ENTERPRISE 2020 The Annual Magazine of the Business & Industry Association — New Hampshire’s Statewide Chamber of Commerce
BIA training filling the leadership void
Manufacturers to the rescue
The ‘new normal’ for NH businesses
eNTERPRISe 2020
Women Leading the Way NH businesses benefit from diverse, experienced leaders
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enterprise
WELCOME Message from the Chair The Business and Industry Association, New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce, is pleased to welcome you to our fifth annual Enterprise magazine. Whether your company is a current or future BIA member, we hope you find this magazine thought-provoking and informative. In this issue you’ll read about several BIA manufacturing members that refocused and retooled their operations in response to the coronavirus pandemic; profiles of four women business leaders; an emerging leader training program that’s successfully preparing the next generation of business innovators; and a review of how some enterprises are adjusting to the new normal brought on by COVID-19. You’ll also read about our member-guided, public policy-setting process. Founded in 1913, BIA has been shaping public policy in the state for more than a century. Our dual mission is to improve the state’s climate for job creation and strengthen New Hampshire’s economy. Our members, along with BIA’s professional staff, continuously engage in guiding state legislation and regulations that impact New Hampshire businesses and their ability to thrive in the state, national and global marketplaces. As New Hampshire’s only statewide, broad-based business advo-
cate, our public policy work on behalf of our members has resulted in remarkable success. See our Legislative Scorecard and Victories & Defeats for NH Businesses on BIA’s website, www.BIAofNH.com. BIA members employ 93,000 Granite Staters, nearly one out of every seven private workforce jobs in the state. Our members come in a variety of sizes, geographic locations, and product and service offerings. Not only do we represent many of New Hampshire’s largest employers in technology, manufacturing, financial services and healthcare, we also represent small and medium-sized businesses such as technology firms in computer hardware and software; biotechnology; medical technology; environmental and engineering consulting practices; legal and accounting firms; professional services firms and agencies; premier lodging and tourism establishments; and many other types of businesses and employers. While we’re proud of our large members, most people are surprised to learn that nearly 70% of our members have an annual payroll of less than $3 million. In addition to our public policy advocacy work, BIA serves its members and the broader business community by hosting many important conferences and events throughout the
Andrew Curland, CEO & President, Vitex Extrusion, LLC
year on substantive topics of interest including labor regulations; taxes; energy costs and reliability; environmental compliance matters; workforce issues; healthcare quality, access and cost; and much more. These events — both in-person and virtual — offer unique opportunities to learn and engage in relationship-building and networking with business and opinion leaders from throughout the state. Again, on behalf of the Business & Industry Association, please enjoy this issue of Enterprise. Thank you to our members for your ongoing support and dedication. (If you’re not a BIA member, you should be!) Sincerely,
Andrew Curland Chair, BIA Board of Directors
BIA staff members Top row: Jim Roche, president; Jennifer Mazzei, director of marketing and membership; Julie Sawyer, executive assistant. Middle row: David Creer, director of public policy; David Juvet, senior vice president of public policy; Lora McMahon, vice president of events and communications. Bottom row: Jane Tewksbury, senior vice president of operations and finance.
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CONTENTS
16 Enterprise is a publication of:
32 28 24
Women leading the way . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Manufacturers to the rescue . . . . . . 24 6 � ���� BIA networking 12 � �� BIA EVENTS 34 � �� Become a MEMBER 35 � �� MEMBERSHIP LIST 40 � �� BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BIA training filling the leadership void. . . 28 The ‘new normal’ for businesses . . . . 32
Tax, Valuations, Consulting and Financial Planning for businesses and their owners. Richard J. Maloney, CPA, ABV Kevin C. Kennedy, CPA, CFE & Jessica P. Wiley, CPA, ABV
www.maloneyandkennedy.com 4 | ENTERPRISE 2020
122 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301 603-224-5388 • www.biaofnh.com Jim Roche President Jane Tewksbury Senior Vice President of Operations and Finance David Juvet Senior Vice President of Public Policy Lora McMahon Vice President of Events and Communications David Creer Director of Public Policy Jennifer Mazzei Director of Marketing and Membership Julie Sawyer Executive Assistant Published under contract by:
A SUBSIDIARY OF YANKEE PUBLISHING INC., AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANY
150 Dow Street, Manchester, NH 03101 603-624-1442 • www.mcleancommunications.com Ernesto Burden President & Publisher Bill Burke Managing Editor, Custom Publishing Kimberly Lencki Advertising Sales Director Ronnie Schlender Sales Executive Jodie Hall Creative Services Director & Designer Nicole Huot Senior Graphic Designer Mista McDonnell Office Manager ©2020 Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information obtained in this publication, BIA of NH will not be held responsible for any errors that occur.
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BIA NETWORKING
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Gallagher Callahan & Gartrell’s Lisa Shapiro, Senator Cindy Rosenwald and Representative Patricia Lovejoy network at BIA’s Welcome Back Legislators.
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Retiring Easterseals NH CEO Larry Gammon listens to his introduction for the BIA Lifetime Achievement Award. Other honorees included Joseph McQuaid of the Union Leader and Joan Goshgarian from the NH Business Committee for the Arts at BIA’s Annual Dinner presented by Eversource.
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Taking a break at BIA’s Energy Symposium are Debra Zarta Gier, Ronald Breton, Michael North and Ken Boivin of GZA GeoEnvironmental.
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Ken Hollingsworth of the Tilton School, Bobby Segal of Sanel Auto Parts, Wendy Hunt of the Greater Merrimack-Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Jim Proulx of Proulx Oil and Propane get into the swing of things at the 24th Annual BIA Golf Classic.
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NH Retirement System’s George Lagos discusses issues with RP Abrasives’s Joe Shean and Senator Martha Fuller-Clark at the 5th Annual BIA NH Leadership Summit presented by Eversource.
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BIA’s NH Advantage Award went to MY TURN at last year’s annual dinner. Representing the nonprofit organization are Holly Joseph, Angelica Resto, Jon Mason, Chelsea Gomes and Allison Joseph.
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At the evening reception for the BIA Leadership Summit presented by Eversource, are Representative Tim Egan, Michelline Dufort of the Center for Family Enterprise, and Ken Sheldon from Bank of America.
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Emily Malley and Paul Phillips from Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer, and Juliana Robinson from Bank of America pose at the BIA 106th Annual Dinner, Lifetime Achievement and NH Advantage Awards Celebration presented by Eversource.
ENTERPRISE 2020 | 7
BIA NETWORKING
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Banking Commissioner Gerald Little, Peggy Gilmour from Preti Strategies and Tom Burack from Sheehan Phinney Bass and Green enjoy BIA’s Meet the Commissioners & Executive Councilors event.
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David Feinson of HRP Associates, Scott Miller of Clean Earth, Matt Oliveria of TRC Environmental and Marc Aubrey of Clean Earth grab coffee at the BIA NH Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Sites Conference.
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Enjoying the networking reception at the BIA Annual Dinner presented by Eversource are Brittany Cassel and Daniel Livingston from Sturm Ruger, and Leslie Blankney from Plymouth State University.
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Senator David Watters, NH Transportation Commissioner Victoria Sheehan, and U.S. Congressman Chris Pappas take questions at the BIA’s Transportation Forum.
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BIA’s David Creer greets guests at the BIA 106th Annual Dinner, Lifetime Achievement and NH Advantage Awards Celebration presented by Eversource.
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Attendees listen carefully to the presentation at the BIA NH Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Sites Conference.
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U.S. Senator Mitt Romney of Utah attends U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s New Hampshire Business Day in Washington D.C., sponsored by BIA.
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U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan of NH delivers her Briefing for Business Leaders in Manchester.
ENTERPRISE 2020 | 9
BIA NETWORKING
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Boston Fed Executive Vice President Jeffrey Fuhrer discusses economic issues with members at a BIA luncheon.
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At her Washington Briefing for Business Leaders, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen tells BIA members about the latest developments at the Capitol.
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Ryan Hvizda of Keller Williams Realty Metro and Tom DeRosa of Housing Action NH discuss the issues at the BIA Forum on Workforce Housing.
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Donald Marsolini of DECCO, Peter Giorno of People’s United Bank and Val Zanchuk of Graphicast enjoy the reception at the BIA Annual Business Meeting presented by Pierce Atwood.
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Governor Chris Sununu addresses the BIA 106th Annual Dinner presented by Eversource, Lifetime Achievement and NH Advantage Awards Celebration.
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Co-workers from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health turn out in support of Sarah Currier on her BIA Above & Beyond Award, honored at the BIA Annual Business Meeting presented by Pierce Atwood.
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Journalists David Solomon, Casey McDermott and Bob Sanders dish on state politics at BIA’s annual Croissants and Crossover event.
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Tom Muldowney of Schooley Mitchell of North Hampton and Anna Nygren of New York Life Insurance Company do some networking at BIA’s Small Business Day.
ENTERPRISE 2020 | 11
BIA EVENTS 2020-2021 CALENDAR July 13
25th Annual BIA Golf Classic Concord Country Club, Concord
August 4 BIA NH Economic Summit, presented by Chase Manchester Country Club, Bedford September 10 BIA Emerging Leader Training Program powered by Sojourn Partners (start of six-month session) Virtual and BIA Office NH Air & Water Conference September 16 TBD October 14 October 29
107th Annual Dinner, Lifetime Achievement and NH Advantage Awards Celebration, presented by Eversource DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown 18th Annual Governor’s Advanced Manufacturing and High Technology Summit Grappone Center, Concord
November BIA Forum on Workforce Housing DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown November 15-16
NH Leadership Summit, presented by Eversource Mountain View Grand Resort, Whitefield
December 7
Meet the Commissioners and Executive Councilors Centennial Hotel, Concord
December 10 NH Energy Symposium DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown January Welcome Back Legislators TBD, Concord February 16th Annual Small Business Day TBD, Concord March Croissants and Crossover TBD, Concord May BIA Annual Business Meeting & Member Reception DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown All events and dates are subject to change or cancellation. For questions, contact Lora McMahon at 603-224-5388 x101 or go to BIAofNH.com/events. 12 | ENTERPRISE 2020
We Build Powerful Solutions From automated technologies that are helping to shorten power outages during stormy weather, to engineering our electric system for a greener tomorrow, we’re leading the way in powering the possibilities for New Hampshire.
Our Future Is Clean Energy
GETT I NG i n v o lv e d
setting BIA’s public policy priorities Where members get a say As New Hampshire’s leading business advocate, BIA relies on input from our members on legislative and regulatory issues of concern. Members have many ways they can participate in shaping the association’s public policy priorities. For example, members can participate in any of our monthly policy committee meetings. These include economic development; fiscal policy; manufacturing and end users (energy and environmental compliance); and human resources/healthcare/workforce development. Each month a variety of legislative and regulatory topics are discussed. BIA’s most comprehensive policy-setting process occurs every two years, beginning
with a series of public policy roundtables across the state. These important discussions are hosted by local chambers of commerce, trade associations and BIA. They are designed to give members and the broader business community a voice in establishing a proactive legislative and regulatory agenda for the next legislative session at the State House. Participants are asked to identify challenges affecting their operations. This discussion includes ranking challenges from most to least pressing, and recommending action steps. Next, we build a questionnaire based on information gleaned from the roundtables and survey BIA members. The survey asks members to rank their top business
challenges and recommend action steps BIA should pursue in response to the challenges. Staff takes these survey results to the policy committees described earlier for further discussion. Recommendations from the policy committees are then presented to BIA’s board of directors for final review and approval. This list becomes BIA’s proactive legislative and regulatory agenda for the upcoming biennium. The document, BIA Public Policy Priorities, is shared with the governor, the entire legislature, other state policy leaders and our membership. It serves as a guide-post for BIA’s staff lobbyists as they engage in advocacy with policymakers in state government. n
BIA’s biennial policy-setting process ROUNDTABLE
FISCAL POLICY COMMITTEE
ROUNDTABLE
ROUNDTABLE
ROUNDTABLE
ROUNDTABLE
ROUNDTABLE
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MEMBER SURVEY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY COMMITTEE
BIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MANUFACTURING & END USERS POLICY COMMITTEE HR, HEALTH CARE & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT POLICY COMMITTEE
BIA’S LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY AGENDA
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LEADERSHIP
Women Leading the Way
Photos by Kendal J. Bush
BIA members benefit from creative, experienced leadership
Look around the C-suites of BIA member enterprises and you’ll find women who are talented, innovative leaders. From those heading up manufacturing companies and nonprofits to hospitality and technology firms, women leaders in the BIA represent a diverse cross-section of New Hampshire industries. Enterprise reached out to several of these leaders, who shared with us details about their lives, their careers, and some of what it took (and takes) to achieve success — particularly during a time of unexpected challenges.
Leadership Through Generations Kathy Garfield, president of the Keller Companies, Inc., joined the company in the late 1990s at the request of her grandfather, Robert R. Keller, Sr., the late entrepreneurial visionary who founded the various family businesses. Today, Garfield, who serves on BIA’s 16 | ENTERPRISE 2020
Executive Board, and other second and third-generation members of the Keller family are continuing his legacy. They manage several Manchester-based companies: Kalwall Corporation, which designs, engineers and manufactures high performance translucent building panels for
wall, skylight and roof systems; Structures Unlimited, Inc., which designs, engineers and installs total building systems utilizing the Kalwall panel; and Keller Products, Inc., which manufactures wood cylinders for the musical drum and furniture industries and plastic extrusions.
Q. What prompted you to work for the family business? Garfield: “My grandfather, Robert R. Keller, began recruiting me to work for the family business in the late 1990s. It’s kind of a funny story, now anyway, was that he told me he wanted me to replace his soon-to-be retiring treasurer and corporate secretary. After about two years of considering it, I quit my job as a municipal bond trader in Boston to join the family business. About a week into the job my grandfather informed me that I was only ‘trying out’ for the job. I guess I made the grade because after two years I became the assistant treasurer, then treasurer-corporate secretary, then president of Robert R. Keller and Associates, Inc. and most recently president of Keller Companies, Inc. By the way (as is probably similar to other family businesses), I am still the treasurer and corporate secretary along with all my other newer roles.” Q. What attracted you to take your grandfather up on his offer? Garfield: “Growing up, I was always exposed to the family business. Our entire family was immersed in it, and we spent summers together. My grandfather was especially interested in his grandchildren, cultivating and encouraging us to learn more, and he started us all reading ‘Popular Science’ at about age eight! My cousins and I met incredible scientists and researchers that he’d developed friendships with. Passive Solar and sustainable design, architecture, materials science, fractals and space research were spoken about daily. “I had a very strong relationship with my grandfather my entire life — he was a tough manager, demanding, and brilliant teacher. He recruited me into the business at age 31 because of my financial training, and he saw an opportunity to both safeguard and expand our businesses with my strengths. The early days, if I’m being honest, were a little rough. The transition between generations is an interesting challenge, but I want the family business to continue for generations to come. I love the stewardship aspect of my job. We are 100% American made — creating and keeping jobs local to New Hampshire is good. Our employees are loyal and dedicated, and I’m proud to see multi-generations of families working alongside my own to provide our unique products globally.” Q. What do you like most about your job? Garfield: “Aside from the family aspect, what we make is pretty cool! Our company vision is ‘make the world a better place, one building
at a time.’ We do this by ‘engineering daylight’ that comes through our translucent panel systems that are manufactured here in New Hampshire. Research shows that naturally daylit buildings are extremely beneficial to occupants. The spectral quality of diffuse light coming through the Kalwall panel is superb. That means we deliver the right light for maximum performance and health, which just doesn’t occur with artificial lighting. Daylighting also reduces energy costs, and our panels have amazing thermal performance, and we are thus part of sustainable and responsible design. It’s exciting to make and sell products with such healthy and environmental benefits. “Our core competency is our composite chemical formulations. We manufacture our
“I am always looking at what we can do better, faster and smarter.” own face sheets for Kalwall panels, but also have other divisions. Structures Unlimited utilizes an aluminum box beam superstructure with the Kalwall panel in a variety of applications from pool enclosures to canopies and walkways. One that manufactures round wood cylinders, used for musical drum shells and furniture. We engineer these shells for specific acoustics — and Keller shells have been famous for tone for 60-plus years. Another division manufactures highly complex plastic extrusions used in markets including aerospace, energy, marine, automotive, to building products and lighting and shading hardware.” Q. What was your career experience prior to joining the family business? Garfield: “I started my career in the professional development program at Connecticut National Bank. Then through mergers, moves, and promotions, I ended up working for five years on the municipal bond desk in Boston as assistant vice president of trading and underwriting at Shawmut Bank. After that I was hired by Tucker Anthony as vice president, trading mostly New England bond municipal paper, and I did that for three years. One of my best memories of those days involves seeing a gentleman years later who thanked me for the training I provided him during his internship. You never know the impact you have on people along the way.” Q. Did you have a mentor that influenced you?
Garfield: “Yes, I have two incredible mentors. My grandfather was one of my mentors. He tested me every day. There were days when I walked out singing my theme song by Chumbawamba’s ‘I get knocked down, but I get up again.’ He was tough. He would take you to task if you hadn’t completed an assignment on time, saying, ‘You need to do whatever it takes to get this done and figure it out.’ And, of course, my other mentor is my dad — who is by far one of the best managers on the planet. I’ve learned so much from him. He’s my go-to.” Q. What’s your leadership style? Garfield: “I am team focused. I am always looking at what we can do better, faster, and smarter. I’m the glue. I’m a facilitator. Definitely into the details, making sure things are running and it’s constant, and it’s a constant worry. I go home at night, I read my emails. If something’s going on with IT at 10 at night, I’m communicating with IT and we are figuring out what the next steps are. I have surrounded myself with highly intelligent and motivated people. I don’t have all of the answers, and in fact, sometimes I have none of the answers. I’m quite honest and open about that. We discuss what needs to be done and I rely on my managers to get the projects/tasks completed. I help guide when necessary. If we need to change direction, we do. I need the buy-in or nothing would get done. I also have an open-door policy for everyone.” Q. How do you manage your team? Garfield: “My managers all have very distinct roles and we get together as a group and we talk to make sure we’re not stepping on each other’s toes because most things fall apart when you don’t have good communication. I also meet with my managers one on one a few times a year (and perhaps many times in between) and we sit down and we go through all of the projects/issues to determine what needs to be done. You’ve got to go over it, under it, around it or through it — that’s my grandfather’s saying. You can’t let an obstacle get in your way. Q. What is something positive that has come out of managing through the Covid-19 pandemic? Garfield: “Something positive — I have an incredible team that has risen to the occasion to keep the business open and keep our employees employed versus furloughed or laid off. My team has worked tirelessly to figure out ways to navigate whatever is thrown at us with the goal of keeping our employees, vendors and customers safe. I am blessed.” o ENTERPRISE 2020 | 17
Kim Adapting to Change, Looking Forward Serving as the general manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown since 2004, Kim Roy is a familiar face in the Manchester business community. After all, her tenure started long before that. Roy was hired as just the sixth employee at the hotel when it opened 37 years ago. 18 | ENTERPRISE 2020
Having risen in the ranks from bus girl to general manager, Roy, who recently joined BIA’s Executive Board, has insight from all levels of the hospitality business, allowing her to efficiently and effectively manage 200 employees who are responsible for organizing some of Manchester’s most well-attended events,
including one of the state’s largest and most impressive, BIA’s Annual Dinner. In 2018, Roy successfully oversaw the completion of an $8 million renovation of the hotel’s 248 rooms and function space, which augmented the property’s prominence as the center of New Hampshire and home every four years to the New Hampshire Primary entourage. Q. What have you learned about managing during a time of crisis? Roy: “This (the coronavirus pandemic and its effects) has been the most emotionally difficult situation to deal with in my career. Unfortunately, due to the travel restrictions, we are at an extremely limited capacity. As you can imagine, being a convention hotel, the silence is deafening. We are currently doing what we can to keep the building and the team safe and secure. We want to believe this is not our new normal. The landscape changes daily and we do what is necessary to adapt. We look forward to welcoming many back soon!” Q. What has 37 years in the hospitality industry taught you about the hotel business? Roy: “One of the things I love about the industry is no two days are the same. You need to have the ability to adapt. Problem-solving capability is essential, and something I enjoy doing. New opportunities to improve guest services or employee retention, from how we keep everyone safe and serve — there’s always something that arises. We’re exposed to many different people over the course of the day and many different types of events. I can have a llama in the lobby one day and the president of the United States the next. And that comes truly from experience. I remember having the farm and forest conference and somebody traveling a llama from the armory to the expo and hosting the president the next day.” Q. How would you describe your management style? Roy: “It’s important to hire caring, experienced leaders that will walk the walk or lead by example, which is what I try to do. I think perhaps you would describe it as a democratic style where I empower my management team to also lead by example: Be honest, have integrity, and be hardworking. I’m passionate about the people. It is important for me to make tours around the property, to interact with the team, to get a pulse of what’s happening.” Q. What skills helped you rise as a leader? Roy: “Aside from determination, commitment, and passion for the industry, I’ve been fortunate that I had the opportunity. We have
outstanding ownership that allowed and promoted growth. Another skill would be adaptability. We’re in the hospitality industry so you have to be welcoming and caring, passionate about people most definitely. And logic is a great skill to have.”
people in — you develop relationships.” Q. How is it different managing your hotel than a traditional overnight stay hotel? Roy: “It is much different. We’re a full-service hotel and conference center. There aren’t many full-service hotels in the area. Many of
“We’re exposed to many different people over the course of the day and many different types of events. I can have a llama in the lobby one day and the president of the United States the next.” Q. What is the role of the DoubleTree by Hilton in the Manchester community? Roy: “I absolutely feel a responsibility to be a welcoming face to people who come to Manchester. We want to do a good job for the city and the state. We’re fortunate to be in a downtown location and have a lot of visitors to the property. We host many events, the armory is booked at 200-plus days a year and the expo is booked over 100 days a year. There probably aren’t more than a dozen days a year where there isn’t something. There are a lot of dignitaries of the area, different companies from the area, but a very large piece of our business is coming from outside of the area. We have a quilting convention, a vegetable and berry-growing convention, even a button convention where people come from all over the world that collect buttons. We’ve had anime, comicon, municipal groups, educational groups. We have the Christa McAuliffe conference every winter, which is all about technology. There are a lot of groups that are here that are very interesting. No two days are the same.” Q. Why is it important for a business leader to be involved in the community? Roy: “I think it’s important for all business leaders to be involved in the community to build relationships that help one another, inspiring others to do the same. Community involvement helps to build a positive image both internally and externally. I have the drive to serve to begin with, that’s what has me in hospitality. I think it’s important to engage in the community — we’re such a small piece of a big picture and our employees and our guests rely on us to understand the dynamics of the community. You need to be in touch with our civic leaders and the organizations that advocate for us. If you have concerns, you need to be involved and understand the dynamics so you can be part of the solutions. Furthermore, when you get out, you bring
them today don’t have full-scale food and beverage operations. People will choose this because they need to be in a hotel with a restaurant that serves three meals. They want the services they can get here rather than a limited stay where you can get a complimentary breakfast but nothing else to speak of. We can have conventions for thousands of people and rise to the challenge of delivering meals to a few thousand.” Q. Tell us about a challenge you had to overcome in your career. Roy: “The transition to a new brand which included a total renovation was the largest
challenge to date. A transition encompasses adopting a new culture, adhering to new standards, and learning new systems and technology. It’s challenging to run a renovation. I work best under pressure and renovating is something I enjoy. It’s a totally different type of challenge. We’re continually evolving and renovating different areas. We went through a renovation where we changed all of the windows in the hotel, along with the guest room baths and the ballroom area. But the renovation in 2018 to 2019, to transform into a DoubleTree, that was the largest scale renovation during my tenure here, and that was an excess of over $8 million. The renovation to transform into a DoubleTree was significant — that was guest rooms, all of our public space, the restaurant, the outlets. JDs tavern is now the Penstock and it’s become meeting space so people can rent their own restaurant. And our new restaurant, which we call The Current — it was previously the Cafe on the Park — we served breakfast. We transformed that into a lobby bar knowing it would be beneficial to have that human energy and allow people to network easily with the flow of the space. It keeps the lobby alive.” o
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ENTERPRISE 2020 | 19
Marty
The Art of Coaching
It was 30 years ago when CASA-NH President/CEO Marcia “Marty” Sink, a foster parent, became aware children were not receiving fair representation in court. A court-appointed guardian ad litem, typically an attorney at that time, would make recommendations to the court in the child’s best interest, but it was being done without all of the information. For instance, she noticed the guardian ad litem was not speaking to the foster parent on the welfare of the child, and mainly that was because they were handling too many cases at a time. “It bothered me there was a real hole in our system and children’s voices weren’t heard,” says Sink, who contacted the National Court Appointed Special Advocates organization to volunteer herself. Upon hearing there was not yet a CASA program set up in New Hampshire, Sink, who had no legal background, took the initiative to start CASA-NH, where she oversees a staff of 34 full-time employees and 600 volunteers made up of vetted members of the community. Q. What are some of the leadership principles you’ve relied on to be successful during the Covid-19 pandemic? Sink: “The skill and art of coaching is something we’ve tried to incorporate into what we do here at CASA. Through those coaching skills, the ability to acknowledge and validate how people are feeling has been really critical. Not everybody is so well, reacting to the current circumstances in the same way. We are all dealing with this in very different ways. Some of our staff have small children at home, others are home alone, so really listening to staff and then validating and acknowledging how they’re feeling and being able to plan how we get through that — either a specific incident or this crisis as it is. That is something that’s so valuable in leadership is being able to incorporate listening, and listening is hard — I think we all know that it’s a skill that you need to really develop and incorporate into running an organization or a business.” Q. How has CASA-NH impacted the New Hampshire legal system? Sink: “In those early days, it was very quickly identified by our judges as being a huge value to the court. When a CASA volunteer steps into this role as a guardian ad litem, they’re limited to one or two cases at a time, so they can really get to know these kids, attend team meetings, do visits with parents, if that’s 20 | ENTERPRISE 2020
needed. They’re expected to visit the child or children on their cases at least once a month, and they are attending every court hearing that involves the child and their parents, and they are reporting out to the court in those hearings what is in the child’s best interest. “We had two pilot programs that started back in 1989 — one was in Manchester and one was in Goffstown court. Our judge in Goffstown, Judge Paul Lawrence, was very familiar with CASA. He knew about it from other judges around the country; he was eager to try it in his courtroom. The Manchester judge was reluctant because using lay-people in this confidential, restricted environment was a foreign idea, but he agreed to give it a try.
“We assured the judges our advocates would be well screened, well trained, and well supervised by staff ensuring the people we put into their courtrooms were appropriate and had the tools to do the job. They bring a very unbiased view to the court system. They want to get involved in kiddos’ lives but also this larger system where they can have an impact on so many children that — it’s the child abuse arena we work in. We’re not doing marital divorce custody work; we are only appointed in cases of child abuse and neglect.” Q. How do you manage 600 volunteers? Sink: “We have roughly 18 staff who do the direct supervision and support of the volunteers. This organization is devoted to supporting
them. They are the ones in the trenches, they’re the ones doing the hard work and we’re here to provide all of the support and resources to help them do this job which is so important for our kids and families. “It’s tough volunteer work. It can be very complex. There can be legal challenges. We have two staff attorneys that assist on legally challenging cases because we can’t expect and we don’t want our volunteers stepping into a role that’s not appropriate. They have clear standards they adhere to — both state and national standards. It’s not like a big brother, big sister role. They don’t become quasi foster parents. They are appointed as an officer of the court so they have full party status on these cases and they’re on a level playing field with our DCYF child protection workers. In a lot of ways, it’s kind of a quasi or part-time job, but we hope that we’re giving them the tools to do their job to the best of their ability. They initially go through an extensive screening process. We do criminal background checks, personal reference checks; they go through a lengthy interview. They are then required to go through 40 hours of pre-service training. “I’m proud of the training because we have strong pre-service training and in-service training all around the state so there’s this ongoing education. We also have support groups in six different regions of the state — that’s a safe space for advocates to come together and discuss their challenges and struggles and because of the confidentiality around these cases, they can’t go home and talk to their spouses or friends.” Q. How would you describe your leadership style? Sink: “You need to constantly be growing in your role as a leader. I’ve been at this for 30 years and I’m still learning and growing. I’m still able to acknowledge I don’t know it all. And as a leader, once you stop recognizing those things, you cease to be effective in a leadership role. I’m the first to admit I made a mistake. I believe a good leader surrounds themselves with good people and a strong staff that has integrity and strong values — maybe people who know more about certain areas than you do, in terms of where the organization’s needs are.” Q. Tell us about a challenge you overcame during your career. Sink: “I think initially the challenge was introducing volunteers — the whole concept of using volunteers again in this highly protective, confidential area and in the juvenile court,
and the challenge for me was not giving up. Because there were times it was really hard where our children protection state agency thought the organization wasn’t very sophisticated. Who were these volunteers stepping in and working alongside attorneys? It was our judges that kept me going because they repeatedly said, as we grew and expanded and
challenges because nonprofits in and of themselves are challenging and we are wearing so many different hats. We are running programs and services, but we’re also managing a board of directors and overseeing staff and doing fundraising. I also work in the legislature and work nationally. I’m going to D.C. next week to do some work on Capitol Hill. So I think
“I’ve been at this for 30 years and I’m still learning and growing. I’m still able to acknowledge I don’t know it all. And as a leader, once you stop recognizing those things, you cease to be effective in a leadership role.” added more courts, ‘Thank you, we need this, we need this information we otherwise would not have so we can make better, informed and more timely decisions for these children.’ In the early days, they weren’t sure we would survive. And our advocates had a hard row to hoe. But it was our judges that gave me the drive to keep going.” Q. Are there challenges unique to nonprofit leadership? Sink: “I think women who step into a leadership role in the nonprofit world face huge
nonprofit leadership, it’s not as easy as I think some people believe it is. It is equally, and I think at times more challenging, because of all of the various hats you have to wear. Volunteer management is different from staff management is different from working with a board of directors. That’s not to say any business leader doesn’t wear multiple hats, but I think a nonprofit leader has to be incredibly versatile and flexible and always learning and growing in their position to strengthen their skills.” o
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Sharron Adapting to Change, Looking Forward
Former BIA Executive Board Chair Sharron McCarthy spent decades leading McLean Communications — publisher of NH Magazine, Parenting NH, NH Home and NH Bride, among others — including BIA Enterprise. After a long, successful tenure at McLean, which was acquired by Yankee Publishing Inc. seven years ago, she seized on an opportunity to follow her passion for helping others to become CEO of Girls Inc. NH. Q. What attracted you to Girls Inc.? McCarthy: “The opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of New Hampshire girls really speaks to me. Every girl deserves the right to become her best self 22 | ENTERPRISE 2020
and I can help make that happen. The Strong, Smart, and Bold mission of Girls Inc. resonates with my core values. As a female leader and mother of two daughters, I understand how confidence and kindness can impact success.” Q. What’s something you’ve learned at Girls Inc. NH about managing during a time of crisis? McCarthy: “Breathe. Keep a level head and absorb every option available. Take calculated risks and plan for the worst. If it’s better than expected, you’re golden. If not, you’re prepared. Stay calm. Breathe more. Don’t panic because every team member will take your lead and panic too.
“When I was at McLean Communications and was told by our original owners that it was being put on the market, along with all the other properties of Independent Publications Inc., I had that same sinking feeling, but knew I had to take control of our fate. I feel the same way now. The actions I take, the example I set and the words I choose will set a pace and direction for Girls Inc. NH and our team members. All things need to be considered and evaluated.” Q. What was the first thing you wanted to do on Day One at Girls Inc.? McCarthy: “Absorb everything. There’s a lot to this job. I showed up with an open mind and a willingness to admit to having a lot to learn. I also wanted to be sure to get the word out about me making this change. The nonprofit world requires constant fundraising and community assistance to keep two centers running, to pay employees, and provide programming around the state. This article helps, so thank you BIA!” Q. What has been the most rewarding part of your time at Girls Inc. so far? McCarthy: “Without question, it is seeing how much it means for these girls to be part of our centers and programs. Seeing the girls get off the bus and come charging in after school to an environment of friendship, trust, support, and education is heartwarming and meaningful. The staff here at Girls Inc. is amazing. Each girl is appreciated for who they are and the camaraderie between the girls and the staff is always inspiring.” Q. How does your leadership style reflect your personality and how will it benefit Girls Inc.? McCarthy: “I am straightforward and like to work efficiently. I am willing to work hard and walk the talk. What you see is what you get. I don’t micromanage and encourage my team to present solutions if there’s a problem. I greatly appreciate talent, positive attitudes, initiative, and industriousness. It’s a team effort for me. I’ll be the captain but I expect my team to pull their weight and contribute to the overall success of the organization. Keeping an eye on the big picture and prioritizing tasks that will lead us toward our top goals is how I roll.” Q. What’s been the biggest obstacle you had to overcome as you became a leader? McCarthy: “I used to think I had to do everything myself. I’d let people off the hook and take care of things. I put a ton of pressure on myself when I was younger. I wanted to be the best at everything all the time as part of my competitive nature. I got extremely
caught up in my work and was very hard on myself. The bright side to aging is that you really do get wiser. I started to figure out that sometimes ‘good’ or ‘done’ is acceptable with certain tasks. And most importantly, I began to get comfortable with delegation and trusting others to complete tasks by providing clear expectations and agreeing to hold one another accountable.” Q. Was there a mentor or role model that helped you prepare for your career? McCarthy: “I’ve never had someone intentionally take me under their wing but I have been influenced and shaped by many people and situations in my career. I learned how to multitask as a multi-sport athlete in high school, balancing my academics, and a job. I had professors at Nichols College who saw something in me and pushed me to become a leader. I’ve had bosses over the years who’ve taught me time management, negotiation skills, financial management, diplomacy, humility, and structure. I’ve worked side by side with people who demonstrated different ways to achieve success through efficient work habits and good decision-making. I learn from everyone, good and bad. To me, mentors are everywhere.” Q. What’s the best career advice you’ve gotten? McCarthy: “Nothing replaces hard work and experience. A close second is ‘do it right the first time.’ This was instilled by my dad from the time I was a little girl. He let me help him with every project and even with some of his real work.” Q. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing young women, and what advice would you give women pursuing leadership positions in New Hampshire? McCarthy: “Young women need to find their voice. Stay grounded but find your voice. If you have an idea, share it. If you have something you really want to say, say it. Just be sure you are able to support your claim. If there is a path you want to be on, tell someone who can help you get there. Be willing to put yourself out there and ask for what you want. Stand out and don’t be average if you want to be in a leadership role. Social media has created exciting new ways to communicate, but don’t forget how to have a meaningful conversation. Talk with people in your field and ask for advice. And lastly, you may just have to practice patience in the early stage of your career. Just when you feel like giving up because you aren’t progressing as you think you should — you could be on the cusp of moving forward.
Be willing to step outside your comfort zone. Those zigs and zags can get you to your goal quickly and you’ll learn more than you expect. “Anyone who claims it’s easy to be a leader while raising a family is lying. The challenge is
“The opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of New Hampshire girls really speaks to me. Every girl deserves the right to become her best self and I can help make that happen. ” real but it’s not impossible. Think twice before completely stepping out of the work mode. Keeping something going that allows you to be plugged in and involved will help you greatly. If you are valuable in your workplace, ask for what you want when you start a family. You may be pleasantly surprised by the op-
tions available. If you go back to work full time after maternity leave, it will be hard on you at times. Find reliable childcare based on recommendations from working moms and you’ll figure it out. I would not trade one moment of being a mom no matter the challenges. As much as I love working, being a mother to my two daughters is the most important job I’ll ever have.” Q. What’s something positive that has come out of the stay-at-home order and its effect on business? McCarthy: “To know that I’m at a point in my career where I know I can handle significant challenges. While I can’t diffuse the situation at hand, I can try to figure out ways to take advantage of the time available to shore-up our operation through the efforts of our employees. Girls Inc. has never had downtime allowing us to plan, learn, and clean like this! Equally important, the Girls Inc. of NH board of directors has been very supportive. I’m extremely grateful for that. I’ve appreciated their individual skills and thoughts more than ever and value the various points of view as we consider the best way to proceed. “And, of course, the family time has been an unbelievable plus.” n
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M ANUFACTURING
Manufacturing to the Rescue Granite state firms shift focus, provide solutions during pandemic
Ever since rushing rivers turned the first water wheels in New England, manufacturing has had an incredible impact in New Hampshire. To this day, manufacturing is the Granite State’s leading sector. From the sheer number of high paying occupations to bringing unsurpassed wealth into the state through product exports, manufacturers drive the state’s economy in ways no other sector does. Until March, manufacturers were humming along with other businesses benefiting from an extraordinarily robust economy. Then “coronavirus,”“COVID-19” and “pandemic” entered 24 | ENTERPRISE 2020
the common vernacular. What was thought to be an isolated outbreak in China exploded into a global health disaster. The world changed for everyone, including New Hampshire’s manufacturers. Governor Sununu declared a state of emergency, but also defined manufacturers as “essential businesses,” thereby allowing them to continue operations. This was fortuitous because many quickly refocused and retooled operations to produce badly needed COVID-19-related products — everything from personal protective equipment (PPE) to hand sanitizer. Here are a few of their stories.
“A man without a filter, is chaos walking” Lydall Performance Materials takes author/journalist/lecturer and screenwriter Patrick Ness’ quote seriously. The company has operated for over 50 years and now has more than 125 employees working in a 270,000-square-foot facility in Rochester, NH The company focuses on manufacturing high-quality, innovative, specialty filtration and insulation solutions for demanding applications with a primary focus on the production of wet and dry-laid nonwoven filtration and
“PPE production is in alignment with our core strategy of enabling a cleaner, healthier and more energy-efficient world.” insulation medias. It produces a wide range of engineered products designed and manufactured for industrial applications including HEPA and ULPA filters which are used in hospitals, cleanroom environments, machine-powered respirators and ventilators; air filters for commercial HVAC systems and residential filters such as furnace filters; and fuel, oil, transmission, hydraulic filters for vehicles, heavy equipment and industrial processes. “Our existing product portfolio and equipment capabilities, combined with our expertise in filtration, allowed us to immediately take action to support COVID-19-related activity,” says Jeff Milem, director of operations at the Rochester facility. “I’m proud to say that our entire facility has been focused on this for the past months with our operations group re-prioritizing assets and re-allocating personnel to support the production of a new mix of materials to support the unique needs of COVID-19.” Thanks to their expertise, Lydall began producing several different COVID-19-related products, the most recognizable of which were N95 and BFE98 melt-blown materials which make up the filtration efficiency layers of face masks and surgical masks. “We primarily changed the mix of products running on our manufacturing lines to support personal protective equipment production,” Milem says. The company worked closely with state officials at the Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA). BEA staffer Cindy Harrington was instrumental in advising the company of state and federal programs and U.S. Senator
Jeanne Shaheen’s office assisted in helping the company navigate the federal landscape. Lydall initially worked with existing customers but saw their customer base expand due to the limited number of N95 and BFE98 suppliers in the U.S. The company plans to continue making these products. “PPE is now a strategic product line for us and we’ll continue to produce face mask materials even after this pandemic is behind us,” Milem says. “PPE production is in alignment with our core strategy of enabling a cleaner, healthier and more energy-efficient world.”
our local community and our employees and their families, this allowed us to contribute toward the safety and prevention of further spreading during this pandemic.” Adding the manufacturing of hand sanitizer to the production line was relatively easy for Worthen, and was a perfect solution to the lack of availability that resulted in high demand arising from the pandemic. “We focused on hand sanitizer because it fit in our business model and manufacturing processes,” says Gase. “Our chemist in the lab came up with a formula to start producing hand sanitizer. It was not difficult to adjust our production because of our capabilities in handling these types of liquid materials. We were able to quickly get it out to local medical facilities that needed it. Over the past several months we’ve manufactured over 5,000 pounds of hand sanitizer that we’ve been giving away to nursing facilities and first responders, such as police departments and fire departments, who we found in our local community were in need.” Hand sanitizer is not Worthen’s first foray into health-related products. The company also supports the medical industry by providing high-quality adhesive-coated products for use in EKG pads, IV Holders, grounding pads, and other pressure-sensitive coated products. Worthen’s ability to combine film extrusion with the application of a pressure sensitive
Keep it Clean! Throughout Worthen Industries’ 150year history the company has strived to create sustainable innovation — defined by endless solutions, continuous environmental stewardship and enduring relationships. The Nashua-based company typically manufactures adhesives, coatings, coated products and thermoplastic extrusion. Worthen adhesive and coatings products are used in shoes, apparel, automotive, medical applications, labels, staples and nails and food packaging. But the COVID-19 pandemic quickly changed the company’s focus. “We are a worldwide company, but we take pride in the local communities where we operate,” says Brenna Gase, a marketing specialist for the company. “We strive to make every aspect of our employees’ lives safe, healthy and rewarding. There was an immediate need in our community that we were able to step in quickly to fill. By providing hand sanitizer to ENTERPRISE 2020 | 25
adhesive is a process that is used in many medical applications. Throughout the state of emergency, the company has continued to produce medical-grade products that are then shipped to critical and essential supply chains to help keep the economy going and the medical field operating. “We’ll continue with these products as long as it’s contributing positively to helping our local community and our employees,” says Gase. “Our mission as a company is to give back and make a difference, and this is how we’re doing so. We want to do the right thing both for our employees and our community.”
All in the Family Keller Companies, a third-generation, family-owned manufacturing company, was founded over 75 years ago. Today Keller employs approximately 500 people operating two facilities — one in Manchester and the other in Bow. The company specializes in wood and plastic products. Wood products produced by Keller for offices, shopping malls and hotels include furnishings like end tables and conference tables. The company also supplies drum manufacturing companies with various wood components for drums, including “drum shelves” (used by Ringo Starr, among other notable drummers). Keller Companies made the first snowboard prototypes and was well known in its earlier years for manufacturing hockey sticks and church pews. Customers for their plastic products include the military, airplane manufacturers and the window industry. Examples of plastic products produced by Keller include covers for exit lights on airplanes, canoe gunnels and plastic parts used for hospital patient partition screens. Keller prides itself on its use of recycled plastics. In the early days of the pandemic and the state of emergency that followed, Keller Companies became aware that certain kinds of PPE healthcare equipment were especially needed by hospitals and other healthcare providers in New Hampshire. Face shields and respirators were at the top of the list. The company explored producing N95 respirator masks but quickly realized they would not be able to gear up to meet rigorous federal standards. “But every day we would be fielding calls for face shields,” says John Hudson, president of Keller Products, one of the Keller companies. The company quickly turned its attention there, but found the plastic sheets used for producing shields were too large for Keller’s manufacturing equipment. 26 | ENTERPRISE 2020
“We really couldn’t adjust our processes to make plastic sheets or face shields, but we realized that we could manufacture the elastic straps used to wear the shields, to the tune of, 25,000 to 50,000 feet a day,” says Hudson. “We’ve been reaching out to other manufacturers in the region to make them aware of our product. It’s also found a home for people who are making homemade masks.” Keller Companies is unsure of what the future holds for manufacturing their COVID-19-related product. “As long as there continues to be a demand, we’ll continue to work to provide the straps,” Hudson says.
On the Ball (Bearings) New Hampshire Ball Bearings (NHBB) is a leading manufacturer of precision bearing products and custom solutions for clients in the global aerospace, defense, medical and high technology markets. The company’s product mix includes precision miniature and instrument ball bearings, large ball and cylindrical roller bearings, specialized rod end and spherical bearings, and next-up mechanical assemblies. NHBB operates three manufacturing facilities in the U.S., two of which are in New Hampshire (Peterborough and Laconia). While NHBB did not switch over to manufacturing PPEs, the com-
pany nevertheless donated several thousand N95 masks to various medical and healthcare providers including hospitals, skilled nursing, and long-term care facilities and first responders. The first lot of N95 masks came from NHBB’s own inventory and were given to area hospitals. In the meantime, NHBB’s parent company MinebeaMitsumi, aware of the global shortage of PPE, made N95 masks from their own inventory available for donation as a disaster countermeasure. Globally, MinebeaMitsumi donated 150,000 N95 masks. “We’re honored to have the opportunity to work directly with healthcare organizations in our local communities that take care of us,” NHBB President Dan Lemieux says. “And we’re extremely grateful to MinebeaMitsumi for their foresight and generosity in making N95 masks available to us for this benevolent purpose.” Gazing into the Crystal Ball The COVID-19 pandemic has had impacts, large and small, on all of us. Companies have felt the impact too. It’s a new experience for everyone making it difficult to forecast what the future holds. One thing is abundantly clear though — New Hampshire manufacturers, the backbone of the Granite State’s economy, will continue to lead the way to help whenever and wherever possible. n
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TRAINING
Filling the
Leadership Void
BIA’s emerging leader training identifies influencers, hones skills When the most recent graduates of a BIA leadership program finished a six-month training session in early spring, they could not have known they were about to immediately be thrust into an environment where those newly learned skills would become vital. However, thanks to Emerging Leader Training — a program created by the BIA in collaboration with Sojourn Partners, a Bedford-based executive leadership coaching firm — when the coronavirus pandemic arrived in New Hampshire and affected every aspect of business, this group was well prepared. “This is when leaders emerge,” Sojourn Partners President and CEO Russ Ouellette says. “This is when we find them.” An ongoing series of training sessions designed to develop confidence and competencies for leadership, Emerging Leader Training puts New Hampshire businesses in a position to recognize potential assets, and to prepare them as a force for sustainability and growth. 28 | ENTERPRISE 2020
“One of the top concerns of employers is talent recruitment, finding qualified employees,” BIA President Jim Roche says. “Emerging Leader Training is an important program because it allows our members to further hone the values and skills of up-and-comers within their enterprises. The program is a catalyst for their continued growth and development.” The fact that the latest session ended just before Gov. Chris Sununu’s executive stay-at-home order changed everything was coincidental, of course, but it created a situation when all of the classroom learning during Emerging Leader Training suddenly became instantly applicable. “We talk a lot about change, and we’re going through a change right now,” Ouellette says. “Change is systemic and it’s everywhere, and we talk about how the only thing that’s consistent is change, and how you embrace it. We address people’s feelings, about how they may go into denial, and we learn things about
coming out of denial and how to bring people through it.” Classes meet once a month, for six months, and are led by Ouellette and his team through topics such as discovering leadership purpose; interpersonal management and communication; managing strategy and change; and becoming an influencer, among others. Perhaps most immediately relevant, however, were the classes that centered on change, emotional intelligence and personal leadership. “Just because someone goes to engineering school or is a lawyer or a CPA, it doesn’t mean they’ve had the training to lead in an organization,” Ouellette says. “Most people use the tools their parents taught them or what they’ve learned from the people they work with and for. But the world is changing. It’s becoming flatter and people are becoming more empowered. Leadership is becoming more personal.” Sessions are customized, applicable, and
hands-on. The result: Real behavioral change that begins immediately. “I didn’t have any preconceived notions going into the program,” says Matthias Downey, product design engineer at Sturm, Ruger & Co. “However, when I first read the program overview, I was eager to participate. I am always looking to better myself and to become a more effective team leader, so the sections on interpersonal management and communication really caught my eye.” Downey was initially selected to participate by the company’s vice president of operations, who hoped to learn if the program would be a viable training tool for additional emerging leaders. Downey reported back that it was. “What makes this program unique is how the Sojourn Partners team approaches leadership through the coaching and development process,” Downey says. “Sojourn leverages their collective experience to provide a personalized framework for an effective leader — not only for the individual but for an effective leader within the corresponding organization. The results are confident and authentic leaders who will execute positive, sustainable change.” Sojourn’s experts focused on that specific topic in its “Managing Strategy and Change” session. Participants were brought through scenarios encouraging them to become strategic thinkers and decision-makers, forming a deeper understanding with the people they manage and moving them through the process. “It’s not only tools and practices,” Ouellette says. “It’s building confidence and showing people that they already have these skills — it’s just a matter of tapping into them.” Shanna Chasse, a financial advisor at Rise Private Wealth Management, in Bedford, was able to use those skills immediately. “During the program, we learned about people maps and understanding personality types, as well as leading with empathy — which are both examples of learnings that I have found to be extra beneficial through these uncertain times,” she says of the skills that were particularly valuable during the quarantine period. Just prior to the arrival of the coronavirus, and the wide-ranging ripple effects it had on every sector in the state, Chasse was afforded a preview of what it meant to lead through unexpected change. “I had an off-site meeting in January where I presented about change management,” she
Trinnie Houghton of Sojourn Partners coaches students on interpersonal management and communication.
says. “The (Change Management) session really flowed over into that off-site meeting, so the timing was perfect. I was able to implement it not only in myself but in a team setting.” Chasse went into the experience hoping to learn more about leadership concepts, how to put those ideas into action and what it can mean to the people you manage. “There’s a lot to the word ‘leadership,’” she says. “It can include a lot. We broke that down and learned about people’s different approaches and styles. I know what it’s like in my office, but I wanted to hear others’ opinions on what leadership means.” For Chasse, it also meant developing her own philosophy: An authentic leadership that fosters an open and transparent culture. One
“It’s not only tools and practices,” Ouellette says. “It’s building confidence and showing people that they already have these skills — it’s just a matter of tapping into them.” who promotes personal growth and recognizes that great ideas and results come from all levels. An empathetic leader that respects the core values of those she leads and helps each individual progress in their role by observing personal behaviors and providing customized leadership. “Each person needs that customized leadership,” she says. “Knowing people and allowing
Russ Ouellette
them to become experts in their roles builds harmony and trust in the workplace. You can’t provide each person with the same leadership. It has to be customized and tailored to each situation and each person you lead.” The diversity of participants helped accomplish just that, according to Brent Rheinhardt, general manager of Boyce Highlands, a Concord-based manufacturing firm that specializes in finished and unfinished moldings. Classes include a cross-section of industry representatives from a wide range of sectors. The principles, however, were applicable across the board. “There was a wide variety of people in the classroom from insurance, healthcare, communication and marketing, lawyers, real estate and development — it was a very diverse class and everybody in it was open to communicating,” Rheinhardt says. “No one was nervous ENTERPRISE 2020 | 29
about putting themselves in an awkward situation. They were all very trusting, which made it very productive.” That diversity became one of the more valuable aspects of the training especially when everyday routines were interrupted in the early spring. “The class teaches you a lot about different personalities,” Rheinhardt says. “Along with that, you learn to figure out what the triggers and typical responses are to a situation from each type of personality. This is helpful when training employees about the changes they need to make in their job in response to the crisis.” It enabled Rheinhardt to lead employees through the “new normal.” “It helped with everything from employees accepting the change quickly, to the ever-evolving procedures to combat the
Shanna Chasse
“We went around the class reflecting on our own takeaways. None of them were the same, but they were pretty much wrapped around the same core pieces — transparency and trust. It was an amazing way to wrap everything up.” 30 | ENTERPRISE 2020
Matthias Downey receives his certificate after completing the Emerging Leader Training program.
virus in our manufacturing facility,” he says. “We needed to implement the changes and have 100% acceptance to ensure the good health of all our employees.” During the series of six-month sessions, Ouellette led role-playing scenarios that prompted participants to examine how they communicate in the workplace, and how those skills can be improved. “I’m in manufacturing, but I was talking with a lawyer — two careers that are totally different,” Rheinhardt says. “But it doesn’t matter what industry you’re in when it comes to talking to people. You can still learn from each other.” Rheinhardt says he struggled with a specific coaching technique taught during the training, but committed to the process. Though unfamiliar with the approach initially, he implemented it and says it has worked well on the manufacturing floor. “It came up when we talked about ‘powerful conversations,’” he says. “It definitely wasn’t the type of coaching where you tell a person what to do. You ask questions and the person figures out what to do on their own. It’s different, and I struggled with it at first, but I worked on it and it’s been working out great. When you’re trying to implement change (using this approach), everything seems to go smoother.” For Alex Anagnost, vice president at Anagnost Companies, the Emerging Leader Training program was the latest in a series of leadership programs he’s taken advantage of since graduating college — a “natural next step to further develop leadership skills.” “It helped me understand my leadership style and how to implement what I learned in the seminars into the workplace,” Anagnost says of the combination of training, coaching, and practice utilized in the program. “I’ve further developed a leadership culture in the
workplace and learned how to teach people to become leaders themselves.” The defining moment for each participant varied. For Rheinhardt, one of the primary benefits was learning about his personal leadership style and communicating with different personality types; Anagnost saw value in learning to implement what he learned in his everyday interactions; Downey appreciated, in particular, the real-world experience Ouellette and his team brought to the sessions. “It’s hard to pick just one MVP for this experience,” Downey says. “Indirectly, Sojourn Partners and the BIA have provided me with many new invaluable business connections. The program has taught me to ask the right questions, stimulated my critical thinking, and challenged me to formulate my own leadership philosophy.” For Chasse, it came on the final day of classes, where the group focused on a session built around integration and implementation. “It allowed us to really reflect on all the learnings throughout the program,” she says. “We were asked to review what we learned and how we would bring that to life through our personal philosophy. We went around the class reflecting on our own takeaways. None of them were the same, but they were pretty much wrapped around the same core pieces — transparency and trust. It was an amazing way to wrap everything up.” As part of a room full of people enthusiastic about participation and eager to grow, it’s not an unusual sentiment. “These are people who really, really want to have an impact,” Ouellette says. “We’re working with people who want to dig in, and digging in with them is completely rewarding for us. We get to meet different facilitators and coach people to help other people. We pinch ourselves every day because we get to do this work.” n
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M O V I N G F O R WA R D
What is the “New Normal” and What Does That Mean for Business?
The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for New Hampshire businesses. Navigating these waters has not been easy. But companies in the Granite State are resilient and have a long history of triumphing over adversity. Those companies that have been most successful were nimble, creative, and able to successfully pivot operations to ride the “new normal” wave. Getting better all the time (can’t get no worse!) In the center of the storm is the healthcare industry. Adverse financial impacts of the COVID-19 crisis have been devastating for hospitals and healthcare systems. Lost revenue 32 | ENTERPRISE 2020
from postponed procedures, downscaled operations to prepare for an anticipated surge of COVID-19 patients that didn’t rise to projections (due in part to social distancing), and patient apprehension about seeking non-emergency or urgent hospital care have
wreaked havoc on finances. “Rather than keeping our head above water, we expect to be drowning for the foreseeable and uncertain future,” says John Kacavas, chief legal officer and general counsel for BIA member Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health. “Resilience will lie in taking a deeper look at all aspects of the business such as redefining a digital strategy for health delivery, offering new or expanded services, and reallocating investments. Offering options for either telehealth instead of in-person clinic visits is one example of what the new normal may look like in healthcare. Our use of telehealth services to care for appropriate patients at a distance has increased dramatically as patients and physicians realize the benefits of this technology.” Telehealth includes online messaging portals, video appointments and online scheduling. The technology has been around for several years but was underutilized due to a lack of a regulatory framework and infrastructure limitations. In light of the pandemic, federal and state regulations became more flexible to accommodate patients that needed care but could not see their healthcare professionals face-to-face. This has been especially helpful in
the behavioral health sector allowing patients to continue regular sessions via telehealth. Although important rules and regulations are still in place, greater flexibility has allowed healthcare providers to move into the digital age at a rapid, if not lightning pace. Resiliency also enabled the healthcare system to address problems in the medical equipment supply chain. Scrambling for personal protective equipment (PPE) at the start of the pandemic magnified the need to make the supply chain less reliant on companies outside of the state and country. In addition, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health developed a process to safely reuse and redistribute sterilized N95 masks using hydrogen peroxide vapor. Hydrogen peroxide vapor has been used at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health since 2017 to effectively sterilize patient rooms. This same process is now used to significantly extend the life of one N95 mask. The expression, “In every adversity there is opportunity,” certainly applies to New Hampshire hospitals and healthcare providers. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged them in ways never anticipated. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health is taking advantage of the “new normal” to become even stronger and better at their core purpose— improving the health of their patients, their families and the communities they serve.
Fasten your seatbelts, it could get bumpy! For BIA member Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, the new normal is equally challenging. According to Airport Director Ted Kitchens, “the system as we know it simply cannot function in the post-pandemic world.” Here’s why. Pre-pandemic, airlines generally required 80 to 85% of seats sold to break even. With falling passenger loads brought on by the pandemic, airline costs will be higher than revenues for the foreseeable future. Some airline carriers’ plans to remove middle seats from aircraft reduces seating capacity by roughly one-third on a typical narrow-body aircraft. If a third of the seats are removed from a plane, airlines can’t sell the number of seats needed to break even, let alone turn a profit. It’s simple math. Manchester-Boston Regional Airport depends upon the health of its airline customers — Southwest, American Airlines, United and Delta to pay various fees associated with using the airport (landing fees, gate fees, ticket counter rental space, etc.). The airport also receives non-airline-related fees from on-site parking facilities, rental car companies, and
restaurants and shopping businesses located within the terminal. With the dramatically reduced usage of the airport caused by COVID-19 (at one point passenger foot traffic in the airport was down a staggering 95%), falling revenues from passengers and airlines are causing the airport to take an even harder look at expenses. Restructuring debt and finding new ways of generating revenue, including leasing land to create non-aeronautical income are all part of their “new normal.” “COVID-19 has helped all of us gain perspective in our lives,” Kitchens says. “We all received a Ph.D.-level economics lesson in how much the economy is connected and how important we are in each of our successes or failures. The airport is no different than any other business in the community — if the community does not use the business, the business will not survive. The challenge is whether our Ph.D. lesson will ‘stick’ or will it simply fade away? So I leave you with this suggestion: Shop Local. Fly Local.”
Burning the candle at both ends In business, the goal of marketing is to get the word out about your company or product, create brand recognition, build trust and use every medium available to tailor your message to your audience. Achieving that goal is more important than ever now. One industry embracing the new normal is manufacturing. One example is Alene Candles in Milford, a BIA member company. Alene Candles is a private-label candle manufacturer. After initially shutting down in the face of the pandemic, the company retooled and reopened to manufacture face shields for healthcare workers and first responders. Pivoting successfully meant communicating with existing customers and distributors before the product changeover to ensure orders were completed and commitments were met. The next challenge was securing materials for the new product. Alene found a company in Maine willing to donate plastic for the first 10,000 shields, so long as they gave some back to the supplier’s local emergency management service. Alene made a total of 60,000 face shields, donating all units to medical professionals and emergency service workers in nearby communities. Alene benefitted not only by demonstrating its capacity to pivot successfully, but also
because its generosity was noticed by employees, its candle customers, and the communities where its plants are located and greeted with tremendous support. It didn’t stop there. Social media has been filled with accolades for the company. When the company transitioned back to their core products, candles and diffusers, Alene reinforced its goal to be “the safest place our employees can be outside their own homes.” This meant changing the layout of equipment and workflow in the company’s two factories and offices, installing new hand-washing stations at employee entrances, constructing physical barriers between employees where distancing isn’t possible and daily temperature readings for all employees.
Remote Possibilities The pandemic has forced many businesses to embrace e-commerce in a way they never imagined. Link Moser of Windhill Design, a web design and search engine optimization firm, has been fielding calls from companies that have never had an online presence. Many of these companies are looking for immediate solutions to enable online ordering. Moser cites one example of a dairy farm with an immediate need to take online orders for home delivery service, something previously handled by telephone. Windhill, a BIA member firm, created an online ordering platform to ease over-reliance on labor-intensive telephone ordering. In less than two months, the farm processed nearly 9,300 orders online. The client’s next step is to create an online store with full credit card processing capabilities. For many companies, remote work will become far more commonplace. Many retail businesses and restaurants may not survive on pandemic-induced reduced capacity unless they adapt. The words “all-youcan-eat buffet” may go the way of AM radio. But carryout app ordering and a modern day version of 1950s style drive-up diners may keep our favorite eateries open. Adapting to the new normal will look different business by business. One thing is clear — change can force better management, more flexible employees, improved communication, deeper strategic thinking, and most of all, the ability to pivot successfully to new products and delivery of services. n ENTERPRISE 2020 | 33
MEMBERSHIP
GOOD FOR BUSINESS Become a BIA member today! If you or your colleagues want to impact state laws and regulations that affect your business, join the BIA! The Business and Industry Association is New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce and the only broad-based business advocate representing leading employers in every corner of the state. For over a century, we’ve been shaping public policy that’s good for business. Our members also take advantage of programming we produce throughout the year on important issues like taxes, energy cost and reliability, workforce development, environmental and labor regulations, healthcare cost and quality, workforce housing and dozens of other challenges facing employers, large and small. Finally, if you’re interested in developing a stronger network of business contacts and forging new relationships with other business and opinion leaders, we create numerous opportunities to do just that. Becoming a BIA member is easy. President Jim Roche is happy to help you at (603) 224-5388 x111. Or feel free to log on to our website, www.BIAofNH.com, and go to MEMBERSHIP. From there, click JOIN BIA and fill out your info. You can also fill out the application on paper and
mail it in to us: BIA, 122 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301. Take an active role in advancing our mission: To promote a healthy climate for job creation and a strong New Hampshire economy. Join BIA today! n
We help businesses write their own success stories. Expanding capacity for success. Bar Harbor Bank & Trust helped John Tauriello, president of Wallace Building Products, purchase the business in 2012. We continue to provide financing solutions tailored to his needs, which helps John stay competitive and keep up with demand. He was able to increase productivity with new equipment, and improved cash flow by using a line of credit. To see this and other success stories, go to www.barharbor.bank/success-stories.
“Marie, our banker, truly listened to what our vision was to grow this business.”
Call 603-843-6811 today to connect with our Commercial Banking team.
—John Tauriello
Personal Banking · Business Banking · Wealth Management Over 50 locations in Maine, New Hampshire & Vermont Member FDIC
34 | ENTERPRISE 2020
BIA MEMBERS 1-800-BunkBed, LLC 3Scrambles LLC 3M 4E — Eagle Electric Engineering Enterprise AAA Northern New England AARP New Hampshire Absolute Resource Associates Acadia Insurance Company Admix Airmar Technology Alene Candles, LLC Allobar Strategies Alpha Analytical Alpha Pension Group, Inc. Alysam LLC American Chemistry Council Anagnost Investments, Inc. Anheuser‑Busch, Inc. Animal Rescue League of NH Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield ArgenTech Solutions, Inc. Aries Engineering, Inc. AT&T Services, Inc. ATC Group Services, LLC
“If I saw I saw “If I“If saw WorkReadyNH WorkReadyNH WorkReadyNH on a on resume, I’d I’d ainterested resume, onvery a resume, I’d be be very interested very interested inbethe in person.” the person.” in Engineering the person.” - Whelen Company, Inc. - Whelen Engineering Company, Inc. - Whelen Engineering Company, Inc.
Auto & Truck Recyclers Association of NH Automotive Supply Associates, Inc. Axsess Energy Group, LLC BAE Systems Baker Newman Noyes Bangor Savings Bank Bank of America Bank of New Hampshire Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Barley House, The Bedford Cost Segregation LLC Behavioral Information Systems, LLC Bernstein Shur Berry Dunn Best Buddies Bi-State Primary Care Association Bigelow & Company, CPA, PLLC Bob Nash, Consultant Boeing Company, The Boyce Highlands Brady Sullivan Properties Brazonics Breathe New Hampshire Burke Advertising, LLC
“...a “...aperfect perfect “...a perfect confidence confidence confidence booster.“ booster.“ -booster.“ John-B., WorkReadyNH graduate John B., WorkReadyNH graduate
C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. Cambridge Trust Company Career Management Associates Casella Catholic Medical Center CCA Global Partners CGI Business Solutions Central New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth Chase Charter Communications Ciborowski Associates Cirtronics Corporation Citizens Bank City of Concord City of Portsmouth Clean Earth Cleveland, Waters and Bass, P.A. Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions Colby-Sawyer College Colliers International Colonial Benefits Comcast Community College System of NH
“...awin-win win-win “...a “...a win-win for employers for for employers andemployers workers.” and workers.” - Karen MacLeod, HR manager, and workers.” Freudenberg Sealing Technologies - Karen MacLeod, HR manager, -Freudenberg Karen MacLeod, manager, SealingHRTechnologies (ApprenticeshipNH) Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (ApprenticeshipNH)
“...a great gateway
“...a“...a great gateway great gateway to growing and to growing and and to growing developing our New developing our New developing our New Hampshire talent.” Hampshire talent.” - Laurie Isleib, HR manager, Tecomet Inc. Hampshire talent.” - Laurie Isleib,(ApprenticeshipNH) HR manager, Tecomet Inc. - Laurie Isleib, HR manager, Tecomet Inc. (ApprenticeshipNH)
(ApprenticeshipNH)
(ApprenticeshipNH)
- John B., WorkReadyNH graduate
WorkReadyNH is a tuition-free program that
sharpens practical skills and turns job-seekers WorkReadyNH is a tuition-free program that into successful applicants andprogram employees. WorkReadyNH is askills tuition-free that sharpens practical and turns job-seekers sharpens practical skills and turns job-seekers into successful applicants and employees. LEARN MORE AT: CCSNH.edu/WorkReadyNH into successful applicants and employees.
LEARN LEARNMORE MOREAT: AT:CCSNH.edu/WorkReadyNH CCSNH.edu/WorkReadyNH
ApprenticeshipNH helps individuals earnApprenticeshipNH as they learn while building a helps individuals company’s workforce. helps individuals ApprenticeshipNH
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earn as they learn while building a company’s workforce. LEARN MORE AT: ApprenticeshipNH.org company’s workforce.
LEARNMORE MOREAT:AT:ApprenticeshipNH.org ApprenticeshipNH.org LEARN
WorkReadyNH (WRNH) is a partnership between CCSNH and the NH Department of Employment Security and is funded through the NH Job Training Fund.
The ApprenticeshipNH program, housed at the Community College System of NH (CCSNH) and funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, is assisting employers building registered apprenticeship programs in high-demand WorkReadyNH (WRNH) is a partnership between CCSNH and the NH and Department Employment Security and is funded the NH Job Training Fund. sectors including advanced manufacturing, construction/infrastructure, healthcare, information technology, hospitality.ofApprenticeshipNH has a fully-staffed officethrough and financial resources to help you (and your employees) overcome WorkReadyNH is a partnership and thescreening, NH Department Employment Security and as is funded through theinNH Fund. any barrier to starting an apprenticeship program.(WRNH) ApprenticeshipNH can alsobetween help you CCSNH with recruiting, and hiringofpotential apprentices, as well accessing resources NHJob thatTraining help to fund apprentice training and education. app
The ApprenticeshipNH program, housed at the Community College System of NH (CCSNH) and funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, is assisting employers building registered apprenticeship programs in high-demand The ApprenticeshipNH housed at the Community College System of NH (CCSNH) andtechnology, funded by aand grant from the U.S. Department of has Labor, is assisting employers programs in high-demand sectors including advancedprogram, manufacturing, construction/infrastructure, healthcare, information hospitality. ApprenticeshipNH a fully-staffed office and building financial registered resources apprenticeship to help you (and your employees) overcome advanced construction/infrastructure, healthcare, information technology, and hospitality. has aasfully-staffed office and financial to help you (and your employees) overcome app manufacturing, any sectors barrier including to starting an apprenticeship program. ApprenticeshipNH can also help you with recruiting, screening, and hiring ApprenticeshipNH potential apprentices, well as accessing resources in resources NH that help to fund apprentice training and education. any barrier to starting an apprenticeship program. ApprenticeshipNH can also help you with recruiting, screening, and hiring potential apprentices, as well as accessing resources in NH that help to fund apprentice training and education. app
ENTERPRISE 2020 | 35
BIA MEMBERS CompTIA Concord Chamber of Commerce, Gtr. Consolidated Communications Consulate General of Canada Cook Little Rosenblatt and Manson PLLC Crawford Software Consulting, Inc. Creare Currier Museum of Art Dartmouth College Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health Dartmouth Regional Technology Center DCI Solutions DECCO, Inc. Dennehy & Bouley Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, Gtr. Design Standards Corporation Devine Millimet DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown Hotel Dover Chamber of Commerce, Gtr. Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC Drive Custom Fit Drummond Woodsum & MacMahon Dupont Group, The
36 | ENTERPRISE 2020
Easterseals NH, Inc. Eastern Analytical, Inc. Eastern Bank ElectroCraft, Inc. Elektrisola, Inc. Elevation Direct Corportaion (Formally Marc H. Vatter, Ph.D.) Elixirr, LLC Elliot Health System Enbridge Endowment for Health Eversource Energy Excellence North Alliance Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce Exeter Health Resources, Inc. Exxon Mobil Corporation F.G. Briggs, Jr. CPA Professional Association Family Resource Center at Gorham, The Felton Inc. Fidelity Investments Fiduciary Trust of New England FirstLight Fiber Formax Foxx Life Sciences, LLC Freedom Energy Logistics LLC
Fulcrum Associates Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell Gallagher, Flynn & Company, LLP Garnet Hill, Inc. GDS Associates, Inc. Geneia General Electric Company GeoInsight, Inc. Geokon Inc. Geosyntec Consultants Inc. Get Your Edge LLC Globe Manufacturing Company, LLC Golder Associates Inc. Granite Edge Consulting, LLC Granite State College Granite State Hydropower Association Granite State Independent Living Granite State Management and Resources Graphicast, Inc. Greenerd Press & Machine GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. H.L. Turner Group Inc., The Hager GeoScience, Inc. Hager-Richter Geoscience, Inc. Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce
Hampshire Fire Protection Co., LLC Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce Hanover Insurance Group, The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Helms & Company, Inc. High Liner Foods (USA) Inc. Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce, Gtr. Hinckley Allen Hitchiner Manufacturing Company, Inc. Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care Alliance of New Hampshire Honda Barn HQ Energy Services HR ROI, LLC HR State Council of NH Hudson Chamber of Commerce, Gtr. Hudson Group Investments (HGI) Human Resource Partners LLC Hypertherm, Inc. Igneous Consultancy, LLC Index Packaging Inc. Industrial Marketing J Grimbilas Strategic Solutions LLC Jackson & Lewis P.C. Jarvis Cutting Tools, Inc.
Keene Chamber of Commerce, Gtr. Keene State College Keeney Holdings, LLC Keller Companies, Inc. Kimball Physics, Inc. Kinex Cappers Knee, Hip and Shoulder Center, The Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Lakes Region Community Services Law Logistics Lawson Group, The Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce Leddy Group LDI Solutions LG Strategies Liberty Lane Partners Liberty Mutual Group Liberty Utilities Lindt & SprĂźngli (USA) Inc. Littleton Area Chamber of Commerce Littleton Coin Company Lydall Performance Materials Mainstay Technologies Make-A-Wish NH Maloney & Kennedy, PLLC
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Gtr. Marmon Utility Mason + Rich CPAs Mather Associates LLC McLane Middleton McLean Communications MCPHS University MEMIC Mikros Tech Milestone Construction, Inc. Millennium Agency Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. Montagne Communications, LLC Mount Sunapee Resort Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce Mountain Club on Loon, The Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa NAI Norwood Group, Inc. Nashua Chamber of Commerce, Gtr. Nathan Wechsler & Company, PA NBT Bank Neighborhood Energy of New England LLC NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire
Partnering with New Hampshire’s future. One business at a time. Stephen Lubelczyk Regional President 603.263.1420 slubelczyk@nbtbank.com
Al Romero Regional Commercial Banking Manager 603.263.1443 aromero@nbtbank.com
nbtbank.com Member FDIC
ENTERPRISE 2020 | 37
BIA MEMBERS New England Backflow, Inc. New England Business Media, LLC New England Employee Benefits Company, Inc. (NEEBCO) New England Petroleum Council New England Ratepayers Association New England Wire Technologies Corp. New Futures NH Association of Realtors, Inc. NH Automobile Dealers Association (NHADA) NH Ball Bearings, Inc. NH Business Sales NH Brown Law NH Catholic Charities NH Center for Nonprofits NH Charitable Foundation NH College and University Council NH Community Development Finance Authority NH Community Loan Fund NH Dept. of Business & Economic Affairs NH Electric Cooperative, Inc. NH Fiscal Policy Institute NH Fisher Cats NH Healthy Families NH Hospital Association
NH Housing Finance Authority NH Humanities NH Institute of Politics & Political Library at Saint Anselm College, The NH Manufacturing Extension Partnership NH Medical Society NH Motor Speedway NH Mutual Bancorp NH Print & Mail Service NH Public Television NH Public Utilities Commission New York Life Insurance Company Newport Area Chamber of Commerce NewVo Interiors LLC NextEra Energy Next Level Now, Inc. Nobis Group Normandeau Associates, Inc. North Country Chamber of Commerce Northeast Clean Energy Council Northeast Delta Dental Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Novocure Novo Nordisk US Bio Production, Inc. Onvio LLC Orr & Reno, PA
Serving the complex needs of New Hampshire businesses for 25 years.
LET US HELP YOU MOVE YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD. Clients rely on us for help with: International & multi-state taxation Mergers & acquisitions Succession planning Accounting & financial reporting Technology risk assessment Business process re-engineering Contact: Karl Heafield, BNN Tax Principal & BIA Board Treasurer kheafield@bnncpa.com
M A I N E | MASSAC H USE T T S | N E W HA M PS HIRE www.b n n cp a .com 38 | ENTERPRISE 2020
Palace Theatre Pastori | Krans, PLLC PC Construction Company Pease Development Authority Peerless Insurance Company People’s United Bank PepsiCo Pierce Atwood LLP Pike Industries, Inc. Pilgrim Foods Planet Fitness World Headquarters Plymouth General Dentistry, PLLC Plymouth State University Portland Natural Gas Transmission System Power Engineers, Inc. Prime Source Foods Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC Profile Strategy Group, LLC Prospect Hill Strategies Provident Bank, The R.P. Abrasives & Machine Inc. Ransom Consulting, Inc. Rasky Partners Rath Young and Pignatelli, PA Reaching Higher New Hampshire RedBlack Software
ReEnergy Recycling Operations LLC Regional Economic Development Center of Southern NH Rise Private Wealth Management RiverStone Group RiverWoods Group Robert R. Keller & Associates, Inc. Robin Hill Farm, Inc. Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Gtr. Rochester Economic Development Commission Rowley Agency, Inc., The Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Salem Chamber of Commerce, Gtr. Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc. Schooley Mitchell-North Hampton Sealite USA LLC Serlin Haley LLP Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green Sig Sauer, Inc. Sight Line Public Affairs LLC Signature Flight Support — MHT Ski New Hampshire Sojourn Partners Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce Southern New Hampshire University
Spradling Group, The Sprague Operating Resources, LLC St. Germain Collins Standard Power Stearns Septic Service, Inc. StoreyManseau, LLC Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Sulloway & Hollis, P.L.L.C. Synchrony Advisors, LLC TD Bank Textiles Coated International Theatre Owners of New England Town & Country Inn and Resort Toy Association, The TriTown Chamber of Commerce TRC Tufts Health Freedom Plan Turbocam International Tylergraphics, Inc. Unitil University of New Hampshire University System of New Hampshire UPS USource Velcro Companies Vergent Power Solutions
VHB Vitex Extrusion, LLC Waste Management Waste Management of NH, Inc. Watts Water Technologies, Inc. Waypoint WBS, a HUB International Company Web-Kare, LLP Well Sense Health Plan Wentworth Hotel, The Western White Mountains Chamber of Commerce Whelen Engineering Company, Inc. White Horse Watch White Mountain/Connors Footwear White Mountains Attractions Association White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. Wilcox & Barton, Inc. William & Reeves Windhill Design, LLC Wipfli, LLC Wire Belt Company of America Wolfeboro Area Chamber of Commerce Work Opportunities Unlimited, Inc. Worthen Industries, Inc. XDD, LLC
Vitex Extrusion has joined Momentum Manufacturing Group, New England’s largest contract manufacturer.
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vitexextrusions.com | 603.934.5275 | ISO 9001:2015
ENTERPRISE 2020 | 39
LEADERSHIP
2020 BIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
— As of May 2020 —
The strongest board of any group in New Hampshire Officers:
Executive Board:
Chair, Andrew Curland Vitex Extrusion
Donald Baldini Liberty Mutual Group
John Gilbert Synchrony Advisors, LLC
Joe Purington Eversource Energy
Chair-Elect, Sheryl McQuade TD Bank
Todd Black Unitil
John Kacavas Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health
Steven Shawver Sig Sauer, Inc.
Past-Chair, Ginamarie Alvino The RiverStone Group
Raymond Brousseau BAE Systems
Stephen Lawlor Nathan Wechsler & Co., PA
Joe Shean R.P. Abrasives & Machines Inc.
Treasurer, Karl Heafield Baker Newman Noyes
Pat Closson, Esq. McLane Middleton, Professional Association
Peter Marsh Comcast Business Services
Kenneth Sheldon Bank of America
Michael Mastergeorge Brazonics
Evan Smith Hypertherm, Inc.
Jeffrey McIver The Mountain Club on Loon
Thomas Sullivan Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.
Brien Murphy Boyce Highlands
Gerri Vaughan Tufts Health Freedom Plan
Joseph Murray Fidelity Investments
Val Zanchuk Graphicast, Inc.
Secretary, Scott Ellison Cook Little Rosenblatt & Manson President/CEO, James Roche Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire
Daniel Cronin CGI Business Solutions Linda Fanaras Millennium Agency Susan Fleck Liberty Utilities New Hampshire
*Executive Board members are also members of the Board of Directors.
Katherine Garfield Keller Companies Inc.
DIRECTORS: Dick Anagnost Anagnost Investments
John Friberg Elliot Health System
John Murphy GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.
Michael Shultz Consolidated Communications
Kevin Boyarsky NH Print & Mail Services
Peter Frid New Hampshire Public Broadcasting
Marian Noronha Turbocam International
Curtis Simard Bar Harbor Bank & Trust
William Brewster Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Peter Giorno People’s United Bank
Michael O’Laughlin Lydall Performance Materials
Peter Burger Orr & Reno, PA
David Greer Wire Belt Company of America
Michael O’Reilly Bangor Savings Bank
Timothy Sink Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce
Kevin Callahan Exeter Health Resources, Inc.
Lisa Guertin Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Russ Ouellette Sojourn Partners
Steven Camerino New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Bob Hines Admix Inc.
David Patterson Cirtronics
Tom Jokerst Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
Joseph Pepe, M.D. Catholic Medical Center
Michael Karsonovich ElectroCraft, Inc.
Alex Phelps Pike Industries, Inc.
Leonel Klassen Elektrisola, Inc.
Steven Poggi Waste Management
Ovide Lamontagne Bernstein Shur
James Reidy Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green
Anne Lapointe The Provident Bank
Denis Robinson, Esq. Pierce Atwood LLP
Brian Law Law Logistics
Kim Roy DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown
Joseph Carelli Citizens Bank Dean Christon New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority Mark Ciborowski Ciborowski Associates Cheryl Coletti-Lawson The Lawson Group Michael Costa Fiduciary Trust of New England Eric Crainich Design Standards Corporation Christopher Diego Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa Gerry Fay New Hampshire Ball Bearings 40 | ENTERPRISE 2020
Joel Maiola Granite Edge Consulting, LLC Mark McCue Hinckley Allen John Morison, III Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Owen Smith Jr. AT&T Services Inc. Jon Sparkman Devine Millimet Heather Staples Lavoie Geneia Venu Sunkara Watts Water Technologies Thomas Taylor Foxx Life Sciences Justin Vartanian Planet Fitness World Headquarters Richard Verney Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. Brandon Wagner GE Aviation Thomas White New England Wire Technologies Corp.
Charles Santich Pilgrim Foods
Mike Wiles Index Packaging Inc.
Robert Segal Sanel NAPA Auto Parts Company
Stephen Wood Work Opportunities Unlimited, Inc.
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