Business Notes: March 29, 2015
White River Junction — Leadership Upper Valley, the nonprofit business leader training program run by Vital Communities, is recruiting established and emerging leaders for its Class of 2016. The deadline to apply is June 1.
Leadership Upper Valley provides networking, learning and service opportunities with community members and employees from companies, nonprofit organizations and municipalities.
The program runs from September through June each year, and participants spend one day a month learning about a different aspect of the Upper Valley.
The 80 hours of training includes sessions on education, arts and the creative economy, health and human services, economic development, justice, government and politics, transportation and livable communities, and the environment.
“The program is geared toward anyone interested in developing their leadership capacity, including business owners, stay-at-home parents, nonprofit employees, artists, retirees, educators, and more,” Stacey Glazer, Leadership Upper Valley manager, said in a news release.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until June 1, or until the class reaches capacity of 30 participants.
The program is open to anyone living or working within the 69-town area served by Vital Communities. For more information or to apply, visit VitalCommunities.org/LeadershipUV or email Stacey@VitalCommunities.org.
Company News
Valley Flower Co., of White River Junction, was recognized recently as one of the top floral designers in the U.S. by Martha Stewart Wedding magazine.
Under the heading “What We Love,” the magazine wrote Morgan Perrone (the owner of Valley Flower Co.) gets excited when couples bring ideas for atypical items, like decor for walls, cars, boats, and floral collars for pets.”
Solmate Socks, which was founded in the mid-1990s by Marianne Wakerlin and operated from the second floor of her South Strafford home, has moved its operations office to the Emerson House on Main Street in downtown Norwich.
Solmate Socks, which designs and knits mismatched socks, hats, scarves, mittens and fingerless mittens, signed a lease with Sudlow Limited Partnership LLC forthe space, located across the street from Dan & Whit’s general store.
Solmate Socks has other operating centers around the country, and has sales in North and South America, along with Europe and Asia, according to a news release from Lang McLaughry Commercial, which represented the landlord. ReMax Group One assisted with the introduction of the tenant.
Upcoming Events
Upper Valley chapter of SCORE is offering a workshop, Selling & Advertising , on Thursday, from 6-9 p.m., at 20 West Park St., Lebanon , Suite 316, in the Citizens Bank Building. The workshop will cover the marketing effort required for any business to be successful and by introducing participants to real business situations. Barry Rotman, a SCORE counselor since 2003, will be the presenter. Rotman has owned and run small businesses and holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Cost is $30, two for $45. Veterans free. For more information and to reserve a spot, visit http://www.uppervalley.score.org or call 603-448-3491.
The Upper Valley Housing Coalition’s Spring Business Leaders Breakfast will be held on April 24, from 8-9 a.m., at the Fireside Inn in West Lebanon. Registration begins at 7:30. The event includes a full buffet breakfast. A proposal in Hanover to change the zoning along West Wheelock Street to encourage housing redevelopment near downtown is the subject of the first presentation, followed by a update on the local rental and home purchase markets from Ned Redpath, Buff McLaughry and Lynne LaBombard. Seating is limited; $5 donation encouraged. Reserve by April 17 by email to cmoister@uvhc.org or by leaving a message at 603-448-0272.
Items of interest to the local business community are published every Sunday. Submissions may be mailed to: Business Notes, c/o Sunday Valley News, P.O. Box 877, White River Junction, Vt. 05001. You may also send your items by fax to 603-298-0212, or by e-mail to biznotes@vnews.com. All items are subject to editing for clarity or space.
