Business Briefs for Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026 | Local News

BERLIN — Gifford Health Care welcomes Elizabeth “Liz” Balaconis to its Berlin primary care clinic. She is a primary care nurse practitioner with experience in primary care, internal medicine and inpatient psychiatry. Most recently, she served as a primary care nurse practitioner with Stanford Health Care in California and previously practiced at Central Vermont Medical Center and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates. Balaconis is board-certified through the American Nurses Credentialing Center and licensed as an RN and APRN in Vermont.

MANCHESTER — Beacon Bank announced the combining of four financial institutions, including the former Berkshire Bank, under its new brand. Beacon Bank now has more than 145 branches and commercial centers across New England and New York, including five branches in Vermont: Manchester, Rutland, Arlington and Ludlow.

RANDOLPH — Gifford Health Care announced the addition of Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy (PFPT) as part of its broader rehabilitation services for patients across the White River Valley. Pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms, such as urinary incontinence, bowel dysfunction, pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, abdominal or hip pain, can impact quality of life, participation in exercise, and overall well-being.

CLEVELAND — KeyBank is being recognized for its support of small and middle market business clients with nine 2026 Best Bank Awards from Crisil Coalition Greenwich. These national and regional awards honor Key approach that supports small business owner/operators address complex financial needs and helps middle market companies optimize business performance.

Each year in the U.S., more than 500,000 people are treated for, and about 300 die from, ladder-related injuries, according to CDC/NIOSH. These incidents are largely preventable, with common sense and respect for possible hazards. March is National Ladder Safety Month, led by the American Ladder Institute, a national initiative focused on improving ladder safety at home and on the job. ALI is offering free online Ladder Safety Training for homeowners, employers and trade schools at www.LadderSafetyTraining.org.

A new scholarship opportunity for Vermont residents and/or companies interested in training in the logging and forest trucking industry is now available due to funding from Vermont’s Working Lands Enterprise Initiative. This opportunity is geared toward new entrants to the logging industry as well as current employees of Vermont logging companies seeking to improve their skills.

Administered by Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast, the opportunity will allow up to three Vermont residents who apply and are accepted into the Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Program in Maine to then apply for and obtain a $10,000 scholarship to cover subsistence or employment expenses to attend the 20-week certificate program. The program is based at Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield, Maine. Interested Vermont residents should apply to the MLOFT program first at: www.kvcc.me.edu/events/detail/workforce-logging-ops. Prospective students or companies may also call 207-356-1541 for more information. Once accepted into the program, Vermont students/companies will be able to apply for the scholarship directly through the PLC. A maximum of three scholarships are available.

CONCORD, N.H. — Turner Group has announced Carole Zielinski has been promoted to the firm’s chief financial officer by its board of directors. She has been with the Turner Group for four years. With more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry, Zielinski oversees the finance department, human resources, project accounting and risk management.

The Turner Group provides architecture, civil/structural engineering, and infrastructure services. They specialize in municipal and educational projects.

COLCHESTER — Saint Michael’s College and the Lake Champlain Chamber have partnered to pilot a two-year co-operative education program designed to support career pathways for students and regional talent pipelines. The Co-op connects third- and fourth-year students with real-world, project-based experiences in local businesses.

The first SMC Co-op cohort will run from September to December. Students will be paid a market rate by the host business and work a minimum of 20 hours a week during their co-op. Traditional co-ops are full-time, 40 hours per week. Organizations interested in hosting a SMC Co-op student can visit: www.surveymonkey.com/r/5Z7YW22 or email nsmorris@smcvt.edu or alex@vermont.org.

LEBANON/HANOVER, N.H. — Upper Valley Business Alliance (UVBA) and Dartmouth Graduate Consulting Group (DGCG) announced collaboration to support growth and operational excellence for businesses and nonprofits across New Hampshire and Vermont.

Through this partnership, UVBA serves as a bridge between Upper Valley’s business community and DGCG’s team of consultants composed primarily of postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates, along with select master’s students from Dartmouth College and other institutions across the United States.

DGCG provides specialized, pro bono consulting services to help local organizations solve challenges, with roughly 80% of the consultant cohort affiliated with Dartmouth. An initial information session, hosted by DGCG at Dartmouth College, brought together local business and nonprofit leaders to present their organizations and identify areas where consultants can add value, streamlining operations, improving workflows, supporting growth strategies and financial projections.

RANDOLPH CENTER — The UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program invites the public to the 2026 Vermont Organic Dairy Producers Conference from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 6, VTSU Randolph campus Judd Hall, 124 Admin Drive, Randolph Center. Through a series of panel discussions, farmers will share experiences and researchers will provide project updates. Panel discussions will range from cow behavior, to production cost trends, to managing forage.

Cost is $25 per person. Register online or by phone (802-656-8407) by March 2. In-person registration opens at 9 a.m. on the day of the event.

Kim Stinson, of Northfield, accepted the invitation to serve as Vermont Farm Show’s director. She grew up in New Hampshire and received an Environmental Science degree from Johnson State College. With a background of outdoor-related employment, Stinson has engaged in equestrian sports, skiing and mountain biking, served in nonprofit roles related to Alaska-based search-and-rescue dog handling and leadership roles in Vermont’s mountain bike association network. The Vermont Farm Show is building a new organization, changing its federal tax-status, growing its Board of Directors, and focused on a renewed farm show in 2027.

ESSEX — Join the UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program and Northern Grain Growers Collaborative for the 2026 Grain Growers Conference from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a networking social hour from 4 to 5 p.m., March 18 at the Essex Resort & Spa, 70 Essex Way, Essex. The annual conference is part of a two-decade-long effort by NGGC and Extension to boost infrastructure and research-based information on growing local grains. There will be baking sessions, research updates and networking opportunities. And, bakers can showcase their best bread and baked goods.

Cost is $85 per participant, $60 per NGGC member, $50 per student. Register online or call 802-656-8407.

BARRE — Wilkins Harley-Davidson announced it has been recognized by Harley-Davidson Motor Co. as the #1 Service Department in New England and #31 in the United States for 2025 (out of 518 dealers nationwide). The family-owned dealership has served Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York riding communities since 1947.

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