The Latest: Week of June 5, 2026

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

1 hour ago

Amanda Andrews,

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Gary W. Pelletier, an independent financial advisor at Northeast Planning Associates in Nashua, has been recognized by Forbes as one of the 2026 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors for the ninth consecutive year. Forbes selects advisors based on years of experience, community involvement and client retention data.

Five private wealth advisors with Rise Private Wealth Management were named to Forbes’ list of Best-in-State Wealth Advisors for 2026: Brent Kiley, Robert Bonfiglio, Christopher Kinnane, Justin Hall and Nancy Burt. Advisors were chosen based on assets under management, industry experience, compliance record and best practices in working with clients.

Bangor Savings Bank has hired Kim Vieira as vice president, commercial banking senior relationship manager, based at the Bank’s Biddeford, Maine, branch. Vieira most recently served as senior vice president and commercial market manager at Camden National Bank.

In recognition of Small Business Month last month, Citizens announced 20 recipients of its 2026 Small Business Community Champion Award, including one New Hampshire-based business: Ofemz Home Healthcare Agency LLC in Manchester, an in-home care provider expanding caregiver recruitment, training and culturally responsive services. Award honorees receive $10,000 and a year of professional development support through Luminary.

Cigna Healthcare has selected NBT Bank as a recipient of its 2025 gold level Healthy Workforce Designation for demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the health and vitality of its employees through an employee assistance program and financial wellness support.

In honor of its 35th year in business, Ledyard Bank is launching the 35th Anniversary Community Impact Awards, where one winning nonprofit will be voted to win $15,000. Community members are invited to visit any of the Bank’s branches to vote for either Family Promise, Fueled By Kids, New England Healing Sports Association, NH Children’s Trust, NH-VT Palliative Services (The Hand to Heart Project) or Upper Valley Habitat for Humanity. Votes will be accepted through July 1, with the winning nonprofit announced July 6.

HR consulting firm BlueLion has welcomed Elena Alois as their new head of talent and development. With nearly 20 years of HR leadership experience, Alois holds both the SHRM-SCP and PHR certifications, is certified through the MBTI Business Training Institute in Myers-Briggs, and holds multiple certifications in Predictive Index, including team performance, talent optimization, leadership and management, and employee engagement and productivity. She has held leadership roles at NH organizations such as Southern New Hampshire University, Catholic Medical Center, Northeast Delta Dental, and most recently served as assistant vice president of people and talent management at Granite Edvance.

EDUCATION

Lani Fortier has been named the new executive director for Northeast Passage, a center within the University of New Hampshire’s College of Health and Human Services that empowers individuals with disabilities through adaptive sports and therapeutic recreation. Fortier has more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, including senior roles with the International Rescue Committee.

The board of trustees of the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) has appointed Dr. Eileen Glover as interim president of River Valley Community College (RVCC). Dr. Glover has served as the department chair for Allied Health programs at RVCC since 2021, providing leadership for the licensed practical nursing, respiratory therapy, radiologic technology and medical laboratory technician programs. In 2019, she was appointed statewide program director and tasked with relaunching the practical nursing program across multiple CCSNH campuses.

The Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce has awarded its 2026 Nonprofit of the Year award to Great Bay Community College in recognition of its affordable workforce training programs that help individuals build necessary skills for in-demand careers. Sponsored by Living Innovations, this award recognizes a nonprofit that demonstrates excellence in its mission, leadership and sustained community impact throughout the Greater Rochester area.

Nina Pavcnik has been chosen as the inaugural dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Dartmouth College, effective July 1. Pavcnik, the Niehaus Family Professor in International Studies and a professor of economics, has served as interim dean since January 2025 and will now lead as the chief academic, administrative and budget officer for the newly established school.

HEALTH CARE

Delphi Enhanced Primary Care recently welcomed three new doctors to the practice: Dr. Marcy Boucher, board-certified in family medicine; Dr. Danielle Porbunderwala, focused on preventive medicine, chronic disease management and patient education; and Dr. Mark Ferlan, a board-certified internal medicine physician.

CONSTRUCTION

Metro Walls has welcomed Jamie Gibbs to its framing and drywall operations team as a project manager. Gibbs has over a decade of experience in project coordination, field support and client communication.

Jewett Construction has named Justin Howell of Pinkerton Academy as the recipient of the 2026 Jewett Trade Scholarship, totaling $3,000, which supports graduating New Hampshire seniors pursuing careers in the skilled trades. Howell plans to pursue a career in the HVAC field following graduation.

The Associated General Contractors of New Hampshire (AGC of NH) recognized some of the state’s top construction projects, companies and industry leaders during its 2026 Awards Night. Recipients honored were: Member Appreciation Award, Art Rose of A.W. Rose Construction; Best Innovative Construction Design, Tuscan Building 1300, Wallace Building Products; Best Specialty Project, USACE Jetty Rehabilitation Project, Riverside & Pickering Marine Contractors; Silver Award – Subcontractor Project, Porsche Gen 5 Dealership, Optiline Enterprises; Gold Award – Subcontractor Project, Reimagining Senior Living in NH, Metro Walls Baldwin; Best in Roadway/Bridge, U.S. Route 4 bridge over the Blackwater River replacement, R.S. Audley, Inc.; Best in Building, Lighthouse Credit Union headquarters, PROCON; and Overall Best in Construction, Rockingham County Municipal Building, Harvey Construction.

NONPROFITS

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation (NHWF) honored Carol Pierce with the 2026 AmplifiHER Award and present the inaugural Solidarity Award to Joe Keefe at its 9th Annual Gala on May 29. The NHWF’s Amplifi-HER Award is given annually to someone who has dedicated their personal and professional lives to lifting up women and girls in the Granite State. The Solidarity Award is given to an individual who has personally and professionally championed gender equality. The Gala will also celebrate three Trailblazers: Kaylee Richard, an emerging leader from Girls at Work; Camilla Thompson, a Black maternal health advocate from Black Lives Matter New Hampshire; and Angel Simone, an LGBTQIA+ advocate and director of continuous quality improvement at the Trevor Project.

The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund awarded accelerator grants totaling $100,000 to 29 small business owners as part of Community-Driven Economic Empowerment (CDEE), which helps small business owners become financially self-sufficient with grant funding and technical assistance. Recipients were: Yasamin Safarzadeh, Yasamin Safarzadeh LLC; Roxanne Herres, SunnValley; Alison Murphy, Penumbra; Jacqueline Ose, Black Olive Pottery Studio; Chandra Reber, Collective Agency; Susan Riedl, Gnomies; Jocelyn Winn, The Eleventh Letter; Whitney Elsesser, Holistic & Hormonal; Dante Marino, DeadProof Pizza; Mariana Gibaldi, Gilsum Village Store; Tiffany Whitcomb, The Pipeline Project; Cameron Paul, Seventeen Management Consulting; Forrest Chess, Mountain Wanderer; Karen Steuer, Hemlock Springs Soaps; Ama Abadoo-Brew, The Parent Forge; Kastle Harper, Rhythm & Roots Studio; Kate MacKenzie, South of the 6; Tina Marchand, Ellie and Piper; Kristie Ranahan, Village Play Café; Aliah Rodriguez, Alchemized Divinity; Sarah Roberts, SJR Nonprofit Solutions; Whitney Barney, We Are All Art; and Sonia Vazquez, Perfectly Imperfect Flips & More; Laurianne Bennett, Bennett Freedom Farm; Emerald Anderson-Ford, The Liberation Nexus Lab; Eileen Marousek, Port City Foods/Port City Pretzels; Nicole West, New Perspective Consulting; Harlyene Goss, HD Merrimack; and Elizabeth Salas Evans, Cayena Econ Lab.

The Nash Casino presented nearly $2.2 million in combined contributions from April to 12 New Hampshire nonprofits, including: 603 Legal Aid, Southern NH Special Operations Unit Tactical Officers Association, Manchester Choral Society, Nashua Theatre Guild, At Eagle Pond, Inc., Breathe New Hampshire, Mary A. Sweeney Home, YouthWell New Hampshire, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership of NH, Granite State Ambassadors, Inc., International Soccer Club, and My Breast Cancer Support.

The Manchester Development Corporation (MDC) has appointed four new members to its board of directors: Andy Boyle, senior director of asset management at New Hampshire Housing; Andy Leach, president of LG Strategies; June Trisciani, alderman at-large; and Dana Dexter, Ward 3 Alderman. A few board members were also reappointed to serve an additional 3-year term: Rebecca Kane, an attorney at Devine Millimet; Steven Scheiner, vice president and commercial relationship manager at St. Mary’s Bank; Heather McGrail, president and CEO of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce; Joshua Wright, senior vice president of investments at Wells Fargo Advisors; Kyle Baker, senior manager of government relations at RYP Granite Strategies; and Michael Harrington, vice chair of the board of directors and principal of Harrington & Company.

UTILITIES

This June, Eversource is bringing its Main Streets initiative to Manchester, Milford and Nashua in order to provide small business owners with direct access to energy-efficiency assessments and available upgrades. Through the NHSaves programs, Eversource offers incentives for various energy-efficiency improvements – up to 90% of project costs – and interest-free financing is available for any remaining costs. The no-cost, no-obligation energy assessments are to identify energy-saving opportunities for small businesses, such as LED lighting and controls, high-efficiency HVAC systems and other efficiency upgrades.

REAL ESTATE

Jeffrey Brown, of Manchester, NH, has been selected as the 2026 REALTOR of the Year from the Greater Manchester/Nashua Board of REALTORS (GMNBR). Brown has been a REALTOR for 14 years, and is the broker/owner of his own brokerage firm, American Dream Real Estate. He was chosen for his contributions to the betterment of community life, and his conduct of business reflecting the Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS.

Hayley Klein of Hirsch and Company has announced the lease of a combined 17,715 square feet at the Meeting Place on Route 101 in Amherst to four new tenants: Granite Financial Partners, Night Owl Quilting, Connective Wellness and Granite State Family Health. This brings the property to over 90% leased to a variety of medical, office and retail users.

HOSPITALITY

Castle in the Clouds is now open for its 20th season through October 25. Visitors can enjoy a new exhibition, “From Private Estate to Public Treasure: Lucknow after Thomas and Olive Plant,” which features stories, photographs and memorabilia of the various owners of the Lucknow Estate before it became a public attraction and museum. Throughout this season, Castle in the Clouds will offer 200+ public program sessions, including classes and workshops, a presentation on the history of Ossipee Park, a production of Romeo and Juliet from Advice to the Players, and many other community events.

Birch Hospitality, a short-term rental management company offering 130 luxury short-term rental properties in the Mount Washington Valley and founded by Jeremiah and Lisseth Berman, was recently ranked No. 3 by AirDNA in its list of the best Airbnb property management companies in the country. Criteria for the rankings included number of property sites, revenue and average positive reviews.

LAW

The law firm of McLane Middleton recently welcomed new attorneys to its firm: Anthony L. Miele, Justin M. Moore, Victoria R. Poland and Kendall Spencer. Miele is of counsel in the firm’s Intellectual Property Group; Moore and Spencer are associates in the firm’s Corporate Department; and Poland is an associate in the firm’s Corporate Department and Real Estate Practice Group.

Howard Brodsky honored with community award

CCA Global Partners founder Howard Brodsky was honored at the C Level Community annual award dinner as the recipient of the 2026 C Level Community Thought Leadership Award. The Award honors individuals “whose leadership transcends business success, recognizing those who build enduring enterprises while advancing purpose, collaboration and positive societal impact.” CCA Global Partners is one of the largest cooperatives in the U.S., with more than $14 billion in annual revenue in fiscal year 2025. Brodsky has dedicated his career to helping family businesses and independent operators compete, grow and thrive through shared platforms. Over his career, he has founded more than 24 companies and four nonprofits, served on the boards of NH Public Broadcasting, the Steele Foundation for Hope, NH Better Business Bureau and Southern New Hampshire University, where he now serves as executive in residence at the Business School. Brodsky is also the global chairman of the International Cooperative Alliance G20 Group, vice president of the International Cooperation Innovation Network, and founder and chairman of Cooperatives for a Better World.