The Bottom Line: Connection, Unitil and Skillsoft

A roundup of news updates from public companies in NH and nationwide

CONNECTION WINS LENOVO AWARD

Connection (NASDAQ: CNXN), an IT solutions provider to business, government, health care, and education markets, has received the Lenovo 360 Nationals Partner of the Year U.S. 2025 award, which recognizes a single partner for excelling in all three areas of Lenovo’s International Sales Organization business: Intelligent Device Group, Infrastructure Solutions Group and Solutions and Services Group. Connection was selected for the award based on year-over-year growth, customer engagement and close alignment on strategic planning.

Ryan McCurdy, senior vice president and president of North America for Lenovo, said, “Connection went above and beyond to secure its place as Lenovo 360 Nationals Partner of the Year U.S. 2025. Year over year, the Connection team delivered an impressive 33% growth across Intelligent Device Group business and 44% growth for the Solutions and Services Group, closing one of the largest channel Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) opportunities in Lenovo history. … That performance reflects a commitment across the entire organization — from front-line sales all the way up to leadership — to align with Lenovo on strategic planning, training and acquisition activities. The strength of those relationships and the team’s focus on growth has set our partnership up for continued success.”

SKILLSOFT REPORTS SURGE IN LEARNER GROWTH AND ENGAGEMENT

Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL), an education learning platform, has announced significant growth in technology learning and enterprise adoption. The company saw a 30% year-over-year increase in technology learners, with AI learning seeing a 74% rise in users and a 158% jump in learning hours. This growth reflects the urgent need for organizations to close skill gaps and keep pace with rapid technological change.

“Organizations are under pressure to build future-ready workforces,” said Apratim Purakayastha, general manager of talent development solutions at Skillsoft. “Our comprehensive learning experiences help them accelerate skill development and achieve business goals.”

According to Skillsoft’s IT Skills & Salary report, 65% of IT leaders face talent shortages, impacting project timelines and business performance. To address this, Skillsoft offers a blended learning model with 325,000+ assets, including on-demand courses, AI-driven simulations, live instruction and certification prep.

Recent enhancements include: advanced skill assessments showing a 161% YoY increase in completions and 20% average skill gains; expanded content in AI, cybersecurity and quantum computing through Codecademy and Global Knowledge; certification prep for 500+ credentials from AWS, Microsoft, Cisco and more; and CAISY, an AI-powered coach that simulates real-world tech scenarios.

Customers like CGI and DB Systel have used Skillsoft to rapidly upskill workforces. CGI trained over 70,000 employees on AI in just three months, earning 140,000+ course badges. DB Systel transitioned to a digital-first model to onboard college graduates with in-demand DevOps and automation skills.

UNITIL CELEBRATES FIRST PUBLIC UTILITY-OWNED SOLAR ARRAY IN NH

Unitil Corporation unveiled its new 4.9-megawatt solar array in Kingston on June 18 — the first to be owned and operated by a regulated distribution utility company in the state.

The 11,232-panel solar array, which is among the largest in New Hampshire, is part of the company’s efforts to expand clean energy resources and bring affordable energy to customers.

Thomas P. Meissner, Jr., Unitil’s chairman and CEO, described the first-of-its-kind array as a project that proves out the benefits and promise of utility-scale solar and one that’s consistent with Unitil’s sustainability and environmental stewardship goals.

The array, which was built off Towle Road, is expected to generate approximately 9.7 million kilowatt hours of energy in its first year of service and average 8.6 million kilowatt hours annually over its projected 40-year life span. It’s also estimated to save Unitil customers approximately $2 million over its lifetime of operation.

Meissner said the array will generate enough energy to provide electricity to over 1,200 homes.

At the ribbon-cutting for the solar array, Sam Evans-Brown, executive director of Clean Energy NH, highlighted the benefit of the array’s tracking ability to maximize energy production and other features of the system. He also noted that the array recently earned an Energy Champion Award for “Project of the Year” for its innovative characteristics during NH Energy Week.