Business Briefs for Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 | Local News

American Institute of Architects, Vermont Chapter (AIAVT) announced recipients of its 2025 Excellence in Architecture Design Awards program as follows:

— Commercial/Institutional/Multi-Family/Mixed Use category Honor Award to Bread Loaf Corp. for Middlebury Town Hall Theater Annex.

— Historic Preservation/Adaptive Re-Use/Rehabilitation category Merit Award to R. Edwards & Co. for Memorial Hall in North Calais.

— Pro-bono/Volunteer/Unbuilt category Merit Award to Vermont Integrated Architecture for the Yellow House Community, Carriage Barn Renovation in Middlebury.

— Single Family Residential category Merit Awards to TruexCullins Architecture + Interiors for the Black & White House in Burlington, and Birdseye for the Atrium in southern Vermont; Citation Award to Birdseye for TeglHus in southern Vermont.

— Small Projects category Merit Award to McLeod Architects for Off the Beaten Track in Squam Lake, New Hampshire.

— Peers Choice Awards to Two Step by Sidehill Design in Barnard and Birdseye for TeglHus in southern Vermont.

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees donated more than $21,000 to 10 northern New England nonprofits as part of their Casual for a Cause charitable giving program in the 2025 third quarter. Vermont recipients were Bugbee Senior Center in Hartford and The Dodge House in Rutland.

Casual for a Cause participants dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a biweekly payroll deduction made to a pool of funds collected each quarter. The program participants then vote on which community organizations will receive the funds collected the previous quarter.

The Bank of Bennington Foundation announced a $50,000 donation to Bennington Museum, supporting renovation of the historic Grandma Moses Schoolhouse, 950-square-foot structure, into an art education space, including supply storage, tech capabilities, a single restroom, and separate entrance allowing for after-hours classes and community events.

RUTLAND — Community Care Network recently recognized 19 employees for their service to the organization and its clients. Staff members honored, with their correlating years of service, include:

Five years — Missy Burke, Alyssa Czarnecki, Danielle Folk, Dee Gearwar, Erin Greeno, Mariah Merriam, Katie Michelson, Nicole Papke, Russell Perry III.

10 years — Kristin Brogren, Peter Chilos, Kate Herrera, Laura Kass, Seana Lewis, Patty Luther, Danielle Payton, Devin Tarbell.

20 years — Tammy Brown, Georgette Haviland.

BARRE — Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice announced Giving Tuesday 2025 funds raised totaled nearly $10,000 from contributions made by community members. At close of business on Giving Tuesday, CVHHH had received over $7,000, therefore unlocking the $2,500 match from Connor Contracting, bringing the donation total to over $9,600. Connor Contracting is a family-owned business with offices in Berlin and St. Albans.

Vermont Economic Development Authority and Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation announce a new initiative to save Vermont loggers money by allowing them to obtain a loan with an interest rate of 2.5% to 3% when they buy qualifying low-impact logging equipment. This low interest rate is the result of a $500,000 investment from the Clean Water Fund. Loggers can apply now at: www.veda.org/financing-options/vermont-agricultural-financing/forestry online.

Market 32 and Price Chopper and News10ABC/FOX 23 raised a total $87,798 in a two-month fundraising campaign to support American Red Cross disaster relief efforts. Of these funds, $77,798 came through customer contributions at check-out at all 129 store locations, supplemented with a $10,000 Market 32/Price Chopper matching grant.

The Northern Border Regional Commission announced $37.2 million in new awards as part of its fall round competition across its Catalyst, Forest Economy, and Timber for Transit programs. The 59 new awards will benefit communities throughout NBRC member states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. For a full list of awarded projects by state and program, visit: files.constantcontact.com/0665f138701/75fa8117-5500-465d-a45f-b1b6f677511c.pdf online.

The NorthCountry Federal Credit Union and the Department for Children and Families, Family Services Division, partnership provides barrier-free access to bank accounts for youth in foster care in Vermont.

Foster youth in Vermont, and nationally, regularly encounter challenges when opening bank accounts. The process requires approval from their legal guardian — the state. Their custody status often leads to additional bureaucratic stumbling blocks, leaving many young people without a place to save money or practice financial skills and independence. Since the start of this partnership, NCFCU has opened over 66 bank accounts for youth in foster care.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets announced a total of $30,000 is available to help Vermont agricultural, food and forestry businesses exhibit and sell their products at trade shows targeting out-of-state wholesale buyers, offering opportunities to connect with buyers and expand into new markets. Direct-to-consumer shows are not eligible for funding.

These matching grants can offset costs for up to four shows that take place between April 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027. Eligible applicants must be headquartered in Vermont, have at least three wholesale accounts, and their products must meet the Vermont Local Definition under Act 129.

Vermont Association of Realtors announced the selection of 12 members for its 2026 Leadership Academy, a year-long professional development program.

Green Mountain Association of Realtors: Kevin Casey, Michelle Hebert.

Lamoille Area Board of Realtors: Amy Thompson.

Orleans County Board of Realtors: April Lane.

Northwest Vermont Realtor Association: Becky Alford, Lauren Gaffney Cohen, Renick Darnell-Martin, Shannon Kane.

South Central Vermont Board of Realtors: Chris Cummings.

Southern Vermont Board of Realtors: Megan Quinn.

Windsor County Board of Realtors: Chelsea Bevis, Brooks Reavill.

The Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports recently recognized two Vermont residents with the 2025 Worksite Wellness Outstanding Contributor Award for their efforts to support the health and well-being of co-workers: Meaghan Diffenderfer, human resources administrative coordinator for the City of Burlington; and Maura O’Brien, who has led the employee wellness department for the state of Vermont for the past 20 years.

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