Lake Champlain Chamber Launches Regional Talent Attraction Initiative with Support from Vermont's Largest Employers

Burlington, Vt. (September 3, 2026) — The Lake Champlain Chamber (LCC), through its destination marketing division Hello Burlington, announced the launch of a Regional Talent Attraction Initiative to give the greater Burlington area a shared, evidence-based strategy for competing in the national talent market. The initiative will engage Burlington's employer community as active partners in developing practical tools and a consistent regional narrative for use in recruitment, talent attraction, and workforce development efforts across the region.

The Chamber has selected Development Counsellors International (DCI), a national leader in economic development and talent attraction consulting, to lead the engagement. Work began in August 2026, with final deliverables expected in early 2027. DCI will present initial findings for the project in person at Destination BTV on November 18, 2026, at Hello Burlington’s annual gathering of regional hospitality partners and the business community. Attendees will have an early opportunity to hear from the project team and provide feedback before final deliverables are completed.

"The Chamber's role in this region has always been to drive and develop our economy, and this project is an example of what that can look like at its best," said Cathy Davis, president and CEO of the Lake Champlain Chamber. "The Burlington area has genuine competitive advantages in the national talent market, but what employers need are the tools and a shared story to make that case consistently and effectively.”

The initiative will produce four employer-facing outputs: a regional benchmarking analysis comparing Burlington to peer metros; a regional value proposition narrative employers can deploy directly in their recruitment efforts; a competitive positioning summary identifying Burlington's strongest differentiators; and an employer activation guide providing practical guidance on regional tools and programs.

A working group of eight regional employer partners and stakeholders will collaborate directly with the Chamber and DCI throughout the project, ensuring the final outputs reflect the real-world hiring challenges and priorities of the businesses that will use them. Working group members include representatives from BETA Technologies, Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman, EastRise Credit Union, Hula, OnLogic, University of Vermont, UVM Health, and Vermont Professionals of Color Network.

“Attracting talent involves more than getting someone to accept a job in Vermont. People need to be able to picture not just working here, but building a life here,” said Tino Rutanhira, co-executive director of the Vermont Professionals of Color Network. “This initiative is an opportunity to make sure Burlington’s story speaks to the BIPOC professionals we want to attract and, just as importantly, that we are building the kind of community that gives people a reason to stay.”

Employers and organizations interested in helping shape the final materials, receiving final product or getting updates on project progress are encouraged to fill out this short form. Questions or comments can be directed to project lead Alex Bunten at alex@vermont.org.

"As the region's largest employer, UVM Medical Center has a real stake in how Burlington shows up in the national talent market. A coordinated, evidence-based regional story, one that all of our employers can tell consistently, strengthens everyone's ability to recruit. We're excited to be part of building that," said Rebecca Kapsalis, associate vice president of talent acquisition at UVM Health.

The project is scoped to the Greater Burlington region and Chittenden County, with findings and tools designed for potential replication across Vermont. The Chamber will present final outputs to employer partners and regional stakeholders in January 2027.

This project is made possible through grant funding from the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing through the GROW Grant program.

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Contact Alex Bunten, Director of Workforce & Education, Lake Champlain Chamber alex@vermont.org | 802-863-3489 x201

Hello Burlington is the destination marketing division of the Lake Champlain Chamber. It promotes the greater Burlington region as a place to visit, live, and work through digital campaigns, community partnerships, and regional storytelling. The Lake Champlain Chamber is the region's leading business organization, serving employers across greater Burlington and Northwest Vermont. 

Development Counsellors International (DCI) is a global place marketing agency specializing in economic development, tourism and talent attraction. For more than 60 years, DCI has helped more than 700 cities, regions, states and countries compete for investment, talent and visibility through research, strategy, public relations and integrated marketing. DCI is a certified women-owned firm headquartered in New York City, with team members across North America and Europe.