in the
feature editorial in the June 2004 edition of Package Printing as one of the
"top tag and label converters" in North America.
Creative Labels of Vermont is a fast growing twenty one year old Vermont
company. The company manufactures high quality labels for the food industry
and general manufacturing.

The City of Burlington will be conducting an inventory of historic
buildings over the next several months in an area of Burlington's Hill
Section historically known as known as "Prospect Park."
Lyssa Papazian, a historic preservation consultant, and Phillip Barlow, a
graduate student in historic preservation, will be recording architectural
styles, details, history, and photographing buildings for the City's
Historic Sites and Structures Survey. This survey is an inventory of
historic structures that is used to assist city & state officials,
researchers, and property owners in planning for the protection,
preservation, interpretation, and promotion of important cultural and
architectural resources.
The area of the City being researched this year is between South Prospect
and South Willard streets south of Main Street in the city's Hill Section
neighborhood. More specifically, there are two areas:

Charlie Poulin of Pomerleau Business Services was the selling agent and Kevin DArcy of Pomerleau Real Estate was the listing broker on the sale transaction of Waterbury Beverage and The Vermont Liquor Agency in Waterbury, VT to Quinland Farms, Inc. Their operation will be relocated to the Crossroads Beverage & Deli in Waterbury.
Charlie Poulin of Pomerleau Real Estate was the leasing broker representing the tenant, New England Federal Credit Union on the lease transaction of 750 square feet at 100 Bank Street in Burlington. The Bank expects an August 1, 2004 opening and will install a full service ATM as well as have an office facility at this location. Bill Kiendl of V/T Commercial represented the Landlord in this transaction.

July 2004 begins the process for preparing Chittenden Countys next
Regional Plan. The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) will develop
the advisory regional plan, which is used to guide public and private decisions affecting land
development, infrastructure, public services, and natural resources. Greg Brown (CCRPCs
Executive Director) notes, The Commission will devote over two years to develop the 2006
Regional Plan in order to maximize public involvement at every stage of the process.
That process will be quite different from the approach used to prepare the 2001 Regional
Plan. Over the next two years, CCRPC will solicit and use public feedback to prepare a series
of three draft plans. Each successive draft plan will build upon the previous draft to address
a wider scope of issues in greater detail than its predecessor.

Women Business Owners Network (WBON) announces that Gloria Salvanelli will become the organizations new appointee to the Vermont Commission on Women Advisory Council.
According to Meredith Martin Davis, WBON Executive Director, Gloria has a very strong passion for womens issues and will be a positive contributor to the Advisory Council. We are looking forward to having a member of WBON participate on the Advisory Council and contribute to the wonderful work that the Vermont Commission on Women does for women in our state.
The Womens Business Owners Network (WBON) is an association of over 140 women business owners from Vermont and New Hampshire who support one another in the pursuit of business and personal success. WBON has monthly chapter meetings in Burlington, Brattleboro, the Upper Valley, Rutland, and Montpelier, as well as conferences and social events throughout the year.

DominionTech Computer Services has been in business since 2000. It's recent growth in the Champlain Valley prompted the opening of it's new Service Center in Colchester.
DominionTech is now authorized to repair Apple Branded products as an "Apple Authorized Service Provider"
They now offer same day service for all major brands of computer equipment including PC's Macintosh and Linux OS based systems.
More information about DominionTech can be found at http://www.DominionTech.com

Dr. Gary Scudder, professor of history at Champlain College, is traveling this summer to India to teach college students in that country. As part of Champlains International Program, selected business and technology degree programs are offered on-site in Mumbai, India, and Scudder is the first Champlain professor to teach at this overseas campus.
In addition to teaching history courses and working with faculty in Mumbai, Scudder will also set up the mechanics for future student and faculty exchanges. He will also further develop plans to share class projects between Burlington and international students using Champlains online capabilities. A year ago, Scudder worked with a professor in the United Arab Emirates to facilitate online class discussions between students in a contemporary world issues course.
Scudder is the coordinator of social sciences at Champlain College and he has taught at the College for four years.

Third Sector Systems announces the latest release of its organization-wide software - Mission Maestro Version 4.0. Mission Maestro manages and reports on all the details of an organization's programs, services, membership, fundraising, events, activities, grants and more.
Version 4.0 consists of enhancements to Mission Maestro's integrated email and print communication system. The communication system enables users to create completely personalized communication that specifically references interaction that a constituent has had with the organization - whether as a client, service provider, donor, volunteer, attendee, board member -- or any other role.
For example, a program manager could automatically produce a letter or email that thanks an individual for participating in a specific panel, thanks them for the amount of their recent contribution, or suggests the names, dates and times of several upcoming events that meet the individual's interests.

Financing commitments approved by the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) Board of Directors will return a large industrial facility in Springfield to productive use; support the purchase and expansion of an existing manufacturing facility in Sharon; and help fund the purchase of a country inn in Fayston. The Board also made financing commitments through the Vermont Agricultural Credit Corporation (VACC) to support the purchase and operation of two equine facilities one in New Haven and the other in Colchester.
VEDAs traditional and growing -- support for the preeminent sectors of Vermonts economy; manufacturing, tourism and agriculture is exemplified by the Boards financing decisions this month, said VEDA Manager Jo Bradley. Jobs will be created and retained through these projects, and thats good news for all of us.
The projects approved for financing are: