The Latest: Week of June 19, 2026

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

4 hours ago

Amanda Andrews,

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Erik Mitchell has joined St. Mary’s Bank as business development officer. Mitchell has more than 13 years in banking, including roles at Citizens and TD Bank, where he led branches in Gilford, Wolfeboro, Newington and Plaistow.

RBC Wealth Management welcomed Joshua Wright to its New England Complex where he will serve as a financial advisor, SVP of investments, and lead the Bedford and Peterborough branches in New Hampshire.

Wright most recently served as branch manager for Wells Fargo Advisors. Wright will work alongside Mary Cronin, a 36-year financial services veteran, who will serve as senior registered client associate. Prior to joining Wells Fargo in 2013, Cronin spent more than 20 years supporting financial advisors at Morgan Stanley and its predecessor firms.

The NH Bankers Association elected officers and directors for the coming year during its annual meeting this month, with the 2026-27 board now represented by: chair, Chris Logan, president and CEO of Bank of New Hampshire; vice chair, G. Frank Teas, president and CEO of Millyard Bank; treasurer, Jim Kisch, president and CEO of Passumpsic Bank; secretary, Josephine Moran, president and CEO of Ledyard Bank; and directors Steven Byrnes, TD Bank; Brian Bozak, Franklin Savings Bank; Lloyd Hamm, River Run Bancorp; Curtis Simard, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust; and Tim Wade, M&T Bank.

Fabiana Pereira has been promoted to AVP, wealth and financial advisor, for NHTrust, where she delivers financial planning, wealth management and trust services for clients at the Concord and Keene offices.

Stephanie Burnor has transitioned to a new position within the Residential Lending Team at Merrimack County Savings Bank as a licensed mortgage loan officer (NMLS #1493340) for the Greater Concord area. Burnor joined The Merrimack in 2016 as an underwriter for home equity loans, later serving as mortgage sales and support manager before being promoted to her most recent role as assistant vice president of residential fulfillment.

Neville & Associates, a Hampton-based, family-run advisory firm, has joined wealth management strategies provider Osaic, Inc., from LPL Financial. With about $300 million in client assets, Neville & Associates has served clients across 28 states for more than 40 years, and is led by branch manager Rick Neville.

Meredith Village Savings Bank (MVSB) has promoted Martha Clifford to assistant vice president, branch and business development manager, for the Bank’s Plymouth branch office. She joined MVSB in 2010 and was later promoted to her most recent role of branch and business development manager in 2021. Jami Bourdeau was also promoted to AVP, branch and business development manager, for the Bank’s Wolfeboro and Melvin Village offices. Bourdeau has been with MVSB since 2006, serving in various capacities.

HOSPITALITY

The Nash Casino, New Hampshire’s largest charitable gaming venue, has been named the “Best Casino in New Hampshire” by voters who participated in the 2026 International Casino Awards’ nomination and selection process, organized by Casinos.com.

BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS

H. Andy Crews has been confirmed for a third term on the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. Governor Kelly Ayotte recently nominated Crews and the Executive Council confirmed him on June 3. He was first appointed to the New Hampshire Lottery Commission in 2020, and this term runs through 2029.

Planet Fitness franchise group CDM Fitness Holdings has appointed Steve Venezia as CEO and Christopher Derderian as president and chief financial officer. CDM is headquartered in Foxborough, Mass., with 69 clubs across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. CDM also announced the promotions of Lynne Davis to chief human resource officer, Laura Barry to EVP of operations and Becky Smukall to SVP of marketing.

Picklr, North America’s largest indoor pickleball franchise, has opened their newest club at 270 Lafayette Road in Seabrook. Picklr Seabrook features nine indoor courts in its 25,000-square-foot facility with a full pro shop, warm-up area and community gathering space.

EDUCATION

Jim Chilton has been named executive vice president for enterprise ventures at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), tasked with identifying and pursuing strategic partnerships, investments and acquisitions that strengthen the university and extend its mission. Chilton, an SNHU alumnus and former Investment Committee chair on the board of trustees, stepped down from the Board to assume this leadership role. Chilton most recently served as executive vice president and chief technology officer at Cengage.

Joan Loftus, director and chair of nursing at Colby-Sawyer College, has been named the top academic nurse educator/researcher in New Hampshire Magazine’s 9th Annual Excellence in Nursing Awards, in collaboration with the NH Nurses Association. The award is presented to a nurse in academia who educates students at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral levels and who integrates best research, clinical expertise and patient values in making decisions about the care of patients.

LAW

McLane Middleton has been recognized with seven firm rankings in Chambers USA: A Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers, and 24 of its attorneys were also recognized, including: Steven M. Burke, Patrick C. Closson, Michael A. Delaney, Adam M. Dumville, Steven J. Dutton, Bruce W. Felmly, Viggo Fish, Joseph A. Foster, Wilbur A. Glahn, III, Dennis J. Haley, Jr., Scott H. Harris, Jack B. Middleton, Barry Needleman, Margaret “Peg” O’Brien, Jennifer L. Parent, Michael J. Quinn, John E. Rich, Jr., Mark C. Rouvalis, Richard A. Samuels, Gregory H. Smith, Ramey D. Sylvester, Michael B. Tule, Jeremy T. Walker, Mark A. Wright.

Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., recently hired attorney Hazel Spires, who will be joining the firm’s Dover office as part of its Personal Injury Group. She began her career in environmental science, leading a team of data analysts at an imaging company focused on natural disaster response. She later worked as a legal research assistant after graduating from the University of Oregon School of Law.

AUTOMOTIVE

Merchants Fleet has once again been certified a “Great Place to Work” for the tenth time, based on what current employees say about their experience working at Merchants. This year, 84% of employees said it’s a great place to work — 27 points higher than the average U.S. company. Employee feedback also highlighted the company’s culture, with 94% of employees saying they can take time off when needed, 91% noting they are given a high level of responsibility in their roles, and 90% of employees said management is approachable and easy to talk to.

HEALTH CARE

ShiftMed, an AI-powered healthcare workforce platform, has partnered with York Hospital, a community-based system serving Southern Maine and New Hampshire, to help support the hospital’s clinical workforce by creating a dedicated community float pool of credentialed caregivers. The flexibility to quickly fill open shifts as patient demand changes supports the existing clinical teams and ensures patients receive consistent, high-quality care.

Southern New Hampshire Health (SNHH) has named Robert Catania, MD, chief surgical officer at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center. Dr. Catania joined SNHH in 2020 and launched the bariatric surgery program. Since beginning surgical practice in 2007, Dr. Catania has performed more than 1,500 bariatric procedures.

Five Catholic Charities NH skilled nursing facilities were named 2026 recipients of the Commitment to Quality Award (Bronze) by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL): Mt. Carmel Rehabilitation & Nursing Center (Manchester), St. Teresa Rehabilitation & Nursing Center (Manchester), St. Ann Rehabilitation & Nursing Center (Dover), St. Francis Rehabilitation & Nursing Center (Laconia), and Warde Senior Living (Windham). The national award recognizes long-term and post-acute care providers that demonstrate a strong commitment to resident care, organizational excellence and continuous improvement.

RiverWoods Exeter has maintained an overall Five-Star rating in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Nursing Home Care Compare program, the highest rating the federal government awards to nursing home communities. The Five-Star designation reflects strong performance across quality indicators to evaluate nursing home care, including resident outcomes, clinical quality measures, health inspections and staffing levels. The updated ratings were released by CMS in May 2026.

Lamprey Health Care recently recognized two members of its community by the Bi-State Primary Care Association. Janna Thompson, APRN, a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner, has been named the 2026 New Hampshire Outstanding Clinician Award recipient, in recognition of her work with patients and communities with limited access to care. Audrey Ashton-Savage, MBA, a principal lecturer at UNH in the College of Business and Economics, received the 2026 New Hampshire Community Service Award for her community impact.

MANUFACTURING

PICA Manufacturing Solutions, a NH-based electronics manufacturing solutions company, has opened its new office at 13 Red Roof Lane in Salem, NH, to provide additional space for the company’s engineering, sales, marketing and customer service teams. PICA produces flexible circuit boards, rigid-flex circuit boards, printed circuit boards, PCB assemblies, engineering support and global manufacturing solutions.

REAL ESTATE

Brian Chirichiello, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Verani Realty in Londonderry, has been selected as the Realtor of the Year by The Granite State South Board of Realtors (GSSBR), in recognition for his outstanding contributions to clients, commitment to professional excellence, civic involvement and ethical conduct. In his 25 years in real estate, he has served on the board of directors of GSSBR, several committees and was recently elected to the New Hampshire Board of Realtors.

ENGINEERING

Nobis Group recently named Andrew Bulluck, PE, its director of civil engineering. He initially joined the firm in 2019, contributing to complex civil and environmental projects over the ye Civilworks New England — a 100% employee-owned civil, structural and waterfront engineering and survey services firm — recently welcomed Emmett Hardwick, EIT, and Michael Duffis, EIT, to the company as civil engineer and structural engineer, respectively. In addition, staff surveyors Jon Haight and Gene Bird recently earned their Surveyorin Training (SIT) certifications.

Jay Aube takes ownership stake in TFMoran

TFMoran, an engineering and surveying company, announced that Jay Aube, Director of Environmental Permitting, is stepping into the role of principal and joining the firm’s ownership group. Aube has more than 20 years of environmental permitting experience, including five years at TFMoran, with expertise in wetland delineation, functional assessments, compensatory mitigation and restoration plans, as well as the design and permitting of coastal resiliency and shoreline stabilization projects. His work regularly involves environmental permitting at the federal, state and local levels, and representing clients before regulatory agencies, boards and commissions. Aube is a certified wetland scientist and serves on legislative committees for the Associated General Contractors of NH and the NH Association of Natural Resources Scientists.