As a part of SilverLake Wealth Management’s “Share the Wealth” campaign, the Williston company is partnering with Pet Food Warehouse to match donations to the Humane Society of Chittenden County throughout the month of April.
Visit www.sharethewealthhumanesociety.itemorder.com/shop/home to make a donation that will be matched up to $1,000. The Humane Society is currently in need of durable dog toys, chew treats, wet kitten food, kitty litter, Adaptil diffuser refills and small collars.
For more about SilverLake’s “Share the Wealth” campaign, contact Nate Cloutier at ncloutier@silverlakewealth.com or (802) 448-4768.
Ben and Jerry’s scoopers look to unionize
Workers at the Burlington Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop have formed a union organizing committee and petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for an election. The workers have named their organization Scoopers United.
“I think of this union as a sign of respect for Ben & Jerry’s,” said Rebeka Mendelsohn, a shift leader at the Burlington store. “We’re a company that stands for social justice rights and equity, and I want to ensure that this message is translated to all levels of employment. A union will allow scoopers to enact agency over their work environments and make room for cooperative collaboration between all.”
Ben & Jerry’s is a wholly-owned autonomous subsidiary of the Unilever corporation.
Winery, cidery combine forces
Shelburne Vineyard and Eden Specialty Ciders of Newport have announced plans to merge into one wine and cider company.
The companies share similar values and a history of producing Vermont-grown wines and ciders
Eden founder Eleanor Léger will be the CEO of the combined company. Ken and Gail Albert, the founders of Shelburne Vineyard, will ease into retirement but continue as brand ambassadors while retaining a portion of ownership in the business.
“We are not creating a new company name. This merger combines our forces behind the scenes, allowing us to sell each other’s products, reach new markets and leverage the strengths of all of our team members,” said Léger.
Registration open for child labor regulation webinars
The U.S. Department of Labor is offering webinars for employers, parents and young workers to help with understanding and complying with federal child labor regulations.
For employers, the webinar is set for May 9, from 10 a.m. to noon; for workers and parents, the webinar is set for May 11, from 4-5 p.m. Registration is required for these free programs.
Contact Joanna Hawkins at (215) 861-5101 or hawkins.joanna@dol.gov for registration information.
The webinars will cover hour and occupational standards for minor employees established by the Fair Labor Standards Act.
KeyBank names Vermont leader
Joseph McGowan
KeyBank has promoted Joseph McGowan from business banking senior vice president to market president for Vermont. McGowan will continue to serve business clients in Vermont and now take on responsibility for overseeing and coordinating KeyBank’s overall market strategy.
McGowan joined KeyBank in 2011 as a branch manager for KeyBank’s South Burlington branch. He is a member of the Vermont Bankers Association’s Commercial Lending Committee and is a former board member of the Burlington Rotary Club. He and his family reside in Colchester.
VT Cannabis trade association comes together
The Cannabis Retailers Association of Vermont has formed its first board of directors and hired an interim executive director. The organization was formed to represent the cannabis industry’s interests with the Legislature and the Cannabis Control Board.
“We formed the Cannabis Retail Association to … ensure we get the specific needs of our businesses met as the adult use cannabis market grows,” said board chair Colleen McQuade. “Our goals this session focused on advertising reform, the removal of product caps and removal of the vape tax on cannabis cartridges which will strengthen the best cannabis marketplace with the best cannabis in the country.”
The organization has hired a lobbyist.
Joining McQuade on the board are cannabis retailers Dusty Kenney, Miriam Wood, Tiffany Johnson, Mike Sims, Lauren Andrews and Ana McDuff. The newly hired interim executive director is Todd Bailey.
LaunchVT startups announced
LaunchVT, a division of the Lake Champlain Chamber, has selected eight Vermont startups to participate in its 2023 Accelerator program.
Entrepreneurs selected will work with a business coach and strategic advisors over the 12-week program, culminating with a demo night on June 20 from 5-8 p.m. at Hula, where the founders will pitch their businesses to investors and the public. Tom Messner will serve as the evening’s emcee.
The chosen startups are: DairyDirt, DandyLion, LOGIC Building Systems, Plink!, PurplCouch, Sleep Well Recycling, QOR360 and Tacitly.
