Author: NH Business Review Staff

Democrats. Republicans. Red states. Blue states. Iowa caucuses. New Hampshire primary. Values voters. Soccer moms. NASCAR dads. During the 2004 presidential election, the country was divided into such categories, making this one of the most polarizing elections ever. Now that…

The New Hampshire Legislature is considering a mercury reduction initiative that could increase electric rates substantially for PSNH customers. As written, Senate Bill 128 could add hundreds of millions of dollars to our energy production costs, and greatly diminish the…

A little more than halfway through the six-month budget process, it’s clear that, as usual, the New Hampshire budget is pretty tight. It’s also clear that after the House passed a stripped-down version of the budget last month, there’s probably…

Remember when the John Birch Society was as extreme right wing as you could get? While they’re still seeing conspiracies behind the bush (obvious double entendre), today they seem positively sane compared to the rabid neo-cons now in charge. They…

To the editor: Re the article about Mehdi Gabayzadeh and the $300 million fraud (“Ex-paper exec guilty in fraud,” April 29-May 12 NHBR). Wasn’t anybody paying attention? I thought large firms had independent auditors and a board of directors. It…

Since its founding almost 27 years ago, the New Hampshire Business Review has gone out of its way to publish a diverse range of opinions on a similarly varied number of subjects, from articles on the economy and government to…

Shortly after the catastrophic events of Sept. 11, 2001, in an article for these pages entitled, “Legal Pendulum Swings In Favor of Developers,” I offered the observation that recent case decisions applicable to real estate development in New Hampshire suggested…

The lettering on construction vehicles traveling New Hampshire roads bearing a family name or the “& Sons” insignia indicates to us that many New Hampshire building and construction companies are family businesses. To keep a family business strong through the…

The March 21 board meeting for Travelin’ Style — a fledgling company with sights on creating convenient travel packs containing daily essentials for business travelers — began as any other board meeting would. President Ben Collins addressed board members, recapping…

I recently returned from the spring meeting of the Counselors of Real Estate in Chicago. With a $175 round-trip fare on a Southwest direct flight, New Hampshire is connected to the U.S. and the world. There were several sessions, but…

The squared circle When you come down to it, the ongoing set-to over construction of a high-end outlet mall in Merrimack was really a match-up between two of New Hampshire’s more well-known political heavyweights. In this corner, carrying the water…

Q. How are investment property lenders arriving at maximum loan proceeds when underwriting today’s historically low cap rates? A. Carefully, very carefully! Capitaliza-tion - or cap — rates are at historic lows, and while capital stays abundant, interest rates stay…

When he arrived in Nashua 16 years ago, Roger Houston didn’t need a map to tell him he wasn’t in Colorado anymore. “When I was in Arvada (Colorado), we annexed an area the size of Nashua,” said the Gate City’s…

The combination of a lower dollar and the level of foreign buyers’ income resulted in a decrease in overseas sales from New Hampshire’s exporting companies in February. Exports of goods made in the Granite State edged slightly down by 1.2…

“You can observe a lot just by watching,” Yogi Berra supposedly said. Some of us observed with keen interest the entertainers performing at the recent annual awards dinner of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. It was the 50th anniversary…

Teradyne Inc., parent company of Nashua-based Teradyne Connection Systems, is putting its Nashua building up for sale, along with another in North Reading, Mass. The factory at 24 Simon St. in Nashua had manufactured connection systems and backplanes, but it…

The Magnet Recognition nursing award — a national seal of approval designating nursing excellence - has been awarded to St. Joseph Hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a part of the American Nurses Association. The Nashua hospital is the…

Nationally, venture capital fund-raising increased sharply last year, reversing a three-year downturn — and there continue to be significant funding opportunities for late-stage as well as early- and seed-stage companies in 2005. Dividing investments regionally, New England remains a strong…

Imagine if today’s mail brought a letter from the IRS advising you that you or your small business are being audited. What would you do? Please bear in mind that a notice to appear before an IRS examiner is not…

Just as financial ratios can help a business owner evaluate his or her firm’s status with respect to its liquidity, diagnostic ratios can assist in analyzing how a firm manages its debt. (Trade debt pertains to the credit extended by…

I try to learn what I can from great leaders, and we lost a giant of a leader on April 2. OK, I admit it — I’m Catholic, and I even practice my religion. Even so, John Paul II was…

One question I frequently get is whether our clients should include a new kind of communication called a blog in their PR strategy. After all, everyone who hires a PR professional is most often interested in one thing — getting…

The New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies recently released a study about the impact of increased state spending on public education since the Claremont decisions. The study indicates that school districts continue to spend widely varying amounts on a…

The inability to move forward on important federal spending bills such as the Transportation Equity Act (TEA-21) is having an impact on the progress of infrastructure projects throughout New England and will ultimately have an impact on the region’s economy.…

Fast forward to the fourth quarter 2005. Looking back on what I hope was a successful year economically you will have planned for ’06 and beyond. What new products and markets will be your focus? Certainly, you will be concerned…

Often when a thorny issue comes up in Concord, our citizen-legislators develop a sudden enthusiasm for study. Consider how our House of Representatives has responded to a decision by the state Supreme Court to replace court stenographers with electronic recording…

To the editor: I can sympathize with reader Paul Kelly and his concern about Social Security. (“Just say no to Social Security revamp,” March 18-31 New Hampshire Business Review.) But it is even worse than he fears; Congress passes laws,…

In a surprising vote, the New Hampshire Senate recently passed and sent to the House a bill imposing tougher mercury emissions standards. If ultimately passed and signed into law the measure could have a significant impact on Public Service of…

Parents who want to drop off kids aged 15 or younger at the Pheasant Lane Mall on Friday or Saturday nights are out of luck. In response to recent “disorderly and disruptive” incidents, mall security personnel two weeks ago started…

A two-day “boot camp” designed for community-minded entrepreneurs put together by Stonyfield Farm and the School of Community Economic Development at Southern New Hampshire University will be held June 9-10 at the university in Manchester. Called The Stonyfield Farm Entrepreneurship…

The lure is cast through unsolicited faxes to New Hampshire businesses, and the bait is seductive. It offers extensive health-care benefits, with little or no restrictions, no exclusions for pre-existing conditions or age, often at a monthly cost of less…

Standing behind the philosophy that “health care is a local activity,” Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is right at home in New Hampshire. Combining national experience with a small-town frame of mind, Anthem focuses on the satisfaction of its…

A comprehensive fund-raising campaign and an expanded schedule of “trademark” events are the highlights of The Music Hall of Portsmouth’s recently unveiled two-year strategic plan. The 2005-2007 plan, unveiled by Executive Director Patricia Lynch and Gail VanHoy-Carolan, board president, also…

Lots of snow and lots of customers made this a great season for southern New Hampshire’s two downhill ski areas, but the reborn Crotched Mountain is still trying to overcome having been out of the public eye for 13 years.…

For SyAM Software, it meant a $750,000 loan to help the Nashua start-up company take the next step without giving it away to venture capitalists. For Bortech Corp., a small machine company in Keene, it meant a $500,000 loan, a…