Current News

At Champlain College's Commencement Ceremony on May 6, the private college presented its Distinguished Citizen Award to Peter Clavelle, the former mayor of Burlington.
The ceremony was presided over by Bob Allen, the chairman of the Champlain's Board of Trustees, and President Dave Finney. Allen said Clavelle has demonstrated exceptional personal and professional achievement, a strong record of community service and dynamic leadership.
Peter Clavelle was Mayor of Burlington for 15 years, the longest tenure of any mayor in the city's history. In September he decided not to run for another term, and just a few weeks ago, he handed over the keys of the city to a new mayor, Bob Kiss.
"Peter has said that he just wanted to quietly ride off into the sunset, but many people in our community feel moved to make sure he rides off knowing how much we appreciate what he's done for our city," Allen said. "His accomplishments are numerous, their effects far-reaching."

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Business Interiors of Vermont Acquires Office Environments of Portland

Champlain College has been selected as an affiliated school for the Annual Scholarship Grant Program of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF). The program provides $3,000 in scholarship funds to Champlain College, which then awards scholarships to a select group of academically talented juniors and seniors in its Hospitality Industry Management program.
Together, AH&LEF and Champlain College are working to build tomorrow's hotel industry -- and the talent to fuel it. At a recent awards ceremony on campus, AH&LEF scholarships were awarded to Hospitality Industry Management students Tiffany Suitter of Berlin, N.H., Kimberly Pierce of West Rutland, Vt., and Christina Lamphere of Georgia, Vt.

Music, Fun and Hot-Air Balloons Launch Summer's First Big Festival at Exposition
Plenty of Affordable, Close-to-Home Fun with Concerts and Balloons
Hot air balloons in the shape of bees, beagles and bunnies will fill the skies over Champlain Valley Exposition June 2-4 as the Vermont Balloon and Music Festival Presented by UNICEL returns for its third year.
The three-day, family-oriented festival has a new line-up of entertainment this year, including three top-notch music concerts, children's carnival rides and games, circus and reptile acts, a children's zoo, and one of the largest gatherings of colorful mascots from around the region for Sunday's special Kids Vt. Kids Day activities.

First Night Burlington announces that J. Patrick Burns, of the Entrepreneur's Source, now leads the Board of Directors as Chair. Burns, who joined the First Night Burlington Board of Directors in 2005, brings many years of experience as a business consultant to the position and will continue to seek opportunities to expand the non-profit's commitment to the community and to the arts. Additional Board Officers include community member Megan Brook as Vice Chair, John Scheer, CPA as board Treasurer, and Robynn Albert of Robynn's Cleaning Service as Secretary, all of whom bring many years of community service to the board. The elected officers are supported by the remainder of the Board of Directors, including Margie Berger of Lippa's Jewelers, Laura Bowe of Adelphia Media Services, Becky Cassidy of the Church Street Marketplace, Chris Kesler of Earthlogic and Chris Leff of Paul, Frank & Collins.

Interrobang Design Collaborative, Inc., The Office of Mark and Lisa Sylvester, has launched their new web site. Covering the studio's core capabilities, and displaying in-depth portfolio sections for Identity, Packaging, Print, Typefaces and Design Management, the site gives potential clients and existing collaborators thorough insight into the studio's work and mindset.
"We designed the site to function mainly as an online portfolio, allowing the work to take center stage," says Mark. "Viewers can browse the categories individually, or go to the Design Management section to see a chronological history of work for select clients. When you have a client like TDK Electronics for over 9 years, you have quite a brand evolution story to tell."

The Machine Operators Skills Training Program (M.O.S.T.) is a pilot training program designed to prepare displaced, unemployed workers for careers as machine operators in advanced machine shops. Candidates selected for this free program participate in an intensive, two-week training process. Starting wages for CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) machine operators can range from $10 to $15 per hour.
The Vermont Department of Labor (VT DOL) is now accepting applications for the M.O.S.T. program that begins in Bennington on May 8, 2006. Applicants are not required to have previous manufacturing or machining experience. Candidates who successfully complete the training will be eligible to fill current job openings in the Bennington area.

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Stantec adds to US
East operations with addition of Dufresne-Henry

EDMONTON AB, NORTH
SPRINGFIELD VT (April 17, 2006) TSX:STN;NYSE:SXC

Stantec
successfully closed today the previously announced acquisition of multidiscipline
design firm Dufresne-Henry. The addition adds over 270 employees and 12 office
locations to Stantec in the New England states, New York,
and Florida.

“Dufresne-Henry strengthens
our operations in the US East creating a new region in New England and an
initial platform for future growth in Florida,”
says Tony Franceschini, Stantec President & CEO. “This addition also
increases our service offering in the public sector in the environment and
transportation markets.”

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#10-06
April 14, 2006

GREEN
MOUNTAIN POWER

ASKS
FOR 11.95 PERCENT INCREASE IN RATES;

INCREASING
POWER COSTS PRINCIPAL FACTOR

COLCHESTER, VT
. . . Green Mountain Power (NYSE: GMP) today asked the Vermont Public Service
Board to authorize an 11.95 percent rate increase to go into effect on January
1, 2007. The Company said 88 percent of the increase is due to rising power
costs in a post-Katrina wholesale market, while the remaining 12 percent is due
to increasing state and regional transmission costs.

BOSTON, April 14, 2006 The Hannaford Bros. Co. supermarket chain has selected The Pohly Company to publish its customer magazine, Diana Pohly, president of The Pohly Company, announced today. Burlington is one of Hannaford Bros.'s major markets.
The Pohly Company will re-position and re-design Hannaford Brothers bi-monthly magazine called Hannaford Fresh. The Pohly Company will be responsible for publication strategy development, distribution analysis and refinement, editorial content, graphic design, and print production for the publication.
Hannaford operates more than 150 supermarkets in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York. Founded in 1883, the company is headquartered in Scarborough, Maine.
Hannaford is a leader and innovator in its industry, and we look forward to strengthening that leadership position and their brand through our custom publishing and marketing services, Pohly said.

JAMES H. DOUGLAS

GOVERNOR