NHBR salutes business excellence
Small businesses in 13 industries across the state were honored Oct. 12 at the third annual New Hampshire Business Review Business Excellence Awards.
The awards ceremony – held at The Event Center at C.R. Sparks in Bedford – was attended by more than 200 people to honor the determination, industriousness, innovation, achievements and community service of the nominees and winners.
The Business Excellence Awards are given to owners and operators of businesses with 100 employees or fewer. Winners are selected by a panel of judges who deliberated over more than 70 nominations. This year’s awards saw ties for winners in both the Excellence in Retail and Excellence in Business Services categories.
“All the nominees should be proud of their accomplishments,” said Sharron McCarthy, publisher of McLean Communications, parent company of the Business Review. “It is businesspeople like these who keep New Hampshire in a position of strength.” Jeff Feingold, editor of the Business Review, thanked the judges who had the difficult task of selecting the award recipients. “This year’s nominees had remarkable stories, and I encourage those that did not win to have their nominators submit them again next year. If you did not submit a nomination this year for a business person you admire, I would also highly encourage you to fill out a form next year as well. These awards are made possible by businesspeople like you,” he said.
Back for the third year as emcee was Ally McNair, longtime New Hampshire broadcast journalist and former host of N.H. Public Television’s “Outlook” program.
In addition to honoring Business Excellence Award winners, the event also included the induction of four people into the New Hampshire Business Review Business Excellence Hall of Fame, honored for their many years of service and dedication to New Hampshire’s business community and the state as a whole.
Named to the Hall of Fame were:
o Steve Barba, former managing partner of The Balsams resort in Dixville Notch, long known for his contributions to the betterment of the North Country in particular and New Hampshire as a whole.
o Gary O’Neil, current principal of the strategic marketing firm Tracey Edwards O’Neil, a prominent and influential New Hampshire advertising executive who has played a key role in the revival of Manchester.
o Kimon and Anne Zachos. Kimon Zachos is senior partner in the law firm of Sheehan, Phinney, Bass + Green and his wife Anne is a leading patron of the arts in Manchester and beyond. Together, they have as dedicated their personal time to the state and to countless business, civic and cultural organizations.
Recipients of the 2005 Business Excellence Awards were:
o Excellence in Law: Teresa Tucker, Grossman, Tucker, Perrault & Pfleger, Manchester
o Excellence in Retail (tie): Dave Quinn and Frank Bettancourt, Van Otis Chocolates, Manchester; Walter and Christine Chapin, Company C, Concord
o Excellence in Technology: Roland Brewer, Sea View Technologies, Exeter
o Excellence in Business Services (tie): Mike Collins, Big Idea Group, Manchester; Edward M. P. Smith, College Bound Movers, Amherst
o Excellence in Media and Marketing: Chris Conroy, Heartwood Media Inc., Manchester
o Excellence in the Non-Profit sector: Amy L. Lockwood, Concord Area Trust for Community Housing, Concord
o Excellence in Health Care: Anthony N. Sacco, O.D., Concord
o Excellence in Construction: Matthew C. Connors, Gemini Electric Inc., Auburn
o Excellence in Real Estate: Marybeth Angeli, Angeli & Associates, New London
o Excellence in Financial Services: Jamie Santo, Santo Insurance & Financial Services, Salem
o Excellence in Hospitality: Gerald Chaille, Lochmere Golf & Country Club, Tilton
o Excellence in Manufacturing: Kedar Gupta, GT Equipment Technologies, Merrimack
o Excellence in Public Service: Julie Gustafson, Amoskeag Business Incubator, Manchester
Judges who selected the Business Excellence Award winners were:
o Donna Buxton, president, Buxton Oil and Water Companies, Exeter
o Joseph Carelli, senior vice president and director of commercial banking, Citizens Bank New Hampshire, Manchester
o Mary E. Collins, director, N.H. Small Business Development Center
o Ellen Fineberg, executive director, Women’s Business Center, Portsmouth
o Cynthia Harrington, business services manager, Business Resource Center, N.H. Division of Economic Development
o Eileen Kennedy, business editor, The Telegraph
o Eliza Leadbeater, executive director, Belknap County Economic Development Council
o Michael McCord, business editor, Portsmouth Herald
o Kathleen Murphy, vice president and marketing director, Laconia Savings Bank
o Jeff Woodburn, civics and economic teacher, White Mountain Regional High School; former owner of Historic Properties Real Estate
Sponsors of the event were Laconia Savings Bank, Public Service of New Hampshire, Delta Dental, Charter Trust Company and Merrimack Street Volvo. Media sponsors were New Hampshire Public Radio and New Hampshire Public Television.
A portion of the evening’s proceeds were donated to Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, an organization that advocates in the best interests of New Hampshire’s abused and neglected children who are caught up in the child welfare and juvenile court system. – CINDY KIBBE
