Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Berkshire Bank, a leading, socially responsible community bank with financial centers in New England and New York, with branches in southern Vermont, has announced its foundation provided $584,361 in philanthropic investments during the first quarter of 2023 (January 1- March 31) to foster upward economic mobility, racial equity, and enhance opportunities for success in the regions Berkshire Bank serves. The investments also support the company’s BEST Community Comeback which includes a planned $15 million in community contributions by the end of 2024.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) has congratulated DVFiber, one of Vermont’s 10 Communications Union Districts (CUDs), on signing a construction contract with Sertex Broadband Solutions for the initial phase of constructing and installing a fiber optic network in southern Vermont. DVFiber covers the Deerfield Valley in Southern Vermont. DVFiber and Sertex are expected to start construction later this month. DVFiber was established in 2020 to ensure that all on-grid households and businesses within the 24-member town district have access to reliable, high-speed Internet service.

Vermont Business Magazine M&T Bank today announced an award of $60,000 over three years, an investment in the Pipelines and Pathways Program. The donation will underwrite operating costs associated with training and activities provided to Windham County high school students. The Pipelines & Pathways Program (P3) was launched by the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation four years ago to help students successfully prepare for and access career opportunities.

Vermont Business Magazine The CCTV Center for Media & Democracy Board announced today that founding director Lauren-Glenn Davitian will be stepping down from her leadership role to take on special projects for the organization. Lauren-Glenn stepped down as as Executive Director in September 2022 in support of a new co-director leadership structure, assuming the role of interim Operations Director. Long time staffer and media educator/producer Meghan O’Rourke was selected by the Board to be Director of Projects. The Board is in the process of hiring a new Director of Operations. Once that position is filled, Lauren-Glenn will focus on Special Projects including advocacy, archival research, media production and preparation for CCTV’s 40th Anniversary in June 2024.

Vermont Business Magazine NBT Bancorp Inc (NASDAQ: NBTB) reported net income and diluted earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2023. NBT Bancorp, based in Norwich, NY, is the parent of NBT Bank with branches in western Vermont. Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $33.7 million, or $0.78 per diluted common share, compared to $39.1 million, or $0.90 per diluted share, for the three months ended March 31, 2022, and $36.1 million, or $0.84 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 23 of their colleagues introduced legislation to boost Medicare negotiation of drug prices to lower prescription drug costs for consumers. The Strengthening Medicare and Reducing Taxpayer (SMART) Prices Act would give the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) enhanced authority to negotiate for Medicare Part D. This legislation builds on a provision Welch and Klobuchar included in the Inflation Reduction Act that empowered Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time, unleashing the power of Medicare’s 50 million seniors to help lower drug prices for all Americans.

Vermont Business Magazine Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA) on Tuesday issued the following statement announcing a bipartisan deal on legislation to lower drug prices in America: “We are happy to announce that we’ve come to an agreement to consider critical pieces of legislation to reform pharmacy benefit managers and expand the availability of low-cost generic drugs through the HELP Committee. We will hold an official markup of the legislation on May 2nd.”

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski issued the following statement regarding the misinformation that was released by Governor Scott’s administration on S.5, the Affordable Heat Act: “Last week, the Governor released a statement in response to the passage of S.5. This statement contained inaccurate information regarding the impact of the bill and the legislature's intent. Thankfully, Vermonters brought these inaccuracies to his attention, and as a result, he corrected some of his statements and released an updated version. However, the amended release still contained incorrect assertions that intentionally or unintentionally undermined the true intent of the legislation. So let’s correct the record."

Vermont Business Magazine Bennington alum, former trustee, and noted photography collector Bruce Berman ’74 and his wife Lea Russo have donated 77 works of art, mostly notable American photography, to benefit Bennington College’s innovative Art for Access program. The gift includes photographs by Graciela Iturbide, Mary Ellen Marks, Guillermo Srodek-Hart, Mike Smith, Joel Sternfeld, in addition to some 30 photographs by Chilean-born writer, photographer, documentarian, and MacArthur Fellow Camilo José Vergara. Berman retired as chairperson and chief executive officer of Village Roadshow Pictures Entertainment in Los Angeles in 2021. Throughout his career, he oversaw more than a hundred movies, including the Ocean’s Eleven franchise, the Matrix franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road, and the Clint Eastwood films Mystic River, American Sniper, Gran Torino, Sully, and Joker.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont-based Lawson’s Finest Liquids wins a 2023 Good Food Award. Recognized for its delicious Maple Tripple Ale and its sustainability- and community-minded business practices, Lawson’s Finest has been selected as a Good Food Award Winner following a rigorous blind tasting process. In addition to taste, all winners of the Good Food Awards are recognized for being upstanding members of their communities, committed to equity and inclusion in all levels of their business. Enticing, rich and complex, Lawson’s Finest’s award-winning Maple Tripple is a ‘once-a-year beer’ brewed only during sugaring season with 100% Vermont maple sap. Maple Tripple has also received international recognition at the prestigious World Beer Cup.