The Latest: Hirings and Promotions

The Latest is a roundup of the comings and goings of the movers and shakers in NH's business community

August 7, 2025

NH Business Review Staff,

LAW

Joseph D. Becher has joined Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer as of counsel in its insurance defense and litigation practice groups. Based in the Manchester office, he brings over 12 years of experience in workers’ compensation and insurance defense, including roles in private practice and as in-house counsel.

The law firm of McLane Middleton, P.A., was ranked in the Chambers High Net Worth guide in the private wealth law section. The guide ranks law firms, lawyers and other advisors globally who specialize in private wealth management for high-net-worth individuals and families based on client feedback and peer recognition. In addition, attorneys Steven M. Burke, George L. Cushing, Christopher R. Paul, Robert A. Wells, and William V.A. Zorn received individual recognitions.

Aiden Neigh the Manchester office of Devine Millimet as an associate. Neigh holds a bachelor of arts from Pennsylvania State University and earned his juris doctor from the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law. As associate member of the Devine litigation team, Neigh will be assisting clients with a variety of domestic relations and family law matters.

HEALTH CARE

Granite VNA’s Hospice Home & Garden Tour raised more than $29,000 to support its hospice services, thanks to the over 450 attendees who toured the five chosen properties in the Lakes Region. Longtime chairperson of the tour, Barbara Lobdell, will be stepping down from her role for next year’s tour, when Karen Haskell of Wolfeboro will take her place.

Home Health & Hospice Care has earned the 2024 SHPBest “Superior Performer” Caregiver Experience Award by Strategic Healthcare Programs. The award was given to HHHC for achieving an overall caregiver and family experience score that ranked in the top 20% of all eligible SHP clients for the 2024 calendar year.

West Central Behavioral Health purchased neighboring properties at 203-205 and 209 Broad Street in Claremont to expand its behavioral health care services in the community. The company’s CEO Lori Shibinette said in a press release that they will be forming a community advisory committee to include Claremont residents in developing designs for the property.

CONSTRUCTION

PROCON LLC has named Preston Hunter as vice president of business development. With over 20 years in real estate and commercial construction, Hunter will lead strategic client engagement and support regional growth. He joins long-time director Paul Roy in strengthening PROCON’s legacy of integrated design-build services and relationship-focused success.

BUSINESS SERVICES

Mike Crones, CIO for federal benefits administrator and marketplace operator FedPoint, was recognized as a finalist for the 2025 BostonCIO ORBIE Awards. The technology executive recognition program honoring CIOs in New England who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership.

MANUFACTURING

Can-One USA, a manufacturer of aluminum beverage cans, promoted Sophie Thong and Stephen Jade to its leadership team. Thong has been named director of account management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Saigon University in Vietnam, and a master’s degree in international business, trade and commerce from Da-Yeh University in Taiwan. Jade has been named operations manager for Can-One USA. He brings more than 20 years of experience in manufacturing operations, maintenance leadership and production supervision, having worked in similar roles at PepsiCo, WestRock and Crown Cork & Seal.

HOSPITALITY

The Lake Estate on Winnisquam, a luxury resort in Tilton scheduled to celebrate its grand opening in August, recently unveiled its executive leadership team. The 114-room independent resort, featuring a 5,000-square-foot world-class spa, aspires to achieve New Hampshire’s first Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond recognition. Ed Rocco, general manager, and Patti Rocco, estate manager, will lead a team of 130 to 150 employees across full-time, part-time and seasonal positions. Chef Chris Viaud is the resort’s director of culinary arts, Joe Ouellette is the director of sales and marketing, and Elaine Obregon is the director of food and beverage.

Breeze Airways is now operating a nonstop service from Portsmouth International Airport (PSM) to Raleigh-Durham, N.C. starting later this year on December 11. Breeze was recently named one of Fast Company’s world’s most innovative companies of 2025 for its low-cost air travel, and was also named the No. 3 best domestic airline by Travel + Leisure in 2025.

Aroma Joe’s has opened a new location in Meredith at 337 Daniel Webster Highway — the company’s fifth store in the Lakes Region. The 672-square-foot shop will serve its handcrafted coffee and espresso drinks and all-day food options, with franchisee owners Josh, Eric, Kim and Zach Gustafson at the helm.

FINANCE

Merrimack County Savings Bank named Dan Belliveau as vice president, commercial loan officer for the Greater Nashua Region. Belliveau has more than 16 years of experience in credit and commercial lending, serving small and medium-sized businesses across southern New Hampshire.

Meredith Village Savings Bank (MVSB) announced the 2025 recipients of the James D. Sutherland Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded annually to one graduating senior from high schools located in those towns where MVSB operates a branch. Recipients for 2025 are: Wilder Carrigan of Portsmouth, Northeastern University; Chloe Hartnett of Exeter, Roger Williams University; Nathaniel Hobby of Laconia, University of Maine; David Kizer of Campton, University College Dublin; Kade Lucas of Wolfeboro, SNHU; Gavin Marchand-Correia of Moultonborough, Boston University; Emmaline Morin of Rochester, Rivier University; Gabreaelle Perron of Gilford, New England College; Austin Roberts of Jackson, Fairfield University; Avery Thoroughgood of Barnstead, University of Maine; and Meadow True of Meredith, NH Technical Institute.

Holy Rosary Credit Union has promoted Brian Therrien to executive vice present, a position he will hold in conjunction to his role as chief financial officer. Therrien obtained a bachelor’s from New England College and an MBA from SNHU. He holds the Certified Credit Union Executive designation through America’s Credit Unions.

Ledyard Bank opened a new location in Bedford at 99 South River Road, with a grand-opening ceremony scheduled for Sept. 27. The new full-service branch will offer personal and business accounts, loans, and wealth management; as well as a 24-hour ATM and currency exchange services.

Accounting and advisory firm Baker Newman Noyes has hired David Lawler as managing director of technology advisory services, a new role that provides business, technology and management consulting services for organizations. Most recently, Lawler served as a systems engineer at a global cybersecurity firm and as the director of engineering for a nationwide managed security service provider.

Passumpsic Bank promoted Allie Beliveau to junior residential loan advisor, where she will serve the greater New Hampshire market. She will work directly with homebuyers, offering guidance and education on mortgage loan products. Beliveau joined Passumpsic Bank in 2023 as a service representative.

Lisa Gautieri has joined Kennebunk Savings as residential lending officer for the firm’s New Hampshire markets in Dover, Hampton, Portsmouth and Stratham. Gautieri has 28 years of banking experience, including 23 years as a mortgage loan officer. She previously worked as a community development loan officer at Five Star Bank in New York and spent 15 years at Tompkins Community Bank.

Eastern Bank Foundation recently welcomed Miriam Ortiz to the organization as chief impact officer, responsible for leading initiatives that promote economic mobility and inclusion across communities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Ortiz succeeds Turahn Dorsey, who took on the role of the Foundation’s president and CEO.

RETAIL

After a seven-year hiatus, Catherine Dragonfly has reopened Dragonflies Antiques Gallery in Wolfeboro at 4 Center Street. Previously, Dragonfly has been involved in managing and promoting antique shows with Stella Show Management in New York City, and upon returning to the Granite State, she built the largest antique festival in NH with more than 225 exhibitors. The revamped gallery will feature two sections featuring Americana and antique furniture, collectibles, vinyl records and much more.

ENGINEERING

Danny Stamp has joined engineering and technical consulting firm Sanborn, Head & Associates as the director of information technology. He will be responsible for the development of the firm’s information systems and data processes including maintaining its large-scale enterprise systems.

Medical engineering design and manufacturing firm KMC Systems, based in Merrimack, has rebranded to become HiArc, to better reflect the company’s position in the industry as a high-performance solution architect. The company has spent the past 45 years helping organizations solve complex engineering and manufacturing challenges for life science and diagnostic companies. HiArc is looking to more actively invest in new capabilities that will help serve next-generation diagnostic and life science innovators including robotics, optics, microfluidics and thermo-dynamics.

Peter A. Steele has been appointed regional administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Region 1 by President Trump’s White House and SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. Steele now oversees SBA operations across six New England states. A former journalist and business owner, he brings experience in communications, policy and economic development.

REAL ESTATE

CrownPoint Partners announced the sale of a single-tenant property located at 20 D’Amante Drive in Concord in an all-cash transaction for over $7.5 million to a private investor based in New England. Julius Swolsky and Shannon Bona, managing partners and co-founders of CrownPoint Partners, in association with Para-Sell, Inc., represented the seller, Concord D’Amante LLC, an affiliate of ARCTRUST, a private real estate investment company based in Clifton, N.J. The buyer, a private investor based in Massachusetts, was represented by Horvath & Tremblay.

Kent White and Caitlin Burke of The Boulos Company recently brokered the sale of 8.54± acres of land located at the intersection of Banfield Road and Peverly Hill Road in Portsmouth. The wooded property, which abuts 17 acres of conservation land, offers flexible development opportunities in a strategic location.

Commercial real estate brokerage firm Marcus & Millichap announced the sale of a 22,000-square-foot industrial warehouse located at 49 Harvey Road in Londonderry for $2.85 million. Luigi Lessa, Harrison Klein and Mattias Edenkrans, investment specialists in Marcus & Millichap’s Boston office, represented the seller, John Bacheller, in association with Thomas Shihadeh, Marcus & Millichap’s broker of record in New Hampshire. The buyer, Source1AV, was procured by Dan Scanlon of Colliers.

NONPROFITS

The Manchester Historic Association received over $73,000 in charitable gaming funds from Revo Casino and Social House in Manchester. The funds will help support exhibits at the Millyard Museum and educational programming for children.

NH LAKES, a nonprofit with the mission of restoring and preserving the health of New Hampshire’s lakes, has welcomed Dan Regan to its board of directors. Regan is a biotech executive with past leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, Genzyme and several startups. Living in Enfield, he volunteers as a ski patrol member at Mount Sunapee and is also the president of the Crystal Lake Improvement Association as well as an active Lake Host.

The Southern District YMCA has acquired the FUN After School property at 40 Stickney Terrace in Hampton, which will allow the continuation of child care services in that community. The YMCA plans to continue to provide child care and summer camp services while expanding program offerings to fill an urgent local need for affordable, reliable child care.

The NH Center for Nonprofits recently welcomed four new members to its board of directors, each serving a two-year term: Matt Mowry, executive editor and co-publisher of Business NH Magazine; Betsy Andrews Parker, CEO of Community Action Partnership of Strafford County; Ken Sheldon, SVP at Bank of America; and Emma Stratton, executive director for the Portsmouth Historical Society.

Carl Weber named deputy city manager for Portsmouth

As of June 30, Carl Weber replaced deputy city manager and regulatory counsel Suzanna Woodland for the City of Portsmouth. In his new role, Weber will help the city shape the future of municipal service delivery and find innovative solutions that enhance the quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors. Weber spent 18 years at Primex, NH’s public risk pool, where he served as director of member services and director of technology services. He holds dual bachelor’s degrees in political science and community development, a master of arts in public policy and a graduate certificate in integrated marketing communications. A former U.S. Navy search and rescue swimmer, Weber has specialized training in leadership development, conflict resolution and organizational behavior.