Vermont Business Magazine

Efficiency Vermont honors the 'Best Of The Best' in energy-efficient building

Mon Feb 8 2010

Energy-smart building is on the rise in Vermont. This year, Efficiency Vermont experienced a notable increase in entries to its “Best of the Best” Awards, honoring the best in energy-efficient commercial and residential design and construction in Vermont. Award recipients will be recognized at Efficiency Vermont’s 2010 Better Buildings by Design Conference, taking place on February 10 and 11, 2010, in Burlington. The conference focuses on energy-efficient building design, construction and renovation and is attended by more than 1,000+ people.

Dollar Tree stores to pay Vermont $100,000

Mon Feb 8 2010

Dollar Tree Stores, Inc, a national chain that retails discount merchandise, will pay the State of Vermont $100,000 to settle claims that its offer of products containing high amounts of lead and cadmium in Vermont violated the state’s Consumer Fraud Act. The settlement also requires the company to cease selling jewelry and comply with legal limits on the amount of lead and cadmium in consumer products. Vermont Attorney General William H.

Debt Settlement America to pay Vermont $120,000

Mon Feb 8 2010

Debt Settlement America, Inc., a debt settlement company based in Dallas, Texas, has entered into a settlement with the Vermont Attorney General’s Office that will result in refunds and payments to the State totaling over $120,000. The Attorney General claims that the company violated state law by engaging in the business of debt adjustment without a license, and by failing to comply with the Vermont Consumer Fraud Act.

Vermont Yankee narrows source of tritium leak

Mon Feb 8 2010

Vermont Yankee engineers and technicians working to identify the source of tritium in the plant’s groundwater continue to make progress, according to a statement Saturday from Vermont Yankee. They have identified a location in the protected area of the plant with a tritium concentration of 2.45 million picocuries per liter in a newly installed groundwater monitoring well along the west wall of the plant’s Advanced Offgas Building.

Vermont gasoline prices fall 2.3 cents

Mon Feb 8 2010

Average retail gasoline prices in Vermont have fallen 2.3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.77/g today. This compares with the national average that has stayed flat, moving just 0.4 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.66/g, according to gasoline price website VermontGasPrices.com. Including the change in gas prices in Vermont during the past week, prices today are 86.9 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 1 cent per gallon flat than a month ago.

Bruegger's celebrates National Bagel Day, Tuesday February 9

Mon Feb 8 2010

Tuesday February 9th is National Bagel Day, a day that Bruegger's Bagels, founder of the retail bagel concept and holder of the Guinness Book of World Records' title for largest bagel, takes very seriously. Americans take bagel eating seriously, too. Americans eat an estimated 3 billion bagels annually, an average of about 11 per person, according to the New York Times. In honor of National Bagel Day, Bruegger's surveyed approximately 75,000 fans, via Facebook and email.

Green Mountain United Way receives $41,000 donation from Northfield Savings Bank

Mon Feb 8 2010

Green Mountain United Way received a donation of $40,978.56 from Northfield Savings Bank. This total represents the combination of Northfield Savings bank employee pledges, as well as NSB’s 100 percent matching gift. The donation increased 7 percent from last year, and employee participation increased 24 percent. Green Mountain United Way seeks to increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another and to improve the overall quality of life in the communities they serve.

Douglas to lead nation's governors February 20 for NGA Winter Meeting

Mon Feb 8 2010

The nation’s governors will gather in Washington, DC, February 20 for the 2010 National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting. Vermont Governor Jim Douglas is the NGA chairman this year. Among the topics will be health care, the economy, and trade and border security with Canada. The governors will also meet with President Obama and members of his cabinet.

FairPoint finally files bankruptcy plan

Mon Feb 8 2010

FairPoint Communications announced today that it has resolved issues involving unsecured creditors and has filed a restructuring plan with the US Bankruptcy Court that will get rid of $1.7 billion of its $2.7 billion debt in exchange for giving most of its common stock to secured creditors. FairPoint announced October 26, 2009, that it was filing chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a pre-negotiated deal with creditors. However, the 2,500 unionized workers and unsecured creditors continued to press the company to reach a more favorable agreement.

This Month's Issue

Keeping a business all in the family allows for continuity and consistency, but it can also present challenges. Consider the case of Preci Manufacturing, run for all 32 of its years by Marcel Grunvald and, in recent years, by his sons as well. Lloyd Grunvald serves as general manager while Jeff Grunvald handles sales and office operations.
There is no shortage of visionaries in Vermont, but only a handful of them have had the courage, talent and confidence to carve out empires.
A resident of Westford, VT Armando Vilaseca graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor of science degree in education. He received his masters in education with a focus on educational leadership from Lesley College in Cambridge, MA.

Governor Douglas's 2010 State of the State Address

In VBM’s Profiles in Business, you will read the stories of several Vermont companies and organizations that over the years have thrived and grown. We want to share with our readers their exciting success stories. Vermont is a great place to live, work and play and the companies featured here lead the way. The quality of life in Vermont is a main reason these companies locate and thrive here, and they continue to thrive even through difficult times.

Business Brief Podcast

Biz Brief January 8, 2010
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Governor Douglas appointed by President Obama to co-chair Council of Governors; Governor Douglas urges Congress to allow states greater Medicaid flexibility; Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway files abandonment notice for track in Maine