Rutland Economic Development Corp. has announced the agenda for its 79th annual meeting, set for Thursday, October 20, 2016 from 5-7 pm in the Casella Theater at Castleton University. Senator Patrick Leahy will provide the keynote address.
“It has been an exciting and productive first year of our collaboration with Castleton University,” REDC board president Mark Foley, Jr. said. “We have achieved many of our initial goals in support of our mission: to use collaboration, creativity and ingenuity to recruit talent and businesses of all kinds.”
GE Aviation and Castleton University are the signature sponsors of the event, which is also supported by VELCO, Rutland Regional Medical Center, Green Mountain Power, NBT Bank, Merchants Bank, Heritage Family Credit Union, OMYA, People’s United Bank, and Carris Reels.
Representatives from REDC’s membership, business leaders from around the state, and community members from across the county will gather for a networking session accompanied by appetizers, a cash bar, and live music by the Castleton Jazz Band from 5-6 pm. The public is invited. People interested in attending can register for $20 per person at www.rutlandeconomy.com.
The business meeting starts at 6 pm, and will include the election of board members, a multimedia presentation celebrating achievements of the past year, and presentation of the businesses of the year and entrepreneur of the year awards. Senator Patrick Leahy will be recognized as an honorary member of the year and will provide a keynote address.
“We are thrilled to honor Senator Leahy this year,” REDC Executive Director Lyle Jepson said. “Our economic future is bright, and the economic momentum is very positive. A lot of it is built around the Senator’s long-standing support for initiatives like the TIGER grant that will connect Rutland to Burlington with passenger rail and the recent $1 billion contract awarded to GE Aviation. The success and investment you see in Rutland today has a long history and has involved many people.”
“We’ve been all about collaboration this year. Everything you’re going to hear about at this meeting is because people in the Rutland region are willing to work together for common goals,” Jepson said. “The theater holds over 300 people. We want to emphasize that everyone is welcome in this work – it touches all of us.”
“REDC’s new relationship with Castleton University is unique and allows their capabilities to be broadened,” Vermont Economic Development Commissioner Joan Goldstein said. “REDC is rallying together many organizations in a collaborative and proactive way, strategically promoting economic growth and we are so pleased to see this develop.”
“We are purposefully blurring the lines between economic development and higher education,” Castleton University President David Wolk said. “Each thrives off the other. Castleton is pleased to be a major supporting partner in the process to create a vibrant and highly educated workforce, one that will meet the needs of a growing economy.”
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