VBR Expands its Research and Education Foundation [2.8.21]

Foundation Board to Grow Targeted Workforce and Education Programs

This month, the Vermont Business Roundtable announces new and expanded governance of its VBR Research and Education Foundation. The Foundation complements the mission of the Roundtable, by promoting educational opportunities to help Vermonters thrive in a local and global economy. 2021 Directors and officers include:

  • Chair – Renee Bourget-Place, KPMG
  • Vice Chair and Treasurer – Meg Fleming, SymQuest Group
  • Kirk Dombrowski, University of Vermont
  • Pamela Duchene, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center
  • John G Illick, ReArch Company
  • Ian McCray, Middlebury College
  • Premila Peters, Data Innovations
  • Judy O’Connell, Champlain Investment Partners(Ex-Officio)
  • Lisa Ventriss, Vermont Business Roundtable (Ex-Officio)

Going forward, the Foundation’s focus strategically aligns with and supports impactful workforce and education programs. “The opportunity to scale and grow programs that serve the labor force and the business community, is upon us. Among the Foundation’s first tasks is to set short and long-range goals and workplans” said, Meg Fleming, CEO of SymQuest Group. The Foundation currently hosts two related programs:

  • Vermont Talent Pipeline(VTPM) which organizes employer collaboratives to generate shared talent requirements, and related training partnerships. VTPM currently serves the industries of Construction, Healthcare and Advanced Manufacturing, and acts as part of a national Talent Pipeline network across 30+ states.
  • Nordic Scholarships, which awards post-secondary scholarships for the attainment of one and two-year technical job-ready credentials. The Nordic Scholarship has awarded more than $300,000 to 50 youth and adults over the past 12 years.

For more information about the VBR Research and Education Foundation, please contact Mary Anne Sheahan (maryanne at vtroundtable dot org), Executive Director VTPM, and VBR staff member for the Foundation.

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The VBR Research and Education Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, created by the Vermont Business Roundtable to promote educational opportunities for Vermonters to thrive in a local and global economy.  Vermont Talent Pipeline Management is a statewide, demand-driven process to help fill critical skill gaps. VTPM organizes employer collaboratives to determine shared workforce needs and to align those with training programs for Vermonters.