(Host) Participants at a conference this week in Woodstock are underscoring the fact that Vermont businesses are increasingly competing in a global marketplace.
The Second Innovation Engineering Leadership Institute focuses on how small- and medium-sized businesses can be more creative in designing and marketing their products.
Dave Brown is president and CEO of Manufacturing Information Systems, based in Woodstock.
The company develops manufacturing software and does business in 48 countries. Brown says the lack of broadband service is an obstacle to his business.
(Brown) "I was speaking to a friend the other day. He was offering me a new office building with gigabit service if I wanted to relocate from Woodstock. He told me it was outside of Kagali and I happen to know where Kagali is. It’s in Rwanda. So I guess the message is, if I wanted to relocate from Woodstock to Rwanda, then I would have everything I needed."
(Host) Brown says he doesn’t plan to move his business, but he’s frustrated that despite the fact that broadband coverage is a state priority, it’s yet to happen.