LAW
Attorney Gordon Unzen has joined Shaheen & Gordon’s Personal Injury Group, based out of the firm’s Manchester office. Unzen graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School, and earned his B.A. in psychology, philosophy, and justice studies from the University of New Hampshire.
Attorney Ron Abramson, a partner and chair of the Immigration Practice Group at Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., has been admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the District of Vermont. There, he will pursue immigration processing delay and other mandamus litigation against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Vermont Service Center, one of six service centers in the United States, which are currently processing over 4 million immigration applications and petitions.
For the fourth consecutive year, Pierce Atwood has received a Best Lawyers in America “Best Law Firms” National Tier One ranking for its Land Use & Zoning Law practice. The firm also received national rankings for its environmental litigation, patent, real estate, class actions, energy law,
and oil and gas law practices, as well as for environmental litigation
(new this year). In addition to its national rankings, the firm received
these metropolitan rankings for its New Hampshire-based practices:
corporate law, elder law, mergers and acquisitions law, real estate law,
securities/capital markets law, and trusts and estates law.
The law firm of McLane Middleton announced that attorneys Madison Lightfoot-Kunitake and Caroline H. Palucha have
been admitted to the New Hampshire State Bar. Lightfoot-Kunitake is an
associate in the firm’s Corporate Department, and is also a member of
the Cybersecurity and Privacy Practice Group. Palucha is an associate in
the firm’s Corporate Department and Real Estate Practice Group, based
out of the Manchester office.
Ward Law Group recently welcomed Hannah K. Neumiller, Esq. to
the firm as a new attorney. She has been with the firm since January as
a law clerk, while finishing up her final year at UNH School of Law.
Neumiller’s practice areas include criminal defense, workers’
compensation, personal injury, estate planning, probate and civil
litigation.
GOVERNMENT
Mayor Jay Ruais announced in mid-November he is nominating Assistant Chief Peter Marr to
replace outgoing Chief Allen Aldenberg to lead the Manchester Police
Department. Ruais commented in a press release saying Marr has
“distinguished himself as a leader at all levels, including as a
detective in Major Crimes, sergeant in Patrol, assistant SWAT team
leader, lieutenant and shift commander in Patrol and Captain. Peter has
also been honored as Officer of the Year and is the recipient of the
Life Saving, Honorable Service, and Meritorious Service medals.”
HEALTH CARE
Home health and hospice agency Granite VNA recently promoted health care specialists Kris Nesheim, Letitia Borelli and Kristen Hayes to home care managers. In this newly created role, each
will oversee the clinical business operations and patient care services
for the agency’s home care services within a specific region of the
agency’s service area. They will also mentor and supervise patient care
teams of certified nursing assistants, nurses, therapists and social
workers.
Dr. Matthew Toohey has
been named the medical director for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
in New Hampshire, and will oversee Anthem’s clinical programs to help
ensure the highest quality care for members. Previously, Dr. Toohey was
the medical director for Martin’s Point Health Care’s Medicare Advantage
and U.S. Family Health Plans in Portland, Maine. He is board certified
in pediatrics and also trained in internal medicine.
Erin Samel, a
member of the physical therapy team at Androscoggin Valley Hospital,
has been published in the Physical Therapy Journal, a national academic
publication. The article, “Maternal Health Disparities in Acute Care
Rehabilitation,” reflects Samel’s dedication to assisting with mobility
needs and providing education on healing and recovery for all mothers
who deliver babies at Valley Birthplace. Having earned her Pelvic Health
certification through Evidence in Motion, Samel routinely works with
new mothers to best ensure
optimal health. In addition to postpartum care, Erin works with
individuals of all ages, treating pelvic floor dysfunction.
TECHNOLOGY
In just three years, Fidium Fiber has
expanded its all-fiber network to more than 276,000 New Hampshire homes
and businesses. An Office of Broadband Initiatives grant helped Fidium
to expand to more than 57,000 homes and businesses in 37 towns across
Caroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough and Sullivan counties.
Fidium will expand access in 2025, bringing access to 60,000 additional
New Hampshire homes and businesses, thanks to a partnership with the NH
Broadband Matching Grants Initiative to connect more than 1,500 homes
and businesses in Barnstead, Barrington, Belmont, Epsom, Farmington,
Francestown, Gilmanton, Gilmanton Iron Works, Lancaster, Pittsfield and
Strafford.
BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
For the ninth consecutive year, the NH Liquor Commission (NHLC)
has received national recognition from StateWays Magazine in its annual
Control State Best Practices Awards. NHLC was recognized as one of the
top control states in the nation for its retail sales innovations and
for its stakeholder communication and education efforts around a new
ordering and inventory system.
Chris Brown, president
of New Hampshire Distributors, LLC, and founder of the 1883 Black Ice
Hockey Association, was honored as the Greater Concord Chamber of
Commerce’s
Citizen of the Year on November 6. The 1883 Black Ice Hockey
Association’s annual Black Ice Pond Hockey championship has raised over
$550,000 for booster clubs of sports teams at local schools, and helped
kids in the Concord area to play hockey who wouldn’t have been exposed
to the sport before.
Joseph H. Campbell, president
of North Branch Construction, has been appointed to the board of
directors of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. His involvement
with the Chamber will allow him to collaborate with other local leaders
and continue to promote a dynamic business environment in Concord and
beyond.
NONPROFITS
The Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges has appointed Maria Proulx, president
of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire, to its board of
directors. She will help further the Foundation’s mission to increase
access and reduce financial barriers to those seeking a community
college education in New Hampshire.
Profile Bank recently donated $5,000 to the Dover Fire Toy Bank to help replenish their gift supply after a recent flood. The bank also hosted a Diaper Drive to benefit Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, and contributed monetary and food donations to local food banks across New Hampshire.
Cars
for Kids, a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to supporting children’s
education and providing essential resources, has appointed Cheryl Sutterfield-Jones as
CEO. Previously, she served as president of the JPS Foundation, CEO of
the Frontiers of Flight Museum, CEO of the North Texas American Red
Cross, and President and CEO of the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center.
She was also the executive director of Denton County Friends of the
Family, a domestic violence shelter in Denton, Texas.
Franklin Savings Bank recently granted $8,000 to the Crisis Center of Central New Hampshire to
support the setup costs for a new location in Franklin, NH, which will
enable the organization to extend its support to survivors of domestic
and sexual violence. The new office — with plans to be up and running by
the end of 2024 — will offer services including crisis intervention,
accompaniment, legal advocacy and prevention education in the Franklin
schools.
CCA for Social Good (CCAFSG)
has won the community small company category at the New Hampshire
Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR) Sustainability Slam, held
on November 7. For over a decade, CCAFSG has transformed early childhood
education businesses through its ECE Shared Resource platform, which
gives programs access to workforce benefits, save thousands in
purchasing, reduce hiring costs, and reinvest in staff and high-quality
care.
ARCHITECTURE
Samyn-D’Elia Architects was
awarded the Bulfinch Award in the civic category for the North Conway
Fire Station by the New England Chapter of the Institute of Classical
Architecture & Art (ICAA).
Completed
in 2021, the North Conway Fire Department provides state-of-the-art
engine bays, equipment storage, offices and support facilities for the
town’s firefighters.
CONSTRUCTION
DEW Construction has promoted three key team members and welcomed two new employees to the company: Matt Cadieux has been promoted from senior superintendent to general superintendent; Chris Bertrand has been promoted to vice president of business development for the northern region; Conor Donnelly has been promoted to vice president of preconstruction; Nicholas Wright joins the firm as a project engineer; and Charlie Burzlaff joins as a superintendent.
EDUCATION
Southern New Hampshire University’s School of Business welcomed CCA Global Partners’ co-founder Howard Brodsky as
executive in residence, where he will collaborate with campus faculty
to enhance curriculum, focusing on cooperative business models and
entrepreneurial success.
Brodsky will also serve as a guest lecturer and support various experiential learning initiatives.
Plymouth State University (PSU)
is one of the first four-year institutions in the United States to pilot
an accredited, in-person, 96-credit bachelor’s degree program, approved
by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The three-year
program, which will launch in fall 2025, will be available for applied
bachelor’s degrees in business administration, cybersecurity, outdoor
adventure leadership, police studies and robotics.
REAL ESTATE
Prolman Realty, Inc. has
listed 17 Progress Avenue in Nashua for sale, which features an
18,600-square-foot office/industrial building with 8,200 square feet of
office and technical space, 6,800 square feet or warehouse space and
3,600 square feet of mezzanine. Prolman Realty is offering $2.5 million
for the property, with Mark Prolman acting as exclusive broker.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Dennis Hebert, vice president of culture and employee engagement at Granite State
Credit Union (GSCU), was honored as Professional of the Year at the
Cooperative Credit Union Association’s annual APEX Conference. The award
is given to those who represent dedication to cooperative values,
willingness to go above and beyond, focus on providing quality service
to members, while also holding a positive attitude, being a leader among
their peers, and serving their community. Hebert has worked for Granite
State Credit Union for 37 years in a variety of positions.
Community Bank has
opened a new loan production office at 650 Elm Street in Manchester, to
provide loan origination, consultation and relationship management
services to commercial banking customers in the area.
Susan Dagostino has
been promoted to oversee Meredith Village Savings Bank’s Laconia office
as branch and business development manager. She previously served as
branch services supervisor at the same location and takes the place of
Jessica Ruel, who recently transitioned to oversee the Bank’s new North
Conway office.
Bank of New Hampshire has promoted Becky Rodgers to
vice president, operations officer. She began her career as a
commercial banking representative, leading to several promotions over
the past two decades.
NEW HAMPSHIRE 200
Editor’s
note: NH Business Review is spotlighting selected 2024 New Hampshire
200 honorees from various industries. See the entire list and book at nhbr.com
Elaine Hamel, Founder, Executive Director Girls at Work, Inc.
Education: Studied art and psychology
Career history: For
20 years, Elaine was a general contractor specializing in residential
renovations. She enjoyed designing with homeowners, teaching them “how
to’s” to nurture empowerment and getting kids involved at the same time.
Biggest challenge: Maintaining
a balance between work and life. I had someone in my life who “saved
me” as a kid. I didn’t realize it until she passed away when I was in my
20s. Now I pay it forward, loving kids unconditionally and teaching
them to believe in themselves like she did for me.
Most excited about? Our
incredibly awesome team is dedicated and excited about what we do
daily, and plan to tackle much more. Our new relationship with Alnoba in
Kensington has changed the game for us. We are well positioned for an
exciting future empowering more girls than ever before.
What keeps you up at night? The potential of having a team who believes in our mission, and how much we all want to empower underserved girls.
Fun fact: I love opera.
Hobbies/passions: Feeding
the birds and building. I taught volunteers how to build homes for
others who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. I hope to find land and
a crew to build shelter for folks in need.
Industry advice: Be ready for endless obstacles, find people whose values and growth mindset align with yours. Give it everything you got.
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