A ribbon cutting event next week
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Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Read on for:
Killington Road Reopening Ceremony | T-Mobile Ribbon Cutting |
What's New in Rutland County | Made at The MINT |
Membership Spotlight | Career Hub | Upcoming Events
Road Reopening Ribbon Cutting Event This Friday
Friday, July 19 at 1:00 p.m. celebrate the reopening of the Killington Access Road!
Killington is happy to announce the near completion of the town's first TIF District Project – the reconstruction of Killington Road from Route 4 to Anthony Way. On July 19, the road will reopen with two gravel lanes. We are inviting you to join in the celebration!
Beginning at 1 p.m. is a ceremonial ribbon cutting featuring a town truck driving through the ribbon, followed by a reception at the Public Safety Building.
Please RSVP to Abbie Sherman here to let us know if you will be in attendance →
T-Mobile Ribbon Cutting
Join the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at T-Mobile in Rutland City.
The event is on Friday, July 26 beginning at noon. The new store in Rutland opened in December 2023. T-Mobile is located at 31 N Main Street in Rutland.
More information about the event to come!
Welcome to Our New Member
At Greenhill Financial, our commitment as fiduciaries underscores our dedication to prioritizing clients' best interests. We initiate every client journey with a personalized financial plan, offering:
Transparency and Trust: Starting with a financial plan ensures openness in our approach, providing clients with a clear understanding of their financial situation and the recommended path forward.
Tailored Solutions: The emphasis on a financial plan allows us to create customized strategies aligned with each client's unique circumstances and goals.
Comprehensive Guidance: The financial plan considers all aspects of a client's financial situation, offering a holistic approach to decision-making, including investments, retirement planning, and estate planning.
Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustments: Our commitment to fiduciary duty extends to continuous monitoring of a client's financial situation, allowing for timely adjustments based on changes in life, goals, or economic factors.
Risk Management: The financial plan incorporates risk assessment and mitigation strategies, ensuring clients are informed about potential risks and have plans in place to address them.
Education: The focus on a financial plan provides an educational opportunity for clients, helping them understand financial concepts, investment strategies, and the rationale behind specific recommendations.
By providing these personalized and transparent services, we aim to deliver a holistic and client-centric financial experience, setting a high standard for ethical financial services at Greenhill Financial.
CEDRR would like to thank the following businesses for renewing their membership:
Antique Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Atomic Professional Audio, Inc., Cornerstone Dentistry, Davis & Hodgdon CPAs, F.W. Webb Company, Gagnon Lumber, Good Shepherd's Little Lambs Early Learning Center, Homeless Prevention Center, Lyz Tomsuden, Marble Mansion Inn, Nicole Haley - Real Estate Agent, PEGTV, Phototec Inc, Proctor Gas, Rotella Building Materials Inc., Rutland County Solid Waste District, Rutland Free Library, Southside Steakhouse, Voity Electrical, and VSECU.
CEDRR Revolving Loan Fund
The Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) provides fixed-rate loans between $5,000-$250,000 through its Revolving Loan Fund. These loans are generally amortized over 10 years with fixed rates based on the current WSJ Prime loan rate at the time an application is submitted. CEDRR members receive a 1% discount on their interest rate. This Loan Fund is typically used as “gap financing” to help finance portions of a project for which a business cannot finance using traditional lenders such as a bank or credit union. Contact Cooper Babbitt at 802-770-7067 or cooper@rutlandeconomy.com for more information.
Rutland County Economic Report by VermontBiz
The revitalization of Rutland County’s economy may hinge on its infrastructure, but not just in the traditional sense of roads, bridges, and utilities. It also encompasses the rewriting of the regional plan, the entrepreneurial spirit nurtured at co-working spaces, the welcoming efforts of volunteers, and the cultural institutions that enrich the community.
These diverse elements of infrastructure are vital to creating a vibrant community that attracts new residents and businesses.
Lyle Jepson, executive director of the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region, acknowledges the challenge of reversing population declines but emphasizes the importance of marketing and having appealing infrastructure in place.
Ann and Ben Clark. Photo from VermontBiz.
Ann Clark Ltd. "A Perfect Example of Entrepreneurship"
VermontBiz recently featured Ann Clark Ltd. in its June 2024 issue.
Ann Clark Ltd. of Rutland is a stone-solid, lean manufacturing business wrapped up in a cheerfully decorated cookie made to look like a cute girl with an upturned nose and a ponytail. So before the cookie crumbles, let’s get into it.
Ann Clark Ltd. makes cookie cutters. Yes, this Rutland company, which employs 32 people and has revenue between $10 million and $15 million a year, dominates the cookie cutter market in North America. It’s only competition globally — and competition is rapid as well as fierce — is China.
Cookie cutters? In Rutland? Who knew?
Well, the cookie world, which is large, passionate and excessively pink, knows Ann Clark Ltd. well.
Paramount Theatre Receives $1M for Expansion
Downtown Rutland’s Paramount Theatre is one of eight Vermont recipients to receive Northern Regional Border Commission (NBRC) Catalyst grants totaling $7.9 million. Phil Scott, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Peter Welch, and Congresswoman Becca Balint, along with NBRC, made the announcement Thursday, June 27.
The $1 million grant is a portion of the total project cost listed as $3,340,945.
The Richardson Building’s top two floors will be totally renovated into two 4,000-square-foot multi-use venues with ancillary support spaces, according to the grant news release. The project will unite the adjacent Richardson Building with the current Paramount Theatre spaces.
Kerry Mazzariello, new Vice President of Business Development.
Bank of Bennington Appoints New Vice President of Business Development
Kerry Mazzariello, former vice president and senior community lender at National Bank of Middlebury, has joined the Rutland branch of The Bank of Bennington as vice president of business development.
Mazzariello brings to her new position 35 years of banking experience. Her tenure includes experience in front-end deposit operations, bank and branch management, mortgage origination and small business lending.
Outreach Meetings for Qualified Allocation Plan
Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) is developing the 2026-2027 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP), which guides the Agency in deploying Vermont’s largest pool of federal affordable housing resources. VHFA is seeking public input on recommendations that the Agency will consider for this update. To facilitate input, VHFA will host in-person QAP public meetings around the state in July and August, as well as a virtual public comment meeting.
July 24: 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. The Hub CoWorks, Merchants Row in Downtown Rutland. The meeting will be held in the Killington Room, Space #1.
At each meeting, VHFA staff will provide a presentation about the QAP and then ask for discussion and feedback. Please RSVP for the meetings by emailing developmentdept@vhfa.org.
RRMC Women and Children’s Unit and Birthing Center team celebrates becoming the only Vermont hospital to be named as a Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care. Courtesy photo.
RRMC Only Vermont Hospital Named Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care
Improving the quality of care for birthing people has been a laser focus for Rutland Regional Medical Center’s (RRMC) Women and Children’s Unit and Birthing Center.
This past January, the steady work to improve maternal health outcomes paid off when the hospital was formally named a Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care - the only hospital in Vermont to receive this distinction. This award is for exceptional care demonstrated through specific measurable outcomes at facilities that meaningfully differentiate the delivery of care.
Take the BIPOC Community Survey
This survey is for people who live in Vermont and identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color (BIPOC), whether born inside or outside the United States. It will take about 15 minutes to finish.
Purpose: The Vermont Professionals of Color Network (VT PoC) wants to know what’s going well and what needs improvement for the BIPOC community in Vermont, especially when it comes to economic opportunities and building community. Your answers will help VT PoC understand how to support the BIPOC community across Vermont.
The survey will ask about you, your experience in Vermont, your experience with existing resources in the state, VT PoC, and how you like to stay connected.
Prize Drawing: If you qualify for the survey and submit your response, you can enter to win one of 100 $100 gift cards to a BIPOC-owned business. You must finish a valid survey and share your email at the end. Your email won’t be connected to your answers, won’t be in any reports or publications, and won’t be shared or sold. One entry per individual. Drawing winners will be notified after August 31, 2024. Click here for complete Sweepstakes Terms.
Deadline: Please finish the survey by July 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET to be counted.
Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum Celebrates One Year in New Location and Unveils New Exhibit
Walking into Wonderfeet Kids' Museum is like walking into a Vermont community. From a pint-sized train station to identifying produce at a child-sized farmers’ market, visiting a snowy mountain, serving food at a diner, and sorting recycling items into the side of a replica Casella truck, each exhibit mimics a place children might see daily.
“In designing the museum, our concept always was, we're gonna make a version of a Vermont town that kids will recognize,” Executive Director Danielle Monroe said.
On the surface, the exhibits foster play. On a deeper level, the play encourages children to try different activities that may also point them toward future careers.
At Wonderfeet, kids can imagine their future lives in Rutland County rather than a future that happens somewhere else.
Opera House co-working space available to Hub members.
Casella meeting room, one of 5 spaces available to book.
What The Hub CoWorks Can Provide
The Hub CoWorks remains your go-to space for collaboration, innovation, and growth. Here's a reminder of what we offer:
· Meeting & Event Space: Equipped with the latest A/V and hybrid meeting technologies, our spaces are designed to bring your presentations, plans, and meetings to life in a supportive environment.
· Co-working Space: Whether you prefer just a basic desk or a private desk, our co-working space is crafted to foster productivity, creativity, and connectivity, complete with high-speed Wi-Fi, power throughout, and free coffee and tea for all your liquid needs throughout the day.
· Podcast Studio: Our state-of-the-art podcast studio is ready to make your voice heard, featuring four Shure SM7B microphones, a Rodecaster Pro audio interface, and three 4K PTZ cameras.
As always, The Hub is here to support your co-working and meeting space needs in historic downtown Rutland. Visit thehubcoworks.com for more information!
Summer is in Full Swing at The MINT!
Home Improvement: On Wednesday, July 10, we wrapped up a fantastic home improvement class. Students learned some valuable DIY skills and were able to practice various techniques while converting a prefabricated shed into a micro-housing unit.
Rosie's Girls: The first session of Rosie's Girls camp wrapped up on Friday, July 12. We had a fabulous week full of laughing and learning together. Students learned skills in the metal and wood shops and completed some incredible projects both individually and as a team! We can't wait to see what the next session brings!
As always, we offer camps, classes, and workshops at our 112 Quality Lane location for makers of all ages and experience levels. There are so many ways to engage with us, please visit www.rutlandmint.org for more details.
In the meantime, here is a taste of what we have coming up:
Multicolor Letterpress Printing: July 17 at 5:30 p.m.
Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry: July 18 and 25 at 5:00 p.m.
Intro to Mosaics - Flower Pots: July 27 and August 10 at 9:00 a.m.
Watercolor Gardens: August 2 at 5:00 p.m. at our Downtown Location.
Interested in Becoming a Committee Member?
Rutland Young Professionals is seeking committee members! Member participation in Rutland Young Professionals’ committees is vital to the continued growth and development of our organization. Unlike many other area nonprofits, RYP has no paid staff members and we rely on our volunteers for their time and talents. There are many benefits to volunteering with RYP, including growing your social and professional network and gaining valuable leadership experience that will make you attractive to future employers. We have available spots on all four of our committees at the moment! Our committees are the Events Committee, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee, the Marketing and Membership Committee, and Community Outreach Committee.
Interested in joining a committee? Contact us at info@rutlandyoungprofessionals.org
Keep an eye out on our social media for announcements on our upcoming events!
The Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region's Career Hub features full-time jobs across Rutland County that provide a salary higher than the Vermont living wage.
Property and Asset Manager
The Rutland Housing Authority is seeking a Property and Asset Manager to join their team.
Human Resources Generalist
Tenney Brook and Donuts of Rutland are seeking a Human Resources Generalist to join their team.
Administrative Assistant for The Tapestry & EPIC Programs
Rutland City Public Schools is seeking an Administrative Assistant for The Tapestry & EPIC Programs to join their team.
View Rutland County career opportunities & post your position →
How to Network Successfully with Ronda Berns
July 19 | 12-1 p.m. | Virtual
This virtual presentation is 35-40 minutes long, followed by a Q&A session to answer specific questions. Attendees are welcome to set up a subsequent complimentary consultation to receive additional information after the presentation.
Networking is one of the most effective ways to secure new clients, create valuable connections, and collaborate with industry partners. Covered in this presentation are the steps you can utilize immediately to show up confidently at your next networking event and get the results you want. In this presentation, you'll learn how to create a plan for the event, techniques to cultivate connections, referrals and grow your business through networking, including:
- Introducing yourself to gain interest
- How to start a conversation with other attendees
- Working the room effectively
- Best practices for following up after each event
Sign up today to level up your networking skills!
Get Funding to Start or Grow Your Business
July 22 | 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Online
This event is targeted for those who thinking about starting or growing a small business. This event will focus on the funding alternatives, SBA loan programs in the Alabama context and cover the following topics:
- Ways to search for grant opportunities.
- How to use alternative lending programs.
- What are the SBA loan programs.
- How can you prepare yourself to get a loan for your small business?
Marketing Plan 101: Create Your Roadmap to Success
July 24 | 1:00-2:30 p.m. | Online
Are you overwhelmed by all the choices for your marketing your business in the new year? Not sure where your time is best spent? Are you following what everyone else is doing and hope it works for you too?
A well-executed marketing plan will help you:
- Define your business with SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threat)
- Define your target audience with buyer personas
- Tools you will need to execute on your marketing plan
- Measuring and Optimizing your Marketing Efforts
- Define your brand with proper visuals and messaging
- Learn how to use AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools to build parts of your marketing plan
