House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development

 

AGENDA

 

Room < 35 > and Zoom

January 14, 2025 - January 17, 2025

Last Updated 1/17/2025 1:16 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-commerce-and-economic-development.

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

9:00 AM                   Secretary of State

Including Corporate Division

Lauren Hibbert, Deputy Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office

Sarah Copeland Hanzas, Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office

 

10:00 AM                   House Floor and Caucuses

 

-                                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Serve, Learn, and Earn

Introduction to Committee Members

Kate Gluckman, Director, Serve Learn Earn

Breck Knauft, Executive Director, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps

 

2:00 PM                   Preservation Trust

Introduction to Committee Members

Ben Doyle, President, Preservation Trust of Vermont

 

2:30 PM                   Advance Vermont Presentation

Introduction to Committee Members

Tom Cheney, Executive Director, Advance Vermont

 

3:00 PM                   Agency of Agriculture's Working Lands Initiative

Introduction to Committee Members

Elizabeth Sipple, Program Lead, Working Lands Enterprise Initiative

Abbey Willard, Director, Agricultural Development Division Director, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

 

3:30 PM                   Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Introductions to Committee Members

Ellen Kahler, Executive Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

 

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

9:00 AM                   Department of Financial Regulation

Introduction to Committee Members

Sandy Bigglestone, Interim Commissioner of Department of Financial Regulation and Deputy Commissioner of Captive Insurance, Department of Financial Regulation

Aaron Ferenc, Deputy Commissioner of Banking, Department of Financial Regulation

Amanda Smith, Deputy Commissioner of Securities, Department of Financial Regulation

Emily Brown, Deputy Commissioner of Insurance, Department of Financial Regulation

 

10:45 AM                   Attorney General's Office

Introductions to Committee Members

Charity Clark, Attorney General, Attorney General's Office

 

-                                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Vermont State Colleges System

Introduction to Committee Members

Elizabeth Mauch, Chancellor, Vermont State Colleges System

Sharron Scott, Chief Financial and Operating Officer, Vermont State Colleges System

Kayla Dewey, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor and Board of Trustees, Vermont State Colleges System

 

2:00 PM                   VEDA

Vermont Economic Development Authority Introduction to Committee Members

Cassie Polhemus, Chief Executive Officer, Vermont Economic Development Authority

Renée Grzankowski, Chief Operations Officer, Vermont Economic Development Authority

Thad Richardson, CFO, Vermont Economic Development Authority

Jennifer Emens-Butler, General Counsel & Director of Closing, Vermont Economic Development Authority

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

Thursday, January 16, 2025

9:00 AM                   Regional Development Corporations

Introduction to Committee Members

Andy Julow, Executive Director, Lake Champlain Islands Economic Development Corporation

 

10:15 AM                   Regional Planning Commissions

Introduction to Committee Members

Peter Gregory, Executive Director, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission

David Snedeker, Executive Director, Northeastern Vermont Development Association

Tasha Wallis, Executive Director, Lamoille County Planning Commission

Tom Kennedy, Director of Community Development, Mount Ascutney Regional Commission

 

11:15 AM                   Vermont Bankers Association

Introduction to Committee Members

Chris D'Elia, President, Vermont Bankers' Association

 

11:35 AM                   Association of Vermont Credit Unions

Introductions to Committee Members

Joe Bergeron, President & CEO, Association of Vermont Credit Unions

 

-                                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Introductions to Committee Members

Lindsay Kurrle, Secretary, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Heather Pelham, Commissioner, Department of Tourism and Marketing

Brett Long, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Economic Development

Tim Tierney, Director of Recruitment and International Trade, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Jessica Hartleben, Executive Director, Vermont Economic Progress Council

 

2:30 PM                   NCCI

National Council on Compensation Insurance Introduction to Committee Members

Susan Donegan, Chief Regulatory Officer, National Council on Compensation Insurance

Justin Moulton, Senior State Relations Executive, National Council on Compensation Insurance

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

Friday, January 17, 2025

8:45 AM                   Meeting with Interns

Meeting with the UVM Legislative Interns

 

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

10:35 AM                   Housing Initiatives

Introductions to Committee Members

Maura Collins, Executive Director, Vermont Housing Finance Agency

Gus Seelig, Executive Director

Pollaidh Major, Director of Policy and Special Projects, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

Liz Gleason, Farm and Forest Viability Program Director, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

 

-                                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Outdoor Recreation

Introduction to Committee Members

 

Kelly Ault, Executive Director, Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance

Sam Hooper, Owner, Vermont Glove

Nick Bennette, Executive Director of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association, Vermont Trails and Greenways Council

Tommy O'Connor, Vice-Chair, Vermont ATV Sportsman's Association

Abigail Long, Executive Director, Kingdom Trails Association, East Burke

Molly Mahar, President, Vermont Ski Areas Association

 

2:00 PM                   Vermont Chamber of Commerce

Introductions to Committee Members

Megan Sullivan, Vice President of Government Affairs, Vermont Chamber of Commerce

Amy Spear, Vermont Chamber President, Vermont Chamber of Commerce

Jeremy Little, Policy and Outreach Associate, Vermont Chamber of Commerce

 

2:30 PM                   Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce

Introductions to Committee Members

Austin Davis, Director, Government Affairs, Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce

 

ATTENTION WITNESSES

 

Please email handouts to the committee assistant at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting time. With few exceptions, any documents you send to a committee assistant are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s web page.

 

Should you require accessibility services, please click here and note that requests should be made 48 hours in advance of testimony.

 

 

 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Annagrace Oblak at aoblak@leg.state.vt.us