TECHNOLOGY
Systems Engineering, a managed technology services provider in New England, has appointed Kent Goodrow to the role of chief information security officer. Goodrow has over a decade of experience in the technology and cybersecurity fields, having joined Systems Engineering in 2012.
Nashua-based Symetri, part of Addnode Group, and a global provider of design and engineering technology solutions and consultancy services, launched Naviate Zero, a specialized solution to enhance sustainability and energy efficiency for the architecture, engineering, construction, owner (AECO) and manufacturing industries. Naviate Zero is an Autodesk Revit add-on set that empowers designers and engineers to calculate emissions, make informed, ecoconscious decisions directly within the Revit platform and use the data in full life-cycle assessments.
NONPROFITS
Concord Hospital Trust, the philanthropic arm of Concord Hospital, welcomed 90 Rock’N Race captains and individuals at a Captains’ Breakfast hosted on February 7 at Bektash Shriners in Concord. The event served as the official kick-off for the 22nd Annual Rock’N Race, where 10 teams were recognized for their collective efforts in raising over $58,000 for last year’s event. The annual race provides funding for programs and services available at no cost to cancer patients and their families at the HOPE Resource Center.
NH LAKES recently welcomed five new board members to the team “working for a New Hampshire where all our lakes are clean and healthy, and caring for them is a way of life”: Tracey Goyette Cote, managing partner at Shaheen & Gordon; Jim Dexter, retired engineering manager; Don Jutton, founder of Municipal Resources Inc.; Cindy O’Connell, most recently the stormwater manager for the Town of Braintree, Mass.; and John “Duffy” Sheehan, a financial services leader.
Home health care and hospice agency Granite VNA recently promoted Sherry Warner to the role of hospice community manager. Warner, who joined Granite VNA in May 2023 as a hospice staff nurse, will oversee the clinical operations of the agency’s community hospice program.
Warner is a registered nurse and holds a master of science degree in nursing from Rivier University and a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from UNH.
ARTS
The NH State Council on the Arts is now accepting applications for eight grant programs, totaling $750,000, that will provide funding to artists, arts organizations and municipalities wishing to strengthen arts in their communities through arts education, art in health care settings, traditional arts and more. Each of the grant programs offer different benefits, with differing deadlines, starting in April.
To view the criteria for each program, visit nh.gov/nharts.
EDUCATION
The New Hampshire Lottery and DraftKings are marking the milestone of generating more than $100 million through sports betting for New Hampshire public education, supporting students, teachers and schools across the state. During that time, New Hampshire players have wagered more than $2.71 billion, with $2.2 billion wagered through the online sportsbook and nearly $500 million wagered at retail sportsbooks in the state. So far this year, New Hampshire players have wagered more than $377 million, generating more than $16.4 million for public education in New Hampshire.
The Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire is establishing a first-in-the-state early care and education research consortium, made possible by a $1.5 million grant from the Couch Family Foundation. The multiyear grant will enable the Carsey School to conduct new research on early childhood care and education policy, and help to build and coordinate a consortium of researchers and practitioners across the Granite State.
A new emergency grant program created by a partnership between The Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges and Granite Edvance, the Student Emergency Aid Fund, will help ensure students complete their degrees by assisting with such expenses as food, housing, child care and transportation. The Fund, established through a gift of $80,000 from Granite Edvance, will provide community college students with short-term financial support for non-academic emergency needs.
Governor Sununu and New Hampshire’s Executive Council approved nearly $10 million in funding for more than 260 school safety projects throughout the state following a recommendation from the Public School Infrastructure Commission. Funds totaling $9,861,447.31 will be allocated to enhance access control, emergency alerting and surveillance at numerous schools. The funds will be utilized for 267 security projects at 167 schools.
RETAIL
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission opened a new 12,500-square-foot NH Liquor & Wine Outlet in Nashua on February 21 — one of three in Nashua that will feature an array of more than 4,000 wines and spirits. NHLC relocated the Nashua Outlet from Westside Plaza to a freestanding building located at 6 Northwest Boulevard.
A new Tractor Supply Co. store location has opened in North Conway, at 170 North South Road. The new store consists of 19,097 square feet of retail space, as well as 20,000 square feet of fenced outdoor display, sales space and new garden center. This marks Tractor Supply’s 21st location in New Hampshire.
HEALTH CARE
The NH Oral Health Coalition (NHOHC) has announced the formation of the Alphonse J. “Skip” Homicz Jr. Legacy Award in honor of the late Dr. Skip Homicz, who was a respected general dentist and oral health advocate for over 50 years before passing away in 2023. He was a past president of the NH Dental Society, a founding member of the NH Oral Health Coalition, and served as the volunteer dental director of Families First Health and Support Center in Portsmouth for 15 years.
Pleasant View Retirement, an independent living retirement community in Concord, was named a Best of Senior Living All Star 2024 award winner by A Place for Mom (APFM), an online platform and advisory service for senior care in North America. The community also received a Best of Senior Living 2024 award.
The Health Management Academy has selected Johanna L. Beliveau, CEO and president of Dartmouth Health member Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire (VNH), to take part in the Academy GE Fellows Program. The two-year, nationally competitive program is designed to prepare the next generation of health system executives with essential health care knowledge, leadership skills and business acumen to take on C-suite positions in leading health systems.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Kathy Sanderson has joined Union Bank as senior residential loan originator, working out of the bank’s newest branch office in North Conway. Sanderson has more than 35 years in the mortgage lending profession with previous roles such as senior mortgage loan officer at the Bank of New Hampshire and with Northway Bank.
Twelve Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees were recently presented with the Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Brand Behavior Award for demonstrating behavior that exemplifies the Bank’s core values: Elizabeth Hardt, Kim Prewitt, Krystal Jordan, Lynn Shea, Shania Adams, Kim Pagon, Tiana Falvey, Brian Scofield, Stacie Madrid, Joanne Tercho, Jessica Hooper and Claire Ohmeis.
New Hampshire Federal Credit Union (NHFCU) was recently named to America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions by Newsweek, which recognizes the top 250 regional banks and 250 credit unions in the U.S. NHFCU received four and a half out of five stars from Newsweek and market data research firm Plant-A Insights Group.
Franklin Savings Bank recently welcomed Shane Brewer to the role of VP, commercial loan officer within its commercial lending group based in Portsmouth. Most recently, Shane held the position of VP of commercial lending at First Seacoast Bank.
Joseph Guyton, owner of Portsmouth-based firm The Guyton Group, has earned the designation of Five Star Wealth Manager — an award where wealth managers must satisfy criteria associated with providing quality services to their clients.
Factors considered include assets under management and client retention rate, and candidates undergo a thorough regulatory and compliance review. This is Guyton’s sixth time winning the award.
Brent Kiley and Bob Bonfiglio, private wealth advisors and co-founders of Rise Private Wealth Management, have recently been named to the 2024 Chairman’s Advisory Council. This will be their third and eleventh time, respectively, winning this designation.
John Swedberg, senior vice president and senior commercial loan officer, will retire from Meredith Village Savings Bank (MVSB) in May after 25 years. He initially joined the bank as a commercial loan officer in 1999, and was promoted to leadership roles throughout his tenure.
Nathan Wechsler & Company’s Brianna Sawyer has been approved for her license as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in New Hampshire. Now a managing partner, Sawyer’s career with the firm began as an intern, then excelled to a full-time associate role.
HOSPITALITY
PR Bartending & Waitstaff, a mobile bartending and wait staff company based in Manchester, has been inducted into The Knot Hall of Fame. Named as “Best of Weddings” by The Knot.com for four consecutive years, the company is now the sole honoree serving all of New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont with DIY weddings.
AGRICULTURE
The New Hampshire Conservation Districts are requesting proposals from land trusts who seek funding to work with NH farms to conserve their land and improve the viability of their farm business. There is $100,000 available in the 2024 funding cycle, and awards no greater than $20,000 will be considered. Applications are due on May 31. For eligibility criteria and more information, visit cheshireconservation.org/nhfff.
MARKETING
Mark Dingman, creative director at Millennium Agency, has been named a juror for the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA), a consortium of professionals across the field of visual arts which handles all judging for the Communicator, Davey, and w3 Awards.
AUTOMOTIVE
Family-owned-and-operated, New England-based automotive dealership group DCD Automotive Holdings, Inc. has expanded with its Nucar Pre-Owned Super Store in Concord, which was formerly known as Carlson’s Motor Sales. A family-owned business that’s operated in Concord for over 80 years, Carlson’s will still employ the same individuals with an increased selection of Nucar’s more than 1,800 used vehicles.
Merchants Fleet has been ranked No. 126 on Inc. Magazine’s fourth annual Inc. 5000 Regionals Northeast list, a ranking of the fastest-growing Northeast private companies based in Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Jersey.
REAL ESTATE
Foxfire Property Management, a property management company, has added two new members to its team: Kira Adams, property manager, and Alicha Kingsbury, residential property manager. Adams brings over 18 years to the role, and Kingsbury has previous experience as a realtor, legal secretary and office manager.
Erin Hershey has joined Badger Peabody & Smith Realty as a sales associate in the Plymouth office. Hershey has worked in all aspects of the industry, first as an administrative assistant at a real estate firm, then as an agent.
BUSINESS SERVICES
Adria Bagshaw, coowner of W.H. Bagshaw Company and former chair and current member of the NH SBDC Advisory Board, was recently appointed to the National Small Business Development Center Advisory Board. The Board’s duties are to advise, counsel and confer with the U.S. SBA Associate Administrator for Small Business Development Centers as the SBDC Program is carried out. In addition, Liz Gray, state director for SBDC, was recently elected to America’s SBDC’s board of directors by her peers from the 62 SBDC networks nationwide.
Federal insurance and benefits administrator FedPoint announced that CEO Paul Forte will retire after 22 years of service heading the company and more than 40 years in the insurance industry. The company elected current COO Kevin Hill to succeed Forte as president and CEO, effective March 1.
The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program through Manchester Community College is now accepting applications for its Fall 2024 Cohort. Business owners who are selected to participate are provided the opportunity to grow their business skills through a program designed by Babson College. Deadline for the Fall 2024 Cohort is May 28. Visit 10ksbapply.com for more details.
ENGINEERING
Engineering Ventures, PC has promoted Nicholas Fiore to the role of vice president out of the Lebanon, office. Fiore has been with the company for 16 years with experience in a range of civil engineering experience encompassing project management, stormwater design, transportation solutions, water and wastewater systems design and construction management.
Easterseals’ welcomes new chief marketing officer
Easterseals NH & VT has promoted Michele Talwani to the newly created role of chief communications and marketing officer, responsible for the strategy, direction and oversight of the nonprofit’s branding visibility, and communications and marketing activities. Talwani was previously senior vice president of community relations, having joined Easterseals in January 2023. Michele has over 25 years of management, public relations, communications and marketing experience for several nonprofits in New Hampshire. She is the secretary of the Board of Trustees for Leadership NH and is a long-time member of the Public Relations Society of America.
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