Vermont Business Magazine The Lightning Jar, the newest of a growing number of coworking spaces emerging all over the region, officially opened its doors to members this month, commemorating the occasion with a grand opening celebration on Thursday, October 8. Located inside VSECU’s Bennington Branch on 194 North Street, the coworking space offers Bennington area entrepreneurs, contractors, freelancers and knowledge workers shared, informal, open workspace and business facilities that allow for collaboration, innovation, and networking.
Opening remarks are made Thursday from The Lightning Jar's Interim Director Dimitri Garder. He was joined by project partners from VSECU, the College of Bennington, DB McKenna and the Town of Bennington. Pictured Left to Right: Dimitri Garder, Ligtning Jar and Global-Z International; Robert Ransick, Bennington College; Rob Miller, VSECU; Mike Harrington, The Town of Bennington; Jim Trimarchi, SVHC; Brian McKenna, D.B. McKenna & Co., Inc.
The project is a unique and innovative collaboration between The Lightning Jar and VSECU, a not for profit banking alternative for all Vermonters offering a full range of affordable financial products and services to its member owners. VSECU partnered with The Lightning Jar to create the coworking space, which will forward their shared principles of member participation, autonomy, independence, education, cooperation, and community sustainability.
“After many months of planning, we’re very excited to be open for our members to access and utilize the space,” said Dimitri Garder, The Lightning Jar’s President and Interim Director. “We’re excited about the possibilities that this project brings for entrepreneurial activity in our region,” said Garder.
“VSECU is proud to host and partner with The Lightning Jar,” stated Rob Miller, CEO of VSECU. “Supporting projects such as this, which inspire collaboration and nurture community sustainability, is critical to our mission to improve the lives of all Vermonters,” stated Miller.
The Lightning Jar’s grand opening celebration on Thursday brought together Bennington Town and business leaders, and the larger community to celebrate the site’s official opening. Guests included State Representative Bill Botzow, Bennington Select Board Chair Tom Jacobs and the Town of Bennington’s Economic and Community Development Director Mike Harrington.
"The Lightning Jar provides access to networking connections, meeting rooms, and other facilities which can be difficult to access, or outside of the price range for small businesses like us," said Scott Trafton, President and Co-founder of Pool Shark H2O inc, a member of The Lightning Jar.
"It's a great opportunity to get away from the isolation of a home office and meet some other local entrepreneurs. It also provides a nice place to meet clients who visit from out of town," added member Dana Rozycki, Principal Consultant of Rozycki Associates.
Bennington, Vermont – October 9, 2015