Vermont’s Rising Stars were honored at the DoubleTree in South Burlington with both Governor Shumlin and Governor-elect Scott in attendance. The Rising Stars program was established by Vermont Business Magazine in 2010 to highlight the accomplishments and contributions made by our youth in Vermont. They were selected by the judges listed below for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence and involvement in their communities.

We are thrilled by the response to this initiative to recognize these up-and-coming leaders.  In each of the five years we have seen a significant increase in nominations. Each year with the increase in nominations it makes it more difficult for the judges to pare it down to only 40. 

The latest census report shows that Vermont is the second oldest state in the U.S. But these young professionals show that Vermont is not losing all its young talent. For these young professionals it’s not just about business. It’s about them making a difference in their communities.”

Of the 40 honorees, there are 20 men and 20 women. There are 17 from Chittenden County, 9 from Rutland County, 6 from Washington County, 3 from Franklin County , 2 from Windham County, 1 from Caledonia County,  1 from Addison County and 1 from Bennington County. The largest county increase was Chittenden County, up 4 from 2015. The average age of the winners is 33 years old. The oldest is 39 and the youngest is 22 years old.