ENews
Sample ENews - Feb 14th, 2007
Dear VBSR Members:
This is an exciting and busy time for VBSR! We are well into our busy 2007 schedule of activities, with a successful Get-Together and Legislative Reception under our belts, a new Circle Group launched, and another Get-Together at the Burlington location of Small Dog Electronics coming up on February 20 (see below for details). Meanwhile, Rita is busily planning our 2007 spring conference, which will be held on Thursday, May 17. The deadline for workshop proposals has passed, and the program is shaping up nicely. But we need your help in many ways:
- The VBSR community is surely the best resource for suggesting candidates for the position of executive director. Think about applying yourself, or about other VBSR leaders you think might be interested.
- We need your help in identifying the best representatives of the ideals of socially responsible business for the Terry Ehrich Awards, to be given out at a gala dinner on May 16.
- And board of director nominations are due at the end of the month for three year terms beginning at the fall conference.
More information on all of these items is provided below. VBSR is your organization and depends on your active involvement. Please help us fill these important positions with the best candidates possible!
Spence Putnam
Executive Director
PS: Happy Valentine’s Day!
In this February 14, 2007 VBSR ENews Issue:
• VBSR News
• Coming Events
• VBSR Members in the News
• Other News
• Welcome to New Members
Please feel free to forward this VBSR ENews to others in your organization. If you would like to “unsubscribe” (which we hope you won’t), please let us know by return email, and we will take you off our list.
VBSR NEWS
Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility Seeks New Director
VBSR is seeking a dynamic, self-motivated and experienced manager to join our team as Executive Director. The job requires demonstrated leadership, organizational and communication skills and a person actively interested in creating positive social change. Requires Bachelor’s degree plus 5 years’ management experience, or equivalent. Competitive salary and benefits.
Job Located in Burlington, VT, with travel statewide. For more information visit <http://www.vbsr.org>. Send resume and cover letter by email only to . Confidentiality assured by Board Search Committee. Application Deadline: February 19, 2007
VBSR Seeking Nominations for Terry Ehrich and SR Business Awards
VBSR’s annual award ceremony honors outstanding members with the Terry Ehrich Award, and the Small and Large Company Leader of the Year Awards. Named for the late owner of Hemmings Motor News and founder of the First Day Foundation, the Terry Ehrich Award is given annually to a person who exemplifies Terry’s commitment to the environment, workplace and community. The Small and Large Business Leader of the Year Award goes to a large and a small company that have made strides in the areas of workplace, political, social, and natural environment. The awards will be presented at the VBSR Annual Awards Dinner on May 16, 2007. For more information and to download the nomination form, please visit http://www.vbsr.org. Please submit your nominations no later than February 28, 2007.
Become a VBSR Board Member!
Nominations to the VBSR Board are accepted from all members. All Board members/nominees must be owners/partners or high-level decision-makers in VBSR member organizations. Anyone wishing to nominate him- or herself or another person to a position on the Board should complete the Board Recommendation Form and return it by February 28 to: Nominating Committee, VBSR, 60 Lake Street Suite 3G, Burlington, VT 05401, fax: 863-1535, email: . Email responses preferred. The three-year term will begin with the 2007 annual meeting, which will be held in October in Brattleboro.
Small Dog Electronics Burlington Store to Host Feb. G-T
Join VBSR on Tuesday, February 20 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. as we welcome Small Dog to the Burlington area! We will gather at at 100 Dorset Street in S. Burlington to celebrate the opening of their flagship retail store. Don’t miss this opportunity to catch up with friends and business peers, eat great food, and hear Don Mayer talk to us about how SR business and financial success go hand-in-hand. Please RSVP to or 802-862-8347.
VBSR Seeking Silent Auction Donations
In a few days many of you will find in your postal mail our plea for donations to our annual Spring Conference Silent Auction. The Silent Auction is a very popular part of our conference, and always a big success because of your generosity and wonderful donations. Please consider donating again in 2007, and make this the best year ever! If you have any questions, please contact our Silent Auction intern, Katie McLaughlin, at 802-862-8347 or .
Burlington Circle Gathering a Huge Hit; Next Circle Mar. 22
Yesterday was the kick-off of our newly formed Burlington Circle roundtable discussion group at Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew. We were pleased to welcome Jeffrey Hollender as our first meeting’s special guest. We had an interesting and diverse group of participants to begin on ongoing discussion of how companies not intrinsically socially responsible can incorporate SR practices into their daily business. We look forward to our next meeting on Thursday, March 22, from 11:30-1:00. The focus of the March meeting will be SR self-evaluation processes. Since we had such a good turnout, we will move our March meeting to the kitchen at Seventh Generation, 60 Lake Street. If you have any questions or would like to RSVP for March, please contact Rita at 802-862-8347 or .
COMING EVENTS
February 15 - Vermont Waste Prevention Forum
The VT DEC is creating a statewide plan to prevent the growing amounts of waste needing to be recycled or discarded. Your input is needed! Tell us your ideas about ways to reduce the amount of waste being generated in the first place and about how we can develop a statewide plan to accomplish this! Learn more about the amount and types of waste Vermont businesses and consumers generate and how it has increased over time. Please see the DEC Waste Management web site for http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/R3/decwpplan.htm
Climate Change Programs at Fairbanks Museum
On four Thursdays, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.: February 15 and 22, March 8 and 15, Vermont Earth Institute (VEI) will sponsor discussion groups at the Fairbanks Museum on climate change. On Tuesday, February 20, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Kim Knowlton, a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University, will present her research on the health effects of climate change. Please RSVP by calling the Museum 802-748-2372 or via email
Green Building Workshops
Building for Social Responsibility in collaboration with the Vermont Green Building Network, Efficiency Vermont, and the US Green Building Council is presenting full day workshops to proivde practical and cost-effective methods of achieving sustainable residential building standards. The next workshop will be held on February 21 at Associate General Contractors of VT, Montpelier. The workshop will also be offered at the Middlebury Inn in Middlebury on March 7 and at Yestermorrow in Warren on April 4. To register and for more information visit http://www.bsr-vt.org or call Lee Wood at 888-921-5990 x 1106 or email: .
EntrepreneurshipWeek USA February 24 - March 3
The Vermont Commission on Women is helping to plan Vermont state
activities for EntrepreneurshipWeek USA February 24 - March 3, activities that will serve as an educational kick-start for the uninitiated and an inspiration for young people to begin a journey to fulfill their potential as self-starters and entrepreneurs. EntrepreneurshipWeek USA information may be found at http://www.entre-ed.org/E-week.htm, http://www.entrepreneurshipweekusa.com, or http://www.microenterpriseworks.org.
GroSolar to Celebrate Launch of New Name Feb. 27
Join us in celebrating the Vermont launch of our new name: groSolar (formerly Global Resource Options, VBSR’s Small Business of the Year in 2005). The event will be on Tues., Feb. 27, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Tip Top Café, 35 N. Main Street, White River Junction, VT. Hors d’oeuvres & Beverages. Please RSVP by February 20 to Hollie Fleck at or 802.229.4900 ext. 116. The Keynote Speaker will be Bill McKibben. Special Appearance by Vermont Senate President Peter Shumlin. Master of Ceremonies, GRO CEO Jeff Wolfe
VPR Presents The Future of Education, Feb. 27 and March 1
A two-part live symposium broadcasting from Manchester and Montpelier will be presented by Vermont Public Radio’s Bob Kinzel, who will be joined by Vermont legislators, experts, community officials and residents from across the state. Members of the studio audience and listeners are encouraged to contribute their questions and comments. More information is available at http://www.vpr.net.
Calling all Entrepreneurs and Investors – Peak Pitch on March 1st
FreshTracks Capital announces the return of Peak Pitch Vermont on March 1st, an event that gives entrepreneurs and investors an opportunity to network on the slopes of the Bolton Valley Resort. Peak Pitch brings entrepreneurs and investors together for a unique version of the classic "elevator pitch." Please visit http://www.peakpitch.com to register.
Building Bridges out of Poverty March 21
Bridges out of Poverty Training with Phil DeVol will be held on Wednesday, March 21st at Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, VT. Sponsored by United Way of Chittenden County. For more information email .
VBSR MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
At a recent panel discussion at Champlain Valley Union High School, Jan Blittersdorf of NRG Systems and Pat Heffernan of Marketing Partners helped explain how they find the right balance between their professional and personal lives.
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation has provided informational sessions on adult education and training opportunities to the many refugees who have settled in Vermont. Also participating were Champlain College (which provides New American Scholarships to the same population) and the University of Vermont.
The King Arthur Flour Company of Norwich, Vt., shared its centuries of knowledge and good flours in the Dominican Republic in late January, sending Baker and Product Development Associate Monte Peterson to work with and teach a local women’s baking cooperative using clay ovens built by Upper Valley volunteers in 2005. The ovens provide not only a focal point for community gatherings but also a means of sustenance and income for impoverished families.
Vermont Governor Jim Douglas honored Green Mountain Power with the state’s highest environmental award for its work in environmental reporting and in treating petroleum contaminated soil naturally at its land farm in Berlin.
GENERAL NEWS ITEMS
Joint Fiscal Office Issues New Living Wage Figures
On January 15 the Joint Fiscal Office of the Vermont Legislature issued its newly revised living-wage figures. They show that a single person with no dependents needs to earn $13.86 per hour ($28,826 annually) in order to meet basic needs, assuming the employer is providing health insurance. The full report is available at http://www.leg.state.vt.us/jfo. Additional information is available from the web site of the Peace and Justice Center, Livable Wage Campaign: http://www.vtlivablewage.org/
Smart Growth Coalition Issues Progress Report
The 2007 State of Vermont Smart Growth Progress Report, issued by the Vermont Forum on Sprawl, evaluates Vermont’s progress in putting the state’s smart growth policies into action on housing, conservation, transportation, and land use and development regulation. The report examines public investments, programs and regulations from 2003 through 2006. The 2007 State of Vermont Smart Growth Progress Report is available online at http://www.vtsmartgrowth.org.
“Doing Business in Burlington” Guide Available
The streetwise guide “Doing Business in Burlington” newly updated CD-Rom, from Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO) is now available. Relevant Information about your organization is included in the CD-Rom for entrepreneurs who want to start or expand a business. If you would like to have copies of the CD-Rom to hand out please email . Full color promotional posters and the booklet form of the guidebook are also available. These materials are available by calling 802-865-7187 or 802-865-7144.
Email: . It is also available on the CEDO website, just visit http://www.cedoburlington.org.
Announcing Recruitment for the Vermont Leadership Institute
The Vermont Leadership Institute (VLI) is an intensive and powerful
professional development program offered to Vermont’s public, private and non-profit sector leaders by The Snelling Center for Government. The class of 2008 is being recruited now. For information and an application visit http://www.snellingcenter.org/article/view/12420/1/2004 or contact Linda Wheatley at The Snelling Center 802-859-3090 x 311 & . Applications are due March 30.
Solar America Showcases
The U.S. Department of Energy has extended the due date for applications for its Solar America Showcases (SAS) opportunity to March 30, 2007.
The purpose of SAS is to accelerate demand for solar technologies among key end use market sectors. DOE will provide selected applicants with specialized technical assistance—not direct financial assistance—on projects that employ large-scale (in excess of 100kW), high-visibility solar installation projects. Technical assistance includes planning, engineering, architectural, evaluation, and other services. For more information: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/solar_america/foa.html
NEW MEMBERS SECTION—COMPANIES JOINING SINCE JANUARY 25
Everest Associates
John Everest
1050 North Goddard Hill Road
Putney, VT
Phone: (802) 251-3031
Email:
www.everest-associates.com
Kathleen James Communications
Kathleen James
PO Box 1044 89 Cemetery Street
Manchester Center, VT
Phone: (802) 366-1158
Email:
American Cancer Society - Tobacco Coalition
Kelly Stoddard
121 Connor Way, Ste 240
Williston, VT
Phone: (802) 872-6352
Email:
Aggregate Capital Partners, LLC
David Bradbury
2463 Stowe Hollow Road
Stowe, VT
Phone: (802) 253-6843
Email:
www.aggregatecapital.com
Rock Point Advisors
Matt Wootten
PO Box 700
Burlington, VT
Phone: (802) 864-2266
Email:
www.rockpointadvisors.com
Discover Writing
Barry Lane
PO Box 264 1029 Richville Road
Shoreham, VT
Phone: (802) 897-7022
Email:
Earthgirl Composting
Megan Kolbay
80 Lafountain Street
Burlington, VT
Phone: (802) 658-3256
Email:
www.earthgirlcomposting.com
COVER Home Repair, Inc.
Rob Schultz
158 South Main Street
White River Junction, VT
Phone: (802) 296-7241
Email:
www.coverhomerepair.org
TerraPromo
Jeff Cooper
77 Butler Drive
South Burlington, VT
Phone: (802) 846-7724
Email:
www.terrapromo.com
VBSR Contact Information
To join Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility or find out more information, please contact:
Jon Harris
Member Services Coordinator
Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility
VBSR's NEW ADDRESS
60 Lake St., Ste. 3G
Burlington, VT 05401
862-8347 (phone)
863-1535 (fax)
www.vbsr.org
VBSR, with over 650 members statewide, is the largest regional business association of its kind in the country and has become an influential voice for business in Vermont. Call us to join today!
