Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The American Camp Association (ACA) has announced that over 20 camps across the United States will join Phase 2 of the Leadership Pathways Project. This includes Camp Hochelaga in South Hero, Vermont. The project provides financial support to nonprofit summer camps and qualifying organizations that run camp. Grant recipients will receive up to $18,000 per year for three years to support creating, improving, or expanding counselor-in-training (CIT) or similar leadership development programs at camp. 

Lake Champlain Basin Program Spring is in full swing throughout the Lake Champlain Basin, and so is the LCBP. Our team has been hard at work finalizing the 2024 State of the Lake and Ecosystem Indicators Report, a publication we release every three years that contains the most up-to-date data on the present state of Lake Champlain. In the three years since our last report, we have both celebrated improving trends and acknowledged ongoing challenges to our waterways. The report explores the effects of a changing climate on our region in greater depth than before. We discuss the flooding of July 2023, which demonstrated that climate change can no longer be regarded as a future threat. Yet even amid the impacts unfolding now, we experience hope and resolve in the concerted efforts to build resilience in our waterways and communities.

Vermont Business Magazine NBT Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ: NBTB), the parent of NBT Bank with branches across Vermont, announced that its CEO Succession Plan unanimously approved by NBT’s Board of Directors in January was executed today with Scott A. Kingsley succeeding John H. Watt, Jr. as NBT’s fifteenth President and Chief Executive Officer. Kingsley was also elected to NBT’s Board of Directors. Watt will continue to serve on the Board and has been named Vice Chairman. NBT also announced the promotion of Joseph R. Stagliano to President of NBT Bank, N.A., the Company’s wholly owned banking subsidiary, Annette L. Burns to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Shauna M. Hyle to Executive Vice President, Retail Community Banking. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University (VTSU) graduated its first class of students after Castleton University, Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College unified to create Vermont State last year. The class of nearly 1,000 students encompassed Vermonters from more than 200 Vermont towns, not to mention students who chose VTSU from states throughout the country. Bergh also noted the graduates spanned a wide variety of majors—96 in total.

Vermont Business Magazine 24 Southern Vermont Emerging Leaders were recognized on May 21 during the Southern Vermont Economy Summit. With sponsorship from the Community College of Vermont, the annual recognition event was conducted by the Southern Vermont Young Professionals and the Shires Young Professionals, celebrating young people from the Bennington and Windham regions. Individuals were nominated based on their work as community leaders and volunteers, and for their professional accomplishments and commitment to serving the region.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Richard Irish, 57, of South Royalton, Vermont, was sentenced today in Vermont Superior Court, Windsor Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to one count of felony Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. The Court, Judge Heather Gray presiding, sentenced the defendant by agreement to 10 years of probation with conditions that restrict his access to the internet and contact with minors.  If Mr. Irish violates the terms of his probation, he may face up to 5 years in jail. Mr. Irish is also required to register as a sex offender until 10 years have elapsed after the completion of his sentence.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) today announced the awards for the SFY25 Municipal Roads Grants-in-Aid Program, which provides funding for municipalities to implement best management practices in accordance with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Municipal Roads General Permit. This year, 235 municipalities are participating. A total of approximately $3 million in awards will be granted in this cycle. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) was awarded a $300,000 Wood Innovation Grant from the United States Forest Service (USFS) to facilitate the installation of advanced wood heating systems in Vermont schools. These funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served rolling basis, with FPR currently accepting project applications. Through the program, individual schools can receive up to $25,000 in grant funds to install or upgrade advanced wood heat systems. FPR offers a complimentary technical feasibility assessment through the USFS to ensure the selected system meets heating requirements while adhering to air quality and efficiency standards.

Vermont Business Magazine Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $6,390,000 in grant awards from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Vermont while advancing environmental justice. These investments through EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant Programs will help transform once-polluted, vacant, and abandoned properties into community assets, while helping to create good jobs and spur economic revitalization in overburdened communities. EPA selected two communities in Vermont to receive two grants totaling nearly $3 million in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant programs. In addition, the agency is announcing $3.5 million in supplemental funding to one existing, high-performing Brownfields RLF Grant Programs to help expedite their continued work at sites in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced his appointment of Andy Julow, of North Hero, to fill the vacant Grand Isle district Senate seat. Julow replaces Richard T. Mazza, who resigned last month after serving 39 years in the Vermont Senate. Julow grew up in, and resides in, Grand Isle County. He is currently serving as the executive director of the Lake Champlain Islands Economic Development Corporation, having previously run his own business for 10 years. He is an active member of his community, having chaired his local school board for nine years and development review board for five. 

Vermont Business Magazine On May 20, 2024 Governor Scott signed legislation into law improving several sections of the Vermont captive insurance statute. Yearly the Vermont Captive Insurance Association (VCIA) works with the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) to propose updates to captive insurance statutes based on industry feedback. Bill H. 659 clarifies the law in multiple instances to improve the process and consistency of regulatory practices, to address unnecessary redundancies, and to better align requirements with the captive marketplace.

Vermont Business Magazine Retiring Howard Center CEO Bob Bick has been recognized by the Vermont Legislature with a concurrent resolution honoring his three decades of leadership at Howard Center and noting that over the past three decades, the scope and quality of mental health and substance use services in Vermont, “has moved forward due, in large measure, to the visionary work of Bob Bick.” At a reading of the resolution in Montpelier attended by Bick and his extended family, Representative Barbara Rachelson of Burlington said, “We want to thank Bob for the many thousands of people he has touched, and for the work that he has pioneered that is a legacy for our own state and for the nation.”