Day: December 10, 2024

The Vermont Chamber of Commerce has announced Bradley Tusk, venture capitalist, political strategist, philanthropist, and author, as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Vermont Economic Conference. The conference, Vermont’s premier economic event, will take place on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at the UVM Davis Center in Burlington, Vermont. 

As the Managing Partner and Co-founder of Tusk Venture Partners, the world’s first venture capital fund investing solely in early-stage startups in highly regulated industries, Tusk brings a wealth of experience in navigating complex political and business landscapes. During the keynote, Tusk will join Vermont Chamber of Commerce president, Amy Spear, for a fireside chat on the intersection of innovation, policy, the future of Vermont’s economy, and his efforts to bring mobile voting to more U.S. voters.

Tusk is the author of Vote With Your Phone: Why Mobile Voting Is Our Final Shot At Saving Democracy, Obvious In Hindsight, and The Fixer: My Adventures Saving Startups From Death by Politics. He also hosts the podcast Firewall, which explores the intersection of technology and politics. He is the founder of Tusk Philanthropies, which focuses on campaigns for both mobile voting and for universal school meals. Recently, Tusk Philanthropies’ Solving Hunger initiative worked with Hunger-Free Vermont to champion school meal funding, benefiting more than 83,000 Vermont students. 

Earlier in his career, Bradley served as campaign manager for Mike Bloomberg’s 2009 mayoral race, then as Deputy Governor of Illinois, overseeing the state’s budget, operations, legislation, policy and communications. He also worked as Communications Director for US Senator Chuck Schumer, and as Uber’s first political advisor. He founded the political consulting firm, Tusk Strategies.

“We are thrilled to have Bradley Tusk join us as our keynote speaker,” said Amy Spear, President of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. “His expertise in navigating regulatory environments and his innovative approach to problem-solving will provide invaluable insights for Vermont business leaders as we look to adapt to national and global economic trends.”

The 2025 Vermont Economic Conference will offer attendees an in-depth look at national, global, and state economic outlooks, with a focus on key macroeconomic trends and actionable strategies for business growth. Content areas will include:

• National and Vermont Economic Outlooks: Gain insights into the key macroeconomic trends driving national growth and understand how Vermont fits into the broader economic landscape.
• Engaging Presentations: Presentations will highlight strategies for business growth, including insights into the regulatory challenges and opportunities Vermont businesses face.
• Networking Opportunities: The conference will offer an excellent opportunity to connect with industry leaders, policymakers, and fellow business executives from across Vermont.

The presenting sponsors of the event are TD Bank and Comcast. Additional support is provided by businesses committed to advancing the Vermont economy, including A.N. Deringer, KPMG, Union Mutual, Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA), Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO), Fidelity Investments, Green Mountain Power, Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC, VGS, and White + Burke Real Estate Advisors. For more information and to register for the 2025 Vermont Economic Conference, please visit vtchamber.com/economicconference.