Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Following a national search, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), a member of Dartmouth Health, announces that Robert Laba will be its next chief financial officer. Laba joins SVMC from Adirondack Health in Saranac Lake, NY, where he served as chief financial officer and vice president of finance of the 95-bed, community hospital since 2018. Most recently, he led a financial recovery plan yielding a projected $10 millioin turnaround from 2022 to 2023.  During his tenure at Adirondack Health, he was key to the $45 million modernization & renovation construction projects, which built a new Health & Medical Fitness Center in Lake Placid and a new, state of the art perioperative suite in the main hospital facility in Saranac Lake. 

The Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging (SVCOA) is thrilled to announce the release of our latest resources, the 2023 Holiday Food Resource Guide and the Older Adults Guide to Dining in Rutland and Bennington Counties, now available in the Nutrition Services section of the SVCOA website.  These guides are valuable tools designed to ensure a delightful and fulfilling holiday season for our community. We encourage you to share these resources widely with your networks and those you serve to support a joyous and nourishing celebration.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) Auxiliary elected Susan Carr as its President, David Miller as its Vice-President, Tracey Herold as its Treasurer and Ellen Rowe as its Secretary during the Auxiliary’s 2023 Annual Meeting at NVRH on November 3, 2023. These newly elected officials will serve until the-2025 term.

Vermont Business Magazine State and local officials, policy makers and community leaders will come together for a one-day summit to discuss and share their plans for using the Age Strong VT strategies for building an “age-friendly” Vermont. Age Strong VT is a new 10-year visionary plan for making Vermont a great place for all ages and stages of life.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State College Board of Trustees today Issued the Following Statement at the Conclusion of Today’s Board Meeting Reaffirming Support for Vermont State University Optimization 2.0 and Administrative Optimization Plans: “For the first time in recent history, Vermont State University has a smart and actionable plan to right-size course offerings and restructure administrative operations to reflect the needs of a rural, unified university with multiple campus settings. These changes align Vermont State University with peers and set the entire Vermont State Colleges System on a path where financial stability is within reach by Fiscal Year 2027."

by Janice St. Onge, President, Flexible Capital Fund, L3C Since 2011 I’ve been running the Flexible Capital Fund, L3C (the Flex Fund), a for-profit, impact investment fund and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). The Flex Fund provides flexible, patient risk capital in the form of revenue based financing, debt and equity, to growing companies in Vermont and New England’s food system, forestry and climate change solutions sectors. Since 2011, the Flex Fund has made 45 investments totaling $7.2 million in 24 different companies operating in the sustainable food systems, forest products and climate change solutions sectors. 

Vermont State Police Robert Marquis, 52, of Hardwick died over the weekend at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington following several days of treatment for injuries he sustained when he was shot Wednesday at his home in Hardwick. An autopsy was performed Sunday at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death is a homicide. Mr. Marquis’ family would like the public to know that he was an organ donor, and his decision saved at least three lives.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott has officially proclaimed November 13, 2023, to November 17, 2023, National Apprenticeship Week for the State of Vermont. “Vermont is proud to actively support initiatives that widen the opportunities for individuals to embark on rewarding apprenticeship pathways, understanding these programs enrich both individuals and the broader community,” said Scott. This annual event shines a spotlight on the career pathways available through registered apprenticeship programs which are based on an ‘earn while you learn’ training model.  Registered apprentices earn wages while they receive training for their job.

Vermont Business Magazine The Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships announced the launch of its partnership grants today on its website, www.uvm.edu/ruralpartnerships. The new Leahy Institute, funded through a multi-year award from the USDA, uses grant funding to support partnerships between UVM and Vermont organizations doing community and economic development work across the state. Funding is meant to support access to research, student engagement, and other UVM services.

Vermont Business Magazine On this day in 1848, National Life was founded and chartered by the Vermont Legislature in Montpelier, Vermont, as one of the first mutual life insurance companies in the country and the first with a national vision. One of the oldest and largest employers in the state and a national leader in the insurance industry, National Life welcomed Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday, Nov. 9, for a gala event celebrating 175 years of doing good. In attendance were hundreds of employees, agents, retirees and board directors. Distinguished guests included recently retired longtime Board Director David Coates, who was honored with a Resolution celebrating his 30 years of service to the company.

by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, VermontBiz Correspondent Two men are dead following a shooting at a residence on Decatur Street, in Burlington's Old North end -- one of two gunfire incidents reported Sunday night in the city of Burlington. Both men were shot in the head.  Their names were not released pending confirmation of their identities by Burlington Police and  notification of their next of kin. It was unclear if the shooting of the two men on Decatur Street was related to a shooting on Main Street about 75 minutes earlier.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.51 per gallon, down 7.2 cents per gallon from last week's $3.58/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.09/g while the highest was $3.99/g, a difference of 90.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 4.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.33/g today.