Meet Our Conference Underwriters
Thank you to the following companies who have made this conference possible.
Interested in Sponsoring or Exhibiting? Contact Jeremy Gerber at jeremyg@vbsr.org.
Underwriter
Acrisure is a global fintech leader delivering integrated solutions across insurance, benefits, payroll, cybersecurity, and more. With more than 19,000 colleagues across 24 countries and nearly $5 billion in revenue, Acrisure combines advanced technology with human expertise to help organizations grow with confidence. Through Acrisure HR Intelligence, we bring a people-first, practical approach to supporting organizations- helping leaders navigate complex workforce and operational challenges with clarity and confidence.
Exhibitor
Adventure Dinner is a woman-owned, queer-friendly events and catering company based in Colchester, Vermont. Their mission is to highlight and support Vermont farms, producers, and small businesses through family-style dining and community events. Adventure Dinner is well known for their long table farm dinners, which have been featured in Travel + Leisure, Food + Wine, Imbibe, The Washington Post and NBC’s 1st Look. In addition to their sell-out ticketed dinners, Adventure Dinner also offers catering for private events! They create bespoke farm-to-table drink and culinary menus for each celebration, and offer full-service catering and professional bartending services along with drop-off options.
Adventure Dinner loves a celebration, and brings the Vermont lens as they cater weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate events, holiday parties, birthdays--anything that deserves a local VT touch.
New in this past year, Adventure Dinner opened the doors for our private event venue, The Clubhouse! This newly minted space features three rooms: The Loft, an open-plan, flexible space for up to 75 folks, The Library, a cozy bar and lounge for up to 30, and the Green Room, a lush private dining space for up to 18 folks seated.
Underwriter
American Meadows is the nation’s leader in meadowscaping, offering wildflower seeds, perennial plants, and bulbs designed to transform entire yards. Their purpose, 'Doing Good Through Gardening,' reflects a commitment to social responsibility, personal wellness, and the environment. Led by Vermonters Ethan Platt and Mike Lizotte, the organization has cultivated a culture of growth, inclusivity, and wellness, with the belief that every yard – and every person – can be a force for good. The proven benefits of digging into the earth, growing flowers, and choosing sustainable alternatives to traditional turf grasses are encapsulated by the brand’s tagline, Meadowscaping Makes it Better. Choosing American Meadows means choosing to make things better for yourself, better for your community, and better for the planet. Prioritizing innovative products, mindful business practices and collaborative partnerships has enabled the brand to bring the goodness of gardening to people of all abilities, all ages, and all socio-economic levels. This includes support and advocacy for pollinators, children, suicide prevention, and underserved communities. American Meadows hopes you’ll join them in transforming landscapes and lives – because a better tomorrow begins with what we plant today. 06
Champion Underwriter
The Alchemist is an independent family-owned brewery founded in 2003 by Jen & John Kimmich, operating in Waterbury & Stowe, Vermont. The Alchemist crafts fewer than 20,000 barrels of beer annually between their two Vermont breweries. They are committed to investing in their communities and their employees, providing good jobs with strong benefits, investing in environmental initiatives to minimize their footprint, and giving back to their community through a variety of initiatives. The Alchemist is 100% independent, B-certified, and brews all of their beer here in Vermont. In 2016 the Kimmichs founded The Alchemist Foundation, which focuses on expanding opportunities for local youth. Learn more at alchemistbeer.com.
![LOGO-Casella-Blue-Established[78].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ff7d0_8d1b7e0f01ae403495d43b4618776dcf~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_327,h_90,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/LOGO-Casella-Blue-Established%5B78%5D.jpg){kind=logo}
Champion Underwriter
Ben & Jerry’s was a founding member of VBSR and has remained a member since 1991. The company operates on a three-part mission that puts product, economic, and social goals on equal standing. Social mission campaigns focus on fighting for environmental and social justice, with the sweet spot landing where those areas overlap, such as climate change.
The company knows it’s going to take more than just the actions of individual businesses and people to fight climate change. Ben & Jerry’s Climate Change campaigns urge people to collectively call on elected leaders to support a rapid transition to the clean energy economy of the future. Because if it’s melted, it’s ruined.
Champion Underwriter
BETA Technologies is a team of builders, makers, pilots, engineers, artists, and problem-solvers from all backgrounds, driven by curiosity, passion, and a shared mission to change the aerospace industry. BETA is designing a self-sufficient electric aviation ecosystem that satisfies the needs of humans, embraces the laws of nature and works in harmony with the planet.
Underwriter
Imagine a healthcare experience where you feel truly heard, respected, and cared for. At Blue Spruce Health, we’re changing the way healthcare works—putting you first every step of the way. No rushed appointments. No insurance hassles. Just care designed around your needs.
Underwriter
Cabot Creamery Cooperative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919 and offers a full line of award-winning cheeses and other value-added dairy products.
Champion Underwriter
To foster a family of brands (Darn Tough, Wide Open & Cabot Hosiery) committed to quality, community, and American manufacturing. We are family owned and have been since the beginning. We are three generations strong, and we know how to knit socks. It’s an ardent skill passed down from father to son, and we’re proud to still be doing it in Vermont. We’ve cultivated a community that stands behind our products. And it’s because of them – because of you – that we’re still here.
Champion Underwriter
Casella Waste Systems is a waste management company based in Rutland, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1975 with a single truck, Casella is a regional, vertically integrated solid waste services company. Casella provides resource management expertise and services to residential, commercial, municipal and industrial customers in the areas of solid waste resource collection, recycling, organics, energy recovery and disposal.
Champion Underwriter
Champlain Investment Partners is an independent, employee-owned asset management firm headquartered in Burlington, Vermont – with our emerging markets team located in Irvine, California. Our investment strategies are designed to focus on providing absolute returns while also managing risk. We strive to create wealth through the consistent execution of our investment processes; we are equally committed to delivering outstanding client service, and pride ourselves on the many long-standing relationships we have been able to cultivate since opening our doors in 2004. Our partners bring a wealth of experience, averaging over 21 years in asset management, and as of 12.31.21 the firm had approximately $22.50 billion in assets under management.
Champion Underwriter
The Bellows Falls based Chroma Technology Corp. is not just a leading manufacturer and supplier of components for the photonics industry but has an almost 30 year legacy of living and breathing VBSR’s mission through their commitment to social justice, employee ownership, serving their communities and cultivation of a people-first workplace. Paul Millman, who co-founded Chroma in 1991 and recently retired, received VBSR’s Terry Ehrich Award for Excellence in Socially Responsible Business in 2016 to honor his commitment to sustainable businesses practices and vision for sharing equity & profits among employees.
Chroma believes that a strong socially responsible company can only be built on the foundation of a successful, profitable business. Chroma has developed a strong and loyal customer base by providing exceptional customer service and using cutting edge technology to manufacture some of the most advanced optical filters in the world. Consistent profitability has been the return on the investment in their workforce and dedication to meeting the needs of the scientific and technical communities they serve.
Premier Underwriter
Cleantech Industry Resources has fully commoditized renewable energy project Development-as-a-Service (DaaS), including systems engineering and Construction-as-a-Service (CaaS). We support developers, builders, land-owners and financers through any portion of project execution, including turnkey delivery of built assets. We provide total transparency to derisk development and engineering costs in a process without any change orders. We do this in a 24-hour work cycle that provides deliverables in one-third the time.
We complete unique tasks to advance projects at any stage and of any size, from high-volume residential engineering and permitting to national commercial portfolios to mega-scale single-site projects. Our team advances them around the clock.
First founded in 2012, CIR was originally established to develop, finance, own and operate its own solar projects, including for Fortune 100 corporate clients. The core team has completed over $1 billion of solar and battery projects.
Contact us to accelerate your project portfolio with turnkey development and engineering as a service.
Exhibitor
Community Bank’s roots can be traced back to 1866, when our predecessor, St. Lawrence County National Bank, was chartered. As we’ve expanded across New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire and Western Massachusetts—growing to 200+ branches and 2,900+ local employees—we’ve always remembered what got us here: our customers. And it’s evident in everything we do.
We’ve served the financial needs of our customers for more than 160 years. They’re the reason we exist, which is why we make a point of giving back whenever we can. In 2025 alone, we supported more than 1,400 causes and organizations, giving more than $4,700,000 in donations, grants, and sponsorships to the communities where we work and live.
It’s all part of our commitment—to our communities, to our customers, to you—and that commitment remains unchanged.
Champion Underwriter
Founded in 1976 by brothers Peter and Dick Dreissigacker, Concept2 started in a Vermont barn with a simple goal: build better rowing products for athletes. That spirit of innovation and quality craftsmanship continues to define the company today, even as it has grown into a globally recognized brand. In January 2025, the Concept2 Perpetual Purpose Trust was created to provide long-term, stewardship and protect the founders’ original mission. Rowing remains at the core of the company’s identity, with a strong commitment to expanding the sport both indoors and out. Concept2 also prioritizes sustainability, responsible business practices, and meaningful support of local and athletic communities—ensuring its impact extends beyond equipment, to the people it serves.
Champion Underwriter
Based in Burlington, Vermont, Dinse is one of the region’s largest and most respected law firms. Our attorneys are recognized nationally for excellence across business, litigation, employment, education, healthcare, and real estate. Guided by values of integrity, respect, and compassion, Dinse provides forward-thinking solutions that help clients succeed.
Champion Underwriter
With Vermont roots going back 75 years, EastRise Credit Union is a true local partner for more than 170,000 members. We go above and beyond to provide the financial tools and guidance that help our members and communities build stronger and more sustainable financial futures. From trusted digital banking and a relationship-first approach to affordable home ownership and green lending, EastRise is committed to doing better and raising the bar for everyone.
Champion Underwriter
Encore Renewable Energy is a leading integrated clean energy services company focused on community-scale solar PV systems and innovative solutions for the redevelopment of underutilized property.Founded in 2007 as Encore Redevelopment and renamed EncoreRenewable Energy in 2015, our philosophy, since inception, has been to create harmony between the natural and built environments that foster sustainable economic growth, environmental awareness, and community enrichment. As a certified B Corp, we align our business practices with these values every day as we focus on clean, renewable energy and the development of undervalued land, including landfills, brownfields, parking lots and rooftops.Encore specializes in the development, financing, permitting, construction management and O&M of renewable energy projects. Encore has significant experience in reclaiming undervalued real estate and incorporating integrated clean energy services solar projects, and deploying creative and groundbreaking approaches to bring ideas from concept to commissioning. Encore has an unparalleled development record of complex projects across our home state of Vermont and along the Eastern seaboard, making the Company one of the leading clean energy companies in the Northeast.Since inception, Encore has provided turnkey renewable energy development, construction and financing services to distributed generation project owners and investors in a time-and cost-efficient manner. Encore manages all aspects of these complicated projects including design, engineering, permitting, financing, construction and asset management.
Exhibitor
We support companies at every stage, from early startups to those preparing for a sale. Our clients span both for-profit and nonprofit sectors, including founder-led, family-owned, VC/PE-backed, and privately held businesses. No matter the structure, they all want the same thing: a trusted financial partner to help them stay focused on growing their business.
Exhibitor
First Step Staffing is a nonprofit staffing agency that connects businesses with dependable talent while creating employment opportunities for individuals facing barriers to work. By combining the mission of a nonprofit with the efficiency of a professional staffing firm, First Step provides flexible workforce solutions that help companies meet their staffing needs while making a meaningful social impact. We specialize in temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct hire staffing across industries such as logistics, manufacturing, hospitality, facilities services, and administrative support. Our approach focuses on dignity, opportunity, and long-term success. Every placement represents more than a job—it’s a step toward stability, confidence, and a stronger community. By partnering with First Step Staffing, businesses gain reliable staffing support while helping individuals take their next step forward.
Exhibitor
We're in the business of helping neighbors connect and build community within neighborhoods. FPF serves each and every Vermont town with our service and 240,000 members currently participate (more than half of all Vermont households). As a modern-day cross between community bulletin boards and virtual town greens, FPF provides an easy way for local residents to connect with their neighbors. It’s free. It’s local. And it’s friendly. It is moderated and members are clearly identified as they share postings about all sorts of topics. Each FPF helps neighbors share recommendations, find lost pets, welcome newcomers, inform about local events, and engage in healthy and civil debate about important local issues.
Premier Underwriter
Gordon's Window Decor is a second-generation, woman-owned manufacturing company with a simple belief: your space should be beautiful, comfortable, and kind to the planet. We have been building EcoSmart Window Shades, a product that focuses on saving energy, here in Vermont since 1986. From a single bathroom window to an entire building, we bring the same care and craftsmanship to every project. Stop by our factory showroom and see exactly how our shades are made because we think knowing where your products come from matters.
Champion Underwriter
Powering Vermont homes and businesses with energy that’s 90% carbon free and 60% renewable, Green Mountain Power is focused on providing clean, reliable, cost-effective power, while also offering the latest in innovations like battery storage to help customers cut carbon and costs. GMP is committed to having a 100% renewable energy supply by 2030, and using energy as a force for good. In 2014, GMP was the first utility in the world to become a B Corp and continues its commitment to the community, employees, and the planet by helping to grow local renewable generation, offering convenient programs that help cut costs for all customers, and partnering with communities to make the grid more resilient in the face of more severe storms due to climate change.
Exhibitor
Greenvest offers among the largest arrays of socially responsible investing services and product choices available. Please contact us for complete details based on your individual situation.
Venue Partner
Hotel Champlain is a vibrant lakeside venue where Burlington’s natural beauty meets urban energy. As part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, it offers an authentic Vermont experience through locally inspired dining, wellness-focused amenities, and community-driven partnerships.
Champion Underwriter
Hula is a technology-driven coworking campus, business incubator, and venture capital fund focused on elevating vermont-based start-ups and entrepreneurs from its fourteen acre parcel along the shores of Lake Champlain.
Exhibitor
Hunger Free Vermont believes no one should worry about where their next meal will come from. Food is a right — and we all deserve to have dignified, stable ways to put food on our tables every day, no matter what challenges we are facing.
Champion Underwriter
At Killington Resort, we're the largest four-season mountain destination in Eastern North America, known to many as the “Beast of the East.” Rooted in local ownership and driven by a spirit of adventure, our mission is to help people unleash their inner Beast through joyful immersion in the outdoors. From our legendary winter terrain to long-season bike park action, concerts, and trail adventures, we strive to spark moments of joy, connection, and reconnection with nature, community, and self. As a Champion Member of VBSR, we’re proud to build upon Vermont’s heritage of sustainability, community focus, and using business as a force for good.
Champion Underwriter
Since 1970, King Arthur Baking Company has been sharing the joy of baking. A certified B Corp headquartered in Vermont, King Arthur is the ultimate baking resource, providing the highest quality ingredients for the most delicious baked goods, while inspiring connections through baking. As a 100% employee-owned company, we believe in the power of baking to make a difference for our employee-owners, the larger baking community, and the planet. From cultivating a workplace that embraces differences and prioritizes trust to teaching children across the country how to bake bread from scratch to partnering with farmers and suppliers who share our vision for a greener planet, we strive to be a force for good in all that we do.
Champion Underwriter
Lawson’s Finest Liquids is an independent, B Corp-certified craft brewery rooted in Vermont, one of just 16 B Corp-certified craft breweries in the US! Founded in 2008 by Sean Lawson, we quickly grew from a 1-bbl home-based brewery to launching our flagship IPA, Sip of Sunshine, in 2014, and then opened our destination brewery and Taproom in Waitsfield in 2018. Awarded 2023 Brewery of the Year by Brewbound and Beer Connoisseur, we produce beer of the highest quality with outstanding freshness, from world-class IPAs to unique maple brews. Visitors can drink at the source with exclusive beers, a local food menu, and sweeping Green Mountain views. Our beer is sold across the Northeast and down the Eastern seaboard. Lawson’s Finest is a valued leader in craft beer culture, creating local economic vitality, rewarding careers, and giving back to the community—having supported over 500 nonprofits supported with $3 million + donated since 2018 through our Social Impact Program (SIP).
Champion Underwriter
Mamava's mission is to create a healthier society through infrastructure and support for breastfeeding. We offer a full line of lactation space solutions designed to fit every space and situation. Mamava pods are designed, engineered, and assembled at Mamava Manufacturing, our production facility in Springfield Vermont. We also provide breastfeeding resources for employers, organizations, and people who are pumping and nursing—including a free app that helps folks find thousands of lactation spaces wherever they go.
Keynote Underwriter
Mascoma Bank was founded in 1899 by community members seeking ways to establish a healthy local economy. For over 120 years, Mascoma Bank’s foundation of mutuality has continued to be a force for positive change supporting communities to reach thriving sustainability. As a Certified B Corporation® we continue on our mission to be Best for the World®, a company where we don’t answer to stockholders, but respond to the needs of our communities, where we also live, work, and play.
Exhibitor
MENTOR Vermont is the statewide voice for youth mentoring. MENTOR Vermont leads, expands, and strengthens the mentoring movement, building capacity to make high-quality relationships accessible to all young people through the creation of Relationship Centered Communities. We drive equity through quality mentoring, so every young person in Vermont has the supportive relationships they need to grow and thrive.
Champion Underwriter
National Life Group is a mission-driven, purpose-filled company that has been keeping its promises since 1848. But it’s not your grandfather’s insurance company. It’s dedicated to a cause bigger than itself: To do good in the communities where it does business.
From hosting a music festival on its back lawn to benefit cancer patients, making donations through the National Life Group Foundation, encouraging its employees to take 40 hours of paid volunteer time annually, and more, National Life strives to put its values of Do good. Be good. Make good. into practice every day.
Champion Underwriter
New Chapter® is a Vermont-based vitamin and supplement company with a deeply held mission to deliver the wisdom of nature to nourish body, mind, soul, and Mother Earth. Since 1982, we’ve been guided by nature: the ultimate source of healing. We use brilliant combos of the finest ingredients, the strongest science, and time-honored traditions like herbalism and fermentation. The result? Masterfully crafted formulas that work in harmony with your body. Open your New Chapter and feel your best!
Sponsor
Northeast Delta Dental located in Concord, New Hampshire administers the dental benefits of over one million people in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. As a recognized expert in the dental benefits industry and one of 39 autonomous Delta Dental member companies nationwide, we underscore our world-class customer service with a comprehensive cash-backed service guarantee.
Underwriter
Northfield Savings Bank is a local, community bank that provides full-service banking to individuals, families and businesses – from Home Mortgages, Home Equity Loans, Business Loans to Checking Accounts and Online Banking. With 14 branches across Central and Northwest Vermont, we are proud to be the largest bank headquartered in Vermont and one of the few remaining mutual savings banks, owned by our depositors, not shareholders. Additionally Northfield Investment Services offers access to investment services through Infinex Financial Group. The character of our bank has always lied in the strength, commitment, and genuine caring of our people. We strive every day to strengthen communities by providing customer-focused and truly responsive financial services. It's an approach to doing business that shows not only in the fact that we are one of the most active lenders in Central Vermont and Chittenden County, but also in that we have a long-standing commitment to support Vermont non-profits. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Employer.
Champion Underwriter
Norwich Solar is a leading EPC provider of commercial, distributed energy & utility scale solar and energy storage solutions throughout the Northeast. As a public benefit corporation, we are driven to support the region’s transition to a robust clean energy future. Our extensive experience and community-based approach have helped us successfully complete hundreds of solar projects projects for renewable energy developers that directly benefit communities, local businesses, affordable housing providers, and nonprofits.
Underwriter
NPI was founded in 1988 with a commitment to the highest level of service for our clients. Over the years, we have grown to provide technology support and managed IT services a variety of businesses in the Northeast, some of which also have offices elsewhere in the U.S. and in Canada.
Our full spectrum of managed IT services relieves businesses of the burden of day-to-day technology and infrastructure management. We provide support that ranges from immediate tech help and emergency support to computer network security, cloud computing solutions, remote backup, disaster recovery — the comprehensive range of business technology solutions.
NPI is committed to the “Vermont Way” of doing business, focusing on business relationships, innovation, resourcefulness and trust. As Vermonters, we work closely and collaboratively with our clients and partners — but we also put a premium on independence and self-reliance. Our services are always accessible and include a strong respect for privacy, tolerance and open-mindedness.
The hallmarks of our business are integrity and honesty. We take a long-range view of both our business and our clients’, while focusing on immediate results that create enduring business value.
Sponsor
Original Skiff Fish + Oysters captures the love of camp and coast, and the quintessential dockside hideaway somewhere between Bar Harbor and the Florida Keys. Located inside of Hotel Champlain, they offer seafood-focused fare, including crudos, smoked fish, fresh market catches and a full raw bar. Their seafood is purchased from sustainably-minded fishmonger, Ethan Wood of Wood Mountain Fish and they believe that the best-tasting food is harvested in ways that are ecologically sound.
Champion Underwriter
PF+C has a 50+ year tradition of employees serving our community through volunteering, charitable work, and service on local non-profit boards. PF+C also remains dedicated to the environment and lessening its ecological footprint. For example, PF+C became Vermont’s first law firm to join the American Bar Association’s Law Office Climate Challenge. We continually strive to improve our internal processes and raise awareness of the simple things that can reduce our environmental impact, whether installing modern energy-efficient lighting, composting, recycling, and purchasing more environmentally friendly office supplies. We also serve numerous clients focused on the environment, community, renewable energy, and climate policy. While we serve clients in these areas, we also assist other businesses with any legal challenge, from employment and labor, taxes, property, commercial leases, and commercial transactions, to litigation, captive insurance, and business immigration. We are proud of our unique workplace where we continue to evolve as a supportive, family friendly, inclusive, and environmentally focused community.
Exhibitor
Phoenix Books and Cafe is an independent, locally owned and unique seller of new books, gifts, cards and cafe service in a warm and sophisticated environment
Underwriter
rbTechnologies was founded in 1997 by Rubin Bennett with a clear goal: to make technology work better for the people who rely on it every day. What began as a one-person operation grew steadily through relationships, reputation, and a commitment to doing IT differently by listening first, solving thoughtfully, and showing up when it matters.
Over the years, we’ve found that the best technology solutions start with understanding people. We take the time to learn how each business operates, where the friction points are, and what truly matters to the team behind the screens.
That empathy shapes everything we do—from how we design systems to how we show up when things go wrong.
We’re not here to check boxes. We’re here to build trust and help people feel confident in the tools they use every day.
Champion Underwriter
Frozen food manufacturer specializing in ready-to-eat cookie dough and bakery-style inclusions for the ice cream and frozen dessert industry. The inventor of cookie dough for ice cream, Rhino remains a leading supplier in the industry. This family-owned B Corporation is known nationally for their innovative workplace practices spread through the work of the Rhino Foods Foundation.
Exhibitor
Run On Climate’s mission is to accelerate cutting-edge climate policy at the local level in communities across the country by supporting candidates, collaborating with elected leaders, and expanding the influence of climate justice advocates.
Many climate organizations focus on state and federal-level policy and that work is critical. However, work at the local level is also critical, and it can and must happen in tandem with those higher-level policy struggles.
We believe that those who are passionate about the climate crisis can have an enormous impact by focusing on their own community. We are here to support them in that effort.
Premier Underwriter
Ruthless & Wellington is a women-owned brand design studio in pursuit of Truth & Beauty. We help values-led brands evolve without losing their heart and soul—specializing in leading businesses through moments of transition and growth. Founded in 2017 on some radical notions and a whole lotta love, R+W’s holistic and human approach aligns your business goals and vision with your people and customers at the center. We offer strategic and creative services across the entire brand evolution journey including: research, naming, brand architecture, brand strategy, audits, identity design, brand storytelling, packaging design, and more! Learn more and reach out at ruthlessandwellington.com.
Champion Underwriter
For more than 25 years we’ve been formulating plant-based products that are safe and that work. Really well. Based in Vermont, we’re proud to be a B Corporation. B Corps are certified to be better for workers, better for communities and better for the environment. Join us in nurturing the health of the next seven generations.
We believe our products are healthy solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people within your home–and for the community and environment outside of it. As a pioneer in corporate responsibility, we want our products to make a difference—from their development through to their production, purchase, use, and disposal. We are always evaluating how to reduce their environmental impact, increase performance and safety, and create a more sustainable supply chain. We believe it is our responsibility to set a course for a more mindful way of doing business, where companies act as partners with other stakeholders to create a brighter future for the whole planet.
Exhibitor
Sustainability Is Good for Business. Businesses of the future need to work for people and the planet. For that to happen, we need to evolve how business is taught. That’s what we’re here to do.
The Sustainable Innovation MBA (SI-MBA) at the University of Vermont Grossman School of Business is the leading program for emerging change-makers who believe business can, and must, become a force for good. Our accelerated, one-year program integrates sustainable business practices across disciplines, focusing on the essential toolkit needed to manage — and transform — business.
Exhibitor
We’re not just the trusted IT partner for Vermont businesses, providing the expert support and solutions needed to thrive in today’s digital landscape – we’re also a great place to work, a dedicated neighbor, and a team that values strong relationships, both with our clients and within our community.
Underwriter
At SRH Law we’re focused on making a difference with our practice. We work with clients — including businesses, nonprofits, cooperatives, government entities, and individuals — who share our commitment to making a difference in their communities and the broader world. We take our inspiration from our clients’ good work and help them excel in their business or mission by resolving their legal issues with creativity and integrity. At SRH Law, our top priority is doing excellent work for our clients, supporting the positive impact they have in our communities.
Underwriter
The Richards Group, an IMA Company, is headquartered in Brattleboro, Vermont, and has provided local Insurance, Wealth Management, Retirement Plan, and Employee Benefits solutions to clients throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts for decades. The firm serves clients through 12 offices across Vermont and New Hampshire. In addition to insurance brokerage, The Richards Group offers consulting services to help employers with Safety, Wellness, Human Resources, Compensation Analysis, Recruiting, and Fiduciary Stewardship. The firm has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont” for each of the past 11 years. For more information about the firm and its capabilities, please visit www.therichardsgrp.com
Exhibitor
Our mission is to create quality products that encourage connection with nature and foster positive ecological practices.
We are a Vermont company whose values are intertwined with the unique culture of our state. Vermont is special. There are people here on every inch of the ideological spectrum, but everyone is united by a deep connection to the land and a shared commitment to the common good.
Living in this state, we are seeing first hand the effects of climate change and ecological disturbance. Burlington, Vermont, has seen more winter warming in the last 50 years than any other place in America, according to an analysis by Climate Central, an independent research organization. In roughly the same timeframe, we have watched disease, fungi, and parasites decimate many species of native trees, most notably Beach, Elm, Ash, and Chestnut.
In 2023, catastrophic flooding ravaged our state and left people with real uncertainty about our environmental future. When the issues are global, it’s easy to be jaded, but instead Vermonters put their head down and do everything in their power to build a positive future. These problems are not unique to Vermont. We are a microcosm of what communities around the country and the world are seeing. Counteracting these forces is a significant motivation for Thuja.
Underwriter
Tuktu is a community powered, tech enabled marketplace that helps families and older adults find trusted local companions for non medical support. Through the Tuktu app, customers can book help with companionship, rides, errands, housekeeping, cooking, tech help, and more. We carefully vet providers and make it easy to schedule, communicate, and pay in one place. Our mission is simple: make everyday support more accessible, affordable, and human, while creating flexible earning opportunities for local helpers.
Champion Underwriter
Union Mutual is a proud Champion member of VBSR – the Company’s corporate values align with VBSR’s commitment to the triple-bottom line of people, planet and prosperity. Union Mutual has supported small-t0-medium sized businesses with quality, innovative property & casualty insurance products for nearly 150 years – the Company understands the importance of a thriving businesses within communities, both as employers and drivers of economic vitality. Union Mutual is committed to fostering an innovative work environment, and has been thrilled to work with UVM SI-MBA students through the VBSR ESG Learning Cohort – these discussions will directly inform Company strategic planning as part of the Company’s overall ESG decision-making and execution. Combining the entrepreneurial spirit of Vermonters with the Sustainable Innovation MBA program is a natural fit – we hope you enjoy the workshop, are inspired by these talented students, and continue to make Vermont a great place to work and live.
.png){kind=logo}
Underwriter
United Way of Northwest Vermont (UWNWVT) unites our whole community to solve complex problems and harness the power of people to create a stronger region. We proudly serve Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties of Vermont. United Way convenes advocates, organizations and institutions to address the community's most pressing issues. The problems facing our region are complex; they are issues that no single organization or individual alone can solve – real change is possible when nonprofit, public and private sectors work together. United Way has the networks, partnerships and strategic initiatives to improve the lives of our family, friends and neighbors. For more information or to get involved, visit unitedwaynwvt.org.
Exhibitor
University of Vermont Medical Center is a 499-bed tertiary care regional referral center and Level I Trauma Center, providing advanced, specialized care to more than 1 million residents across Vermont and northern New York. Home to University of Vermont Cancer Center and University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, we serve as both a high-acuity referral hospital and a community hospital for approximately 150,000 residents in Chittenden and Grand Isle counties.
As part of a rural academic health system, we are driving innovation in rural health care delivery, education and research in close partnership with The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Vermont. Together, we are tackling health care’s toughest challenges while strengthening our communities — addressing critical needs that impact access, affordability and health outcomes.
Exhibitor
UVM Advance offers flexible, credit courses online and on campus. Whether you're considering graduate school, testing a new career path, building a pathway to an advanced degree, or looking to gain a competitive advantage at work, UVM Advance has a course for you. Explore, upskill, get started, or restart with UVM Advance, one course at a time.
Exhibitor
Over 1,100 municipalities and 900 businesses rely on VC3's cybersecurity expertise, sector-specific focus, ability to grow with our clients, and relentless automation to manage, protect, and accelerate their organization's technology. We can become your IT department, work alongside your internal IT team to make them more successful, or help you with specialized needs such as cloud hosting, data backup, or application development.
Champion Underwriter
As the nation's first Energy Efficiency Utility, Efficiency Vermont has helped Vermont save more than $3.5 billion in lifetime savings and avoid over 14.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions since 2000. Operated by clean energy nonprofit VEIC, Efficiency Vermont has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR® program Partner of the Year - Sustained Excellence award over eight consecutive years. Efficiency Vermont works with partners to help our state transition to more affordable, low-carbon energy use through education, rebates and incentives, and support for our clean energy workforce. Learn more at www.efficiencyvermont.com.
Exhibitor
VELCO is the nation’s first statewide, transmission-only company, created in 1956 to build and operate an interconnected electric transmission grid in order to deliver and share access in Vermont to clean power, including hydro. VELCO remains unique in two important ways: our ownership comprises the state’s 17 distribution utilities and a public benefits corporation and our for-profit status is structured to return value to our owners, their customers, and every Vermonter. Our Company works to ensure a reliable, affordable, safe, secure and sustainable high-voltage grid, and a strong unified voice on regional energy issues.
Underwriter
VermontBiz - your go-to resource for local business news! We're Vermont's only statewide business news publication and in 2022 we are celebrating 50 years of bringing you all the content you need to have your finger on the pulse of the state's business sector! We offer monthly print issues which are hosted digitally on our website as well, special annual issues, a free daily eNews, events, and much more! To learn more about our subscription options, advertising with us to connect to other Vermont business decision makers, or to catch up on today's news stories, visit us at vermontbiz.com
Exhibitor
The Vermont Community Foundation (VCF) was established in 1986 as an enduring source of philanthropic support for Vermont communities. Through a family of more than 1,000 funds, foundations, and supporting organizations, VCF helps the people who care about Vermont support the causes they love. Together with its partners, the Community Foundation puts nearly $80 million annually to work in communities across the state and beyond. VCF is also home to the Vermont Women’s Fund. Established in 1994, it is the first and largest philanthropic resource in Vermont dedicated exclusively to supporting women and girls. The fund works to advance gender equity by addressing systemic barriers, expanding economic opportunity, and investing in initiatives that strengthen communities across the state. Together, VCF and the Vermont Women’s Fund support the conditions that allow all Vermonters to thrive, with a shared focus on opportunity, resilience, and community well-being.
Champion Underwriter
Consciously crafted in Vermont’s green mountains, Vermont Creamery’s line of fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter, and culinary creams have won hundreds of national and international awards. In their 36th year of business, Vermont Creamery supports a network of family farms, promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. Their pledged obligation to positively affecting their employees and families is put into action by providing a strong starting wage and benefit package including production wages starting at $17/hr. The company is 100% cow-powered through Green Mountain Power. B Corp Certified in 2014, Vermont Creamery is part of a community of businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.
Underwriter
At Vermont Federal, our mission is to help Vermonters prosper, no matter where they may be on life’s journey. We offer a better way of banking with a Credit Union that is immersed in the community, featuring the latest in
technology, innovative products and services, and easy access to all of your accounts. We are passionate about making a difference in the communities that we serve, and we continue to be an active participant and contributor to a variety of charitable organization and initiatives. We also provide several products and services that promote and encourage socially responsible practices. These include favorable loan terms for home efficiency improvements, electric/hybrid auto loans and solar loans. Learn how you can bank like a Vermonter, and be part of something special, at www.vermontfederal.org
![vfcu-logo-center-aligned-cmyk-3color[83].ai.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ff7d0_e654d7ad76e34ba89f00d41e54882eca~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_268,h_139,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/vfcu-logo-center-aligned-cmyk-3color%5B83%5D_ai.jpg){kind=logo}
Champion Underwriter
Chartered in 1828, the Vermont Mutual Insurance Group® is one of the ten oldest mutual property/casualty insurers in the United States. We have operated continuously since that time in Montpelier, Vermont. Along with the wholly owned subsidiary, Northern Security Insurance Company, Inc. and the affiliated Granite Security Insurance Company, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group provides coverage throughout the Northeast. With more than 800 independent agency office locations, the Group insures over 300,000 policyholders. Rated “A+ Superior” by A. M. Best and a Ward’s Top 50 performing property and casualty insurance carrier for the past 17 consecutive years.
We offer personal and commercial insurance in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York State, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Exhibitor
The Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance is a statewide non-profit organization of outdoor recreation businesses established in 2018. VOBA educates Vermonters on outdoor recreation and educates businesses on business development, collaboration initiatives, and outdoor recreation policy. VOBA and its members are dedicated to conservation of the natural landscape, stewardship of recreation infrastructure, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in work spaces and outdoor places.
Exhibitor
Vermont Parks Forever (VPF) is the nonprofit foundation that enhances and protects Vermont’s 55 state parks by inspiring stewardship of natural places, providing innovative educational experiences, and improving access for those who would otherwise be unable to experience all the parks have to offer.
Underwriter
Vermont Public is Vermont’s unified public media organization, serving the community with trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and educational programming. Formerly Vermont Public Radio and Vermont PBS, Vermont Public also provides local access to national programming from NPR and PBS. Its statewide radio and TV networks reach all of Vermont, as well as parts of New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts and Quebec, Canada. More information about programs, stations, services, and ways to support is available at vermontpublic.org
Underwriter
The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) is a nonprofit organization committed to nurturing sustainable economic development that benefits Vermont’s people, communities, and environment. Created by the Vermont Legislature in 1995, VSJF partners with state government, private sector businesses, and nonprofits to catalyze systems-level change and build a thriving, equitable, and ecologically sound future for Vermont. VSJF provides business assistance, network development, strategic planning, and supply chain coordination to support innovation and resilience in agriculture and food systems, forest and fiber products, renewable energy, environmental technology, and waste management. Through its programs and partnerships, VSJF helps mission-driven businesses strengthen local supply chains and grow Vermont’s sustainable economy.
Underwriter
VTDigger is a nonprofit, nonpartisan digital news organization covering issues of statewide importance in Vermont. It is a project of the Vermont Journalism Trust, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.