The Vermont Historical Society has announced that Jim Douglas, the former four-term governor of Vermont, has agreed to serve as the VHS’s part-time interim Executive Director while a national search is undertaken to replace Mark Hudson, who recently announced his fall departure. Douglas will begin his duties shortly and will overlap for a time with the departing Hudson.

Nicole Strout, FNP, has joined the orthopedics practice at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC). Strout is a graduate of Walden University, Minneapolis and is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Prior to joining SVMC, Nicole worked in Pittsburgh as an orthopedic nurse. She gained valuable experience working with trauma and sports-related injuries and decided to pursue her advanced practitioner degree and specialize in orthopedics. Her clinical interests include joint pain, sports related injuries, and orthopedic trauma.

Andrew Brewer of Onion River Sports in Montpelier, Marc Sherman of Stowe Mercantile in Stowe, Trudy Trombley of Truly Trudy's Boutique also in Stowe and Todd Keyworth of Harborside Harvest Market in North Hero have been recognized as “America’s Retail Champions” by the National Retail Federation – the world’s largest retail trade association.

This notable recognition was extended for their advocacy and engagement on behalf of the retail industry…an industry that supports one in four American jobs.

Finding the right executive chef for a premier culinary inn set deep in the woods of Southern Vermont doesn’t happen overnight. The Inn at Weathersfield’s, in Perkinsville, owners, Marilee and Richard Spanjian, have learned it takes someone with experience, a shared philosophy, maturity and true respect for guests’ needs in order to uphold and carry on this established culinary excellence.

The Spanjians' are pleased to announce the hiring of Michael Ehlenfeldt as the Executive Chef of The Inn at Weathersfield.

ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, is proud to announce two new staff members and the appointment of a current staffer to a new position. Information about Nina Ridhibhinyo, David Bardaglio, and Barry Lampke is provided below.

Nina Ridhibhinyo was named director of programs and exhibits. Previously she served as ECHO’s groups program manager. She entered ECHO as groups program coordinator.

General Joseph Dunford, confirmed by the U.S. Senate Wednesday as the top officer in the U.S. military – chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- is a 1977 graduate of Saint Michael’s College who now serves as commandant of the Marine Corps.

In early May, U.S. President Barack Obama named Dunford as his nominee for the post. At that time, Saint Michael’s President Jack Neuhauser noted that General Dunford has maintained a proud and fond identification with Saint Michael’s since the general graduated as a political science major in 1977.

The Branches of Hope cancer patient fund at Central Vermont Medical Center was formally presented $15,000 on Wednesday from the Do Good Fest and the National Life Group Foundation. The money represents proceeds from this year’s Do Good Fest music festival, as well as a matching grant by the National Life Foundation.

The Addison County Chamber of Commerce congratulates its members Otter Creek Kitchenware and Electronics and Edgewater Gallery on the Green on the openings of their new locations in downtown Middlebury’s Battell Block. Otter Creek Kitchenware and Electronics has moved from the Marble Works to 16 Merchants Row and Edgewater Gallery, has opened its second location in Middlebury, known as Edgewater Gallery on the Green, at the corner of Merchants Row and Main Street. Edgewater Gallery will maintain its current display space in Frog Hollow Alley.

The Committee for the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the inductees for 2015.