NH Business Notebook: Get ready for big takeaways

‘Leadership Unscripted’ returns June 4 with a new panel of battle-tested executives

Dianne Mercier, former president of People’s United Bank, speaks about her career journey during “Leadership Unscripted” June 5, 2025. From left: JerriAnne Boggis, Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire; Tom Boucher, Great NH Restaurants Inc.; Paul LeBlanc, Human Systems and Southern New Hampshire University; and Amanda Grappone Osmer, Grappone Automotive Group. (Photo by Jodie Andruskevich)

Becoming a great leader is never a straight path. They all experience bumps, setbacks and heartbreak along the path to success. They all have a story — including some they might keep to themselves for a while.

For the third year, NH Business Review is gathering five of the brightest and best-known executives in the state for “Leadership Unscripted.” During the session at the Rex Theatre in Manchester, 8 to 11:30 a.m. June 4, you will hear tales of triumph and turmoil from people who no longer need anyone’s permission to speak freely.

Especially this year: All five of our panelists have either recently retired or have publicly announced their retirements this year.

Four out of five of these chief executives come from the Granite State’s nonprofit sector: Beth Slepian, Granite VNA; Marty Sink, CASA of NH; Peter Ramsey, Palace Theatres; and Rich Ober, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

Jamie Trowbridge, Yankee Publishing Inc., the parent company of NH Business Review, is the lone representative of a for-profit company — one whose destiny is now in the hands of its workers through an employee stock ownership plan.

The event begins with a networking session that runs until 9:15 a.m., during which you can meet the panelists.

Lessons from last year

Some key takeaways from last year’s “Leadership Unscripted” came up during a recent “Down to Business” podcast episode with Bob Magan, senior wealth management officer with Bank of New Hampshire.

We asked Bob if he would revisit those memories to help us promote this year’s event. Once again, Bank of New Hampshire is a sponsor.

Last year’s panel included Paul LeBlanc, the former president of Southern New Hampshire University, whose post-retirement gig includes running an artificial intelligence and education company he co-founded. LeBlanc’s comments about how AI is transforming pretty much every industry resonated with Magan.

“AI is one of those things in the banking world we have to pay attention to. It can be dangerous, but it can be useful,” Magan said. “His comments gave me some thought-provoking things to take back and talk about with the rest of the team, about what we want to do in the use of AI in the banking side of things.”

Panelist Tom Boucher, CEO of Great New Hampshire Restaurants, whose brands include T-Bones and The Copper Door, touted the value of completing a degree program in business administration, Magan recalled.

“I’ve actually used this in a number of conversations with my clients who are perhaps helping grandchildren get ready to go to college,” Magan said. “(Boucher’s) statement was that, if you’re going to spend money on going to college, you should go get a business administration degree, because you’re either going to work for one or you’re going to run one.

“For the younger group from the bank that was there, I think this was very eye-opening for them because it’s true. You’re either going to work for one or you’re going to run one, or in my case, I work for one and I run a division.”

In addition to running Bank of New Hampshire’s wealth management operations, Magan leads Rise Again Outreach, a faith-based nonprofit in Loudon that provides free clothing to struggling New Hampshire communities and also runs counseling and support groups.

“We primarily do outreach through our mobile mission. We fill trucks full of clothes and shoes and hygiene supplies and drive them into parts of New Hampshire that need that assistance,” Magan said. “And we basically give everything away for free. We have to get donors so that we can run trucks and pay for our warehouses and those sorts of things.”

Magan is particularly interested in learning from the nonprofit executives who will be appearing at Leadership Unscripted this year.

“It’ll be very interesting to hear some of the conversations from the folks on that panel, because (the nonprofits) weren’t all as large as they are today when they started. That’s what I’m looking forward to as I think about going — how can I take what we’re doing with Rise Again to the next level, and what kind of challenges I might face while doing that.”

Leadership Unscripted runs from 8 to 11:30 a.m. on June 4 at the Rex Theatre in Manchester, beginning with time to network with the speakers and attendees from 8 to 9:15. For more information and to register, visit nhbr.com and check out the events tab. (Here’s the direct link: nhbr.com/events-awards/leadershipunscripted-event/)