February 2017 | Business View Magazine

136 137 AT A GLANCE BENNINGTON, Vermont WHAT: A town of 15,000 WHERE: Southwestern Vermont, near the borders of New York and Massachusetts WEBSITE: www.bennington.com Harrington, the Executive Director of the Ben- nington Area Chamber of Commerce, says that one important initiative that is gaining momen- tum is what is known as a “green cluster” econo- my. The green cluster model is a regional effort, centered in Brattleboro, Vermont, designed to promote the area’s natural assets, while fo- cusing on socially responsible manufacturing, green building products, and sustainable energy research. Its goal is to replace the region’s lost jobs with employment in the fields of green building and resilient design. The first meeting of industry stakeholders in the Green Economy Industry Cluster Initiative took place last January, and today, the clus- ter encompasses more than 120 businesses, colleges, and organizations; three states; and four counties: Windham and Bennington in southern Vermont, Cheshire in New Hampshire, and Franklin in Massachusetts. “The brand of Bennington, Vermont made structure in the state. Bennington has a long history of manufactur- ing and craftsmanship and the town was known primarily for its wood processing, pottery, iron, and textiles. From the 1950s through the ‘70s, it was considered a traditional, blue-collar town, but as its manufacturing base began to die out at the end of the last century, Bennington, like many other New England towns, has had to find other economic drivers in order to secure a viable future for its residents. Today, the South- western Vermont Medical Center is the town’s largest employer with a workforce of approxi- mately 1,300; its largest for-profit manufactur- ing employer is NSK Steering Systems America, Inc. with approximately 850 employees. In addi- tion, tourism is still an important component of the local economy. As Bennington and its neighboring towns and regions struggle to rebrand themselves, Matt