Business Supporters

What businesses can do:

1. Sign the Statement of Support
2. Invite VFM to address your business, association or chamber
   
3. Write a letter to the editor

Sign the Business Statement of Support today!

Equality is good business!

Denying same-sex couples the legal right to marry negatively impacts Vermont businesses and GLBT employees.

The ground-breaking civil union law once offered VT businesses an edge in recruiting and retaining talented employees, but the bar has been raised with marriage equality to the south of us in Massachusetts, to the north of us in Canada and in California.

We already face the challenge to maintain talent in the state and denying GLBT individuals in the workforce equality only exacerbates this issue.

"I'm in the market for a place to live...and I'm only going to move to the state where I can marry the person I love."
— Laura Wood, Graduate Student, Brattleboro Hearing

Additionally, because of the mix of legal systems that recognize same-sex relationships, multi-state businesses are forced to navigate a complicated legal environment, which results in an undue burden on company resources. 

Gaining equal marriage rights is a quality of life issue for many GLBT Vermonters in the workforce.  Below are just some of the issues GLBT employees face:

• must pay an additional tax on health care benefits
• do not receive social security survivor benefits
• are denied many other important benefits and protections

Gaining marriage rights for same-sex couples in Vermont will not provide the federal legal rights of marriage to GLBT employees immediately, but Vermont business leaders know that Vermont must treat all individuals in the workforce as equal in order to create a vibrant economy. It's just good business!

1. Sign the Business Statement of Support today! If you own a business or if you are a recognized business leader and you support equality, we urge to sign the Business Statement of Support today!

2. Invite VFM to address your business, association or chamber. Contact Robyn Maguire (802.310.6683) to coordinate having a VFM speaker address your fellow business colleagues to provide one-on-one education.

3. Write a letter to the editor today. As a business person, you offer another perspective as to why marriage equality is important to Vermont. You can share with readers the benefits of moving Vermont forward to employers and employees.

Business Statement of Support - Signers

• Amy Mason, Co-Owner, Image Mason Design
• Andrew Allen, Co-Owner, Vermont Design Works
• Andy Reichsman, Owner, Ames Hill Film and Video Productions
• Beth Ryan, Co-Owner, Bebop Baby Shop
• Beth Sachs, Executive Director, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
• Betsy Allen-Pennebacker, Co-Owner, Vermont Design Works
• Carolyn Conner, Owner/Director, Copper Crane Yoga
• Christine Murphy, Owner, Jim Murphy Property & Home Inspection & Consulting
• Chuck, Lacy, President, Barred Rock Fund
• Colleen L. Montgomery, CPA & Owner, Montgomery & Merrill, PC
• David G. Chase, Owner, The Right Rear Fender
• David M. Dion, Principal Broker, David M. Dion Real Estate
• Dean A. Silloway, President, Silloway Networks
• Dr. Michael Palmer, President, Ethics By Design
• Elizabeth Herrmann, President, Elizabeth Herrmann Architecture & Design
• Erin Preston, Practice Manager, Onion River Animal Hospital
• George R. Schenk, Jr., Founder & CEO, American Flatbread Co.
• Heather Bauman, Owner, Viva Espresso
• Heather Finley, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist-Doctorate, Balancing Changes
• Jason Pelletier, Partner, Found Line
• Jennifer A. Hessel Smith, Owner, Que Sera Pampering Parties
• Jennifer Hill, Owner, The Blossom Basket
• Jim Leyton, Chairman, Eastern Systems Group
• Jim Murphy, Owner, Jim Murphy Property & Home Inspection & Consulting
• Joanna Colwell, Director, Otter Creek Yoga
• Joe Little, President, Park Place Financial Advisors
• John Kelliher, Manager, Long Trail Environmental, LLC
• Judy Walke, Collaboration & Planning Consultant, Judy Warriner Walke Collaboration & Planning Consultant
• Judy Werner, President, JW Publishing
• Julie Lineberger, Board Chair, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility
• July Sanders, Owner, Magnolia Bistro
• Kate Purdie, Director & Editor, Ames Hill Film and Video Productions
• Kate Van Wagner, Co-Owner, Bebop Baby Shop
• Marcia S. Merrill, CPA & Co-Owner, Montgomery & Merrill, PC
• Mark Hunzinger, Principal, Wellness Resources of Vermont
• Matthew Lash, Marketing & Business Development Director, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 300
• Michael DeSanto, Owner, Phoenix Books
• Michael Dunbar, President, Middlebury Fence Company
• Nancy Schulz, Executive Director, VT Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition
• Patrick Brown, President, Brown Computer Solutions, Inc.
• Paul Millman, President, Chroma Technology
• Pete Land, Partner, Tamarack Media
• Pierre Capy, President & Owner, Mocha Joe's Roasting Co.
• Renee S. Reiner, Owner, Phoenix Books
• Rian Fried, President, Clean Yield Asset Management
• Richard A. Greenlee, President, Penn Consulting Group
• Robert Davis, Owner, Acupuncture Vermont
• Scott Johnstone, Executive Director, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
• Stephanie Teleen, Owner, Jakfish
• Steve Roberts, Friend to Leaders, CoolMindWarmHeart.com
• Sue Spitzner, Owner, Toot Sweet Bakery
• Suzanne Stofflet, President, Samara Foundation of Vermont
• Victor C. Callirgos, President, One Iron, Inc.
• Wayne Turiansky, President, Amalgamated Culture Works
• William N. Ryerson, President, Population Media Center
• Scott Heller, Frog Meadow Farm B&B
• Cedar Wood Chiropractic
• Concept2
• High Mowing Organic Seeds
• Merritt & Merritt & Moulton
• Meyers and Munafo, LLC
• Pie in the Sky
• Policy Integrity
• The Galaxy Bookshop
• Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility
• Vermont Earth Institute
• Vermont Tech Guy
• Anders Holm, MD
• Ben Gordesky, Founder
• Benjamin Bosher, Jr., Principal & Business Owner
• Benjamin W. Deppman, Attorney
• Brad Armstrong, MD
• Carol-Lee Lane, Treasurer & Co-Owner
• Daniel M. Thomas, President
• David Blittersdorf, CEO
• Dawn M. Touzin, Vice President
• Diane Tetrault, MA, LCMHC
• Don Mayer, CEO
• Elizabeth McEnaney, President
• Erik Filkorn, Owner
• Jacquie Dragon, HR Director
• Jenne Morton, Director of Child Services
• John Wallace, President
• Michael L. Burak, Partner
• Nora J. Rubinstein, President
• Paley Anderson, Small Business Owner
• Rachel Lee Cummings, President
• Rich Maggiani, President
• Robert H. Alberts, President
• Robin McDermott, Director of Training
• Matt Dugan, Owner
• Scott D. Smith, M.D.
• Todd Walker, Financial Advisor
• Wendy Goodwin, Licensed Acupuncturist
• Amie J. Whitcomb
• Arlene M. Silva
• Barbara Pelton
• Barbara Saunders
• Bari Dreissigacker
• Bill Harvey
• Christie Harris
• Christa Wurm
• Christopher Cartwright
• Cindy Cook
• David Warner
• Deborah Lashman
• Donna Belcher
• Dr. Nicholas Cannon
• Duncan S. Harris
• Duncan McDougall
• Erich Kruger
• Evan Goldsmith
• Francis Voigt
• Glenn Lower
• Glenn Ravdin
• Henry Erickson
• Jackie Rose
• James Rossiter
• Jan Albers
• Janice Shade
• Jay Hathaway
• Jeanne Rogow
• Jerelyn Wilson
• John Wall
• Katy Lesser
• Liz Curry
• Margaret Hooker
• Michael Schaal
• Michael Wood-Lewis
• Nancy Potak
• Nicholas Harmon
• Paul Richardson
• Peter Dreissigacker
• Peter Lind
• Rick Hausman
• Rod MacIver
• Sandy Post
• Sharon Merritt
• Steven Kellogg
• Thomas Boswell
• William Belongia