by Lisa Ventriss, President

Early in my time at the Vermont Business Roundtable (Roundtable) we authored a report titled Having the Courage to Change; it targeted our state’s looming workforce crisis. That was 2006. Children who were entering kindergarten that year are now graduating from high-school and the workforce crisis is no longer looming. As every employer knows, it’s here. And last week, a second major credit rating agency downgraded Vermont’s bond rating, citing the state’s aging population and shrinking workforce.

The Roundtable has been sounding the alarm for years about the workforce crisis and, frankly, we’ve moved from crisis mode into action. Though the workforce crisis surrounds us, the opportunity to invest in solutions is also within reach. And one of those solutions is high-quality child care. Continue reading “Ventriss Op-Ed: Leading with Courage to Change” →

Results Show Continuing Neutral Outlook

Today, Lisa Ventriss, President of Vermont Business Roundtable (VBR) and Jeffrey Carr, President, Economic & Policy Resources (EPR), announced the Q2 of 2019 outlook results of their joint initiative, the VBR/EPR Business Conditions Survey and Index.

Overall Findings

Continue reading “VBR & EPR Release Qtr 2 2019 Business Conditions Survey [6.11.19]” →

by Lisa Ventriss, President

This winter, college-bound students applied for scholarships administered by Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, including the Nordic Educational Scholarship of the Vermont Business Roundtable. This year, one hundred and thirty nine applications were received with forty five finalists making it to our selection committee. These scholarships support students seeking a certificate or two-year technical degree. Continue reading “Ventriss VPR Commentary on College The Honest Way [3.25.19]” →

1^st Quarter 2019 Business Conditions Survey and Index

Results Show Continuing Neutral Outlook

(South Burlington, Vt.)  Today, Lisa Ventriss, President of Vermont Business Roundtable (VBR) and Jeffrey Carr, President, Economic & Policy Resources (EPR), announced the Q1 of 2019 outlook results of their joint initiative, the VBR/EPR Business Conditions Survey and Index.

Overall Finding

Continue reading “VBR & EPR Release Qtr 1 2019 Business Conditions Survey [2.7.19]” →

(South Burlington, Vt.)  At its 32nd Annual Membership Meeting held January 17th at The Essex Resort and Spa, the Vermont Business Roundtable elected new officers: Chair Mark Foley, Foley Services; Vice-Chair Judith O’Connell, Champlain Investment Partners; Treasurer Scott Giles, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation; Secretary Stephanie Mapes, Paul Frank + Collins; Immediate Past Chair Michael Seaver, Peoples United Bank; and, President Lisa Ventriss.   Continue reading “Business Roundtable Elects New Leadership for 2019 [1.28.19]” →

Roundtable Announces 2018 New Medallion Award Recipient

Ken Cadow, Randolph Union High School, is Recognized

(So. Burlington, VT) Today, Lisa Ventriss, President of Vermont Business Roundtable announced the recipient of the Roundtable’s 2018 New Medallion Award, which recognizes exceptional, innovative school leadership and dedication in the design and delivery of proficiency-based learning experiences for Vermont students.  Continue reading “Roundtable Announces 2018 New Medallion Award Recipient [1.10.19]” →

Today, Lisa Ventriss, President of Vermont Business Roundtable (VBR) and Jeffrey Carr, President, Economic & Policy Resources (EPR), announced the Q4 of 2018 outlook results of their joint initiative, the VBR/EPR Business Conditions Survey and Index.

Overall Finding

The latest survey, which was conducted during October and November of 2018, achieved a response rate of 65 percent overall.  Survey results show that:

• More than 80 percent of respondents shared negative outlooks specifically with ease of hiring for available positions (83%); an increase from the previous survey (77%);

Continue reading “VBR & EPR Release 4Q18 Business Conditions Survey & Index [11.29.18]” →

This commentary originally aired on Vermont Public Radio on August 15, 2018
Click Here to Hear Audio Version

It’s well accepted that a picture is worth a thousand words, as any visual learner or marketer will attest. But, how does one visualize something as enormous as the U.S. economy – the largest in the world at $19 trillion – and how do we view Vermont’s economy in comparison?

Recently, I’ve been fascinated with a comparison of each state’s GDP from 2017, with that of equivalent countries. California, Texas, and New York are the top three state economies, which align closely with the GDPs of the U.K., Canada, and South Korea, respectively.

Yes, Texas’s GDP is larger than that of our neighbor to the north. Continue reading “Ventriss VPR Commentary on World Economies [8.15.18]” →