NHBR About Town: Week of October 9, 2026
Business and event happenings around the state of NH
Author: Tabatha McKay
Manchester property values jump nearly 50%
The value of all property in Manchester increased by almost half — 48% ‑ over the past five years, according to preliminary data released by city officials on Oct. 13 The valuations, compiled due to a citywide revaluation, add up to $23.09 billion. The current value of city properties is $15.56 billion, which was based on assessments made during the city's last revaluation.
The Latest: Week of October 9, 2026
The Latest is a roundup of the comings and goings of the movers and shakers in NH's business community
Navigating NH’s new solid waste site eval. committee
Anyone who has taken a transmission line or a wind farm through New Hampshire’s Site Evaluation Committee knows the process is long, expensive and can be fraught with complication.
AI in the workplace: a checklist for HR
Artificial intelligence has moved from pilot project to daily practice inside many HR departments.
Dartmouth Health builds at-home caregiver institute
When Richard “Dick” Levy’s wife, Susan, received a terminal diagnosis of a progressive brain disorder a decade ago, he became her primary caregiver. Doctors estimated Susan had between three and five years left to live.
Navigating a fixed rate interest strategy
Interest rates affect nearly every business decision — from expansion plans to asset acquisition to operational budgeting.
(Opinion) Leadership is measured by the doors you open
More than 20 years ago as a senior at Saint Anselm College, I found my way into a political advertising seminar held at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
(Opinion) ‘Don’t Get Political’ podcast comes to life with Binnie Media
New Hampshire is a remarkable place. We go first in the presidential primary. Our citizen legislature sends people to Concord who hold day jobs and show up anyway.
(Opinion) Plug-in solar is coming to New Hampshire
Plug-in solar has become one of the most successful clean energy projects in Europe. In Germany, an estimated 4 million households now use small, portable, “balcony” solar panels that plug directly into a wall outlet.
Building tomorrow’s manufacturing workforce
This year’s Advanced Manufacturing and High Technology Summit kicked off with a topic universal to all employers: how to build the workforce of tomorrow. The 24th annual event organized by the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership on Oct. 9 featured a keynote panel discussion featuring representatives from the state’s university and community college systems.
(Opinion) The state of New Hampshire’s veterans
New Hampshire is home to 81,535 veterans, including 8,893 female veterans. They are our neighbors, co-workers, coaches, business owners, public servants, parents and friends. They have served our nation. Now the question is whether we are serving them with the urgency, coordination and compassion they deserve.
(Sustainability Spotlight) From data to action
At Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast (Coke Northeast), sustainability means creating shared value by operating responsibly today while building a resilient tomorrow.
(Cook on Concord) Manchester is on a roll
On Sept. 30, Visit Manchester, the nonprofit launched to promote the Queen City, held its kick-off event at the Rex Theatre, where board members, sponsors and Manchester’s Mayor Jay Ruais spoke about the many activities going on in the city, new restaurants and planned events, and the sense of optimism and unity which has spurred the effort.
2026 Business Excellence Awards Event Photos
Photos from the 2026 NHBR Business Excellence Awards, presented by M&T Bank. This event was held on Thursday, October 8 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH
What agritourism means for New Hampshire
Agritourism has become an important business option for many farms in New Hampshire and across the country. Exactly what is agritourism?
(Market & Main Streets) Tough budgets ahead
It’s October and as the leaves fall, town budget committees, school boards and select-boards are beginning the process that will culminate in Town Meeting as snow starts to melt in March. The famous quote is that “all politics is local,” but in New Hampshire so are budgets.
(Improving Performance) Classical proficiency
I keep seeing articles on how hard it is for new college grads to find jobs. Some who do are often let go a few months after starting.
The Bottom Line: Planet Fitness, Albany and Itaconix plc
A roundup of news updates from public companies in NH and nationwide
Fed rate hike not likely to impact NH economy
Interest rate hike? What interest rate hike? The move by the Federal Reserve to hike a key interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point (0.25%) has provoked a big yawn in the New Hampshire economy.
Take 5: Gen Z professionals, retirement age and in-demand hybrid job titles
NH Business Review's biweekly snapshot of business and industry statistics
‘Game changer’ medical facility eyed as part of new Seacoast Landing
The Seacoast Landing retail and commercial development project underway in Newington could include a large medical facility that would be between 75,000 and 100,000 square feet, and would be the third major occupant of the 82-acre project along with a Costco and a second major retailer.
Military & Veterans Campus has new way to build teamwork
On a recent Friday at the Easterseals NH Military & Veterans Campus in Franklin, I found myself about 30 feet in the air. I was holding onto a pole and contemplating what suddenly seemed like a rather narrow log stretching out over a great deal of empty space toward another pole, which also seemed remarkably distant.
Childcare assistance program expansion slows as provider counts decline
In recent years, New Hampshire families have faced persistent and growing challenges with affordability and accessibility as they navigate the early care and education landscape.
New Hampshire’s best business lawyers
Published annually, “The Best Lawyers in America®” is an exhaustive search for the country’s top attorneys. Here is a compilation of the top attorneys who practice in New Hampshire in dozens of legal specialties related to the needs of businesses,…
NASA veteran joins UNH to lead R&D
Ramy Rahimi is the new vice president for research and development at the University of New Hampshire.
NH Business Notebook: Mission accomplished
For years, Diane Fitzpatrick talked with her board of directors at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Manchester about expanding to the West Side, home to 25% of the city’s population.
Q&A with Executive director of NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire Robert Tourigny
Robert Tourigny has been leading NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire for more than 20 years, but he’s still chasing the big ones.
15 leaders honored for 2026 Business Excellence Awards
This year, NH Business Review marks the 24th anniversary of our Business Excellence Awards, which celebrate the initiative, creativity and tenacity of the Granite State’s business community.
It’s (still) the economy, stupid
Back in 1992, political strategist James Carvell came up with the phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid,” to help Democrat Bill Clinton defeat incumbent Republican President George H.W. Bush.
Mortgage rates aren’t doing NH housing affordability any favors
A new study shows that New Hampshire ranks ninth among states where residential mortgages are rising the fastest. The news doesn’t help ease the myriad concerns associated with the state’s ongoing housing crisis.
Will hackers use your own AI against you?
Businesses have spent years asking what AI can do for their employees. Fewer have asked what it would do for an intruder inside an employee’s account.
Adding features does not close deals, passing security audits does
Many companies fall into the trap of innovation without realizing that not passing a data security audit will stall a deal right in its tracks.
Website tracking technologies: why are businesses being sued for using them?
Laws in other states, including in New Hampshire, are being used to hold businesses liable for their use of website tracking technologies
The (multi) million-dollar question: what your board needs to know before the breach
Getting cybersecurity wrong costs millions of dollars, customer trust, and sometimes the business itself.
Sylvania celebrates 125 years of innovation
The Sylvania brand celebrated 125 years of bringing light into the world with a Sept. 24 event at its plant in Hillsborough. The plant on West Main Street, which produces automotive lighting products for original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket, is the last major automotive aftermarket lighting plant in the country.
Cybersecurity hiring in New Hampshire: talent, pipelines, and the impact of AI
Cybersecurity requires a mix of technical depth, real-world experience, and the ability to think critically under pressure. That combination takes time to build, and most companies are competing for the same relatively small pool of proven talent.
Prompt injection is the new social engineering: what it looks like and how to stop it
Prompt injection is the AI era's version of social engineering, and it's already happening in the wild. If you're deploying AI tools in your organization and haven't thought seriously about this, you should.
How to use cybersecurity to increase your business’s value
Strong cybersecurity can also boost business valuations and inspire buyer confidence. Both sides of the transaction should treat cybersecurity as a key factor in building enterprise value.
Trouble on the home front
Permitting and construction of new homes is up, but it’s still at historic lows and not enough to keep up with demand. The recent housing production is mostly single-family, with a smattering of multi-family developments but relatively few duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes.
New Hampshire workers face major challenges despite indicators of an improving job market
Preliminary data indicates that nonfarm employment in New Hampshire rose by 1.1% from January through July 2026, but fell short of a full recovery from job losses during 2025.
Peterborough sells contaminated South Municipal Well to NH Ball Bearings for $110,000
The Peterborough Select Board unanimously approved the $110,000 sale and the company’s conditions to shut down the site on Tuesday
Attorney Jack Middleton made his mark in New Hampshire
New Hampshire in general, and its legal profession in particular, suffered a huge loss when Jack B. Middleton died on Sept. 8. The president of McLane Middleton, he recently marked 70 years of active law practice with that firm.
Fast-growing life sciences sector looks to colleges to keep pace
New Hampshire’s life sciences industry is expanding quickly, but the workers employers need range far beyond biomedical scientists — from manufacturing technicians and engineers to project managers, supply-chain specialists and finance professionals. At the Empower Life Sciences event hosted by…
Higher density cited as a solution to curb cost of new housing
Ask a developer about the best way to bring down the cost of new housing in New Hampshire, and he’ll tell you it’s allowing more density. That was the case Sept. 17 when New Hampshire Business Review (NHBR) hosted a webinar on housing that included Eric Jackson from the Stabile Companies, a housing developer/builder based in Nashua.
It's Worth Knowing: An aging state faces challenges with its senior population
It's still a fact in 2026 that New Hampshire has the second oldest population in the United States — 43.4 median age — tied with Vermont and topped only by Maine. Most senior citizens in New Hampshire say it's a great place to retire. But it depends on life's circumstances.
Leadership Is Measured by the Doors You Open
Leadership isn't measured by the title you hold or the deals you close. It's measured by the doors you open for others - especially for the next generation.
(Opinion) In New Hampshire, your power bill is an asset hiding in plain sight
In one of the most expensive power markets in the country, sub-metered buildings hold a hidden asset.
Concord Hospital Medical Group Expands Local Primary Care Access for Franklin Residents
She is accepting new patients and providing comprehensive primary care services to patients of all ages.
NH Food Bank Announces Shamera Simpson as New Director of Development
Simpson brings more than 19 years of nonprofit development and leadership experience, with a strong track record of growing revenue, cultivating community and corporate partnerships, engaging volunteers and boards, and leading successful fundraising events.
More news from NHBR:
NHBR About Town: Week of October 9, 2026
Business and event happenings around the state of NH
Manchester property values jump nearly 50%
The value of all property in Manchester increased by almost half — 48% ‑ over the past five years, according to preliminary data released by city officials on Oct. 13 The valuations, compiled due to a citywide revaluation, add up to $23.09 billion. The current value of city properties is $15.56 billion, which was based on assessments made during the city's last revaluation.
The Latest: Week of October 9, 2026
The Latest is a roundup of the comings and goings of the movers and shakers in NH's business community
Navigating NH’s new solid waste site eval. committee
Anyone who has taken a transmission line or a wind farm through New Hampshire’s Site Evaluation Committee knows the process is long, expensive and can be fraught with complication.
AI in the workplace: a checklist for HR
Artificial intelligence has moved from pilot project to daily practice inside many HR departments.
Dartmouth Health builds at-home caregiver institute
When Richard “Dick” Levy’s wife, Susan, received a terminal diagnosis of a progressive brain disorder a decade ago, he became her primary caregiver. Doctors estimated Susan had between three and five years left to live.
Navigating a fixed rate interest strategy
Interest rates affect nearly every business decision — from expansion plans to asset acquisition to operational budgeting.
(Opinion) Leadership is measured by the doors you open
More than 20 years ago as a senior at Saint Anselm College, I found my way into a political advertising seminar held at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
(Opinion) ‘Don’t Get Political’ podcast comes to life with Binnie Media
New Hampshire is a remarkable place. We go first in the presidential primary. Our citizen legislature sends people to Concord who hold day jobs and show up anyway.
