Harpoon Brewery highlight of SRDC meeting

The Springfield Regional Development Corporation held its annual meeting at Harpoon Brewery’s Windsor facility on Monday. Harpoon Brewery CEO Daniel Kenary spoke of the positive impact of public-private partnerships.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20121128/NEWS02/711289881

Daniel Kenary speaking at the SRDC Annual Meeting Monday

 

Harpoon Brewery highlight of SRDC meeting By Christian Avard Staff Writer | November 28,2012 Rutland Herald WINDSOR — Partnerships between economic development organizations, local and state officials and private enterprises are making a positive impact on the Windsor area economy. Harpoon Brewery President and co-founder Dan Kenary met with 55 business owners and local and town officials from the Springfield-Windsor area on Monday. The Springfield Regional Development Corporation held its annual meeting at Harpoon Brewery’s Windsor facility and Kenary described how the state and area organizations were instrumental in opening a brewery in Windsor. Harpoon Brewery of Boston, Mass., got its start in the 1980s and became successful. The company expanded and needed a new brewery. Harpoon purchased the former Catamount Brewery in 2000 on Ruth Carney Drive in Windsor. Kenary credited local and Vermont state officials, the SRDC and others for promoting a business-friendly environment. “We understand how public-private partnerships work. If it wasn’t for the town of Windsor and the folks down in Springfield, it wouldn’t have happened. They were extremely accommodating,” Kenary said. The Harpoon Brewery employs 35 full-time and 30 part-time workers and the brewery is now transforming the area into a tourist destination. Two new businesses, Vermont Farmstead Cheese and Farmer’s Cupboard, opened next door to the brewery last month on property owned by the SRDC. A Simon Pearce outlet store is located nearby and a new distillery, Silo Vodka, is slated to open next year. The second keynote, Lawrence Miller of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, commended the town of Windsor, SRDC, and area businesses for their work. “It’s another attraction. You’ve got this great manufacturing element, there’s community participation and you bring in a strong tourist element. It really hits on all the things we’re trying to do,” Miller said. SRDC Executive Director Bob Flint spoke on the latest developments in the Springfield area. The 100 River Street building is now open and the Springfield Community Health Center has moved into the facility. VTel is working on a fiber project that will provide additional broadband service to the Springfield area. The project is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. Other developments included the opening of Artisan Designs at the NBC Solid Surfaces location, Black River Produce expansions, and the North Springfield Energy Project, a $150 million facility that will produce energy from wood chips and biomass, that is now applying for an Act 248 permit