“Rising Stars” Awarded to Amy Spear and Megan Sullivan
Amy Spear, VP of Tourism, and Megan Sullivan, VP of Government Affairs were selected for their outstanding contributions to the Vermont economy and their communities. The Rising Star Awards honor 40 of Vermont’s most accomplished young leaders under the age of 40. This year’s recipients were chosen from 130 nominations and joined the ranks of 641 honorees selected in the last 14 years.
Amy has been with the Vermont Chamber since 2019, overseeing tourism division activities, and is a member of the advocacy team specializing in tourism and hospitality issues. Megan joined the Vermont Chamber team in 2021 as the advocacy team lead, directing government affairs work with the mission of advancing the Vermont economy. Amy and Megan are featured in the November issue of VermontBiz.
Vermont Chamber of Commerce Hosts 10th Annual Manufacturing Summit
For a decade, the Vermont Chamber has brought together industry peers to facilitate sourcing and procurement opportunities at the Manufacturing Summit. OEM buyers, suppliers, and partners from across the United States and Canada convened at the event to strengthen supply chains and advance the Vermont economy. The event featured two days of virtual matchmaking, a robust seminar agenda, and an in-person networking reception.
Paradigm shifts brought on by the pandemic impacted global supply chains, causing businesses to modify their sourcing strategies. The Vermont Chamber’s Manufacturing Summit has met this challenge by innovating the event into a hybrid agenda. This year, 335 meetings between 90 suppliers and 24 OEMs, prime contractors, and government agencies took place. Many of the participants were leaders in the aerospace, aviation, defense, naval, marine, semiconductor, and space industries.
The 2023 Manufacturing Summit also marked the 10th anniversary of a collaboration agreement between Aéro Montréal and the Vermont Chamber. The Vermont-Québec Aerospace Trade Corridor links Vermont’s $2 billion aerospace manufacturing and civil aviation industry with the $18 billion Québec aerospace cluster. The corridor also extends to Connecticut and Ontario.
“Since 2013, the Vermont Chamber has built a legacy of strengthening Vermont’s manufacturing industry. Our advocacy work focuses on supportive tax policy and our supply chain matchmaking skills give Vermont businesses a competitive advantage. The Manufacturing Summit is the pinnacle of our year-round efforts to create a niche network of industry peers that enables supply chain opportunities in Vermont, New England, and Canada,” stated Chris Carrigan, Vice President of Business Development for the Vermont Chamber. “It was particularly exciting to produce this year’s event during Manufacturing Month, a time when the industry’s critical contributions to the national, state, and local economy are on full display.”
Several foreign and state dignitaries were present at the networking reception in Burlington, including Acting Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner Dina Santos, Québec Delegate to New England Marie-Claude Francoeur, President of Aéro Montréal Mélanie Lussier, Treasurer Mike Pieciak, Commissioner Joan Goldstein, members of the Vermont Legislature, and representatives from the offices of Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Peter Welch, and Congresswoman Becca Balint.
Vermont Chamber Brings Together Chris Graff and Garrett Graff for First Joint Appearance, a Discussion on Politics and the Media
On September 28, 2023, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce hosted an exclusive event featuring Chris Graff and Garrett Graff at the Flynn Space in Burlington Vermont. The father-son duo took the stage at “An Evening With the Graffs” to discuss the intricate relationship between the media and politics.
Garrett Graff and Chris Graff in conversation with Megan Sullivan, VP of Government Affairs.
Both Chris and Garrett Graff are esteemed journalists, authors, and political commentators with deep Vermont roots. The event focused on the ramifications of a rapidly changing media landscape nationally, and right here at home in Vermont. In particular, the Graffs focused on how social media and the 24-hour news cycles have influenced public opinion and impacted civic engagement as well as examined the rise of opinion-driven journalism and the proliferation of misinformation.
Chris Graff, a veteran Vermont reporter, served as the long-time Vermont AP bureau chief and host of “Vermont This Week.” In his decades with the AP, he covered the critical stories as the state transformed itself from a rural, Republican outpost into the state of Howard Dean, Jim Jeffords, Patrick Leahy, and Bernie Sanders.
Chris Graff stated, “We are incredibly lucky here in Vermont. Something special about our politicians that has remained true is their accessibility. We’ve seen our politicians succeed in presidential campaigns because we have something that the rest of America wants. When we ask our politicians a question we expect to get an answer, and we do.”
Garrett Graff is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, distinguished magazine journalist, internationally bestselling historian, and regular TV commentator and producer. He is recognized as one of the nation’s most prolific and wide-ranging journalists and historians. He offered a robust perspective on how political and geopolitical trends will shape the next decade. Specifically, how the current media landscape underscores that younger generations are the first in U.S. history to be less prosperous than their parents.
“The press is the only industry mentioned by name in the Constitution,” said Garrett Graff. “With a political landscape changing faster than we as a society can process it, and a void of national journalism rising to the occasion, younger generations are entering the workforce amid an excess of misinformation. Modern journalism too often covers the state of an issue rather than the stakes, and this is central to its failings.”
“The Vermont Chamber is proud to have brought these two incredible Vermonters together on stage for the first time,” said Vermont Chamber President Betsy Bishop. “Together, Chris and Garret have a combined 50 years of perspective on the rapidly changing media landscape, and how this has impacted political discourse and policymaking. We hope to see their shared expertise on display again very soon. ”
Chris Graff displays a photo of Garrett Graff conducting his “first interview” with Governor Madeleine Kunin as a young aspiring reporter.
Vermont Chamber Helps Secure $9.9 Million Investment for New Aviation and Aerospace Manufacturing Workforce Training Center
The Vermont Chamber played an integral role in writing a congressional earmark application to U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy on behalf of the Burlington Technical Center for a new school that will further propel Vermont’s aerospace manufacturing and civil aviation industry. Combined with the Vermont Chamber’s legislative win in making permanent the 6% aviation sales tax exemption, the new school will elevate Vermont’s $2 billion aerospace and aviation industry.
The funding, announced by the current Vermont Congressional Delegation, will be administered by the United States Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology and aims to serve up to 150 Vermont high school students and adults each year. Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Peter Welch, and Representative Becca Balint stated, “Training young people in new and emerging technologies and reskilling workers in the field are equally essential to fostering a strong workforce in Vermont. The Vermonters trained here will play an important role in securing Vermont’s sustainable future through the growth of electric aviation. This investment is thanks to the dedication of Senator Leahy and his staff, the Burlington School District, and our forward-thinking, community-based aviation and aerospace industries in Vermont.”
Vermont Chamber Staff Earn 2023 Rising Star Awards
Two members of the Vermont Chamber team have been announced as recipients of a Rising Star award. Amy Spear, VP of Tourism, and Megan Sullivan, VP of Government Affairs earned the honor which selects outstanding young leaders for contributions to the Vermont economy and their community.
Amy Spear, VP of Tourism (Left), Megan Sullivan, VP of Government Affairs (Right)
Amy and Megan will join the full 2023 class of awardees at an event hosted by VermontBiz on November 2nd and will also be featured in the November issue of VermontBiz. The Rising Stars honor 40 of Vermont’s most accomplished young leaders under the age of 40. Amy has been with the Vermont Chamber since 2019, overseeing tourism division activities, and is a member of the advocacy team specializing in tourism and hospitality issues. Megan joined the Vermont Chamber team in 2021 as the advocacy team lead, directing government affairs work with the mission of advancing the Vermont economy. This year’s class also included professionals from several member businesses:
Alex Adams – Green Mountain Power
Ike Bendavid – WCAX Channel 3 News
Ravi Bidichandani – PC Construction
Ryan Black-Deegan – Davis & Hodgdon CPAs
Melissa Bounty – Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation
Jennifer duToit Barrett – The Vermont Community Foundation
Phillip Foy – Encore Renewable Energy
Anna Grearson – Union Mutual
Olivia Lyons – Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region
Resiliency Must be Central to Housing Development Policy
With Act 250 modernization on the table this upcoming legislative session, the Vermont Chamber is advocating for smart growth housing development in Vermont to have an emphasis on climate resiliency. Specifically, on the need to include resiliency efforts in downtown and village center development. Smart growth also needs to expand beyond existing high-density locations to include areas that are safe from floodplains and other high-risk land.
With major flooding events occurring more frequently in high-density areas, legislators must examine if smart growth means filling in the empty space in these areas, even if they are prone to flooding. Downtown and village center housing projects are often aimed at low and moderate-income Vermonters, those least likely to be able to rebound from a catastrophic loss. When the legislature examines housing and changes to Act 250 it will be paramount to reconsider what smart growth for housing in a resilient Vermont should look like.
Businesses Need Immediate Financial Assistance, and Time, to Recover
The House Commerce and Economic Development Committee and the Senate Economic Development Committee held a joint hearing on flood recovery and relief. In testimony, the Vermont Chamber urged legislators to consider that this climate disaster comes on the heels of years of economic disaster for businesses. Our team is encouraging legislators to consider a grant push now and additional funding when they return to the State House in January. We are also advocating for time. Time to recover from all the chaos in the last several years. Policymakers will need to be committed to business recovery for the long haul. Looking ahead to January, they must remember these hearings and hold the anxiety of these businesses in their deliberations.
Over the last 12 months, businesses have dealt with an economic disaster with quickly rising interest rates and inflation on top of workforce and housing shortages. While inflation is now down to 3% from a high of 9%, the lack of workers in Vermont shows zero signs of change. Additionally, there are new taxes and regulations effective this year that must be incorporated into business plans and the lingering financial and mental impacts of the pandemic. Many businesses are being forced to decide if they have enough mental and financial fortitude to continue to operate. Meanwhile, Vermont cannot afford to lose them. They are the pulse of our economy.
SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Businesses & Residents of Vermont Affected by Storms & Flooding
The Small Business Association (SBA) is offering disaster assistance to businesses & residents of Vermont following the announcement of a Presidential disaster declaration due to damages from severe storms and flooding that began on July 7. Visit disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ or call 1-800-659-2955to learn more.
Low-interest loans are available to Vermonters for:
Physical Damage to Business: Loan of up to $2 million to qualified businesses or most private nonprofit organizations
Economic (non-physical) Damage Assistance: Eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and most private nonprofit organizations could receive additional support for non-physical damage.
SBA Business Recovery Centers are opening for Customer Service Representatives to assist business owners and residents in filling out a disaster loan application, accept documents for existing applications, and provide updates on an application’s status. Centers will operate as indicated below until further notice:
The Vermont Chamber is here to support businesses statewide with recovery efforts and our experienced and trusted team is on hand to listen, and assist. As we begin to understand the full extent of the damage caused by severe weather, there are initial steps we encourage businesses to take.
State emergency management officials and recovery resources are accessible at vermont211.org and by calling 2-1-1. In the event of an emergency, Vermonters should call 9-1-1. Vermonters should sign up to receive emergency alerts and observe road closures and power outages.
Governor Scott’s request for an emergency declaration for all 14 counties has been accepted by President Biden to allow for federal disaster relief resources to be deployed. State Emergency Management officials will be working with FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration on a disaster declaration which will allow for federal assistance in repairing damage from this storm. The Vermont Chamber is committed to connecting businesses with resources to aid in recovery and will send information as it becomes available.
What businesses can do right now:
Document the damage to your business and inventory via photos and videos when it is safe to do so.
Make a list of damaged or lost items and, if possible, include the date of purchase, value, and receipts.
Contact your insurance company to file a claim or understand what losses may be covered.
The Vermont Chamber is steadfast in our commitment to helping the Vermont business community recover from these catastrophic events. Please tell us what you’ll need to recover so we can connect you with resources and communicate needs with state and federal agencies: info@vtchamber.com
Megan Sullivan Appointed to Stakeholder Steering Committee for Act 250
Megan Sullivan, Vice President of Government Affairs, has been appointed to the Stakeholder Steering Committee for a legislative report on “Necessary Updates to the Act 250 Program.” The committee has been established as part of Act 182 of 2022 and Act 47 of 2023 to facilitate stakeholder input and consensus building for necessary updates to the Act 250 program. This appointment recognizes Sullivan’s expertise and the Vermont Chamber’s dedication to advancing the Vermont economy. Sullivan brings a wealth of economic development experience and knowledge to the table and her work will ensure that the needs of Vermont businesses will be considered in the process.
The Stakeholder Steering Committee was formed in June 2023 by the Natural Resources Board (NRB) and is comprised of 16 key leaders representing various constituencies, including applicants, consultants, attorneys, economic development organizations, housing organizations, municipalities, environmental advocates, and state agencies. The committee’s primary goal is to facilitate conversations, debates, and consensus-building to advise the NRB on a comprehensive and inclusive approach to the Act 250 program update report. Through regular meetings and open discussions, the committee will work to identify common ground between different proposals and interest groups, working towards recommendations that the NRB and stakeholders can support or have reached a compromise on.
