VBM April 2020

APRIL 2020 $4.95





In This Issue

(number refers to first page of article in which named appears)

REAL ESTATE • COMMERCIAL • VEHICLES A M
Addison County Regional Main Street Landing.............................20
4 vermontbiz.com Planning Commission...........................22 Marcel, Joyce.......................................54
Amtrak................................................20 McElvany, Norm.....................................9
Anders, Mark.......................................22 McQuiston, Tim....................................54
Miller, Karyn Bovia..................................9
B Miller, Robert.........................................9
Barrett, Lynn........................................54 Moore, Bill...........................................22
Bennington County Moulton, Melinda.................................20
Regional Commission...........................22
Bradford, Woody....................................9 N
Bradley, Jim..........................................17 Nace, Kim............................................54
Bridgewater, Elizabeth..........................17 National Low Income
Brookfield Properties............................19 Housing Coalition.................................17
Burlington International Airport......47, 49 Nemetz, Andrea...................................54
Burlington Square Mall.........................19
O
C Owens, Nancy......................................17
Cathedral Square.................................17
Cioffi, Frank............................................9 P
Conning.................................................9 Paterson, Duane.....................................9
Costello, Paul.........................................9 Pouech, Phil.........................................45
Cota, Carolyn.......................................22 Purmalis, Martha..................................54

D R
Delabruere, Dan...................................20 R. L. Vallee, Inc.....................................22
Densham, Stephen...............................61 Reid, Cindy...........................................17
DEW Construction................................47 Responsible Growth Hinesburg.............45
Don Sinex............................................19 Richards, Gene...............................47, 49
Dumont, James....................................45 Runnion, Norman.................................54
Duteau, Corey......................................61
Duteau, Kelly........................................61 S
Sayles, John............................................9
E Seddon, Leigh........................................9
Energy Action Network...........................9 Seelig, Gus...........................................17
Sterling, Tyler........................................45
F
Field, Terence.........................................9 T
Flynn, Joe.............................................20 Theriault, Steve....................................17
Franco, John.........................................19
Freedom Pharmacy...............................61 U
University of Vermont Medical Center...19
G
Garand, Yvonne.....................................9 V
Giroux, Steve........................................45 Vermont Council
Gish, Jim..............................................22 on Rural Development............................9
Griffin, Jon...........................................22 Vermont Food Bank................................9
Vermont Rail System............................20
H Vermont Small Business
Hannaford Supermarkets......................45 Development Center.............................61
Hayward Design/Build..........................17 Vermont State Employees Credit Union...9
Holhut, Randolph.................................54 Vermont Student Assistant Corporation...9
Housing Vermont..................................17
W
J Walsh, Thomas.....................................45
Johnson, Alyssa....................................22 Weinberger, Mayor Miro.......................20
Weinhagen, Alex..................................45
K White, Johanna....................................45
Kahler, Ellen...........................................9 Windham & Windsor Housing Trust.......17
Kipp, Brandon......................................22 Wobby, Richard....................................22
Wright & Morrissey..............................17
L
Lacroix, Michael...................................22
Lamoille Housing Partnership................17
Liatsos, Ken..........................................19
Lineberger, Julie...................................54
Longo, Nic......................................47, 49
Lovinsky, Jim........................................17

contents april 2020

Volume 48, Issue 4

9 COVER STORY

Cover Design: Katie Kittell 9 The banker in blue jeans: Robert Miller, VSECU by Joyce Marcel. Photos by Randolph T Holhut
On the Cover: Robert Miller, VSECU CEO For Vermont, Robert Miller wears his heart on his sleeve for all the world to see. Miller has twice left the lucrative world of high
Photography: Randolph T. Holhut finance to return to Vermont for jobs that pay less but offer a lot more socially responsible fun. This last time, he says, is really the
last. This time he’s here for good. SEE SIDEBAR on page 59.
Vermont Business Magazine (ISSN 0897-7925) is
published monthly (except twice per month in May, SPECIAL SECTION: BEST PLACES TO WORK IN VERMONT
August and December), by Vermont Business Maga-
zine, 365 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT 05403, 25 Celebrating 14 Years: 2006-2020
John Boutin, President. Subscription prices $40.00 Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce announce the top fifty one Best Places to Work in Vermont
per year, $60.00 in Canada, and should be directed 2020. The rankings will be revealed at an awards ceremony at a later date. The companies represented all have the honor of saying
to Vermont Business Magazine, 365 Dorset Street, So. they are a Best Place to Work in Vermont. 51 winners in 2020 is the record number of winners we’ve had to date.
Burlington, VT 05403-4445.
Periodical postage paid at Burlington, VT 05401 and FEATURES
additional mailing offices.
6 COVID-19: Stay Home, Work from Home, Aid Coming by Rachel Feldman
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes While the state is requiring non-essential workers to work from home or not work at all to keep everyone safe from the coronavirus,
(form 3579) to Vermont Business Magazine, 365 the federal gove1rn3ment is working to save the economy.
Dorset Street, So. Burlington, VT 05403-4445.
© Copyright Vermont Business Magazine. 54 Joyce Marcel, Vermont’s biographer by Melinda Moulton
I first met Joyce Marcel when she interviewed me for a profile article in Vermont Business Magazine.

60 VTrans reveals site to park Amtrak Burlington train by C.B. Hall
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) announced in a March 12 press release that the Amtrak train that will begin serving
Burlington in late 2021 will be kept overnight at the Vermont Rail System (VRS) railyard just to the south of Burlington Union
Station, the terminus of the train’s route from New York City.

61 Williston couple expands independent pharmacy by Amanda Kuhnert, VtSBDC
In 2013, Corey and Kelly Duteau bought Freedom Pharmacy, a Williston-based company that provides personalized medication
management services to customers in Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York.

CONSTRUCTION/COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

17 Housing is making up ground, needs to do more by Bruce Edwards
For many looking to buy a home or rent an apartment, affordability continues to be an issue.
For homebuyers, there are programs that can help ease the financial burden including downpayment assistance and low-interest
loans from the Vermont Housing Finance Agency.

19 CityPlace still waiting by Bruce Edwards
It was Don Sinex’ ambitious idea to help revitalize an area of the downtown, replacing the 1970s Burlington Square Mall with a
$220 million project that envisioned new retail, commercial and residential space along the Church Street Marketplace.

20 VTrans has big plans road construction by C.B. Hall
Road construction this year is not expected to slow down for the coronavirus [see sidebar], and help is meanwhile coming from
Mother Nature, as an early spring means getting projects under way before the road-construction season’s traditional start date
of April 15.

22 AGC Chief Richard Wobby by C.B. Hall
To all appearances, the Vermont Agency of Transportation’s road construction season is one activity that will not be hugely
disrupted by the coronavirus, even as it turns so many sectors of activity upside down here in Vermont and around the world.

45 Hannaford’s departure leaves blank space in Hinesburg commercial park puzzle
by Emmett Gartner, Community News Service
More than three months since Hannaford Supermarkets abruptly terminated its application to build a store in Hinesburg, the reason
why the supermarket chain made that decision is still unclear as is the future of the site that remains undeveloped.

47 BTV hotel project may be delayed as airport reels from steep drop in air travel
by Gabriella Marchesi, Community News Service
A delay in plans to start construction this summer on a 110-room hotel at Burlington International Airport may be yet another of
the growing economic impacts due to the drop in travel as officials try to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

49 BTV ground construction projects on schedule amidst COVID-19 disruptions
by Gabriella Marchesi, Community News Service
Although the onset of the COVID-19 virus to Vermont and the US has greatly curtailed air travel and shrunk airport concession
business, ground construction projects at Burlington International Airport so far remain on schedule for this spring, as of press time. 

DEPARTMENTS

Advertisers Index................................................................................66 In This Issue...........................................................................................4 5
Business Views News in Brief Roundup of news from last month.............................8
Northern Company Newsline
John McClaughry, Lessons from Pandemic.....................................7
Commercial Real Estate Newsline Business results, startups, new hires, promotions.......................62
Southern Company Newsline
Business results, startups, new hires, promotions.......................63
Editorial Calendar.................................................................................8 Business results, startups, new hires, promotions.......................65
Editorial Comments..............................................................................6 Vermont Company Newsline

Business results, startups, new hires, promotions.......................64

April 2020

EDITORIALComments BUSINESSViews

$2 trillion Business as
federal unusual: Working
assistance through COVID-19

It’s been evident from the very beginning of the novel coronavirus crisis that the by Rachel Feldman ACCD website: bit.ly/covid-vt-business-
economy, and especially small business and their employees, would be crushed. operations.
Restaurants and retail were the first to be hit. Big and small, those businesses Governor Phil Scott and
and their workers also will take the longest hit from an economic downturn. Administration officials are mak- Kurrle said every business that com-
ing it clear that Vermonters can pletes the form will receive a response,
It was also obvious that the only way to avoid a colossal financial collapse do one thing to help slow the spread of though this does not mean an assurance
was “to leave no rock unturned” to save the economy. China did it their way by COVID-19: stay home. For Vermont of continued operations. 
closing everything down. Italy did the same, but perhaps too late. Great Britain employers and employees, this means
first proposed an aid package similar to what the US Senate (at press time) has finding unusual ways of doing “business Additional information and updates
proposed, but even bigger. as usual.” will be provided daily via the ACCD web-
site, (accd.vermont.gov), Kurrle said. The
Scaled up to the US economy, the British plan would be worth nearly $3 tril- Scott’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, business community is also urged to sign
lion. one of the strongest in the nation as of up for the Agency’s e-newsletter: http://
print, impacts individuals and businesses eepurl.com/gV_NNn.
The outline of the US government’s $2 trillion COVID-19 financial package, alike.
while double the initial proposal, still doesn’t seem to be enough to cover the full Vermont COVID-19 Relief
extent of the pending economic calamity. The order directs Vermonters to stay Legislation Summary
home beginning March 25 until at least
The trouble with the US economy versus all the rest is that we are a credit- April 15, with the exception of essential The day Scott issued the “Stay Home,
based economy. Even the Western European economies aren’t so dependent on reasons, such as obtaining food or medi- Stay Safe” order, the Vermont House
credit. We have residential mortgages, second mortgages, student loans, car loans cal supplies. and Senate passed H.742, which includes
and leases, and credit cards. And then there are business loans, lines of credit, a number of provisions to address the
mortgages, etc. For businesses, employers and the COVID-19 outbreak.
workforce, this means non-essential busi-
The financial institutions and stock markets will collapse without it. nesses and nonprofits must immediately These include (among other mea-
But even at “only” $2 trillion, this is a pretty good package, helping individuals, suspend in-person operations, implement sures):
small businesses and big businesses. new ways to sell goods, transition to
The only failure so far was the kneejerk reaction by the Fed (with its arm twist- remote operations where possible, or stop • Appropriating $450,000 for emer-
ed) to lowering interest rates twice and near to zero before this package appeared. operations for the time being. gency medical personnel training;
That kind of stimulus works best when the economy is sluggish. Right now
it’s catastrophic. We will miss those interest rate reduction options once we get “We know this is a great hardship,” • Allowing the Vermont Agency of
past this. said Vermont Department of Health Human Services to waive provid-
While the full financial plan was not quite finalized at press time, there are Commissioner Mark Levine, MD. er taxes, expand nutrition services
three major bullet points: ‘However, the strategy is ‘scientifically capacity, waive certain health care
sound’,” evidenced by a graph Dr Levine regulations, authorize payments to
1. $8.3 billion in health and unemployment insurance benefits (already passed) displayed, showing the exponential health care providers, and advance
2. $100 billion for assistance to unemployed, to help Medicaid and to support increase in Vermont’s COVID-19 cases payments to Medicaid providers;
over a two-week span just through March
meals for school children and seniors (already passed) 24. On March 7, Vermont had one posi- • Supporting federally qualified health
3. $2 trillion (still in progress). This is the big bill still being worked out in the tive case. centers (FQHCs) and rural health
centers (RHCs);
Senate and which would still go through the House. It includes: By March 25, 123 people in Vermont
tested positive for COVID-19 and eight • Relaxing credentialing requirements
• $300 billion to individuals. Anyone who files a 2019 return and earns had died. for health care services;
$75,000 or less will receive a one-time $1,200 check, or $2,400 for couples filing
jointly, although this might not come until May. They also will receive $500 per “I need you to stay home,” Scott said. • Issuing temporary medical licenses
child. The amount scales down until it phases out completely for people earning “Doing so will save lives, it’s just that during the state of emergency;
$99,000, or $198,000 for joint taxpayers. Welch emphasized that weekly unem- simple.”
ployment benefits would be increased by $600 a week. In Vermont the highest • Allowing recently-retired medi-
amount is just over $500. This is to provide an actual living wage for the millions Business Assistance cal professionals to resume practic-
across the nation who will be out of work and extends for four months. It also ing in order to support COVID-19
assumes the need could last longer. The package would include the self-employed, “The best thing we can do for our response efforts;
typically left out of UI benefits. business community is to get through this
crisis quickly, and that can only happen if • Streamlining the professional licens-
• $367 billion small business loan and grant program up to $10 million per firm we put the best interests of Vermonters ing process (especially for health care
and could be used for expenses like mortgages and salaries up to $100,000. The first,” said Vermont Agency of Commerce providers);
business loans come with a forgiveness feature if jobs are preserved. and Community Development Secretary
Lindsay Kurrle. • Authorizing the Vermont
• $500 billion for big business, but not Trump administration holdings and this Department of Financial Regulation
comes with an oversight proviso. Nor can companies use it to buy back stock. The For Vermont retail businesses, Kurrle to issue emergency rules designed to
airlines will get nearly $60 billion. made it clear that online and telephone expand health care coverage, reduce
orders, curbside pickups and delivery ser- costs, and facilitate reimbursements;
• $130 billion for hospitals, which are incurring enormous costs in fighting vices are vital operational practices for
COVID-19 while setting aside money-making elective procedures. public health and safety. • Adding flexibility for refilling pre-
scriptions;
• $150 billion for states who are incurring their own substantial costs while also Businesses deemed non-essential
losing billions in tax revenue. under Scott’s directive, and are unable • Expanding telehealth services (includ-
to continue operations under remote cir- ing recognizing the medical licenses
As Congressman Peter Welch said on March 25 as the final package cumstances but feel they can continue of professionals from New York, New
coalesced, “It’s better to do too much too soon, than too little too late.” safely operating, are urged to fill out a Hampshire, or Massachusetts); and
“Continuation of Operations” form on the
• Temporarily suspending vehicle
inspection enforcement and penalties.

Business Views continues page 7

6 vermontbiz.com

BUSINESSViews

Coronavirus pandemic lessons

by John McClaughry VBM photo.

The final chapter in the coronavirus Hospital officials, led by CEO John Brumsted, hold a press conference in March outside the UVM Medical Center in Burlington to discuss the COVID-19
pandemic story won’t be written outbreak. The hospital, nursing homes and other medical facilities have been closed to visitors and others who are not patients or providers or essential
for a distressingly long time, but it’s vendors.
worth leaping ahead in time and looking
back at what Americans and Vermonters FDA is offering incentives to drug com- But in the U.S. it had only been available The benefit of these prompt actions
will hopefully have learned. panies to find new antibiotics, but this is for certain entities and research institu- should impel legislators to reconsider all
probably a losing race…There are non- tions, per guidance from the Food and state regulations, and back off from those
The world was ill prepared for a pharmaceutical alternatives that deserve Drug Administration (FDA).” that burden the citizenry without accom-
global pandemic. Since the Spanish Flu modern reexamination, but ‘official medi- plishing any useful public purpose.
(so called) killed 50 million people in cine’ shows little interest.” It was not until March 17 that the
1918-19, Americans have come to believe FDA gave Co-Diagnostics emergency Vermonters will also look back with
that pandemics occur in Asian cities and That last statement still holds true. approval to distribute the test more gener- pride not only on the faithfulness and
African jungles. The US medical profession is ally to US hospitals. heroism of our first responders, but also on
uncomfortable making use of non-FDA the flowering of volunteer efforts to assist
As columnist George Will pointed approved treatments, and wary of retri- Again looking back, Vermonters will health care providers and patients, bring
out in a mid-March piece, “In 1900, bution by frowning licensing boards and be proud of the quick action by the state’s food and medications to shut-ins, and
about when medicine at last began to do hungry malpractice lawyers. Intravenuous governor and Legislature to aid the eco- support childcare and home schooling for
more good than harm, 37 percent of all Vitamin C and ultraviolet blood irradia- nomic victims of the outbreak, and back working parents.
American deaths were from infectious tion are examples. off encrusted state regulations to let useful
diseases. Today, the figure is 2 percent. By We need to give every anti-viral treat- things happen. This is the often-overlooked and won-
1940 and the arrival of penicillin, medi- ment a fair and rigorous test, at public derful benefit of a strong civil society, in
cine seemed on the verge of conquering expense. Now is an excellent time, with For example, we made it quick and easy which people work together to solve prob-
infectious diseases, especially smallpox. No thousands testing positive for coronavirus. to mobilize retired and out of state nurses lems without waiting to be marshalled
human achievement has done as much to A similar problem lies in testing for and doctors to treat Vermont patients into government-run service brigades
lessen human suffering.” the coronavirus. Reason’s Robby Soave without lengthy relicensing hassles. directed from above.
writes that “Co-Diagnostics' COVID-
Public health measures, clean water, 19 test, which costs just $10 per patient The state relaxed scope of practice This is a time of tribulation, but our
antibiotics, vaccines, and vector control, and produces results in only 90 min- regulations to let Physician Assistants and responses to it will serve us well in the
that we Americans take for granted, utes, is already in use in Italy, Germany, Nurse Practitioners perform more duties, years ahead.
deserve enormous credit for bringing the United Kingdom, Turkey, Greece, the freeing doctors to deal with the more seri-
about a healthier population. Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Paraguay, ous problems. John McClaughry is vice president of the
Ecuador, Israel, South Africa and Canada. Ethan Allen Institute (www.ethanallen.org).
But we’ve grown complacent about the A regulation change allowed doctors to
threat of pandemics, and now have sud- be reimbursed for practicing telemedicine,
denly relearned the need to take notice of essential when so many Vermonters are
the serious dangers they pose. sheltered in place.

Our complacency is starkly exhibited
by the fact that we don’t have a widely
accepted treatment for knocking back the
coronavirus.

Medical providers isolate victims, pro-
vide symptomatic relief, treat secondary
complications, and hope that the patient’s
immune system rallies to overcome the
viral invasion.

But these measures do not add up to
a cure.

Three years ago I wrote a commentary
on “Four Widely Ignored Threats.”

My fourth concern (after fiscal collapse,
asteroid impact, and ElectroMagnetic
Pulse) was “the threat of an epidemic like
the 1918 Spanish Flu that killed millions
of people worldwide. The heavy use of
antibiotics threatens to produce mutated
‘superbugs’ that can defeat antibiotics. The

Always Evolving RESOURCES U.S. Small Business Administration: Vermont Small Business Development
www.sba.gov Center:
As of press time, Vermont officials Vermont Department of Health: www.vtsbdc.org
indicated more announcements would be www.healthvermont.gov/covid19 Vermont WiFi Hotspot Map:
coming, likely every day. publicservice.vermont.gov Vermont Manufacturing Extension
Vermont Department of Taxes: Center:
Municipalities and law enforcement tax.vermont.gov/coronavirus Governor Phil Scott’s Executive Orders: www.vmec.org
will receive guidance with suggested governor.vermont.gov/document-types/
practices in the coming days, accord- Vermont Department of Labor: executive-orders Vermont Emergency Management:
ing to Department of Public Safety labor.vermont.gov vem.vermont.gov
Commissioner Mike Schirling. Vermont Economic Development
Vermont Agency of Commerce and Authority: Vermont Retail and Grocers
In the meantime, Vermont has sus- Community Development: www.veda.org Association: vtrga.org
pended all Amtrak services as of March 25. accd.vermont.gov/covid-19-guidance
April 2020
Vermonters can track the number and
location of positive COVID-19 cases
at the Vermont Department of Health’s
website at: www.healthvermont.gov

7

NEWSBriefs VERMONT BUSINESS MAGAZINE JANUARY
SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES, Vermont 100 Plus
For the Latest News on Vermont, which has had the lowest rate in the ADVERTISING SALES &
COVID-19 in Vermont, nation, is now tied for second with South Carolina. EDITORIAL OFFICES: FEBRUARY
Go to VERMONTBIZ.COM North Dakota is number one at 2.3 percent. Alaska 365 Dorset Street, Top Lawyers
is highest at 6.0 percent. The comparable United South Burlington, VT 05403 Entrepreneurship
Lawson’s Finest Liquids States rate in January was 3.6 percent, up 0.1 of Lamoille County Economic Report
named SBA winner a percentage point from the revised December (802) 863-8038 FAX (802) 863-8069
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Sean and Karen Lawson have been named vermontbiz.com Travel & Tourism
2020 Vermont Small Business Persons of the Year. Sanders’ campaign reassesses, Conferences
not dropping out STAFF Banking & Insurance
Lawson’s Finest Liquids started in 2008 in a John Boutin, Publisher
small building resembling a sugarhouse next to the Former Vice President Joe Biden’s third big Tim McQuiston, Editor APRIL
Lawsons home. Today the brewery grounds consist night in the Democratic comes amid electoral Catherine Joachim, Circulation Manager Construction
of three buildings occupying more than 25,000 uncertainty as the presidential primary season and Research Manager Commercial Real Estate
square feet, housing a 34-barrel brewery, taproom, collides with COVID-19. Bernie Sanders has said he Katie Kittell, Art Director Best Places to Work
retail store, warehouse and distribution center in is not dropping out of the race despite getting swept Denise Sortor, Events & Traffic Manager
Waitsfield. It has also grown from a husband and in recent contests. Cindy Marcotte, Bookkeeper MAY
wife team to having 51 employees. Deane C. Davis Business of The Year
Tax Dept eases rules on paying Account Executives Windham County Economic Report
In addition, Bike Track in Woodstock is the Rooms & Meals and Sales taxes Nino Abbott, Senior Account Executive, Agriculture
Exporter of the Year, Britton Lumber Company in Biz New England Account Manager BOB Awards
Fairlee is the Family-Owned Business of the Year, Governor Scott has directed the Commissioner
REV in South Burlington is the Woman-Owned of Taxes to exercise his authority to provide relief to George Eget, Account Executive JUNE
Business of the Year, Northshire Living in Manchester Vermont businesses who owe Meals and Rooms Tax Business & Environment
Center is the Veteran-Owned Business of the Year, or Sales and Use Tax until further notice. Many of Contributing Editors Health Care
Rise To The Top in South Burlington is the Minority- our local businesses find themselves unable to meet Bruce Edwards Rutland County Economic Report
Owned Business of the Year, Packetized Energy the March 25 and April 25 filing deadlines due to CB Hall SBA - Small Business Award
Technologies in Burlington is the Microenterprise the implementation of mitigation steps to slow the Joyce Marcel
of the Year and Marina McCoy of Waste Free Earth spread of COVID-19. Taxpayers who are unable to Olga Peters JULY
in Burlington is the Young Entrepreneur of the Year. meet the deadlines will not be charged any penalty Brandon Arcari Central Vermont Profile
or interest on these taxes for late submissions. Chittenden County Economic Report
The Lawsons and the other Vermont small - Technology
business winners will receive their awards during Labor Dept announces electronic Vermont Breweries
the 2020 Vermont Small Business Awards Ceremony option, staff increases Vermont Business Magazine (ISSN 0897-
cohosted by Vermont Business Magazine at a time 7925) is published monthly (except twice per AUGUST
to be determined. month in May, August and December), by Industrial Parks
Vermont Business Magazine, 365 Dorset Street, Energy
Scott outlines support In an effort to facilitate increased applications South Burlington, VT 05403, John Boutin, Windsor County Economic Report
for businesses to its Unemployment Insurance Claims Center, the President. Subscription prices $45.00 per year, Addison County Economic Report
Vermont Department of Labor has announced the $60.00 in Canada, and should be directed to
Among the many directives in Governor Phil creation of an electronic form and staffing increases Vermont Business Magazine, 365 Dorset Street, SEPTEMBER
Scott’s Executive Order, he has established a “Stay to assist those individuals impacted as a result of South Burlington, VT 05403. Construction; Commercial Real Estate
Home, Stay Safe” policy that requires every non- COVID-19. Periodical postage paid at Burlington, VT Vermont Business Growth Awards
essential worker to stay home, even if they are 05401 and additional mailing offices. Franklin County Economic Report
unable to work from home. DFR: COVID-19 and telemedicine
services POSTMASTER: Please send address changes OCTOBER
The governor has announced economic injury (form 3579) to Vermont Business Magazine, Travel & Tourism
disaster loans available to small businesses affected The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation 365 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT Telecommunications
by Covid-19. He announced that Vermont small has issued a memo regarding COVID-19 and 05403. Bennington County Economic Report
business owners suffering economic injury due the Telemedicine Services urging health insurers to
COVID-19 pandemic can apply for Small Business expand coverage and reimbursement of telemedicine NOVEMBER
Administration (SBA) disaster loans, following his services, including audio-only telephone, email, or Transportation
statewide disaster declaration. facsimile where clinically appropriate. Washington County Economic Report
Rising Stars
Effectively, he said, people should only leave AG sues AI firm for violations Top 100 Employers;
home to go out to the grocery store, pharmacy or go of Consumer Protection Franklin County Perspective
outside for exercise, unless there is an emergency.
If people are feeling ill, they should call their doctor Attorney General Donovan has filed a lawsuit DECEMBER
or other health provider before going to the hospital against Clearview AI, a data broker that uses Work Force Development
or clinic. facial recognition technology to map the faces of Corporate Wellness
Vermonters, including children, and sells access to Education
On the evening of March 7, 2020, health this data to private businesses, individuals, and law NE Kingdom Economic Report
officials announced the first case of COVID-19 in enforcement.
Vermont. ANNUALS
Northwestern Medical Center Spring (May) 2018/2019
PUC blocks disconnection of appoints Barbini interim CEO Vermont Business
utility service during coronavirus Directory
The Northwestern Medical Center Board of
The Vermont Public Utility Commission has Directors has announced the appointment of Gerald Summer (August) 2018/2019
directed the state’s regulated utilities to stop any “Jerry” Barbini as interim chief executive officer and Book of Lists
disconnection of residential utility service due Dawn Bugbee as interim chief administrative officer.
to nonpayment of electricity, natural gas, and Barbini and Bugbee succeed CEO Jill Berry Bowen, The Vermont Business Resource Guide
telecommunications bills. This moratorium on RN, who previously announced plans to transition
involuntary utility disconnections will last until at from her role this year. Winter (December) 2018/2019
least April 30, 2020. Profiles in Business
UVM urges students
Unemployment rate holds to return home
at 2.4 percent in January
UVM President Suresh Garimella has said that
The Vermont Department of Labor reports that while remote instruction will continue, all students,
the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment whether they are staying in dorms or off-campus,
rate for January was 2.4 percent. According to should return to their homes. If they are unable
household data, this reflects no change from the to return home, they should contact the Office of
revised December rate.The preliminary data released Residential Life immediately for further guidance.
in January showed a labor force participation rate of
65.6 percent which is the lowest statewide level For more News Briefs go to
since September 1977. All three major metrics were www.vermontbiz.com.
slightly worse than last month, as the labor force and
number of employed were down and the number of
unemployed increased.

8 vermontbiz.com

Photo: Randolph T. Holhut

Robert Miller is the CEO of the Vermont State Employees Credit Union (VSECU).

The banker in blue jeans:
Robert Miller, VSECU

by Joyce Marcel was the head of global business develop- At 52, Miller looks like he stepped out cornering the banking market on hemp.
ment for Conning, a Connecticut-based of an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog.  Besides taking over at VSECU, Miller
For Vermont, Robert Miller wears his global investment management firm; he
heart on his sleeve for all the world was considered one of the top young men He's handsome, affable, soft-spoken has jumped onto the boards of like-mind-
to see. in his field. and blond. He has a wry sense of humor ed nonprofits such as the Energy Action
Miller has twice left the lucrative world and an easy way of carrying himself. He Network and the Vermont Council on
of high finance to return to Vermont for But for a man like Miller, whose heart- looks as if he's made for silk ties and Rural Development. He recently joined
jobs that pay less but offer a lot more strings are roped by rubber to Vermont, bespoke suits. the advisory board for the Sustainable
socially responsible fun. This last time, he each time the state has exerted its magic Business MBA program at the University
says, is really the last. This time he's here pull, he's cheerfully taken a pay cut and “I have to dust them off when I take of Vermont's Grossman School of
for good. returned. them out of the closet now,” he jokes. He Business. He also serves on the boards of
was wearing a striped suit jacket, a crisp Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and
Miller is the CEO of the Vermont When Miller left Conning for VSECU casual shirt open at the neck, sneakers and Union Mutual Insurance Company.
State Employees Credit Union (VSECU). in 2014, he inherited an organization that jeans when we met for an interview at
He is something of a golden boy at the had recently finished an enormous expan- VSECU's Burlington branch (before the “Rob is a Vermont treasure, the way
climax of a gilded career. sion under its recently retired CEO.  COVID-19 crisis hit home in February). he uses the power of his financial institu-
tion to fashion ever more ways to serve
Right out of college he became a Within a few weeks on the job, Miller Once the credit union's management the needs of the people,” said Duane
trainee at Citibank; by the time he was had begun upending the credit union's structure had begun changing, Miller went Paterson, co-founder and co-president of
23, he was running bank branches in the culture, moving it away from a hierarchi- about adding more social responsibility the solar company SunCommon. “He’s
greater New York City area. At 29, he cal, top-down management system. components to an already socially-respon- the opposite of a stodgy banker by con-
was the commissioner of the Vermont sible credit union. stantly imagining and pushing his team
Department of Economic Development “Ask employees, 'What's the most to innovate. Like the Green loan program
under Howard Dean.  important thing that Rob has done as Under his leadership, VSECU has we developed together that's helped thou-
CEO?'” Miller joked. “They probably tell earned praise for its environmental focus, sands of folks in our proud little state go
Then he led Dwight Asset you, 'We don't have to pay for our coffee its involvement with the Vermont Food solar. He’s showing that business can be a
Management's fixed income business and we get to wear jeans.' I'm not sure Bank, its solar funding, its willingness to force for good. I just love that guy.”
development efforts targeting the pension, that's the most important thing I've done, become the banker for the medicinal mar-
foundation and endowment markets.  but I get credit for it nonetheless.” ijuana industry, and now, for seemingly

By the time he was in his 40s, he

April 2020 9

Photo: Randolph T. Holhut

Robert Miller during his interview for this article. of our local communities than we are in, banks. The main difference is that credit operate. Sometimes it's a corporate income
you know, profit and growth. Those are unions are member-owned financial coop- tax; sometimes it's a deposit tax.
Paterson is referring to VSECU's important, but we get there by serving the eratives; the members themselves, not
VGreen loan program, which provides needs of our local community.” outside investors, hold the shares. “As a member-owned cooperative, that
financing for any project or purchase that net income is returned to the member
improves energy efficiency for home or As of March 2020, Vermont has 19 “We're regulated by the Department of in the form of rates and fees, lower fees,
transportation. credit unions headquartered here, provid- Financial Regulation, like state-chartered higher rates on savings and lower rates
ing banking services from more than 50 banks are,” Miller explained. “There are on loans,” Miller said. “I think it's not
“Indeed, we’ve partnered with VSECU branch office locations. Vermont credit differences in terms of what we can do generally less cost, because we still have
from the beginning as our go-to consumer unions have a total of 390,125 members versus what banks can do. So, for example, all the cost of regulation that banks have.
finance provider,” Paterson said. “Literally with over $4.74 Billion assets, according we're limited in the amount of commercial Cybersecurity is a growing cost that we're
thousands of our customers financed solar to Credit Unions Online, (https://www. lending that we can do. We're limited to responsible for. And we're always making
with the credit union.” creditunionsonline.com/vermont-cred- the percentage of our assets size, whereas investments in technology and the busi-
it-unions.html) The largest one is New banks don't have those same limitations. ness to meet the needs of our members.
VSECU takes advantage of what England Federal Credit Union. VSECU We're limited by our field of membership. So we're under as much pressure as anyone
Miller sees as a different banking climate is the second-largest. Whether it's geographic or whether that's else to make ends meet, so to speak, and
in Vermont. part of an employer group, you have to sort to provide the appropriate services for
VSECU was founded in 1947 by seven of be eligible for membership. And within our members. We just don't have a profit
“We don't have some of the larger state employees; it is open to everyone Vermont, you know, if you live or work in motive since we are tax-exempt.”
national banks play as large of a role in who lives or works in Vermont. It has nine the state of Vermont, you can be a member
Vermont as they do elsewhere,” he said. branches, $840 million in assets, about 200 of the VSECU, which makes us a credit Historically, credit unions came out of
“We don't have Bank of America. We employees and just under 70,000 member- union for everyone.” the same DIY movement that gave us food
don't have CitiBank. We don't have Wells owners. Roughly one in 10 Vermonters are co-ops. Originally started in Europe, each
Fargo. The largest we have is TD and members. As a nonprofit, VSECU and other credit union was created to solve a particu-
Peoples. The Vermont banking commu- credit unions are tax-exempt; banks pay lar local problem, which is why each credit
nity is much more dominated by credit People are sometimes confused by tax on deposits depending on where they union appears to be a world unto itself.
unions and local community banks. I the difference between credit unions and
think that's a good thing, because we are
much more focused on serving the needs

10 vermontbiz.com



What kind of local problems are we job. He has more ideas than we can act When Cioffi became commissioner of best social skills of anyone I know, and
talking about? For example, when people those are really important. He can relate
couldn't get the credit they needed from on. All credit union board of directors are the department, he asked Miller to be his to people. You need people to help you
banks. Or when there were no easily accomplish the goals you set in your mis-
reachable banks. Or when, in our digital volunteers. We only meet once a month. deputy. sion, and I don't know anyone who has
age, there is no available cell service. worked with Rob Miller who doesn't want
We're moving fast, and we have a lot of “He basically ran our department,” to work with him again.”
When you compare banks to cred-
it unions it's form versus function, says opportunities. The problem is finding the Cioffi said. “He did our strategic planning The theme tends to repeat itself. 
Yvonne Garand, the senior vice president For example, Miller's boss at Conning,
of marketing and business development at resources, human and financial, to under- and our market development. He created CEO and Chairman of the Board Woody
VSECU. Bradford, also said, “The people who
take many of them.” ThinkVermont.com when technology was worked for him loved working for him.”
“Both credit unions and banks func- Conning, which is located in Hartford,
tion in similar ways,” Garand said. “In the One of Miller's early mentors was just coming on. Email was proliferating, CT, is a global company specializing in
financial services world, both offer the managing money for insurance companies.
same financial services, from basic check- Frank Cioffi, who has been the execu- and Rob saw where the technology was This is money — big money — from pre-
ing accounts to auto loans to mortgages. miums, being held in a pool until a payout
What makes us different is our form. tive director of the going. He brought is needed.
Banks are for-profit businesses that exist “This takes a very sophisticated
to serve a customer base and reward their Greater Burlington the state into the approach,” Bradford said. “In order to be
external shareholders. We exist to serve successful, you need unique skills tailored
our customer base. And our customers are Industrial Corp. for He was probably electronic world to to unique needs. We go out and approach
the members. They own the credit union, over 20 years. utilize technology new insurance companies and say, 'We
do their banking at the credit union, and want to manage your money. We can
our profit goes back to member-owners “Rob is one of one of six people to market itself. He do it better than the company you use
instead of going outside to external share- the most special also led the effort to now.' There are marketing aspects, selling
holders. We still operate out of that same aspects. Rob was very good at that.”
mantra: people helping people. We're people I've come to in the country doing develop a new stra- Miller made sure the “right stuff got
a group of people — our membership know,” Cioffi said. tegic economic plan done right,” Bradford said.
— and we pool their financial resources “When I first came here 10 years ago,
together to help benefit each individual “I feel really fortu- the work he did: for Vermont. We're he was a sales executive focused on our life
member.” nate to get to know still using the foun- insurance clients,” Bradford said. “I quick-
ly discovered that he was good with clients
According to Miller's boss, Norm him and work with very specialized dation of it.” and prospects, but he also had a knack for
McElvany, who serves as the chair of him and call him a It was Cioffi who interacting with people. It was a really nice
the VSECU Board of Directors, the only friend.” investment balance of being thoughtful about details
problem with Miller is that he has too suggested that Dean while remaining strategic. So after a time,
many new ideas — and they're all good I promoted Rob into the head of business
ones. Cioffi was appoint Miller to development. He was involved in manag-
playing a leading replace him as com- ing sales in various jurisdictions around
“We've got a pretty good guy, and we're the world. He's a pleasure to be around.
pretty happy with him,” McElvany said. role in Governor management. missioner when he He gets involved with causes, family, peo-
“He's intelligent, friendly, persuasive, a Dean's Department left for GBIC.
big thinker and he has a vision. It doesn't
mean we don't disagree, but that's our of Economic He is extremely “Rob did that for
Development when three years, and then

he met Miller. brilliant. John Dwight hired
“My cousin Rob for Dwight

called me and said, Financial Services,”

'You have a young Cioffi said. “Then

guy on your team you don't know yet, he was hired by Conning, where he did

but get to know him because he's really absolutely phenomenal work in business

bright,'” Cioffi said. “We had him lead development and expansion for institu-

our financial services initiative, including tional accounts. He was probably one

managing the captive insurance program. of six people in the country doing the

He had to deal with all the regulatory ini- work he did: very specialized investment

tiatives that surrounded captive insurance management. He is extremely brilliant.

and coordinate them and do the market- He's also the most capable and genuine

ing and work with the captive organiza- people person I've met. The most caring

tions. You name it and he was doing it all.” and compassionate person. He's got the

12 vermontbiz.com

ple's lives. He's a thoughtful, caring leader. from his stepfather. advertising companies. Then his fate similar experiences, Miller said.
I always thought Rob had great potential “I guess I was having difficulty with changed. “You do sort of get moved into a bit
to run a business. I had hoped it would be
one I was associated with. But I figured fractions when I was maybe in the fourth “I was introduced to a gentleman who of the fast lane because they have higher
that if we were going to lose Rob, it would or fifth grade,” he said. “And I do have a was recruiting for Citibank at UVM,” expectations based on the investment they
be because he felt a pullback to Vermont. distinct memory of him literally tearing Miller said. “He was able to convince me made in you in training and development,”
He always had a passion for Vermont. He up dollar bills into quarters. And I learned that the same kind of environment I was he said. “I'd like to think that I did well
talked about it all the time.” what fractions were, using torn up dollar looking for in an advertising company and perhaps got some of those opportuni-
bills. Not that we had a lot of money. I'm was available to me at Citibank. I wanted ties as a result.”
Early Years not sure why we were doing that. But that something creative and innovative, but
is one distinct memory of my childhood.” more, I really wanted the constant-change Miller spent five years working in
Like a lot of people who love Vermont, dynamic environment. And that was true Citibank's retail branch network. Then
Miller was not born here. An only child, he Learning was highly valued at home, at Citibank, and especially for the program he moved to Chicago and worked for
was born in Greenville, Ohio, a small farm he said. that I entered.” the Citibank National Marketing Group,
town on the border with Indiana. developing brochures, branch posters and
“It was less about teaching me about Miller became a management trainee direct mail pieces for advertising for the
“And I grew up in and around Dayton, money and finance or anything along those in a program that traditionally put trainees marketing and promotion of banking
Ohio, and until I was about a teenager,” lines, and more about being dedicated to in positions for which they are not neces- products. Sounds like he made it into
Miller said. “Then we moved to Kansas learning in school,” Miller said. “They were sarily prepared. advertising after all.
City, Denver, and Maine, where I gradu- very focused on me being the best I could
ated high school.” at school, achieving the grades that I was “They like to see how you do,” Miller “I was what they refer to as a prod-
capable of achieving. So that was more the said. “And if you do well enough, they'll uct manager for their national marketing
Miller's parents divorced when he was influence — particularly my mother.” put you in the next position that you may group, which means that I coordinated a
young and his mother remarried. His step- or may not be ready for. So I was manag- lot of the in-branch marketing programs
father was in retail, which is why the family His introduction to Vermont came ing branches in Yonkers and White Plains for many of our products for branches
moved so often. when he entered the University of when I was 23 years old. I remember that I throughout the country. At the time they
Vermont; he studied political science and had someone working for me who started had about 2,000 branches throughout the
“So it was just moving to different jobs economics. in that bank before I was born. It makes country.”
at different locations in retail,” Miller said. for interesting management challenges.
“He worked for Macy's at one point, and “Actually, when I arrived at UVM I But that worked out quite well.” What kind of products? Miller said
other retail outlets. He's now an entrepre- wanted to go into the foreign service,” he that he was responsible for “everything
neur in Florida. They started an organic said. “I wanted to be a diplomat. As my All the trainees in that program had with FDIC after it.”
cold-pressed juice and raw foods business time at UVM evolved, I became more
in Florida and they're doing quite well. interested in the creative side of business,
Southern Florida is a great market for it.” specifically advertising, and wanted to go
into advertising when I graduated.”
Miller's mother is a nurse, “and she's
been involved in various business issues He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
with my stepfather,” he said. in political science and a minor in econom-
ics.
Growing up, Miller had the usual sum-
mer jobs. “I was fortunate,” Miller said. “My
mother basically worked to pay for my
“You know, miscellaneous jobs,” Miller college.”
said. “Nothing to prepare me for what I did
later in life. Other than interacting with Intro To Banking
people and having some responsibility.”
As school was winding down, Miller
He remembers learning about money began interviewing with New York City

April 2020 13

“They were what I like to refer to as the One of his biggest responsibilities Blond? Smart? All of the above? He didn't They're in the school system. They drive
'boring products,'” he said. “Things like on our roads. The cost-benefit model was
checking, savings, certificates of deposit. was promoting and developing Vermont's mind answering the question. designed to really understand the net eco-
It sounds like a lot, and it is. But Citibank nomic impact of providing these incentives
was organized as different banks through- lucrative captive insurance industry. “I think, at the end of the day, I've to businesses to grow. It was designed to
out the country. So, you know, Maine may ensure that they were truly incentives for
have had one bank, maybe organized as a “It wasn't just advertising and promo- made a positive impression on people,” incremental growth.”
federal savings bank, whereas in New York
it was a national association of banks. You tion, but also policy development,” Miller Miller said. “I happened to be in the It was while working for the state that
typically worked with your counterparts Miller first embraced the idea that you can
in the local market and then distributed said. “I was interacting with businesses right time and the right place and people do good while doing well.
those products to support the market from
there.” throughout the state of Vermont, trying to trusted new roles to me. But I'm not going “It was that sense of fulfillment, that
you're working for a larger purpose than
Vermont Calls understand what their needs are and chal- to suggest that being white doesn't come just your own career,” he said. “And after I
left the state, I would drive up and down
It was in the middle of his very fast- lenges are and how state government can with its privileges, as well. And while I Shelburne Road on my way to my new
track, high-level banking career that Miller job. And I remember always looking on
first heard the siren call of Vermont; he organize itself to be a force of creating jobs don't think that was explicitly the reason the right-hand side, which was where an
answered it. expanded IDX was located at the time.
and economic opportunity. So we moved that I was able to move into those roles, I And I was always thinking to myself, 'You
“Bottom line, we wanted to live here,” know, I was not responsible for that by any
Miller said. “You know, not unlike a lot back to Vermont.” don't want to be naive and assume that it stretch of the imagination. But I played
of other people. My fiancée at the time, a role in helping to allow IDX to make
who's now my wife, always had this idea The job came with a pay cut. didn't have anything to do with it, either. an investment decision in Vermont and
that we could come back to Vermont and create new jobs for Vermonters. And that
live in Vermont and enjoy the quality of “I think the reality was it actually paid Now, of course, we live in Vermont. And had an impact on those people's lives.' So
life that Vermont offers. My wife is from that's what really got me motivated when
Essex Junction, so it would have been an me less than my starting job at Citibank that's not a particularly diverse state. But I was at the department, doing whatever
opportunity for her to be closer to some of I could to help businesses create jobs and
her family. Sort of by chance, I came across when I was just out that doesn't mean economic opportunity.”
an opportunity to come back and work for
the Vermont Department of Economic of college,” Miller I think the reality that we can't be Miller left state government because he
Development.” said. more diverse.” and his wife, Karyn Bovia Miller, wanted
was it actually paid to start a family. They have two daughters.
Miller had been keeping his ear to the Looking back, One of the
pipeline all along. “One thing I knew is that those state
Miller said, he can things Miller is positions aren't permanent,” Miller said. “I
“I was talking to friends of mine in see a pattern evolv- most proud of dur- had no idea that Howard Dean was going
Vermont, and became aware of the oppor- to run for president a few years later. But I
tunity,” he said. “It sounded different. It ing: “It seems like me less than my ing his term as knew that I caught him closer to the end
sounded interesting. The role was essen- every time I've commissioner was of his tenure as governor as opposed to the
tially developing and promoting financial beginning. And frankly, I needed to get
services businesses in Vermont. I took the changed employers, starting job at Citibank his contribution to myself sort of back into the private sec-
job.” I've changed careers. a technical correc- tor and into a more permanent role, if for
no other reason than being married and
I'm adventurous. when I was just tions bill for Act 60. expecting a family. And it turns out that
I'm curious like that. “In that bill were within nine months of me leaving, my wife
had our first child.”
When you think out of college. a series of business
about it, it worked incentives designed

out well.” to encourage eco-

Two years later, nomic growth,”

Cioffi took over the department and made Miller said. “They've subsequently evolved

Miller his deputy commissioner. and changed and are now referred to

“And after a year, Frank left and as the Vermont Employment Growth

became president of GBIC, which he is Incentive, or VEGI. What I'm particularly

still today,” Miller said. “And I was asked proud of, as it relates to that, is the cre-

to become commissioner of economic ation of an economic cost-benefit model

development at the ripe old age of 29. I that's still used today to evaluate those

know; it's almost embarrassing.” incentives. They evaluate both the cost

It's hard not to ask why Miller moved and the benefits of economic growth. It's

so quickly up the corporate ladder. Was it not all just positive. Families get new jobs.

because he was handsome? Tall? White? They move to Vermont. They have kids.

Back To Finance

Miller was recruited by Burlington's
Dwight Asset Management. Dwight
was one of Vermont's few powerhouse
independent financial-sector businesses
— before it was later absorbed by The
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

“Dwight manages investments for
defined contribution plans like 401K
plans,” Miller said. “You usually have an
option that's called a 'stable value fund,'
which is usually the most conservative
option. It's meant to be a liquid alter-
native to a money market fund, with a
slightly higher interest rate. Dwight Asset
Management was one of the largest man-
agers of those funds in the world, and it
was right out of Burlington. I was hired
by Dwight to help them market to other
new markets and serve the defined benefit
world as well as other institutional markets
of the investment business.”

Miller worked for Dwight for seven
years.

“We were living in Vermont but I
was traveling quite a bit because this is a
personal business,” Miller said. “You have
to do it face-to-face. I spent a lot of time
on airplanes and at airports. I would meet
with institutions, pension plans, pension
fund consultants. I was essentially develop-
ing relationships with them so they would
hire us to manage their money.”

Dwight managed fixed-income assets,
or bonds; it did not manage equities or
stocks.

14 vermontbiz.com

“But still, that portion of their money That was in February of 2007. So a year responsibility for specific areas, but I was VSECU had a mission. It was in
that was invested in bonds, I was respon- later, there was this minor thing, this little also on the executive team and involved Vermont. For Miller, this was a double
sible for trying to get them to hire us to thing called the financial crisis. That was a in some of the strategic decisions we were dose of catnip.
manage those assets,” Miller said. “I was challenging environment for Dwight. And making as well. It was fantastic. The global
basically a salesman for the company.” that's also how they ended up becoming expansion and the expansion of products “I guess the most pointed way to say
part of Goldman Sachs. And that prob- and services that we provide to our clients why I took the job — and why I left a
But Miller never viewed himself as a ably would not have ended particularly were most exciting.” very, very good job — was for the mission,”
salesman, per se. well for me, as it didn't for a lot of folks. Miller said. “One thing that I missed at
Dwight reduced the headcount and con- Back To Vermont Conning was the larger connection to
“I always felt like my responsibility was solidated a lot of functions into Goldman doing something that's more meaningful.
to get to know the prospective client and Sachs in New York. On the flip side of Connecticut is close, but it's not The social purpose aspect. We did a great
understand what their needs were,” Miller that, Conning really flourished.” Vermont. job and we took care of our clients, but
said. “My primary responsibility was to there wasn't a deeper meaning to what we
clearly communicate what we could do to Conning had avoided investing in “My wife and I never left Vermont did. Whereas at VSECU, our mission is to
help them. We were being hired to man- many of the troubled assets that got with the intent that we would never come improve the quality of life of our members.
age, on average, accounts that were several investment managers into trouble in 2008. back,” Miller said. And we do that by trying to enhance their
hundred million dollars. To think that I well-being in three areas: environmental,
could individually sell a sophisticated cli- “Our parent company was a large “Vermont holds a special place in social and economic, or financial. That
ent like that, I just never, never viewed it international insurance company called our heart, and we wanted to be here. spoke to me.”
that way. I saw it as a communications Swiss Re, or Swiss Reinsurance Co. Ltd.” And while I wasn't looking for a job at
responsibility, listening and communica- Miller said. “It had its challenges dur- that time, you know, we would always be VSECU's board chair, McElvany, was
tion. I think that's why I was successful, ing the crisis, and as a result, Conning open to opportunities to come back to on the search committee. He said Miller
because I spent more time listening than ended up being sold to a private equity Vermont.” was “the best candidate we interviewed.
I did selling.” company. It turned out to be pretty good He had no credit union background, but
for Conning. It allowed us to be with an Miller was definitely keeping his ear he had a financial background. He came to
One pool of funds he was servicing owner that was investing in our growth, to the pipeline again. According to Cioffi, us quite well-referenced. He interviewed
came from insurance companies. and investing and meeting the needs of he applied for a job with the Vermont well, but we wondered whether someone
our clients. I became part of the executive Student Assistant Corporation (VSAC) with no credit union experience could
“All those premiums that you and I team at Conning and by the time I left, when it came open. slide into VSCEU. But we hired him and
pay to an insurance company, they invest we had close to $90 billion. That's a lot of he did very well.”
them until — or if — they pay them out money. We had operations in Europe and “He called me about the job open-
as claims,” Miller said. “Dwight did fairly in Asia and here in North America. And I ing at VSAC,” Cioffi said. “He said, 'I'm For Miller, the job at VSECU offered
well in terms of attracting new clients had responsibility for sales, marketing and thinking of applying to be the president of many advantages. It was not unlike, for
in a fairly short period of time. It got business development in all those regions.” VSAC. I said, 'Why would you leave your example, what he had been doing in state
national attention. And Conning was one great job to come back and do that?' He government.
of the world's largest managers of insur- One thing Miller learned, he said, was didn't get the position. Then he called and
ance assets. So they called me and asked to keep his ego in check. said VSECU would be hiring a new CEO. “Except this time, I got to do it with
me whether I'd be interested in joining I said goodbye and hung up. I thought, — at the time — a $620 million balance
them. I said no.” “You have to have enough self-aware- 'You'd probably pay more in income taxes sheet, which provided certain advantages,”
ness to know when ego is getting in your than you'd make.' But he said he and Miller said. “So it was a combination of
Miller said no for eight months; then way,” he said. “Then you have to have the Karyn wanted to raise the kids in Vermont. returning to Vermont, taking a role that
he said yes. ability to pull it back. I had to learn, 'This He was really passionate about building a that had more social purpose associated
isn't about the size of your head. This is life here. He will make VSECU probably with it, and honestly getting out of an
“They finally made an offer that I about your ability to develop relation- the biggest bank in Vermont before he's airplane in an airport and spending more
just couldn't say no to,” Miller said. “We ships with people.' Sometimes ego gets in done. As a Vermonter, I'm just thrilled time with my family.”
weren't really particularly interested in the way of that. You've got to be a better to have Rob and Karyn in Vermont. He
leaving Vermont and I wasn't interested listener than you are a talker. You have to volunteers in so many organizations that Changing The Culture
in leaving Dwight. I loved working for know that what you think is right is less are important to Vermont, and he pas-
Dwight. But it was the right thing at that important than the needs of the person sionately cares about the state.” It's quite a challenge to change the
time for our family. My kids at the time you're talking to.” culture of an organization.
were five and three.” Back in Vermont, VSECU had just
Increased responsibility increased finished a huge expansion under its last VSECU was at a crossroads when
Miller was part of a cohort of young Miller's time on airplanes. CEO, Steve Post. By the time Post retired, Miller arrived. By virtue of its growth
men being trained for leadership at after 23 years, he had grown VSECU under Post, it had become a big player in
Conning. “But it was an exciting role,” he said. from an $80 million credit union into a the financial field. But at its heart, it was
“We were growing and expanding and I statewide one worth $620 million serving still a small credit union.
“It just made a lot of sense,” he said. was not only managing people and having 52,000 members.
“And so we moved to the greater Hartford Robert Miller, VSECU page 57
area and I went to work for Conning.

April 2020 15

The Vermont Business Growth Awards

celebrate the achievements of the top businesses throughout Vermont,

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We highlight two companies from the Business Growth list each issue.

All 25 companies will be honored at a special ceremony on September 15, 2020.

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CONSTRUCTION/RealEstate

VBM Photo

Construction keeps going at O’Brien Farms development in South Burlington. A late March snow gives the place a mid-winter look.

As of press time, most constructions projects have been put on hold

Housing starts improving,
much more needed

by Bruce Edwards $10.78 an hour, a worker would need to Courtesy photo
work 85 hours a week
For many looking to buy a home or The four-story, $7.6 million Taylor Street Transit Center and One Taylor Street housing complex was
rent an apartment, affordability con- The VHFA found that the median developed by the City of Montpelier with Housing Vermont and Downstreet Housing & Community
tinues to be an issue. price to buy a single-family home in the Development.
For homebuyers, there are programs state in 2018 was $235,000. Chittenden
that can help ease the financial burden County had the highest median price at economy of scale in terms of the cost,” The $37 million housing bond issued
including down-payment assistance and $353,825. Essex County was the lowest at Seelig said. by the state in 2018 helped address the
low-interest loans from the Vermont $115,000. housing shortage with VHCB helping
Housing Finance Agency. The other factor in affordability is steer the bond’s proceeds to various proj-
The median price of a new home wages. He said wages in the state are not ects. 
For renters, there are affordable apart- in Vermont was $360,000 in 2018. In going up at the rate to match the increase
ments operated by a number of nonprofit Chittenden County, the cost of a new in building new housing. “It is going to have a major impact in
housing organizations around the state home rises to $416,484. the development of a total of 843 homes
that are committed to making apartments As a general rule, someone should all over the state of various types, primarily
permanently affordable through the use of VHCB not spend more than 30 percent of their rental housing,” Seelig said. “It has made
tax credit programs. income on rent and utilities, Seelig said. major contributions to both downtowns
Gus Seelig, executive director of the and the establishments of new neighbor-
Two years ago the state issued a $37 Vermont Housing and Conservation Even at 30 percent, he said that puts hoods.”
million housing bond that’s been used to Board, said in Chittenden County and many in a tight financial squeeze.
create more than 800 affordable housing in pockets around the state there just is Some of the communities that ben-
units around Vermont. not enough housing stock, which in turn He said it’s very difficult for young efitted are: South Burlington, Burlington,
drives up the cost.  people starting out after school because St. Albans, Bennington, Brattleboro,
But housing advocates say much more they’re often saddled with student debt or
needs to be done. “In other parts of the state, we also the high cost of childcare.
have housing that is old and worn out and
By the numbers too expensive for what it is,” Seelig said.

According to the VHFA web- Seelig called affordable housing an
site  housingdata.org, the median gross “oxymoron” for the simple reason “that
rent for an apartment in the state in 2017, what it costs to build today is beyond the
including utilities, was $945 a month. means of most people to afford.”

Rates vary widely by county. Median He said that applies equally to both
gross rent ranged from a high of $1,139 renters and homebuyers. 
in Chittenden County to $688 in Essex
County in the Northeast Kingdom.  The escalating cost of labor and mate-
rials, zoning regulations, and even tariffs
The National Low Income Housing have had an effect on construction costs,
Coalition, Out of Reach 2019 report, pegs he said.
the gap in each state between wages and
the cost to rent.  In Vermont, housing construction was
never on the scale found in other states.
In Vermont, a household needs to earn
$22.78 an hour to afford a two-bedroom “We are rarely building 100 units at a
apartment. At the minimum wage of time and so we never really benefit from

April 2020 17

Montpelier, Springfield, St. Johnsbury,
Bellows Falls and Morrisville. 

Cathedral Square

One of the leading affordable housing Courtesy photo
advocates in the state is Cathedral Square.
The South Burlington nonprofit man- Ribbon Cutting at Allard Square in South Burlington with the ribbon being cut by Doris Allard. The
ages 25 affordable housing communities building was dedicated to Allard, a Cathedral Square resident of 40 years. She passed away several
with 1,200 residents in Chittenden and months later at age 95. Gus Seelig is at far right.
Franklin counties.
northwest Vermont,” Reid said. said the housing partnership and the town
The organization also created and Reid said the problem is becoming signed a memorandum of understanding
administers the statewide Support and that reconfigures the nearby municipal
Services at Home (SASH) program more acute because the state has an aging parking lot to add more spaces. He said as
SASH partners with affordable-housing population. part of the MOU, the Lamoille Housing
groups, agencies on aging, hospitals and Partnership will help pay to defray some of
others to coordinate care and support for Reid said affordable housing in the state the cost to reconfigure the lot.
Vermonters so they can remain living at has lagged in part because the Vermont
home independently. Housing and Conservation Board has not He said the rule of thumb is that
received the funding it was promised when parking is required for 50 percent of the
Cathedral Square recently completed it was created in 1987. apartments. 
Allard Square, named after longtime resi-
dent Doris Allard. The 39-unit apartment She said half the property transfer tax The vacancy rate in Lamoille County
building is part of the new town center in was earmarked for the VHCB. “If VHCB, is a very tight 1 to 2 percent.
South Burlington. for example, were fully funded, it would
be getting around $22 million this year “For some really low-income people,
Cindy Reid, Cathedral Square director not about $15 million which is being it’s zero,” he said. “People who have dif-
of development, said the need for afford- proposed,” she said. “That additional $7 ficulties in different ways.”
able housing is reflected in the numbers. million would create a lot of units.”
Ideally, Lovinsky said a 10 percent
“In our service area for our housing Lamoille County vacancy rate strikes a balance between
… we have over 1,300 people on our wait supply and demand. “It makes it so that
list,” Reid said. Of that number, she said The Lamoille Housing Partnership is there are apartments available and land-
1,000 are on the list for independent living using its share of the $37 million bond lords can still do their job.”
with SASH services. to build 24 units of affordable house on
Hutchins Street in downtown Morrisville He said once completed rents at
Another 300 are on the wait list for at a cost of $7 million. Hutchins Street will range from $635
licensed assisted living. There are 128 for a studio apartment up to $1,200 for a
people on the list for affordable memory Jim Lovinsky, the housing partner- two-bedroom.
care with only 14 rooms available, she said.  ship’s executive director, said one of the
challenges advocates face is rising con- The average market rate rents in the
“So that gives you the sense of the dire struction costs. county are between $1,200 and $1,800 a
need for affordable senior housing and month, he said.
affordable assisted living and that’s just “Our goal is to keep our rents afford-
able and in order to do that we have to be The project is funded through the Low
really conscious of what they cost to oper- Income Housing Tax Credit Program,
ate and maintain,” he said. which brings in investment partners and
helps keep rents affordable, he said.  
Lovinsky said finding suitable down-
town or centrally located properties with While Lovinsky has been success-
the necessary infrastructure is becoming ful in expanding affordable housing in
increasingly difficult.  Morrisville, the resort town of Stowe is
a different story. He said because of the
The other priority is locating housing high property values, it has been difficult
with central services nearby. to make any headway in Stowe. 

“One of the advantages of being in the Southern Vermont
village is they have access to more services,
access to shopping and things to do, and Similar to Lamoille County, Elizabeth
in most cases within walking distance,” Bridgewater of the Windham and
Lovinsky said. In addition, he said there is Windsor Housing Trust said the vacancy
access to public transportation. rate in Brattleboro is below 2 percent.

Parking can sometimes be an issue. In Housing starts improving page 51
the case of the Hutchins Street project, he

18 vermontbiz.com

CityPlace gets new specs,
old doubts

by Bruce Edwards PHOTO ARTIST: L.L. MCALLISTERCityPlace Burlington City Hall meeting in late February.
Photo: Brandon Arcari/VBM photos.
It was Don Sinex’ ambitious idea to ly reduced and some other things have • A 196-room hotel. town,” Franco said. “We generally support
help revitalize an area of the down- been scaled back as well,” Liatsos said. • 45,000 square feet of street-level retail. the design but they’re going to have to put
town, replacing the 1970s Burlington “Residential units have been scaled back a • Reconnect St. Paul and Pine streets.  in more parking. That’s our position.”
Square Mall with a $220 million project little bit to reflect the smaller footprint and • Underground garage of 550 parking
that envisioned new retail, commercial and size and square footage of the building.” According to Franco, non-parking ele-
residential space along the Church Street spaces and 297 bike parking spaces. ments of the project have been scaled
Marketplace. While Liatsos put the new cost esti- • Project size 763,200 square feet.  back 14 percent while the square footage
mate at “$200 million or less,” Seven Days • Total estimated cost $200 million. of parking has been reduced 50 percent.
It was an ambitious undertaking, the reported in November that the “scaled- “That’s not acceptable to us,” he said.
1.2 million-square-foot project included down design uses lighter-weight steel and Although there’s “a little less parking,”
288 apartments, two controversial 14-story is now projected to cost $120 million to Liatsos said the number of parking spots The revised design calls for 550 parking
towers, and an underground parking garage build, according to the documents.” “still exceeds the mandated formula for spaces. Franco said that’s a big difference
with hundreds of spaces. parking” in Burlington. from the original plan which called for 967
However, in late March, Liatsos told spaces. 
The University of Vermont Medical VBM, “I think it's safe to say $200 million, Burlington attorney John Franco, who
Center would be a major tenant, leasing max. That is the number we were most represents a group of residents opposed He said the redesign violates a 2017
100,000 square feet of office space. recently discussing internally.” to certain aspects of the project, said his agreement hammered out with developer
clients generally support the downsizing of Don Sinex.
Two years ago, Sinex was nearing The redesign includes: the project.
demolition of the old mall. Since then con- Liatsos said although some spaces were
struction has been at a standstill. The lack • 357 apartments, including 72 affordable “However, most of the downscaling is eliminated as a result of the scale back of
of activity and concerns raised by the city units. at the expense of public parking for down- the overall project, the number of parking
forced Sinex to turn over the decision mak-
ing to his partner, Brookfield Properties. CityPlace page 24

Brookfield has reevaluated the project
and determined it was far too costly.

The $200 million scaled-down proj-
ect, which was presented to city officials
last year, still has to clear several hurdles,
including permits and financing before
construction can begin.

This is beside any delays which could be
caused by the COVID-19 breakout.

Brookfield spokesman Ken Liatsos said
the project has been scaled back from two,
14-story towers, to two, 10-story towers.

The taller towers had caused an uproar
among some residents who said the
14-story structures were out of character
for the downtown.

“So the height has been significant-

(Left to right) Arthur Lawrence, Eugene F. Morrissey, Jr., and Ernest Gratton
Vermont National Guard Hangars, 1947

BUILDING VERMONT’S FUTURE SINCE 1934

WRIGHT & MORRISSEY,INC. • COMMERCIAL 99 SWIFT ST., SUITE 100
GENERAL CONTRACTORS • INDUSTRIAL SOUTH BURLINGTON,
• INSTITUTIONAL VERMONT 05403
• MUNICIPAL (802) 863-4541
FAX 865-1253

April 2020 19

Courtesy photo

Colchester Exit 16 rendering.

VTrans has plenty of work to do

by C.B. Hall Mother Nature, as an early spring means The steep fall in oil prices could also 2020, it will start in calendar 2021... There
getting projects underway before the road- benefit this energy-reliant industry. won't be enough time to get the contracts
Road construction this year is not construction season's traditional start date out this year."
expected to slow down for the of April 15. This year, keeping the state moving will
coronavirus [see Richard Wobby pg. encompass, by VBM's reckoning, no fewer In the meantime, he added, "We are
22], and help is meanwhile coming from than 56 projects that will have a significant working very hard to get utility companies
impact on the motoring public. to move their lines out of the way this
20 vermontbiz.com year." That will likely lead to some traffic
The agenda includes everything from disruptions.
routine repaving jobs to the massive remake
of I-89's Exit 16 in Colchester. That will And while that $10 million project
transform one of the state's worst traffic struggles to leave the starting line, pros-
bottlenecks into a so-called diverging- pects are more certain for another big
diamond interchange that, in the VTrans undertaking, the $35.6 million remake of
website's graphic conception, resembles the twin bridges that carry I-89 across the
three overlapping infinity symbols framed Connecticut River between Vermont and
by attractively landscaped traffic islands New Hampshire.
and, of course, a lot of macadam.
According to VTrans, work will begin
The reconfiguration will improve traf- in July and continue year-round until the
fic flow through the area by facilitating left project winds up, likely in 2023.
turns onto the I-89 ramps without left-
turn phasing of traffic signals. Upgraded The finished product will be a single
traffic signaling and new turn lanes will structure: the gap between the existing
also improve flow at other points in the bridges will be used to expand the roadway
project's one-mile corridor. from two to three lanes in both directions,
including new entry-exit lanes to serve
But for people who've spent 10 minutes the interchanges immediately beyond both
just to get out of the nearby Costco parking ends of the crossing.
lot, relief remains a ways off. Project work
has been on a protracted hold because of Traffic disruption is expected to be
multiple legal challenges by RL Vallee, relatively minor this construction season as
Inc, owner of the Maplefields gas station preliminary work unfolds.
just north of the interchange – and just
up the road from potential competition in As that project gets under way, some
the form of Costco's already built but still other big jobs will be continuing. Notable
unopened gas station. among the latter is the $72.5 million proj-
ect that will replace two bridges over the
Planning for the project has already Vermont Railway (VTR) in the heart of
dragged on for the better part of a decade, Middlebury.
without a shovelful of dirt being turned
over. That effort is now entering its key
phase: demolition of the bridges, installa-
"We have a pretty solid case," Michael tion of a tunnel in their place, and lowering
Lacroix, project manager for VTrans, RL of the railbed to allow VTR to haul taller
Vallee's adversary in the latter's appeals cars along the route.
of the project's environmental permits,
assessed the litigation. "While the bulk of There will be occasional road closures
the road work won't happen in calendar along Main Street (Route 30/125) and
adjacent Merchants Row. The schedule
also calls for a 10-week closing of the rail

line to begin on May 27; VTR's rail traffic
between Rutland and Burlington will then
be diverted to a roundabout detour via
Bellows Falls and White River Junction.

According to VTrans project manager
Jon Griffin, "All parties have been able to
work really well together" on the project
- including affected businesses that had
feared a loss of business because of the
disruptions.

Now, of course, any such downsides
have been overshadowed by the corona-
virus epidemic, which has called a halt on
much of the town's economic life.

Given that shutdown, "The
Middlebury Selectboard has asked the
Vermont Agency of Transportation if
any of this summer’s construction can be
moved up," Jim Gish, community liaison
for the project, reported in his project blog
in mid-March.

As quoted by Gish, VTrans answered
that, "While it may be possible to advance
certain project tasks during this period
when much of downtown Middlebury has
closed, the State's priority at this time is
ensuring that this highly complex project
with its many moving parts remains on
schedule."

"We will see [some related] down-
town construction moved up in the next
month," Gish wrote, blog noted, although
he also stated that "holding to the sched-
ule during this unpredictable crisis is the
priority and that in itself represents a sig-
nificant challenge."

In other words, things are on schedule,
but anything might happen.

Barring the unforeseeable, however, the
project is expected to wrap up in the sum-
mer of 2021, in time for the anticipated
launch late that year of Amtrak service
between Rutland and Burlington, with
a stop in Middlebury just north of the
project area.

Projects in their final phases this year
include the $49 million replacement of the
I-91 bridges over the Williams River in
Rockingham; that work should wind up in
July, according to VTrans project manager
Carolyn Cota.

The multiyear reconstruction of Route
7 in the heart of Brandon is also wind-
ing up. That project is giving the Rutland
County community a whole new face, with
utilities buried, the roadway completely
rebuilt, and new parking areas, sidewalks
and street-side green spaces added to the
village's amenities.

In a mid-March interview, Brandon
economic development officer Bill Moore
said the undertaking is now 96% complete.

"Most of the plantings are done, and
little landscape fill-ins need to be done
this spring," he said, adding that a couple
of side streets still need construction work,
but Route 7's remake is complete. The fin-
ishing touches should all be in place by fall.

The $30 million Brandon project has
an analog in the re-creation of Waterbury's
main street - which is also US Route 2
and Vermont Route 100 - but that work is
not so far along, and motorists can expect
disruptions. The ingredients are similar to
Brandon's – full-depth reconstruction of
the roadway, placement of utilities under-
ground, new sidewalks, historic street

VTrans has plenty of work page 52

April 2020 21

Richard Wobby

by C.B. Hall

Courtesy photo

Richard Wobby, executive vice president of Associated General Contractors of Vermont

To all appearances, the Vermont carrying out this summer.
Agency of Transportation's road Under the circumstances, outdoor
construction season is one activ-
ity that will not be hugely disrupted by construction work has an advantage: By its
the coronavirus, even as it turns so many nature, it involves social distancing. While
sectors of activity upside down here in a crowded office or a university library
Vermont and around the world. While or the corner pub brings people together
nothing will undo the havoc and tragedy in close proximity, highway construction
that the epidemic has already ushered workers don't bump up against each other
in, its economic impacts may have some all that much as they go about their tasks.
modest benefits for the wide range of Further, the pool of newly unemployed
construction projects the VTrans will be workers from other sectors may make hir-
ing easier for construction positions.

22 vermontbiz.com

Such was the outlook at press time, for example, you might be able to land a
two weeks before this issue of VBM hit job on a road construction crew.
the streets, but even in those two weeks,
of course, prospects may have changed For VTrans and motorists, that means
unpredictably. that projects may get done sooner.

The warm late-winter weather has Wobby squeezed in his interview with
meanwhile improved the prospects for the VBM amid the same flurry of emergency
construction season more certainly, and strategizing and extra conference calls
the road work is getting under way before that has thrown a spanner in the works
the usual mid-April start date, with as for so many economic sectors in recent
much as three weeks getting tacked on to weeks. The issues he and VBM would
the front end of the outdoor construction have discussed two weeks earlier, such as
window. low unemployment and the minimum
wage hike, seemed a world away in the
In a March 18 interview, as the warmth rapidly evolving context of a global health
of spring filled the air, Richard Wobby, emergency.
executive vice president of Associated
General Contractors of Vermont, told "We've been in the middle of 101
VBM that "our work force right now meetings and planning sessions and our
looks strong and plentiful." response - how we keep the construction
industry moving," he said.
He was speaking of the construction
sector as a whole, but within the sector, Whatever the advantages road work-
he noted, a likely tilting of employment ers might enjoy over more confined work-
towards outdoor work - that is, what he ers, he didn't attempt to paper over the
called "horizontal work" on roads and challenges ahead.
landscapes, as opposed to "vertical work"
on building or renovating structures. "I "Some of our biggest exposures are
believe we'll see the large hiring group when we send work teams off to get
being the horizontal group," he said, lead- supplies. Gas station stops, coffee stops,
ing to "more of a 50-50% split between the whole deal - and everything they're
horizontal and vertical, rather than the stopping for they're carrying back to the
typical 40-60% split" between the two. job site."

He anticipated that unemployment "Nothing in our world should be sac-
across the economy would jump to 15 to rificed," he said, if it's a matter of "safety
20% as the epidemic's economic reper- and quality of delivery."
cussions took hold. "Because of that 15
to 20%, we are anticipating . . . enhanc- All in all, though, he wasn't yielding
ing our workforce by about 10% in the an inch to doom and gloom. "We're going
construction sector generally," he said. In to keep this state moving. We are not
other words, if you have to put aside your going to let this virus define who we are
job at a factory or in the hospitality sector, or what we are."

C.B. Hall is a freelance writer from
southern Vermont.

April 2020 23

[email protected] www.amvicsystem.com CityPlace from 19 financing and finalizing all the architec-
802-793-0673 or 866-VT FORMS 1-877-470-9991 tural and exterior and mechanical plans,”
spots created is mandated by the City of he said.
Burlington. 
Liatsos said the expectation is that the
He said while the project was scaled financing “will be very achievable.” 
back significantly, parking spaces were not
eliminated in proportion to the reduction Brookfield’s goal is to break ground this
in project square feet.  year with a completion date for occupancy
in 2023.
“There are in fact more spaces in the
current plan per SF (square foot) of the PC Construction remains the construc-
development than there were in the origi- tion manager.
nal plan,” he said.
Because the project has changed dra-
Much of the reduction in office space matically, existing permits will need to be
has been replaced with a 196-room hotel.  amended. The redesigned project will also
trigger Act 250 review. 
While there has been a spike in new
hotel construction in Chittenden County. “The permitting process is time inten-
Liatsos said what’s absent is a new hotel in sive but fairly straight forward,” Liatsos
the heart of the downtown. said. 

A feasibility study concluded there Closely related to the project is $22
continues to be demand for incremental million in public infrastructure improve-
hotel rooms in Burlington and particularly ments. Those improvements, including the
in the downtown, he said.  connection of Pine and St. Paul Streets,
will be financed through tax increment
Liatsos said UVM remains interested financing or TIF.
in office space. But instead of occupying
one of the towers, he said UVM Medical Liatsos said the increase in future tax
Center would occupy office space in the revenue generated by the project will still
former Macy’s store. The Macy’s property be sufficient to pay off the TIF revenue
was not part of the original design. bond.

Apartments will be a mix of studio, one “The development, compared to what
and two-bedrooms with sizes ranging from has historically been there, is going to gen-
500 to 1,100 square feet. erate a very significant incremental amount
of revenue to the city and the state,”he said.
Asked about the original proposal.
Liatsos said, “it might have been a little However, Franco is skeptical that the
ambitious in terms of its cost.” redesign will generate enough tax revenue.

The cost has come down by about $20 City officials were not available to com-
million but Brookfield has yet to secure ment.
financing.
Bruce Edwards is a freelance writer from
“The priority right now is securing Southern Vermont.

24 vermontbiz.com

PRESENTED BY: PARTNERED WITH:
SPONSORED BY:

BEING A GREAT TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PLACE TO WORK! SMALL Companies MEDIUM Companies
This award is un-like any other. (15 - 99 employees) (100 - 249 employees)
Simply put, these winning organiza-
tions are being recognized for cre- Courtesy Photo Adam Hergenrother Companies...........................................27 Champlain Housing Trust......................................................36
ating workplaces where their employees ASIC North, Inc.......................................................................27 Chroma Technology Corporation...........................................36
love to come to work. But beyond that, Peter B. Burke, President & Co-Founder Champlain Community Services...........................................28 DEW Construction Corp.........................................................36
they are being honored for being the “best of Best Companies Group Chippers Inc...........................................................................28 Heritage Family Credit Union................................................36
of the best” in Vermont at doing just that. Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman...................................29 Hickok & Boardman Insurance Group...................................37
As a result of this accomplishment, the Co-operative Insurance Companies......................................29 Johnson Lambert LLP............................................................37
Our firm, Best Companies Group, is “employer brand” of these winners just got Country Walkers and VBT Bicycling Vacations......................29 New England Air Systems LLC..............................................37
thrilled to be the workplace research part- a lot stronger! They are going to win the Countryside Alarms...............................................................30 NorthCountry Federal Credit Union.......................................37
ner for this program, now in its 14th battle for talent, enjoy reduced turnover, Downstreet Housing & Community Development..............30 OnLogic..................................................................................38
year. Our job in all of this was to conduct and will receive better qualified job candi- Dunkiel Saunders...................................................................30 SymQuest...............................................................................38
the two-part assessment process, and to dates. Where is the bad news in all of that? Fuse, LLC.................................................................................30 The Richards Group................................................................39
select those who were good enough to Gallagher, Flynn & Company, LLP.........................................31 Union Mutual.........................................................................39
make the list. And by the way, many tried Consider participating in 2021. Not Heritage Aviation...................................................................31 Vermont Systems Inc.............................................................39
and did not make the grade. only might you make the list, but either Instrumart..............................................................................31
way, you can use the information from IVY COMPUTER, INC...............................................................32 LARGE Companies
25% of the evaluation was based upon the surveys to improve your workplace. Liquid Measurement Systems, Inc........................................32 (250+ employees)
the benefits offered and the cool things Check out the program web site at www. McSoley McCoy & Co.............................................................32
employers are doing for their employees. BestPlacesToWorkVT.com. New Breed.............................................................................32 Comcast -- Western New England Region...........................40
This part is fun. Each year, I find new and NuHarbor Security.................................................................32 Edward Jones.........................................................................40
fun things employers are doing. Some Congratulations PedsOne.................................................................................33 Green Mountain Power.........................................................40
of my favorites include: beer cart Fridays, again to all of this Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC.................................33 King Arthur Flour...................................................................40
wear whatever you want-dress code, bring year’s winners! ReArch Company, Inc.............................................................33 Mascoma Bank......................................................................41
your parent to work day, office closure Stone Environmental Inc.......................................................34 Parker-LORD (LORD Sensing Microstrain).............................41
between Christmas and New Year’s. Will Peter B. Burke The Royal Group, Inc..............................................................34 Southwestern Vermont Health Care......................................42
closing the office between Thanksgiving President & Co-Founder United Way of Northwest Vermont.......................................34 Stantec Consulting Services Inc.............................................42
and New Year’s be next? Probably. These Best Companies Group University of Vermont Foundation........................................35 Vermont Information Processing, Inc....................................43
are the kinds of benefits that make a huge [email protected] Wild Apple.............................................................................35 Vermont Mutual Insurance Group........................................43
difference. VHB........................................................................................43

The other 75% of the evaluation was
from the employee engagement survey.
To recognize workplace greatness cred-
ibly, you must ask the employees directly
and anonymously what they think. That
is exactly what we did. According to most
research firms, between 35% - 40% of U.S.
employees are considered “engaged” or
“connected”’to their employer? How good
are the “Best Places to Work in Vermont”
compared to that 35%? Well, the answer is
“very good”! How about 91% good?

26 vermontbiz.com

SMALL Companies (15-99 employees)

Adam Hergenrother Adam Hergenrother Companies includes KW Vermont,
Companies Hergenrother Realty Group, BlackRock Construction, Adam
Hergenrother Training, and Adam Hergenrother Foundation.
Address: South Burlington, VT Adam Hergenrother Companies is a powerhouse connec-
Web: www.adamhergenrother.com tor - matching talent with opportunities, the community with
Industry: Real Estate resources, clients with Realtors, investors with projects, and
U.S. Employees: 47 goals with training and education. Through strategic business
consulting and consistent accountability, Adam Hergenrother
Companies empowers the leaders of today to develop the
leaders of tomorrow. With a focus on real estate, construction
management, development, and leadership and business
coaching and training, Adam Hergenrother Companies is
building leaders and businesses worldwide.

ASIC North, Inc. ASIC North employees help some of the biggest and bright-
est companies in technology bring new and exciting products
Address: Williston, VT to market, while having a great time doing it! Employees feel
Web: www.asicnorth.com valued and rewarded for doing good work. The key to our busi-
Industry: Engineering ness is people who are innovative, hardworking, and results-
U.S. Employees: 79 driven, so it is important to us that we offer an outstanding
benefits package. This combination of interesting assignments,
incredible customers, great employees, and an excellent ben-
efits package makes ASIC North a workplace worth getting
excited about.

April 2020 27

SMALL Companies (15-99 employees)

Champlain Community Services At Champlain Community Services (CCS), taking care of
people is our business. Taking care of our staff is why we are
Address: Colchester, VT successful. CCS works with Vermonters with intellectual dis-
Web: www.ccs-vt.org abilities and autism, offering an array of supports to people
Industry: Nonprofit – Health & Human Services with complex behavioral, medical, and psychiatric needs, often
U.S. Employees: 60 for their entire lives. We strive tirelessly, and creatively, to recruit
and maintain a robust, well-trained and dedicated workforce.
We are proud of the workplace culture we’ve developed; one
that attracts and retains quality staff that are deeply committed
both to the individuals we serve and to this organization.

Chippers Inc. Chipper's company's motto, "I WILL" represents the phrases
"Work safely", "Invest in Others", "Learn from Mistakes", and
Address: Woodstock, VT "Lead by Example". The success of any small company is directly
Web: chippersinc.com related to the success of its employees, so every choice we
Industry: Agricultural Services - Land make takes their success into account. When people know the
Enhancement, Tree Preservation, Turf & Soil Care, company has their back, they're willing to put their best selves
Garden & Landscape and Maple Syrup production. forward, take pride in their work, and know they are part of
U.S. Employees: 72 something strong and good. We wouldn't have it any other
way.

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28 vermontbiz.com

SMALL Companies (15-99 employees)

Coldwell Banker Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman has been providing exceptional real
Hickok & Boardman estate services throughout northwest Vermont for over 60 years. Our team of
sales associates and staff are recognized as a Coldwell Banker Chairman's Circle
Address: Burlington, VT Company, which ranks us in the top 50 companies for Coldwell Banker interna-
Web: www.HickokandBoardman.com tionally. Our culture is one of excellence, teamwork, ingenuity and awesome-
Industry: Real Estate ness. We work hard to support our clients and our agents and at the same time
U.S. Employees: 23 make it a positive place to work. Hickok & Boardman has been a family busi-
ness for almost 200 years, with all our growth we have never lost that feeling.
Co-operative Insurance Coldwell Banker Hickok and Boardman is committed to providing exceptional
Companies real estate services to our clients, while at the same time, making it the best
possible place for our agents and staff to work. We care about each other and
Address: Middlebury, VT celebrate each other's success. This environment truly "floats all boats".
Web: www.co-opinsurance.com
Industry: Insurance (non-healthcare) Co-operative Insurance Companies is proud to have been named
U.S. Employees: 90 one of the 2020 Best Places to Work in Vermont for the fourth year in
a row. Co-operative Insurance Companies offers property and casu-
Country Walkers and alty insurance coverage to farms, homes, & businesses in Vermont
VBT Bicycling Vacations and New Hampshire. Its 90 employees are committed to protecting
Co-op's members with fast and fair claims service, farm safety exper-
Address: Williston, VT tise, and local operations. “We recognize that our employees are our
Web: www.vbt.com greatest asset and keeping them positively engaged helps with our
Industry: Hospitality/Travel/Tourism focus on consistently delivering an exceptional customer experience,”
U.S. Employees: 82 said Marie Jewett, the company’s president and CEO.

For over 40 years, Country Walkers and VBT Bicycling Vacations

have been providing life changing, active, small-group bicycling and

hiking trips around the world. We have all the cool benefits, perks and

flexibility employees look for today, and honestly, our travel benefits

are pretty amazing. However, when you boil it down, our 82 employ-

ees are the most talented travel professionals and awesome human

beings around. Quite simply- they are really what make Country

Walkers and VBT a great place to work!

April 2020 29

SMALL Companies (15-99 employees)

Countryside Alarms Countryside Alarms is a family-owned company that designs
and installs state of the art safety & security systems and oper-
Address: Mount Holly, VT ates a central alarm monitoring station. They take pride in
Web: www.countrysidealarms.com providing these public safety services. Mike & Maria started
Industry: Construction Countryside from the ground up, and they lead their employ-
U.S. Employees: 26 ees by example. In difficult economic times, Countryside has
never laid staff off. They've worked tirelessly with dedication
and great concern for their customers and staff. In addition
to excellent wages and benefits, Mike & Maria are committed
to assist employees in times for celebration and in times of
hardship. Their selflessness and generosity are reflected in the
successful business they've built and the highly-qualified team
they employ.

Downstreet Housing & Passion and commitment are what set Downstreet Housing
Community Development & Community Development apart as truly a “best” place to work.
Passion for our mission to provide affordable housing and to help
Address: Barre, VT communities thrive, and commitment to each other. We put our pas-
Web: www.downstreet.org sion into action by building beautiful and sustainable buildings. At
Industry: Nonprofit Downstreet, one feels the satisfaction of making a difference in the
U.S. Employees: 29 lives of others. Our commitment to the people we serve and to our
staff is our cornerstone. Downstreet’s strategic plan includes a focus
Dunkiel Saunders on being a great place to work. This means we build strong leaders
and teams, excellent internal communications, high employee satis-
Address: Burlington, VT faction and fun. Staff care about the work and each other, making
Web: www.dunkielsaunders.com Downstreet one of the best.
Industry: Legal
U.S. Employees: 22 Dunkiel Saunders set out to be a different kind of law firm
when it started almost 20 years ago, and it has succeeded. In a
profession where burnout, dissatisfaction, mental health issues
and addictive behavior are widespread. DS employees gain
satisfaction from their work, enjoy their colleagues, and love
coming to work. Their core principles include their commit-
ment to representing clients whose work makes the world bet-
ter, having a healthy work life balance, and supporting personal
and professional growth. It's a winning and contagious recipe,
and they're very proud of what they've created and what they
continue to create, collaboratively, every day.

Fuse, LLC Fuse is a marketing agency that helps clients authentically
reach teens and young adults. Fuse provides resources to help
Address: Burlington, VT employees stay active, relieve stress and bond through com-
Web: www.fusemarketing.com pany events. One such example is our season’s pass perk to a
Industry: Advertising/PR/Marketing local ski resort. We hold an annual company ride day at Stowe
U.S. Employees: 38 to ski and ride together. Other benefits include weekly yoga
sessions in our rec space, which also includes fitness equip-
30 vermontbiz.com ment and a skate ramp. During lunch, employees work out
together by streaming online fitness videos or go for bike rides
or runs. Couple this with our standup paddle boards and this
makes for a stellar work benefit!

SMALL Companies (15-99 employees)

Gallagher, Flynn Gallagher, Flynn & Company, LLP (GFC) was recently named
& Company, LLP as one of the Best Accounting Firms to Work for. The survey
and awards program identifies, recognizes and honors out-
Address: South Burlington, VT standing places of employment within the accounting indus-
try. Companies from all over the country entered the two-part
Web: www.gfc.com survey process, which included an employer and employee
questionnaire. The combined scores of which, determined the
Industry: Accounting top companies and final rankings. GFC is thrilled to be recog-
nized among the best in the country.
U.S. Employees: 69

Heritage Aviation To each of our 70 employees - Thank You! Bold, straightfor-
ward, humble, authentic, transparent, collaborative, strategic,
Address: South Burlington, VT passionate and supportive are just some of the words that
Web: www.flyheritage.com come to mind as I think about our organization. Again, I have
Industry: Airline to thank our employees for their genius that drives us to be the
U.S. Employees: 69 best of the best! Thank our customers and clients that chal-
lenge us to be the very best 365-days a year! I have-to thank
VBM for giving our organization the opportunity to participate
in Best Places to Work in VT! This forum gives us the platform
to demonstrate the value of Employee Ownership. Heritage
Aviation empowers employees with a stake in the success of
our company. This award reflects that success!

Instrumart Instrumart is a global supplier of industrial instrumenta-
tion located in South Burlington, Vermont. Instrumart is not
Address: South Burlington, VT your typical company. From the moment you call us, you'll
Web: www.instrumart.com know you're in good hands. We understand that our success
Industry: Distribution depends on customers coming back to us and to do that we
U.S. Employees: 63 need to combine the industry's best end-to-end customer
experience, with the best products at the best price. Working
at Instrumart is like working with friends and family. We work
hard, laugh often, and enjoy time at work and outside of work
together. Instrumart strongly believes in a healthy work/life
balance because we believe keeping our team happy is the
key to success.

April 2020 31

SMALL Companies (15-99 employees)

IVY COMPUTER, INC At Ivy Computer we foster an environment of inclusivity, where
everyone feels free to contribute. We build cutting edge software in a
Address: Waterbury Center, VT progressive workplace. Our decisions are guided by the belief that our
Web: www.ivycomputer.com customers and our employees are our most important stakeholders.
Industry: Technology "Must work and play well with others" has been a hiring requirement
U.S. Employees: 32 since the company was founded over 30 years ago. The respect we
have for our employees and the respect they have for each other and
Liquid Measurement our customers is a guiding tenet of our company. This has proved
Systems, Inc. successful in the growth of the company as well as making it a "best"
place to work.
Address: Georgia, VT
Web: www.liquidmeasurement.com We specialize in the design, development and manufacture of
Industry: Aerospace fuel measurement components and systems for commercial and
U.S. Employees: 43 military aircraft. Our mission is to build Organizational Excellence by:
1) Identifying people with the knowledge, skills & character that will
McSoley McCoy & Co drive our strategy to reality; 2) Solving problems with customers who
are some of the smartest in our industry; 3) Providing opportunities
Address: South Burlington, VT for our people to take on new challenges and grow; 4) Striving for,
Web: www.cpavt.com recognizing and rewarding excellence; 5) Transparent communica-
Industry: Accounting tions with employees and customers alike; 6) Treating each other with
U.S. Employees: 23 kindness, respect and dignity.

New Breed At McSoley McCoy & Co. we know that while numbers are our

Address: Burlington, VT focus, our staff is our most valuable asset. McSoley McCoy & Co. a
Web: www.newbreedmarketing.com
Industry: Advertising/PR/Marketing place where inspired people create excellence. At McSoley McCoy
U.S. Employees: 50
& Co. individuality is celebrated. We recognize that each unique per-
NuHarbor Security
sonality and diverse background strengthens our team. As talented
Address: Colchester, VT
Web: www.nuharborsecurity.com accounting professionals who are enthusiastic about our work, we
Industry: Cyber/Information Security
U.S. Employees: 46 seek those who thrive in an open and collaborative work environ-

32 vermontbiz.com ment where every voice is valued.

New Breed is the premier customer acquisition agency for high-
growth technology and software companies in the B2B space. As a
services company, we know our "product" is only as great as our peo-
ple, and we’ve committed to creating an environment where great
people can flourish. Our culture of growth, learning, honesty, positiv-
ity, and perseverance allows for top performers to prosper, while our
unlimited vacation, flexible working hours, and remote work flexibility
allows for our team to maintain a more fulfilling harmony between
work and life. Additionally, we put on monthly events — from holiday
parties to a Basin Harbor Club vacation — to celebrate our wins and
have an all-around good time together outside of the office!

Many businesses in America struggle to secure their own orga-
nizations. NuHarbor Security exists to help secure all organizations
and ease the complexity of cybersecurity. We are always improv-
ing, from our services to our culture, and we know that the field of
cybersecurity is a moving target. Consequently, we pursue the top
sharp-shooting minds in our industry. In order to attract the best.
NuHarbor is creating the best culture and work environment for our
employees. NuHarbor is honored by the recognition as a Best Place
to Work in Vermont. We believe in our employees and continue to
expand because of the caliber of their work. Their thought leadership,
mastery of technical skills, and ability to solve unique problems set us
apart from our competition. We hire and attract the best in our field.

SMALL Companies (15-99 employees)

PedsOne PedsOne is a uniquely specialized medical billing and consulting
company now in their 8th year of operation. Based in Winooski, VT,
Address: Winooski, VT PedsOne provides revenue cycle management, oversight and advi-
Web: www.pedsone.com sory services to medical practices in every area of the US. Perhaps
Industry: Healthcare – Insurance/Services the largest independent billing service company in the region, one
U.S. Employees: 30 distinction between PedsOne and competitors is that they specialize
in one medical discipline - pediatrics and work on a pediatric-specific
software platform. “Better Billing for Doctors, Brighter Future for Kids”
is their motto. Their most valuable assets are their staff and culture-
highly capable professionals doing exceptional work in an environ-
ment of collaboration, freedom, opportunity, trust, and recognition.

Primmer Piper Eggleston Our firm was founded in St. Johnsbury, Vermont in 1982 as
& Cramer PC a boutique corporate/regulatory law firm by John Primmer, Bill
Piper, and Denise Deschenes. Their goal was to provide special-
Address: Burlington, VT ized, high-quality legal services and build long-term relation-
ships with, local, regional, and national clients. Although our
Web: www.primmer.com founding principles remain the same, over the last 36 years, our
firm has grown tremendously, and we are proud to consider
Industry: Legal ourselves a full-service law firm serving clients internation-
ally. As we maintain a path of growth to support our clients’
U.S. Employees: 90 expanding needs, we also seek to provide a workplace that
encourages the personal and professional advancement of
everyone within it.

ReArch Company, Inc.

Address: South Burlington, VT
Web: www.rearchcompany.com
Industry: Construction
U.S. Employees: 37

ReArch Company, Vermont’s fastest-growing general contractor has reinvented the
construction process by embracing technology & offering clients solutions during the
earliest design phases, while maintaining the same family-type atmosphere and level of
service that their employees and customer have grown accustomed to. ReArch's inno-
vative approach saves clients time and money by utilizing 3D scanning before, during
and after construction. Internally, they try to be as paperless as possible for efficiency
and to promote sustainable practices. This digitalization includes project management
software, iPads in the field and a new digital invoicing management software. ReArch is
also involved, engaged and supports philanthropy in their community.

April 2020 33

SMALL Companies (15-99 employees)

Stone Environmental Inc Stone is a great place to work not only are we 100%
employed owned we are a community of talented and innova-
Address: Montpelier, VT tive individuals working together to ensure superior quality,
Web: www.stone-env.com relentless improvement and continued success as a company.
Industry: Consulting We all think like owners and are focused on the success of
U.S. Employees: 51 projects and clients’ satisfaction with the knowledge that we all
share in that success. We are proud to be a small, family-centric
company that appreciates and strives to accommodate each
individual’s commitments and schedule. We value a casual,
collegiate, open work environment and believe it is a good
business practice to be good environmental stewards, but also,
it’s our duty to protect and improve the natural resources in the
community where we work.

The Royal Group, Inc The Royal Group, established in 1935 is a third-generation
family-owned and operated business in Vermont that is con-
Address: South Burlington, VT servatively growing and strategically expanding. We focus on
Web: wwww.royalvt.com excellence, being the best, and the most elite integrators in
Industry: Electronic Security, the State of Vermont. Royal Group is a family. As a company,
Fire Alarm Systems, Glass and Glazing, we realize that we are who our people are. Our team is unbe-
Locks & Door Hardware, Safes & Vaults lievably outstanding, we are very lucky! We strive to create an
U.S. Employees: 40 environment and career culture that allows an atmosphere for
people to be happy, take pride in their work, day to day, fell
empowered, feel stability, a place to grow, expand, a home,
a place to retire! We are very excited to be participating in the
2020 Best Places to Work in Vermont!

United Way of Northwest
Vermont

Address: South Burlington, VT

Web: www.unitedwaynwvt.org

Industry: Nonprofit – Health

& Human Services

U.S. Employees: 23
United Way of Northwest Vermont is dedicated to improving lives in

Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties. Our work focuses on five com-
munity-defined priorities: Advancing Employment, Promoting Mental Health,
Supporting Families, Meeting Basic Needs, and Reducing Substance Use
Disorder. For every dollar raised, we invest $1.71 back into the community to
solve community problems that no one organization can solve alone. We har-
ness the power of partnerships to build innovative solutions that serve people.
United Way of Northwest Vermont’s culture enables employees to bring their
best selves to work, offering generous time off and benefits policies, a wellness
program, a progressive work environment, a dog-friendly office and more!

34 vermontbiz.com

SMALL Companies (15-99 employees)

University of Vermont The UVM Foundation is all about building relationships that
Foundation engage people in the life of the University and drive investment
in its future. But it’s the relationships we have with each other
Address: Burlington, VT — our colleagues — that is the source of our success. We sup-
port a collaborative workplace in which we encourage staff to
Web: www.uvmfoundation.org bring their best selves to work. As a learning organization, we
provide formal and informal opportunities to become better
Industry: Nonprofit - Other at what one does and better people overall. Whether working
to deepen our understanding of issues surrounding diversity
U.S. Employees: 66 and inclusion, or exploring the world through programs at the
University, the UVM Foundation helps its employees balance
the important work that we do with life outside of the office.

Wild Apple Wild Apple’s business working with artists and creating
beautiful imagery is inherently creative, interesting and fun.
Address: Woodstock, VT The company has a family-first approach and encourages a
Web: www.wildapple.com healthy work/life balance. Paid-time-off is generous. The office
Industry: Publishing/Printing environment is comfortable and dress is casual. Wild Apple
U.S. Employees: 30 runs “squeaky clean” financially and pays artists and vendors
on time; it has open book financials so that employees can see
how the company is performing at any time. The entire com-
pany participates in strategic planning. The Fun Committee is
constantly cooking up group events, festively redecorating the
offices, and distributing treats (one of our company values is
Eat Chocolate!).

April 2020 35

MEDIUM Companies (100-249 employees)

Champlain Housing Trust At Champlain Housing Trust, we support the communities
of northwest Vermont through the development and steward-
Address: Burlington, VT ship of affordable housing and other community assets. We
Web: www.getahome.org are only able to accomplish our mission because of the efforts
Industry: Nonprofit - Other of each employee, and for this reason believe they are our
U.S. Employees: 100 greatest assets. We strive to show that by providing generous
benefits, fair compensation, and a friendly, inclusive, and fun
work environment. Champlain Housing Trust is one of the Best
Places to Work in Vermont because we all know that we make
a difference in our communities when we come to work each
day, and we are supported with fair compensation, generous
amounts of paid leave, and excellent health and wellness ben-
efits. We also have plenty of opportunities to infuse fun into
our work life.

Chroma Technology Chroma Technology Corp. is a unique, award-winning, 100%
Corporation employee-owned and Certified B-Corporation, that has received
significant media attention for its importance in modern biological
Address: Bellows Falls, VT science. Chroma is a leader in the design and manufacture of preci-
sion optical filters for the scientific, biomedical, photonics, imaging
Web: www.chroma.com and detection industries and is used in microscopes, DNA sequenc-
ers, clinical diagnostic devices, and machine vision applications.
Industry: Life Science/Biotechnology Headquartered in Bellow Falls, Vermont, the company has a world-
wide customer base with additional offices established in Europe
U.S. Employees: 149 and Asia. Chroma also owns and manages a subsidiary, 89 North, in
Williston, VT, which provides custom OEM engineering and manufac-
turing solutions to manage light.

DEW Construction Corp. An organization dedicated to building what matters most,
we promote a culture where our people believe the work they
Address: Williston, VT do is meaningful, rewarding, and has a positive impact on their
Web: DEWConstruction.com life and the lives of others. Collaboration, trust, and growth
Industry: Construction exemplify our values. Our “family first” belief allows for a healthy
U.S. Employees: 154 work/life balance. From affordable health plans and rewards
programs, to on-site gym, yoga and massage we believe in
providing employee benefits that promote health & wellness.

Heritage Family Heritage Family Credit Union’s mission to provide friendly,
Credit Union personable, high quality services for the entire family and
the “people helping people” philosophy is lived out in every
Address: Rutland, VT employee’s day-to-day work. Not just in the service to our
members, but also in the way we interact with one another
Web: www.hfcuvt.com as colleagues. We strive for close-knit collaboration and cross-
functional support among our employees with the goal of
Industry: Banking helping both our members and employees reach their per-
sonal and financial goals. Heritage Family is truly a family which
U.S. Employees: 175 extends into our communities with our community partners;
allowing our employees to also serve and be more involved in
36 vermontbiz.com the communities they live and work in. We are proud of our
employees.

MEDIUM Companies (100-249 employees)

Hickok & Boardman Vermont’s premiere auto, home, and business insurance agency.
Insurance Group As a locally-owned insurance agency, we know you and your com-
munity. Since 1821, we have been driven to fulfill our mission and
Address: Burlington, VT protect our clients each and every day. We build long-term relation-
ships with our employees, our communities, our insurance carriers
Web: www.hbinsurance.com and our clients. We provide a supportive and flexible environment
where employees can feel productive and effective in their profes-
Industry: Insurance (non-healthcare) sional roles while still allowing them to be at the soccer game and/
or the Christmas concert. We are an ethical, multi-generational family
U.S. Employees: 101 of communicators striving to be supportive and community focused!
We often offer free or discounted tickets to local family entertain-
ment or sporting events, we treat our employees as family, promote
community involvement, offer yoga and pilates classes on-site and
promote fun by having a cubicle decorating contest for Christmas, a
costume contest for Halloween, and birthday parties throughout the
year with lunch provided.

Johnson Lambert LLP Johnson Lambert is a national audit, tax, and consulting firm serv-
ing insurance entities, nonprofits, and employee benefit plans. We are
Address: Burlington, VT proud to be recognized in this state survey. This recognition supports
Web: www.johnsonlambert.com the culture we have built and that we continue to champion each
Industry: Accounting day. Johnson Lambert professionals enjoy a challenging and reward-
U.S. Employees: 173 ing career path with the flexibility to pursue their professional goals,
personal commitments, and passions outside of work. Our success
derives from a team environment where the growth of the individual
is paramount.

New England Air We are a female owned and run business that has been
Systems LLC in the owner's family since 1972. The owner is very hands on,
works hard and cares about her employees. She treats her
Address: Williston, VT employees like family and knows each employee personally.
Web: neair.com This company truly cares about its employees. It has a fam-
Industry: Construction ily feel. It's a place you can feel proud coming to each day
U.S. Employees: 131 knowing you work with talented, hardworking and honest col-
leagues. We're really building something together and know-
ing that most employees stay their entire careers here says a lot.

NorthCountry is proud once again to be recognized as

one of Vermont’s “Best Places to Work”. Our highly engaged

employees make it possible for our organization to thrive and

NorthCountry Federal bring positive change to people’s lives every day. Our vision is
Credit Union
“To be the community's most loved financial institution”. This
Address: South Burlington, VT
Web: www.northcountry.org vision is why we invest heavily in professional development,
Industry: Banking
U.S. Employees: 175 health and welfare, and recognition for a job well done. We

take care of our family of employees so they can in turn take

care of others. We genuinely want our members to be suc-

cessful in their lives. Therefore, we empower our employees to

confidently, creatively and with a caring manner, come up with

solutions that will make their dreams a reality.

April 2020 37

MEDIUM
Companies

(100-249 employees)

OnLogic

Address: South Burlington, VT
Web: www.onlogic.com
Industry: Technology
U.S. Employees: 118

OnLogic creates advanced, flexible, highly-configurable small form factor
computers that thrive in environments where other computers fail. Founded in
2003 as Logic Supply, OnLogic has helped more than 70,000 customers solve
complex technology challenged from offices in the US, Netherlands, Taiwan and
Malaysia. The OnLogic team is a highly-engaged group of intelligent, hardwork-
ing and passionate people committed to a shared mission to "Make it Possible"
for each other and our clients. More than just a hardware vendor, our team helps
innovators identify, configure and customize the perfect computer solution for
their unique project and does so with a commitment to quality and a passion
for answers to even the toughest technology problems.

SymQuest

Address: South Burlington, VT

Web: www.symquest.com

Industry: Technology

U.S. Employees: 167
Founded in 1996, SymQuest, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Konica Minolta

Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., a regionally based IT and office technology pro-
vider. SymQuest designs, installs and hosts network infrastructures and printing
environments of all sizes. We're one of the BEST places to work because we truly
believe every employee matters. We put a significant emphasis on employee
development and strive to make sure that all employees feel fulfilled by their
role within our organization. We also offer competitive benefits, quarterly all
employee events, and a welcoming environment. We believe in the philosophy
of work hard, play hard and encourage our employees to spend time outside of
work following their passions.

38 vermontbiz.com

MEDIUM Companies (100-249 employees)

The Richards Group What makes us a "best" place to work is our dedication to
being a family friendly company that values each employee's
Address: Brattleboro, VT contributions and successes. TRG employees are encouraged
Web: www.therichardsgrp.com to pursue a career at The Richards Group, not just a job. We
Industry: Financial, Insurance invest heavily in on-the-job training and continued education
& HR Solutions that supports employee growth and progression. We offer
U.S. Employees: 137 generous paid-time off, a substantial benefits package, and
a culture that embodies community involvement, personal
well-being, and overall employee satisfaction. At The Richards
Group our employees enjoy special initiatives and recognition
events all year long that celebrate and reward them for their
hard work!

Union Mutual Union Mutual has been providing quality property and casu-
alty insurance products for over 140 years, and our employees
Address: Montpelier, VT are an integral part of the Company's success. We provide a
Web: www.unionmutual.com professional yet fun work environment, competitive salaries,
Industry: Insurance (non-healthcare) and a comprehensive benefit package. We enjoy an amazing
U.S. Employees: 100 array of activities and events that foster an overall spirit of team-
work: ping pong and corn hole tournaments, staff appreciation
days, charitable giving and volunteering opportunities, casual
dress code, flexible schedules, onsite wellness programs and
screenings, and chair massages. We are constantly updating
our benefit offerings, to provide our employees with an excel-
lent work experience.

Vermont Systems Inc.

Address: Essex Junction, VT
Web: www.vermontsystems.com
Industry: Technology
U.S. Employees: 103

Vermont Systems Inc.'s RecTrac platform helped define the recreation man-

agement software space. Today, we are an industry leader, leveraging our deep

knowledge and experience to provide user-friendly systems and insights-driven

services that help municipalities, educational institutions, corporate campuses,

the U.S. Military and private recreation operators provide their communities and

customers with life-enriching recreation opportunities. We are a caring partner

invested in the comprehensive success of our customers' programs. Because we

believe that when our customers are recognized as heroes in their communities,

we are doing our part to foster positive relationships and healthy, vibrant com-

munities at home and abroad.

April 2020 39

LARGE Companies (250+ employees)

Comcast -- Western Comcast is the best place to work because employees work
New England Region alongside best-in-class innovators in a fast-paced and reward-
ing environment. Comcast cares for its employees' entire
Address: Burlington, VT well-being — physically, emotionally, and financially — and
the company works to make sure employees have access to
Web: corporate.comcast.com the benefits they need to support their lives starting on the
first day of employment. In addition, employees learn, grow
Industry: Telecommunications and thrive professionally and personally at Comcast with a
variety of in-house development programs and annual tuition
U.S. Employees: 84,000 assistance.

Edward Jones Edward Jones associates enjoy flexible, family-friendly work-
places and gratifying work helping clients in neighborhoods
Address: Greenfield, MA where they live and work. Financial advisors and branch office
Web: www.edwardjones.com administrator teams who serve clients well earn the firm’s high-
Industry: Financial Services est honors. Community involvement is encouraged, and asso-
U.S. Employees: 46,572 ciates embrace causes such as the Walk to End Alzheimer’s – a
firm-wide effort. An associate-owned firm, Edward Jones offers
long-term career and leadership opportunities. Compensation
includes trimester bonuses, annual profit sharing and limited
partnership. Benefits include paid parental leave for births or
adoptions – 16 weeks for primary caregivers and two weeks for
secondary caregivers.

Green Mountain Power GMP partners with its customers to help improve lives and
transform communities while generating and delivering clean,
Address: South Burlington, VT cost-effective, reliable power in Vermont. GMP is the first util-
Web: greenmountainpower.com ity in the world to get a B Corp certification, meeting rigorous
Industry: Utility Energy Company social, environmental, accountability and transparency stan-
U.S. Employees: 513 dards and committing to use business as a force for good. GMP
made it to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in the
World list in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and J.D. Power’s 2018 and 2019
rankings put GMP among top utilities for customer satisfaction.
In 2019, GMP was awarded the Deane C. Davis Outstanding
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April 2020 41

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42 vermontbiz.com

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April 2020 43



Hannaford’s departure leaves
blank space in Hinesburg
commercial park puzzle

by Emmett Gartner, Community News Service

More than three months since tion of Responsible Growth Hinesburg, a Photo: Alexis Martinez
Hannaford Supermarkets citizen advocacy group in favor of devel-
abruptly terminated its appli- opment that is both environmentally con- A close up of Patrick Brook, adjacent to Lot 15 and Mechanicsville Road. The brook would have
cation to build a store in Hinesburg, the scious and observant of local perspective. been the primary recipient of the Hannaford development's discharge, according to a 2018 DRB site
reason why the supermarket chain made plan review.
that decision is still unclear as is the future RGH began lobbying against
of the site that remains undeveloped. Hannaford during local permit hearings
on the proposal in 2011, arguing that
“It surprised me, to be perfectly hon- there was a disconnect between the plan
est,” said Alex Weinhagen, Hinesburg’s and the core values of Hinesburg as a
Director of Planning and Zoning, of the small Vermont village. To bolster its case,
Scarborough, Maine, chain’s decision in the group hired consultants who provid-
December to walk away from a near- ed detailed presentations on the project’s
ly decade-long fight to put a store in potential impacts. The group maintained
Hinesburg. “There is endless nuance in that the main goal of these initial efforts
this whole thing.” was education.

It was 2010 when Hannaford first “Education is always the answer to
submitted an application to build a everything; good or bad. Education is at
36,000-square-foot supermarket on a 4.6- the root,” said founding RGH member
acre lot on Commerce Street, also known Johanna White.
as Lot 15 in the commercial development.
In November 2019, nine years and what A significant part of the RGH presen-
likely amounted to thousands of dollars tations was focusing on Lot 15’s wetland
in legal fees later, the company withdrew. status and the stormwater absorption it
provides. Another key concern was the
Citizens Mobilize on Sustainable potential traffic implications of the proj-
Development ect. RGH consultants estimated that at

Hannaford’s plans sparked the forma- peak time there would have been about

Donahue

& Associates

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE ADVISORS

April 2020 45

193 shoppers entering and exiting each ing RGH, explained that the issues at the said. “I mean they had concerts, grant But for reasons the company has not
hour. These trips would have added to an heart of the appeals involved zoning ordi- applications — they did everything, they detailed, last November while Hannaford
already congested Route 116, according to nances, Act 250 protections, stormwater were just amazing at what they were able was having success in pretrial rulings,
White, making rush hours even worse. permitting, wetlands reclassification, and to do. Because of their success, I was able Weinhagen received an email from
water quality certification. to hire expert witnesses, who did a great Hannaford.
The Development Review Board in job.”
2012 approved Hannaford’s proposal with The group hired expert witnesses to The message from Tyler Sterling, the
a 4-3 vote. This touched off a seven-year testify on these subjects. Dumont credited Four Years of Trial company’s manager of real estate devel-
string of appeals by RGH, reaching the the group’s ability to fund this team as opment said: “Please be advised that
Vermont Supreme Court in 2017. testimony to its tenacity and organization. The group’s first appeal went to the Hannaford has decided to terminate its
Environmental Division of the Vermont permitting efforts for a new store in
James Dumont, the lawyer represent- “It was a huge, huge effort,” Dumont Superior Court where Judge Thomas Hinesburg.”
Walsh upheld the DRB’s approval of
Hannaford’s application, but the com- Hannaford had scrapped its plans.
pany’s stormwater permit was rejected for Weinhagen was shocked.
reconsideration by the Agency of Natural
Resources. “I thought, ‘Hannaford is getting the
judge to make rulings that are in their
RGH and Dumont immediately favor with regards to how this will be
appealed the decision to the Supreme reviewed,’ [and] based on that, it was
Court, which heard the case in 2017. surprising to me that they dropped the
The high court sent the application back project,” Weinhagen said.
to town DRB for further review. RGH
claimed the move as a victory and a win He wasn’t the only one surprised by
for local decision-making. the move. Steve Giroux is a member of
the family that owns the lot. He expressed
Upon its return to the DRB, discontent and frustration with the deci-
Hannaford’s proposal didn’t fare as well sion, stating he felt “disappointment that
as the first time. In 2018 the board denied [after] 10 years of trying to get Hannaford
the project, citing updated stormwater in there,” the company decided to pull out.
regulations since the project’s initial appli-
cation. So far, Giroux said, there are no new
projects being discussed. “It’s back up for
“Our attorney’s opinion was that those sale as a commercial lot, like it was before,”
new, more stringent stormwater regula- he said.
tions should be applied, and we applied
them,” Weinhagen said. Hannaford spokespeople declined to
comment for this story.
Hannaford’s legal team disagreed.
Weinhagen recalled how Hannaford Reflections on an Unrelenting
argued for the town board to apply the Campaign
2010 rules to the reapplication rather
than the more current regulations. That Looking back on the years-long fight,
disagreement landed the case back in White recalled how the RGH members
Superior Court. were committed and determined to see
it through. “We just kept going,” White
recalled. “I never remember the group say-
ing, ‘Maybe we better quit this,' because we
knew we were right!’ We had a lot of good,
solid support. We never tried to be duplici-
tous or roil things up.”

The group gauged its wider support
from its financial success. Nine years of
fundraising earned RGH $300,000 in
grants and donations, with 200 individuals
contributing to its cause, according to the
group’s website. RGH also received sig-
nificant assistance from Preservation Trust
Vermont.

“Preservation Trust Vermont gave us
an umbrella,” White said. As a 501(c)3, the
nonprofit collected donations on behalf of
RGH.

Dumont, a 40-year veteran of grass-
roots environmental activist efforts to check
development, said the Hinesburg group was
particularly remarkable in its perseverance.

“The most important factor is the
citizens -- they wouldn’t accept defeat,”
Dumont said. “They kept educating them-
selves, educating me, and did a lot of fund-
raising. The more they got into it, the more
sophisticated they became about the issues,
and also about how to raise money.”

Today, RGH is its own nonprofit
organization with the same mission. And
although the battle with Hannaford might
be over, the lessons from that victory are
not, according to White.

“We want to fulfill a positive role in
this town, and I think that our real focus is
education. Because we’ve learned so much,
we would like to share some of that; we’re
not anxious to fight.”

Hannaford's departure page 53

46 vermontbiz.com

BTV hotel project may be
delayed as airport reels from
steep drop in air travel

by Gabriella Marchesi, Community News Service 

Adelay in plans to start construc- people deplaned at the airport a week, VBM photo
tion this summer on a 110-room Richards said. Since March 20, that num-
hotel at Burlington International ber has plummeted to about 100 people The north end of the parking garage, currently the oversized parking lot, will be the site of the new
Airport may be yet another of the growing a day.  hotel. Construction was supposed to begin in July, but now may be delayed due to the coronavirus.
economic impacts due to the drop in travel
as officials try to curb the spread of the “I’m speechless. It’s hard to explain the
COVID-19 virus.  hardship this is going to cause,” said Nic
Longo, the airport’s Deputy Director of
By the end of March, Vermont and Aviation. “No one could have predicted
much of the US has seen a dramatic the scale of this virus or its economic
drop in all social and economic activity as impacts.”
schools, businesses and community events
have largely stopped regular operations in He described what comes next as
response to the worldwide pandemic.  a “trickle-down” effect: As the overall
demand for air travel drops, airlines are
Government recommendations have slashing up to 70% of their normal traffic.
asked people to limit travel and work from They are limiting the number of flights per
home. Schools have shifted to students day, and in some cases, grounding entire
learning from home and many businesses fleets of airplanes, Longo said.
serving the public have been ordered to
close.   As a result, Burlington International
expects to see a significant number of
From pedestrian traffic on Burlington’s aircraft parked on site for the foreseeable
Church Street to vehicle traffic on Vermont future. 
highways to airlines cancelling flights, all
forms of movement and travel have been “It’s a good thing that people are
curtailed as the public works to help curb listening to the mayor and the governor
the spread of the virus.  about staying safe and practicing social
distancing,” Richards said. “But I am sad
The airport has taken a hard financial for our airport and the air travel industry
blow. Revenues are falling quickly as the that is taking a major blow because of this.”
number of flights decreases nationally and
the number of passengers using Burlington The dramatic drop in air travel has
International decline.  airport officials rethinking plans for a
July groundbreaking on the $15 million
“This is nothing like any of us have Fairfield Marriott hotel project.
ever seen before,” said Gene Richards, the
airport’s Director of Aviation. “It has vir- “My gut feeling is that we will not
tually brought everything to a halt.”  break ground this summer,” said Richards.
“If it’s feasible, we will move on, but we
In early March, before the spread of don’t have that foresight right now.”
coronavirus, between 10,000 and 15,000
Richards said that before construction

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April 2020 47

moves ahead on the hotel, they want to everything we can to help them survive.” upcoming airport construction projects,
make sure that the “economic engine” of saying they would help catapult the airport
Vermont is back up and running. Hotel Site Adjusted   into a higher caliber facility for both trav-
elers and the airlines.  
“We want to make sure that the hotels The consideration to delay construc-
in the area are back up and running and tion on the proposed airport hotel comes “I’m not even sure our commissioners
full before we throw another hotel into the just after project plans were adjusted to understand how all-encompassing these
mix,” he said.  choose a new site.  projects are,” he said at the time.

Richards did not offer an estimate of In 2018, the original proposal for the He was referring to broader plans to
how far into the future the hotel ground- 110-room hotel called for a five-story streamline operations at the main terminal
breaking might happen. building at the south end of the parking in a way that would transform how the
garage. But in February, the FAA said a public uses the airport. One key project
Impact On Airport Vendors  structure that size would interfere with the on the drawing board involves plans for
airport’s radar system. a significant expansion to consolidate the
Meanwhile airport officials are most two current TSA checkpoints -- one each
keenly focused on the daily shift to adjust To comply with FAA regulations, the on the first and second floors -- into one
to the reduced level of traffic.  project was redesigned to be built on the checkpoint on the first floor to screen all
north side of the parking garage on a site passengers. 
For example, Longo noted that the now used as the oversized parking lot.
parking garage – usually a major source of This would require expanding the cur-
revenue for the airport – has been hugely The location was the main change. rent building by 100 feet and the new
impacted.  The hotel will still be five stories with 110 area would become the new center of the
rooms.  airport terminal, Longo explained. 
At this time of year the garage is usu-
ally filled to 93%  capacity. By March 23, Richards said it may even be better for Because Burlington International is
Richards said that number had fallen to travelers, as this location will offer parking classified as a “small hub airport” by the
just 5%.  designated specifically for the hotel.  FAA, it was not eligible for a terminal
expansion grant, Longo said. Airport staff
“We are working through this the best DEW Construction of Williston won worked with representatives from Sen.
we can,” said Longo, who like many airport the bid for the project which will be built Patrick Leahy’s office to override this pro-
staff began working from home March 16. and operated as a Fairfield Marriott and tocol and ultimately received $10 million
“We have back-ups, reserve funds.” will include a restaurant and a bar, accord- for expansion. 
ing to project plans. 
Another example is rental car agencies. The funds will be available until 2021.
Revenue from those airport operators usu- The hotel project so far has not gen- Airport officials expected to seek bids for
ally grosses $25 million a year. erated concerns from South Burlington the contract by the end of March but the
residents in the neighborhood that abuts current economic situation given the travel
“We won’t come even close to that this the airport. disruptions related to the COVID-19
year,” Longo said, adding that one recent pandemic may result in this project also
task was helping the rental companies find Longo added that building a five-story being pushed off, Longo said.
places to park all of the vehicles that won’t structure between the neighborhood and
be rented out.  the airfield may even be beneficial for Finally, the airport was also sched-
residents because it may help block some uled to conduct a $300,000 parking
Other businesses operating at the air- airport noise.  garage maintenance project this spring
port are in similar straights. that included a new roof. That contract
Other Future Plans Unclear was postponed on March 16 due to the
“All of our vendors – the car compa- response to COVID-19 in order to free up
nies, Skinny Pancake, Hudson News – In an interview in late February, Longo much needed funds. 
have reached out to us to see if we can help was bursting with excitement about the
through this,” Richards said. “We will do “I will take every opportunity I can to
make [budget] cuts on things that are safe
and won’t have adverse effects on our other
tenants,” said Richards. “If the American
public isn’t flying, then we will need to
make changes.”

And so adjustments are likely to con-
tinue as the national and local public
health and economic situation contin-
ues to evolve in the coming weeks and
months. Airport officials say they have the
long view in focus. 

“Our number-one priority is always
the passengers. Without the airport and
the connectivity it provides, who knows
what downtown Burlington, the schools
or Chittenden County as a whole would
be like,” Longo said, suggesting that the
impact and recovery from the pandemic
response will compare with the aftermath
of 9/11 when the airline industry was hit
hard. “This is going to look a lot like that,”
he said. 

But, just as the community -- and the
economy -- recovered after that disaster,
airport leaders say they believe a rebound
will happen again and plans on the shelf
will be ready to roll when conditions are
right. 

“We all have to stand up together
through this,” Longo said. “I’ve told every-
one, this hurts a lot. It will hurt a lot. It will
hurt a lot for a while. But it’s not just you

or me -- it’s all of us.”

Community News Service is a collabo-
ration with the University of Vermont’s
Reporting & Documentary Storytelling pro-
gram.

48 vermontbiz.com

BTV ground construction
projects on schedule amidst
COVID-19 disruptions

by Gabriella Marchesi, Community News Service 

Although the onset of the COVID-
19 virus to Vermont and the US
has greatly curtailed air travel
and shrunk airport concession business,
ground construction projects at Burlington
International Airport so far remain on
schedule for this spring, as of press time. 

For now, construction will continue on
a taxiway realignment project and other
improvements to tarmac areas near the
airport’s terminal. 

“We are taking it day by day,” said Nic
Longo, the airport’s Deputy Director of

Aviation. 
The construction activity comes as

Burlington International celebrates its cen-
tennial anniversary, a milestone immediate-
ly apparent upon passing through the main
terminal’s sliding doors. Large mural-sized
pictures cover the walls, depicting famous

pilots and commissioners integral to the
airport’s storied history.

One such pilot is George A Gray, an VBM photo
original Wright flyer, whose pilot’s license
was signed by Orville Wright himself. Nick Longo, Deputy Director of Aviation, standing at the site of the future terminal expansion. Currently, the area is used to park administration vehicles.

Gray was the first pilot to fly across on the north end of the parking garage.
Lake Champlain from Plattsburgh, NY. The hotel start may be pushed back,
His half-scale model plane is hanging in
the terminal lobby, as part of the centen- however, given the current economic dis-
nial exhibition that includes reproduced ruption due to the downturn in air travel
wall-sized photographs of famous pilots connected with the COVID-19 virus pan-
including Amelia Earhart, whose 1934 demic. 
stop remains a highlight of Burlington’s

aviation history.  Taxiway Realignment Project
But while the airport honors its past, it
In 2019, the FAA awarded Burlington
remains focused on building for the future. International approximately $17 million
In 2019, the airport began construction for the Taxiway Realignment project – the
largest grant in the airport’s history. Phase
on its taxiway realignment project, its air 1 of the project began last spring and Phase
carrier apron project, along with a quick- 2 began March 16, according to Longo.
turnaround facility for car rental companies
to maintain their fleet. The goal is to rebuild the taxiway to
better connect the apron area -- the paved
In 2020, the airport aims to finish these space where aircraft are parked, loaded,
projects. Plans were also on track to break
ground on a new 110-room hotel located

April 2020 49

VBM photos apron area used by JetBlue. In addition to
regular concrete maintenance, some of the
asphalt sections there will be replaced with
concrete, Longo said

“This is the next step to growing the
terminal apron,” Longo said. “We are
expanding the apron for additional aircraft
parking because of the growing service we
are offering.”

The apron project is expected to begin
April 15 and wrap up by the end of May. 

But airport officials also understand
that there are uncertainties given the coro-
navirus pandemic and workplace recom-
mendations from public health officials and
state government. 

For example, staffing levels could be
affected. “We are very cautious about mak-
ing sure there will be enough people and
staff to do the work and oversee the project
as the weeks progress,” Longo explained. 

Above: The main lobby of the Burlington International Airport, now adorned with "BTV 100" signs in honor of their centennial anniversary. Quick Turnaround Facility
Top: Construction on the taxiway began Monday, March 16 and is not expected to be impacted by the coronavirus. The airport received a $17 million
grant to reconstruct the taxiway. After airlines, rental car service com-
panies are a key business at the airport,
refueled, etc. -- to the taxiways that connect from the COVID-19 virus spread, airport project as planned,” Richards said. accounting for $25 million a year in rev-
with the runways.  enue, according to Longo.
officials mobilized the contract for con- Air-Carrier Apron Project
“Realigning the taxiway is really impor- struction on March 16. Longo said airport Both Enterprise and Hertz operate in
tant for us,” Longo said. “It will help facili- the quick turnaround facility, located just
tate safer, faster and more efficient service.” administrators, city staff, and all involved For the past seven years, the airport north of the parking garage on the right-
hand side of Airport Road as you exit the
Right now, the main taxiway is not lined are working together has been work- airport. They use it to wash, fuel and main-
up parallel to the runway. The taxiway’s tain their vehicles. 
path currently contains a somewhat sharp to ensure that con- ing to rehabilitate
turn in the pavement, Longo explained.  The current facility is slated to be torn
tractors adhere to Realigning the aprons, or tarmac, down in the coming months. The newly
The project will entail moving the guidelines put forth areas. This entails constructed facility – which is larger and
taxiway 100 feet closer to the runway. This can service more cars at once – is expected
will relocate the taxiway 100 feet further by the state.  taxiway is really digging up the con- to be open in April, and will dramatically
away from Airport Drive and the nearby “We are mak- crete slabs that run affect efficiency. 
neighborhood. Longo called that aspect
positive because it may help reduce noise ing sure that the important for us. 2.5 feet below the Despite all of the careful planning,
from the airfield. The pavement from the contractors stay safe surface, then pour- Burlington International Airport’s centen-
old taxiway will be torn up and replaced nial year so far has taken a turn that could
with grass, Longo said. and adhere to social It will help ing and sealing new make it one of its most financially difficult
distancing policies,” concrete. It’s vital to times. 
This project is huge both in terms of
size and scale. It encompasses an area that Longo said. “But facilitate safer, the upkeep of the But Richards said he is confident that
stretches 1.5 miles. And it will impact air social distancing is airport, but can be the airport will be able to recover from
traffic control, the Vermont Air National these financial and operational setbacks. 
Guard, and every airline that uses the also somewhat the faster and more disruptive to regular
airport in order for both construction to nature of construc- service.  “We will get through this, and may
run smoothly and regular service not be even be better because of it,” he said. 
disrupted. tion work, with each efficient service. “We work hard
person operating with all of the air- Community News Service is a collab-
Despite the recent impacts to air travel oration with the University of Vermont’s
their own machine.” lines to make sure Reporting & Documentary Storytelling pro-
gram.
Airport Director that construction

of Aviation Gene never interferes with

Richards agreed that this project likely regular service – something that is impor-

needs little alteration to proceed. “We can tant to both them and us,” Longo said.

keep people safe and still working, so we This spring, construction will begin on

are happy we are able to go ahead with this the final phase of this work – the Gate 15

50 vermontbiz.com