In Southern Vermont, it isn’t just the people who choose to “shop local.” The region’s businesses and marketplaces are supported by a financial sector that understands the importance of cycling dollars through the economy. Mutual banks like Brattleboro Savings & Loan and The Bank of Bennington have been serving the region for well over a century, making local investments with local funds in support of local initiatives. These investment values are shared not only by member-owned credit unions like VSECU and Heritage Family Credit Union, but also by the larger regional and national banks that operate in the area.
Southern Vermont’s residents also enjoy access to a surprisingly robust financial planning and wealth management sector. Due to increased demand from retirees, as well as second homeowners with ties to financial and insurance capitals like New York, Hartford, and Boston, Southern Vermont households can work with (or for!) national firms like Stifel Nicolaus and local firms Twombly Wealth Management, Williams Financial, and D.B. McKenna. Skills are also in demand at the Church Insurance Company, the nation’s premier insurance agency for houses of worship.
