2nd Annual Genesis Group Charity Golf Tournament brings out the best. $4000 Raised to Help Families of North Country Kids.The 2nd Annual Genesis Group Charity Golf Tournament to benefit Burlington’s Ronald McDonald House continues a proud tradition. A total of $4000 was raised to help this local charity continue it’s mission of love and support. The RMH is a temporary home away from home for families of sick or injured children who must travel to the Vermont Childrens’ Hospital at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington for medical attention. Since 1984, the house has been home to more than 7000 family members from throughout upstate New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.”We’re thrilled,” says President Joe Colucci, “to help Ronald McDonald House Charities here in Vermont and their enduring mission of hospitality, friendship and support. It’s all about helping children. I can’t think of a better reason to get friends together and spend a day golfing.”
Month: January 2021
Burlington Foodservice Company Merges With Bonacorsi & Sons, Inc.
Robert F. Cooper, owner and CEO of Burlington Foodservice Company, Colchester, Vermont, and Mario Bonacorsi, President of Bonacorsi & Sons, Inc, Barre, Vermont, announced the signing of a Letter of Intent for Burlington Foodservice Company to acquire the stock of Bonacorsi and Sons, Inc.Burlington Foodservice Company, a Vermont based company, is the largest, independent, broadline foodservice distribution company in Northern New England with projected sales in 2002 of $47 million. Bonacorsi & Sons anticipates sales of $8.5 million in 2002. With this acquisition, Burlington Foodservice Company is projecting sales of $61 million for 2003.In March of 2002, Bob Cooper became CEO and announced the hiring of Chris Kurek as President of Burlington Foodservice Company. Mr. Kurek has a wide background in all areas of foodservice distribution, including sales and marketing, procurement, and operations. Mario Bonacorsi will remain with Burlington Foodservice Company as Regional Vice President of Sales in Central Vermont.The Bonacorsi family purchased the wholesale grocery business from the Santarini family in March of 1973, and changed the corporate name in 1978 to Bonacorsi & Sons, Inc. Bonacorsi has expanded its product line and geographic territory covering most of Vermont and parts of New Hampshire focusing on the foodservice distribution business. Currently, Bonacorsi has over 600 customers and 24 experienced employees. The company has developed a reputation over the years for friendly and professional service to its loyal customers.This merger of assets will continue to increase Burlington Foodservice Company’s productivity and produce additional benefits to their customers as the best of both organizations are combined. These benefits will include increasing their product lines as well as more frequent deliveries to their customers. The additional purchasing power will enable them to lower product costs while continuing to enhance their long term relationships with their suppliers.Burlington Foodservice Company’s focus is selling more to existing customers and securing new customers as well. New customers represent the life blood of any growing foodservice distribution company and are essential for financial stability and long term security.Burlington Foodservice Company, with its 120 employees, services over 2500 customers throughout Vermont, Western New Hampshire, Northeast New York and Northern Massachusetts. With approximately 5000 items, 2/3’s of their sales volume is with independent restaurants. There is also a strong emphasis on schools and universities, healthcare facilities, deli’s and convenience stores, summer and winter resorts, and government facilities.Both Burlington Foodservice Company and Bonacorsi are shareholder members of Unipro Foodservice Inc, a $20 billion foodservice distribution cooperative consisting of 350 independent distributors nationwide. Bob Cooper is a board member of Unipro. The affiliation provides Burlington Foodservice Company with “Global Sourcing” and “Local Service”.Bob Cooper feels confident that Burlington Foodservice Company is positioned to grow and become one of the nation’s top 50 independent distribution companies in the foodservice industry over the next 5 years, a benchmark for all broadline foodservice distributors. He feels this merger will be an excellent alternative choice for the independent commercial foodservice establishment as this locally operated company positions itself to compete on any level.
LibertyQuest and Ameribank to Form Joint Mortgage Venture
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida and WILLISTON, Vermont, January 31, 2005 & Greg Hahr, President/ CEO of LibertyQuest Mortgage and Lou Dunham, President/ CEO of Ameribank, are pleased to announce the execution of a letter of intent to create a joint venture, named Ameribank Mortgage. The new company will become a subsidiary of Ameribank upon regulatory approval.According to Mr. Hahr, Ameribank Mortgage is committed to setting the highest standards of excellence throughout the mortgage financing experience. Our team of professionals will guide customers through the wide variety of mortgage programs to find the right home loan that meets their needs at the lowest rates and fees possible.We are eager to offer our customers a wide array of mortgage products including residential loans and construction loans, said Mr. Dunham. With this partnership we will be able to offer the most competitive fixed and variable rate products available today, beginning in the states of Florida, West Virginia and Ohio.Mr. Dunham went on to say, Ameribank Mortgage will eventually provide mortgage products to consumers throughout the country, not just in our present locations. Consumers looking for a hassle free mortgage borrowing experience anywhere in America will find what they need with us. This important philosophy of excelling in customer relationships is depicted by our motto Its all about relationships.Mr. Hahr and his team bring over 100 years of mortgage banking experience to Ameribank Mortgage. He expects the first office, to be located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, to open during the first quarter of 2005, followed quickly by an office located in St. Clairsville, Ohio.Ameribank was established in 1906 with offices presently in Palm Beach County, Florida, Belmont and Jefferson County, Ohio, and McDowell County, West Virginia. For additional information about their products and services, please visit their website at www.ameribank.com(link is external).LibertyQuest Mortgage is based in Williston, Vermont and will continue to offer mortgage loan products under its name in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming. For additional information about their products and services, please visit their website at www.libertyquestmortgage.com(link is external).
VEDA approves $8.5 million in business financing assistance
The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) Board of Directors approved $8.5 million in financing assistance to support manufacturing, business incubator and small business projects around the state. Total costs of the projects approved for VEDA financing are $15.6 million.These loans will help expand production capacity at several existing manufacturing facilities, said Jo Bradley. In addition, new incubator space will be created for entrepreneurs who have moved beyond the early stages of commercialization, and have begun manufacturing and producing new products and services.Approved for financing by the VEDA Board are: – Autumn Harp, Inc., Essex Junction Industrial revenue bond inducements totaling $4 million were approved by the Board, enabling Autumn Harp to pursue expansion plans for the company. Autumn Harp, founded in 1978, is a private label custom manufacturer of personal care and cosmetic products for major national and international brands. The company plans to maintain operations in Bristol and will expand to a second location in Essex Junction to ensure adequate capacity for continued product diversification, and a growing customer base. Autumn Harp estimates the planned $4.6 million project would increase employment at both facilities by 50 employees over a three year period. – Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies, Inc., Colchester Financing of $1.1 million was approved, allowing the non-profit Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET) to develop a second business incubator facility in Colchester. Since 2005, VCET has operated a high-technology business incubator on a portion of the former Trinity College campus in Burlington, property now owned by the University of Vermont. The $3.1 million expansion project planned by VCET involves the purchase of 2.2 acres and a 21,000 square foot building in Colchester. The new space will provide incubator facilities to serve companies that have moved beyond initial commercialization and have begun manufacturing and producing products and services. It is expected that jobs will increase over three years from 13 at the current facility to 35 positions housed in both facilities. – Vermont Precision Woodworks, Morrisville The Board renewed a loan guarantee for up to 32% of a $1.25 million Union Bank working capital line of credit for Vermont Precision Woodworks. The VEDA-insured Union Bank line of credit will help the wood furniture manufacturer maintain its recent growth in employment at its Morrisville plant. – Vermont Quality Wood Products, Brandon The Board approved a 6-month renewal of $300,000 in mortgage insurance to guarantee a KeyBank working capital line of credit to owners of the former Vermont Tubbs furniture manufacturing firm. Vermont Quality Wood Products purchased the assets of Vermont Tubbs in 2003 as Tubbs was poised to liquidate the company and close the business. Vermont Quality Wood Products has continued operations since that date, and currently employs 105 individuals. – SecurShred, South Burlington An approved $306,000 loan will allow SecurShred, a growing document destruction company, to purchase a 10,000 square foot warehouse in South Burlington. The $850,000 project will enable SecurShred to increase its capacity and efficiency in the shredding of paper and electronic media for companies in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York. SecurShred employs 10, and expects to increase that number to 14 within three years of the expansion.In addition, $1.9 million in Vermont SBA 504 Program loans were approved to support $5 million in business real estate and construction project costs. And, small business loans totaling $472,550 were approved by the Board.VEDAs mission is to promote economic prosperity in Vermont by providing financial assistance to eligible businesses, including manufacturing, agricultural, and travel and tourism enterprises. Since its inception in 1974, VEDA has made financing commitments totaling over $1.2 billion. For more information about VEDA, visit www.veda.org(link is external) or call 802-828-5627.
VMEC elects new board members
Randolph Center, VT – The Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC) has announced the election of manufacturing executive David Blittersdorf, Founder of NRG Systems in Hinesburg, Vermont, to its Advisory Board. VMEC also announced the hiring of Anne Wood as Office Manager and Erin Quatrini as Marketing & Training Manager. In addition, Board Member and manufacturer Mike Rainville, Owner and President of Maple Landmark, Inc. in Middlebury, VT, has been re-elected 2008 Chairperson of the 12-member VMEC Board. Existing Board member Ed Townley, Senior Vice President and Controller of Cabot Creamery, Inc., was re-elected for another 2-year term on the Board. David Blittersdorf is Founder of NRG Systems, a global leader in wind measurement technology. David has long been an national and international leader in the promotion of energy conservation and renewable energy opportunities. Last year, NRG Systems was named a “2007 Top Small Workplace” by the Wall Street Journal and Winning Workplaces. Anne Wood joined the 17-member, not-for-profit VMEC team in December 2007. She comes to the Center after spending almost 14 years at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, with her most recent position being Associate Project Manager in the Project Management Office. Her prior experience includes 10 years owning and successfully operating a small retail sales business. Anne also worked for 7 years at the Merchants Bank in Northfield, leaving as Assistant Branch Manager. Anne will be working at the VMEC Headquarters office located on the Randolph Center campus of Vermont Technical College where the Center has been hosted since 1995. Erin Quatrini also joined the Center in December 2007 as VMEC Marketing & Training Manager. Prior to joining VMEC, Erin was a Direct Marketing Manager for Littleton Coin Company in Littleton, NH, where she was employed since 2001. Erin is a 2001 graduate of St. Michael’s College where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.###About VMECVMEC’s primary mission since 1995 has been “To improve manufacturing in Vermont and strengthen the global competitiveness of the state’s smaller manufacturers.” This is done through confidential professional consulting, one-on-one coaching and public/onsite workshops to help Vermont’s approximately 2,000 small and medium sized manufacturers increase their productivity, improve their manufacturing and business processes, reduce costs, identify and adopt new growth strategies, and improve their competitiveness. Through the VMEC Process Strategies Group (PSG) business unit established in early 2006, VMEC is bringing its proven process and strategy expertise to a number of non-manufacturing sectors in Vermont, including healthcare, higher education, government, and financial services.Visit www.vmec.org(link is external) for more information.
VT Family Income Hits Record High in 2007
Median family income in Vermont rose to a record high of $65,786 in 2007, according to The Vermont Economy Newsletter’s annual analysis of just-released Vermont Tax Department income data. The income earned by the median family (half of all families earn more and half earn less than the median) rose by 4.6% or $2,900 in 2007.While incomes grew by 4.6%, prices increased by 2.8%, yielding an inflation-adjusted income growth rate of 1.7%.”Inflation-adjusted income grew by a healthy 1.7% in 2007,” noted Art Woolf, co-author of the report and editor of The Vermont Economy Newsletter. “And that was on top of an equally healthy 1.6% growth in 2006. Over the long term, annual income growth in Vermont is 1.5%, so income growth in 2006 and 2007 was better than average.”The Vermont Economy Newsletter’s forecast for 2008 and 2009 is not so sanguine. “The economy began slowing in 2008 and will continue to slow as the full impact of the recession takes hold,” noted Richard Heaps, the study’s other co-author. “We believe that while income gains were healthy in 2008, the high inflation caused by the rapid growth in energy and food prices eroded most of those gains,” he said. “And the outlook for 2009 is even worse. Incomes will barely grow. And although inflation will be low in 2009, it will be high enough and income growth low enough to cause a decline in inflation-adjusted family income,” he continued.The study foresees a modest decline in inflation-adjusted family income in both 2008 and 2009.Family income data for 2008, based on tax returns that Vermonters are now beginning to file, will be available in December 2009.Actual Data: Vermont Median Family IncomeYearActual DollarsInflation Adjusted1975$12,036$41,2261976$13,440$43,5371977$14,466$44,0491978$16,533$48,2211979$17,967$47,8231980$19,193$45,9821981$20,622$45,1111982$21,019$43,3621983$22,510$44,5371984$23,609$44,8751985$25,343$46,5721986$27,347$49,3611987$30,618$53,4591988$32,750$55,1571989$34,680$55,9921990$35,399$54,4391991$35,460$52,6451992$36,953$53,5051993$37,557$53,0681994$38,755$53,6161995$40,407$54,5871996$42,262$55,6131997$44,516$57,3401998$47,309$60,0981999$49,578$61,6942000$52,387$63,0762001$53,609$62,7842002$53,790$61,9952003$54,958$61,9572004$57,677$63,3122005$59,959$63,6822006$62,912$64,6972007$65,786$65,7862008F$68,089$65,5332009F$68,429$65,208www.vteconomy.com(link is external)
Former FDA head, food industry critic David Kessler to speak at UVM
Are we a nation at the mercy of a food system that has co-opted common sense with the lure of endless and ever-available combinations of fat, salt and sugar? David Kessler, M.D., Food and Drug Administration commissioner under Presidents Clinton and Bush and author of the 2009 The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, thinks we are. Giant corporations and restaurant chains, he argues, feed on our biological drive for foods that lead to obesity and disease. Kessler will be at UVM to talk about this “conditioned hypereating” and how America can take control on Monday, June 7 at 5:15 p.m. in Ira Allen Chapel. The lecture, followed by a book signing, is free and open to the public. UVM has also invited Kessler to take part in the 2010 session of the Food Systems Leadership Institute (FSLI), a program designed to develop individual and institutional leadership for a 21st Century food system. The university was selected as one of only three land-grant institutions to participate in FSLI, a grant-funded initiative through the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, along with Ohio State and North Carolina State University. This long-term relationship in developing FSLI positions UVM as a leader in striving for sustainability across disciplines. Kessler’s expertise on the nation’s current food system makes him an invaluable contributor to this year’s curriculum.Kessler, professor of pediatrics, epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, was Dean and Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs there from 2003 through 2007 and Dean of the Yale University School of Medicine from 1997 until 2003. Kessler headed the FDA from November 1990 until March 1997 where he acted to speed approval of new drugs and placed high priority on expediting promising therapies for serious and life-threatening diseases. Under his direction, the FDA announced a number of new programs, including the regulation of marketing and sale of tobacco products to children; nutrition labeling for food; user fees for drugs and biologics; preventive controls to improve food safety; measures to strengthen the nation’s blood supply; and the MedWatch program for reporting adverse events and product problems. Among his numerous honors and awards, the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley named Kessler 2008 National Hero for leadership as the nation’s top drug regulator and courage in challenging the U.S. tobacco industry.The talk is sponsored by the College of Medicine, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Office of the Provost and Vtrim-Behavioral Weight Management Program.Source: UVM. 5.14.2010 ###
Vermont Family Business Initiative to partner with Coaching Center
The Vermont Family Business Initiative (VFBI) and the Coaching Center of Vermont have announced a partnership this week to assist Vermont family and privately owned businesses with transition, succession, and financial planning issues. The Coaching Center of Vermont joins Gallagher, Flynn and Company, and hmc2 Agency as current partners of the VFBI. The VFBI works with business owners and their successors to identify challenging transitional issues and develop strategies for successful business transition and strategic growth.Dann Van Der Vliet, Director of the VFBI, reflected on the new partnership, ‘We’re pleased that The Coaching Center is joining our efforts to assist family and other closely-held businesses in the state. Coaching is an emerging tool that many successful owners have utilized to implement change and execute their ideas more rapidly.’ According to a recent study, one on one coaching helped to increase productivity nearly 88%, as compared to 22% with just training alone. Since its inception in 2002, the Coaching Center of Vermont (CCVT), Inc. has been a leader in coaching and development ‘ both personal and professional. Located in the Champlain Mill in Winooski, the center comprises over a dozen professionally trained and credentialed coaches and is jointly owned by Liz Dallas and Lea Belair. In 2007 CCVT created the Vital Business division to better support businesses and organizations ready to grow their workforce by investing in their best talent. The division comprises additional coaches who specialize in business as well as strategic partners who offer their expertise in fields from finance to corporate wellness to career enhancement. Liz Dallas, founder of the Coaching Center states “The Coaching Center is committed to helping business owners succeed. This partnership with the VFBI represents a mutual opportunity for both parties to help business owners realize their full potential and expose a new generation to the benefits of coaching,” states Ms. Dallas.The Vermont Family Business Initiative is dedicated to supporting and strengthening the network of businesses that are family and privately owned. The VFBI serves family business owners, next generation leaders and key employees through a series of family business forums and affinity groups with peers in other successful family firms.For more information, go to http://uvm.edu/familybusiness(link is external)
Derby Green honored with eighth Quality Award
Derby Green in Derby, Vermont, is a small, 23 bed nursing home with a big, positive reputation that grows with every passing year. And that reputation recently grew again on May 17th when the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living (D.A.I.L) awarded the home with it eighth Quality Award since the department first awarded the honor in 1999. No other nursing home in the state has earned this prestigious award so many times.On August 25 Lisa Bolhman, the director of Derby Green, accepted a check for $11,476.91 from the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living as a result of the long-term care home earning its eighth Quality Award. Left to right: Claudio Fort, President and CEO of North Country Hospital; Kathy Austin, chairman of the hospital’s board of directors; Fran Keeler, the director of Licensing and Protection; Lisa Bohlman; Susan Wehry, the Commissioner of the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living; Paula Ducharme, RN, the Director of Nursing at Derby Green; Bill Perkett, Vice President of Hurman Resources at North Country; and Andre Bissonnette, Vice President of Finance at North Country.‘It is quite an honor to win this award for the last 5 years in a row and a total of 8 times since the award has been given,’ Lisa Bohlman said. ‘This award is not easily achieved and it takes work to continue to receive it each year. We could not have won this award without the dedication and commitment of each person in each department here at Derby Green.’ Bohlman is the administrator of the home which is located on Route 5 in Derby.The recent honor was bestowed upon Derby Green at the Gold Star Conference held at the Quechee Club in Quechee. The award was given by Susan Wehry, the commissioner of DAIL, and Fran Keeler, the director of the Division of Licensing and Protection. Bohlman and Paula Ducharme R.N., the director of director of nursing services at Derby Green, accepted the award. Then on August 25 Susan Wehry and Fran Keeler traveled to the long-term care home in Derby to award them a check for $11,476.91 for their dedication to patient care.Also at the conference Derby Green, which employs 29 workers, was honored with the Gold Star Employer Award. This program is implemented through DAIL and the Vermont Health Care Association. To earn this honor, Derby Green proved it had implemented ‘best practices’ for retention and recruitment of employees. Derby Green was awarded this honor every year between 2005 and 2011.I am so proud of my staff and the quality care they give to each of our residents each day throughout the year,’ Bohlman said. ‘Working at a nursing home is not for everyone, it takes someone who genuinely cares for the residents.
New vision screener completes first school screening in Vermont
Mack Group,Spot, the revolutionary new vision screening tool from PediaVision, is quickly changing the efficiency of vision screenings at schools across America due to the device’s speed, accuracy, ease of use and data tracking.The new Spot vision screener is manufactured for PediaVision by Mack Medical in Arlington, Vermont, which selected Fisher Elementary, also in Arlington, as one of the schools to conduct a pilot screening.”It was so amazing!” said Amy Goodfellow, the school nurse at Fisher Elementary, who has done many screenings over the years. “It was a wonderful experience. It would normally take me at least 10 minutes per student for a vision screening, but with the Spot vision screener, it literally took me only 10 seconds per student.”There are 160 students at Fisher Elementary, ranging in school age from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, and the entire screening took less than two hours. In the past, Goodfellow said it would take much longer, days and even weeks to complete. Speed wasn’t the only attribute about Spot that got Goodfellow’s attention.”My favorite thing about Spot was being able to screen students whom I hadn’t been able to screen in the past using the eye chart,” said Goodfellow. “This was perfect. It was not subjective. It was scientific, providing an accurate measurement of each student’s eyes.”The screening with Spot identified 11 students who have a vision issue and are being referred to an eye doctor for a full eye exam.”These are all students I have screened in the past, but wasn’t able to identify a problem using the eye chart,” said Goodfellow.One case in particular feels like a great vision health victory for the school nurse.”I have a special needs student whom I have been unable to get an accurate reading for in the past,” Goodfellow said. “The screening with Spot showed an astigmatism, myopia (nearsightedness). The parents were so grateful to learn about these results, because their child has been struggling in school and this may be the reason. Now they can get help for their child.”Fisher Elementary principal, Deanne Lacost, watched her students go through the screening process with Spot and could immediately see the benefit.”I was so proud that our school was chosen to use this new technology,” said Lacost, who had been principal at Fisher Elementary for the past five years. “It’s important for us to screen students for both vision and hearing just to monitor the students and make certain there are no issues.”We have used the eye chart in the past, but given the opportunity to move to the Spot vision screener, we were able to screen all of the kids in a couple of hours and it usually takes a lot longer. We loved the fact that we got the information immediately.”The principal was most impressed by the ability of the Spot to screen all the children, especially the preschool students.”I watched the screening and the way the children are screened is so different,” said Lacost. “It is not invasive for the kids who are non-verbal. It was simple with no interaction required.”Vision Disability, Number One Health Issue in SchoolsIn a recent study of the top seven health issues in schools, vision disability is priority number one.(1) This clearly shows evidence that addressing the prevalence of visions disorders can improve student outcomes. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that vision disability is the single most prevalent disabling condition among children. Approximately 80 percent(2) of what children learn in their early school years is visual. Alarmingly, fewer than 15 percent of all preschool children receive an eye exam and fewer than 22 percent receive any type of vision screening. Today, of all school-age children across America, 25 percent suffer from a vision problem,(2) yet in the 9 to 15 year age group, only 10% of those needing glasses actually had them.About SpotThe new breakthrough Spot vision screener was recently launched and can assess a child’s vision with unmatched speed, accuracy and deliver immediate comprehensive results. Spot has an incredibly quick capture time of less than one second which makes screening equally efficient in a physician’s office or large-scale public screening. The WiFi enabled handheld device makes vision screening as easy as taking a photo. Spot’s touchscreen interface clearly displays the results accurately and instantly. Spot is easily used by anyone when screening children from 6 months through adults. With Spot, a typical school can be screened in one day, dramatically lowering the cost to screen students. Access to the screening data is immediate and Spot facilitates a large scale data analysis. Spot enables educators to instantly print reports, monitor follow-up care and show supporters the statistics behind childhood vision issues.About PediaVisionPediaVision, inventor of the Spot vision screener, is dedicated to solving the critical problem of undiagnosed vision problems and transforming the lives of thousands of children each day. Automated and objective vision screening empowers organizations in public health and private medicine to positively affect the outcomes of a child’s education performance.Supported by ophthalmologists, optometrists, scientists and leading technology innovators, the Spot vision screener is breakthrough technology and represents what vision screening should be. For more information, including how to order Spot, please visit www.pediavision.com(link is external). (1) Basch, C.E. (2010) Healthier Students Are Better Learners: A Missing Link in Efforts to Close the Achievement Gap.(2) American Optometric AssociationSOURCE PediaVision LAKE MARY, Fla., Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ —