Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) has announced that for the second year in a row it has been named a 2022 Human Experience Guardian of Excellence Award winner by Press Ganey. PPNNE partners with Press Ganey to measure patient satisfaction through after-visit surveys. Annually, Press Ganey ranks the top hospitals and health systems across the country and recognized PPNNE for their outstanding performance in the category of patient experience. As a winner of the Press Ganey Human Experience Guardian of Excellence Award, PPNNE is in the top 5 percent for patient experience out of more than 41,000 health care facilities that Press Ganey evaluates. PPNNE is the only Planned Parenthood affiliate across the country to be recognized in this category and is just one of three health care providers of any kind to be recognized from Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The Rutland Area Medical Community Scholarship committee recently completed its 2022 fundraising in support of the annual scholarship program raising close to $27,000 thanks to the generosity of Rutland area physicians, retired physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners.

The Rutland area medical community established the scholarship program in 2016. Since that time, twenty-eight scholarships have been awarded to local recipients.

The scholarship is intended to stimulate the region’s best and brightest students by encouraging them to continue their education in the field of healthcare. The scholarship awards are designed to create opportunities that empower recipients to achieve excellence in education.

Vermont Business Magazine The VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region is offering a new monthly grief support group specifically for those who have lost a child of any age. The group is facilitated by Lori Rogers, Spiritual Care Coordinator at the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region. The group will meet every third Tuesday of every month, beginning February 21st at the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region, located at the Putnam Block, 335 Main St., Office C in Bennington from 6-7 pm. The option to join the group virtually is also available. Group support meetings are free and open to the public. RSVP to 802.442.0540. Masks are required.

by Michael Del Trecco, President & CEO VAHHS Occasionally my phone rings and it’s Jack, who lives in Connecticut. His mom lives on my dirt road out in the country and he’s hoping I’ll make sure her steps are safe from ice, power is on, and driveway is clear of trees—whatever conditions might call for. I’m always glad to take his call. My folks live in Massachusetts, and I know the stress of being far from aging parents when they might need assistance. It’s not all give either. I’ve always been handy, and I get a real sense of purpose making sure those around me are safe during a storm, heat wave or cold snap.

Fake package scam leads the list; Social Security phishing scam falls from list

Vermont Business Magazine Reports of scams to the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program totaled 3,685 in 2022. In keeping with the previous year’s trend, a scam claiming that an unauthorized order was placed, or a package is pending delivery, sometimes naming Amazon, took the number one spot on the list, totaling 19 percent of the top scams reported to the Consumer Assistance Program. The computer tech support scam, where a scammer reaches out about concerning viruses or problems with antivirus services, took the number two spot, accounting for 18 percent of the top scam reports in 2022.

Vermont Business Magazine Union Mutual Insurance Company is proud to announce its Penguin Plunge team of 44 employees, vendors and family members raised over $100,000 to benefit Special Olympics Vermont during the 2023 fundraising season. Since their first Plunge in 2016, the Union Mutual Popsicles have raised nearly $500,000 for Special Olympics Vermont. Due to dangerously low temperatures and subsequent windchill warnings in the Burlington area on Saturday, February 4, the traditional Plunge into the icy waters of Lake Champlain was moved to a remote event. However, the Union Mutual Popsicles safely took the Plunge in an indoor pool to complete their pledge to their generous donors. The $101,456 mark is the second-highest fundraising total in the event’s history – the Popsicles set the high-water mark in 2020 with over $135,000 raised.

Vermont Business Magazine Ledyard Financial Group, Inc (ticker symbol LFGP), the holding company for Ledyard National Bank with a branch in Vermont, today announced financial results for Q4 2022 and FY 2022, confirming the strength and resiliency of the Company’s core banking and wealth management businesses. The Company remains focused on building and leveraging infrastructure that promotes growth and the pursuit of making life better for its clients, its employees, and the communities it serves. Net income for Q4 2022 was $1.76 million ($0.54 per share) compared to $2.08 million in Q3 2022 ($0.64 per share) and $2.00 million ($0.62 per share) for the same period in 2021. For the full year, net income totaled $7.96 million ($2.44 per share) compared to $7.77 million ($2.42 per share) for 2021.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement marking the 30th anniversary of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act: “This week marks the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the Family and Medical Leave Act, an important piece of federal legislation that we’re now building on in Vermont."

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Talent Pipeline Management (VTPM) and Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC) have teamed up to advance employer-driven workforce solutions. The partnership represents a dedication to manufacturing as a critical sector requiring focus to build capacity and efficiencies in talent sourcing and developing essential skills. VMEC is now the host organization of Vermont Talent Pipeline Management for the Manufacturing Sector. With today’s labor shortage, launching worker-centric programs that upskill and retain good employees builds a sustainable Manufacturing Career Ladder.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont continued their slow decent last week, falling 2 cents per gallon to $3.50. Prices are still 9 cents/g higher than a month ago and 4 cents/g higher than last year. According to GasBuddy, the highest price found in Vermont was $3.69/g in Huntington and the lowest was $3.25/g in West Dummerston. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.44/g today. The national average is up 17 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 1.7 cents per gallon higher than a year ago

by Devon Green, VAHHS VP of Government Relations VAHHS wants to thank Senator Dick Sears and Senator Ginny Lyons for holding a joint hearing last week to hear from health care providers on S.36 and workplace violence. The extensive testimony was raw and emotional. It was jarring to see these matter-of-fact professionals reduced to tears. I want to thank the Senate Judiciary and Senate Health and Welfare Committees for their compassion in hearing our health care providers. Most importantly, thank you to all health care providers who took the time and effort to testify. Your stories were powerful. Lawmakers also focused on Long Term Care, Mental Health, Dental and Shield laws.