Vermont Business Magazine Members of the business community are invited and encouraged to register for the Southern Vermont Economy Summit on May 12 at Mount Snow in Dover, VT. The Summit is a learning and networking event focused on the long-term development of the Southern Vermont economy. It’s a time to come together, think big, learn something new, ask questions and, especially after two years of the pandemic, make energizing in-person connections with people across our region and Besides.

A workshop on “Passing the Torch” will examine business transition strategies and succession planning as an opportunity for retired business owners and budding young entrepreneurs. A panel of experts will be moderated by Alyssa Baldino, a local emerging leader currently involved in the purchase of a business in transition. The panel includes Tommy Vorio, Director of Development, Ready For Next Cities (RFN), Tammy Richards, Business Broker, Country Business Inc., Debra Boudrieau, Regional Advisor, VT Small Business Development Center and Matt Cropp, Executive Director, Vermont Employee Ownership Center.

In another session, consultant Daniel Schoener will lead a panel titled “Recognize the Elephant in the Room: Prepare Your Business for Change and Seize Opportunities.” Schoener is passionate about radical innovation and is an active mentor in the New England innovation ecosystem, supporting upcoming startups in diagnostics, digital health, and clean technology.

A key theme of this year’s Summit is creating welcoming communities. In a session dedicated to creating welcoming and diverse workplaces, Summit attendees can engage in hands-on conversation with local employers. Morning keynote speakers from the new Brattleboro Refugee Resettlement Office will speak about regional efforts to welcome displaced people from Afghanistan. Özge Savaş, from Bennington College, will lead a workshop on the cultural and psychological background of new Americans and what it feels like to restart life in our community.

As always, one of the main objectives of the Summit is community development and revitalization. National expert Daniel Herriges will deliver two workshop sessions: “Housing for a Strong City” and “Starting Main Street”. Herriges is editor and founding member of Strong Towns, an outstanding organization dedicated to revitalizing small rural communities.

To close out the day, Summit attendees will enjoy a thematic networking session, where all are invited to connect in person with speakers, sponsors and colleagues from across the state and region – something that we have missed over the past two years. . Find a full schedule, workshop descriptions, expert speaker and presenter profiles, and register to attend at: https://www.sovermontzone.com/summit

The summit is made possible by summit sponsor People’s United Bank, as well as session and keynote sponsors Brattleboro Savings and Loan, MSK Engineering and the Vermont Business and Community Development Agency, as well as numerous other community sponsors. The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation and the Bennington County Regional Commission are co-hosting the event on behalf of the Southern Vermont Economic Development Area and as part of the Southern Vermont Economy Project that helps build capacity , expertise and resources within the area. The objective of the event is to build knowledge, momentum and partnerships in our region. To learn more about past summits, view recordings and workshop presentation materials, visit www.sovermontzone.com.