Current News

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:

Cambium Group, LLC, a leading web site development firm specializing in innovative web site designs and content management systems launched a new web site for ManagedStorage International (MSI).
MSI's new site www.msiservice.com presents a completely new design for the company. In addition to the website, Cambium Group designed print collateral to coordinate with the new look of the site, thus providing a consistent look and feel between media.
Cambium Groups content management system is the ideal solution for MSI. The system allows me to instantly add, modify, or delete web content through an online interface without needing to use any internal IT resources, said Kevin Thomas, director of marketing communications for ManagedStorage International.

Champlain College is launching its Computer and Digital Forensics program on the Internet this fall. The program prepares professionals to examine computers and pull relevant evidence from them, and it is the first online degree of its kind in the country.
Computers represent the fastest growing technology used by criminals for literally all types of crimes, and the numbers of computer and network security incidents are increasing, said program director Gary Kessler, a nationally recognized computer security expert. The professional computer forensics examiner needs to understand the law, the technology and the investigative process.
Today, computers often play a key role in the commission of crimes, as in financial fraud and identity theft, while at other times they serve as record-keepers of conversations and incriminating data.

> The Creative Services Department of WCAX-TV in Burlington, Vermont has
> been awarded two first place honors for Television Commercial
> Production and Public Service Announcement in the 2003 New York State
> Broadcasters Association Awards. The awards were presented at a
> ceremony in Lake George, New York on June 22, 2004.

>
> The New York State Broadcasters Association conducted its 39th Annual
> Awards for Excellence in Broadcasting at the Sagamore Resort Hotel.

The Women Business Owners Network (WBON) welcomes 16 new members.
Lisa Dagett, The UPS Store #4618; Linda Doty, Vermont By the Bushel; Sarah Forbes, Sarah Forbes Design; Sue Gillis, Vermont Woman; Bonnie Horsford, Universal Mortgage; Doris Kopp, Granny Blossom's Specialty Foods & Marketing, Inc; Dr. Maria Kowalchyk-DeVito, De Vito Associates; Joan Lynch, The Inner Garden; Elizabeth Meyer, Child Care Resource; Catherine Miller, Education Consultant; Linda Mirabile, Mirabile Designs; Michelle Parent, Child Care Resource; Joanne Patalano, Eservices of Vermont, Web Designer - Database Developer - Computer Instructor; Cheryl Pickreign, Vermont Economic Development Authority; Pamela Scanlon, Athena Consulting; Emily Stebbins, Stebbins Ink;

One of the nationâ¬"s largest financial
services companies wants to change the way some people think about
checking accounts. Beginning this week, KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) will offer a
simple and convenient alternative to those individuals who do not qualify
for a traditional account.
Key Checkless Access was designed to provide immediate access to direct
deposit paychecks via Keyâ¬"s nationwide ATM network. This electronic
account is an alternative to costly check cashing facilities, providing
customers with the convenience of a regular checking account without the
hassles of writing checks and balancing a checkbook.
Nationally, at least 10 percent of U.S. households donâ¬"t have a
relationship with a bank, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
A large proportion of these households fall within the low- and
moderate-income (LMI) range. And, in the 12 states where Key has a retail

"Green Thumbs in the Green Mountains" is a cultural tourism marketing campaign sponsored by the Southern Vermont Regional Marketing Organization. The idea behind the campaign is to celebrate Windham County culture and the splendor of the landscape as the summer tourism season heats up.
In honor of award-winning gardens and world-renown gardeners, the festivities will include garden tours and workshops, Iris and Daylily festivals, farmers markets, musical events, craft shows, puppeteers and all things Vermont.
Statistics prove that cultural tourism is an important niche market for Vermont. This campaign highlights the region as one of taste, quality and culture and encourages visitors to discover the "undiscovered jewel" of summer in Southern Vermont.

Vermont Health Care in the 21st Century

Three key emerging issues of the health care policy - the rise of consumer driven health insurance, the transformation of health care systems, and protecting Vermont's medical providers against excessive tort damage claims will be the focus of the Ethan Allen Institute's conference on "Vermont Health Care in the 21st Century", Friday, June 25 from 9-5 at the Pavilion Auditorium, Montpelier. Governor Jim Douglas will open the conference, speaking on "Prescription for a Healthy Vermont."

In the first nine months of business, GCS Marketing, a full-service marketing firm specializing public relations, is working with the following clients:
" Creative Habitat at Ben Franklin;

" Girls on the Run;

" VSO Waltz Night;

" Excel Communications;

" PR consultant for Kelliher Samets Volk; and

Stratton Mountain's environmental initiatives
were recognized again this year with the prestigious Silver Eagle Award
presented by Mountain Sports Media, publishers of SKI and SKIING
magazines.
The Awards were established in 1993 to recognize and encourage
environmental achievements. A record of 32 resorts participated in the
2004 Golden Eagle Awards. The entries were judged by a panel of
environmental and industry experts.
Stratton earned the 2004 Silver Eagle Award, its fourth since 1996, for
Excellence in Fish and Wildlife Protection.
Stratton was recognized for sponsorship of wildlife studies and
educational programs as well as for Conservation Easements presented to
the State of Vermont. These seven distinct areas, on 1,200 acres, were
identified in the exhaustive planning process that resulted in Vermont's
first fully approved mountain resort Master Plan (1999). These

The Department of Employment and Training announced Thursday a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.5 percent for Vermont in May. The rate was unchanged from the April estimate, which was revised down one tenth of a percentage point. The national unemployment rate in May held steady at 5.6 percent.
Unemployment rates for Vermonts 13 labor market areas ranged from 1.7 percent in Hartford, to 5.0 percent in Newport. Labor market area rates are not seasonally adjusted; for comparison, the unadjusted rate for Vermont was 3.2 percent.
Improvement in the national economy is providing a healthy foundation for lower unemployment in Vermont, said Anne V. Ginevan, Commissioner of the Department of Employment and Training. Our job market is improving gradually in response to the improved economic climate.

The Vermont State Treasurers Office has unveiled an initiative to invest a significant portion of Vermonts short-term cash in Vermont Banks. Currently, such funds are invested primarily in government agency securities, high quality corporate commercial paper, and money market accounts at large financial institutions. The new Treasurers Bank in Vermont Program is consistent with an ongoing effort by State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding to support Vermont-based financial institutions when acceptable rates of return can be achieved.