New Hampshire Business Review back issues from October 2008:
Where lawmakers stand on business groups' agenda: an NHBR analysis takes a stab at ranking 'pro-business' lawmakers.(LEGISLATURE)
Oct 10, 2008; ... When it comes to regulating business, the role of government is to "get out of the way," said Rep. John Hunt, R-Rindge, ranking member of the House Commerce Committee. On the other hand, said Hunt, at the national level it's "appropriate for government to step in" at this point ...
Field of dreams is a hole in one: Chichester mini-golf center is a world-class facility.(SUCCESS STORIES)
Oct 10, 2008; ... If the two owners of Chuckster's mini-golf and entertainment center in Chichester were in Augusta, Ga., they would be wearing the winning Masters green jacket. How successful is this mini-golf complex? Let's just say the two partners have quit their day jobs. In fact, organizers ...
Wine specialist Carla Snow.(Q&A)(Carla Snow )(Interview)
Oct 10, 2008; ... At the tender age of 14, Pelham native Carla Snow fell in love with the food and beverage industry while working at her first job at McDonald's. Decades later, she found herself in management at the posh boutique W Hotel in San Francisco. In 2001, she sold everything and ...
Five tactics to help a business keep dwindling business capital flowing.(take 5)
Oct 10, 2008 ... What does a small business do when sales are down and its credit's been slashed? You rethink your business, according to SmallBusiness.com, which lists five tactics to help a ...
64 percent of respondents have found credit more difficult to come by than one year ago.(take 5)(Survey)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Some 55 percent of chief financial officers and senior comptrollers surveyed by Grant Thornton LLP say they have seen credit costs increase. But while 64 percent of respondents ...
53.3 percent of high school students responding said they have a debit card, compared with 35.9 percent in 2002.(take 5)(Survey)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... In its 2008 nationwide survey of high school seniors, the JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy found that 53.3 percent of high school students responding said they have a debit ...
53 percent of employees interviewed said the level of office politics in their workplaces has increased.(take 5)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Presidential candidates aren't the only ones campaigning this election season, according to a survey by Accountemps, which found that 53 percent of ...
High-income earners are cutting back their spending for fear of what the financial future might bring.(take 5)
Oct 10, 2008 ... When it comes to an economic downturn, the rich--or at least the better off--may not be all that different. According to a survey from American Express Publishing and the Harrison Group, nearly half of respondents with incomes ...
Moveable feast: Red Arrow points to Milford for new location.(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Manchester's landmark Red Arrow Diner will open a nearly identical 24-hour eatery on the Oval in the old Milford Diner. The location will be the Red Arrow's second diner, and it will bigger than the Manchester one, said Dawn Foote, daughter of Red Arrow owner Carol L. Sheehan. ...
Tech trend: N.H. tech exports fell in '07.(New Hampshire)(Financial report)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008; ... Tech exports in New Hampshire fell more than 12 percent between 2006 and 2007, according to data reported by the technology trade association AeA. According to AeA's "Trade in the Cyberstates 2008," New Hampshire's tech exports totaled $1.1 billion in 2007, down $152 million ...
Freudenberg plant to close: up to 140 jobs to be lost.(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Citing decreasing demand for its products, motor vehicle parts manufacturer Freudenberg-NOK said it is permanently closing its Laconia plant, which will result in the loss of up to 140 jobs. Mayor Matt Lahey said he got the bad news from Tom Benzel, the same person who nine ...
Group effort: retailers join to fight organized theft.(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008; ... For the first time, retailers and law enforcement agencies in New England are joining forces and resources to fight organized retail theft, which they say is a growing problem in the region. The newly formed Law Enforcement Retailer Alliance of New England, or LERANE, is an ...
First work and family summit set.(University of New Hampshire)(Conference news)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... UNH Cooperative Extension, in conjunction with the New Hampshire Legislative Task Force on Work and Family, will host the first New Hampshire Summit on Work and Family Oct. 29 at the Holiday Inn in Concord. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "This meeting has an elegantly simple ...
Insurer policy: ACA placed in 'rehab' for second time.(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008; ... Troubled Manchester-based fraternal insurer ACA Assurance has been placed in rehabilitation for the second time since October 2006 by the New Hampshire Insurance Department. On Sept. 8, Insurance Commissioner Roger Sevigny placed a moratorium on all payouts and loans against ...
Medical exam: report looks at size, scope of N.H. health sector.(New Hampshire)(Report)
Oct 10, 2008; ... The health-care industry plays a large role in New Hampshire's economy and is one of the leading sources of jobs--particularly in rural areas of the state--according to a report released by the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies. To underscore the economic importance ...
Anatomy of an election: chamber dinner to feature Nov. 4 postmortem.(Conference news)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... A panel of four national media correspondents will be participating in "Who Won and Why" post-election assessment of the presidential election outcome as part of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce's 89th annual dinner next month. The event also features the announcement of ...
Bert Jacobs, co-founder and chief executive "optimist" of Life is good Inc., will be the keynote speaker at the Business and Industry Association's 95th annual dinner, Oct. 29 at the Center of New Hampshire in Manchester.(Concord)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Bert Jacobs, co-founder and chief executive "optimist" of Life is good Inc., will he the keynote speaker at the Business and Industry Association's 95th annual dinner, Oct. 29 at the Center of New Hampshire in Manchester. In addition, Patrick Duffy, former president of New England ...
Gov. John Lynch is asking for help from state workers as well as from their bosses in closing a looming $100 million budget gap.(Concord)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Gov. John Lynch is asking for help from state workers as well as from their bosses in closing a looming $100 million budget gap. Lynch met with department heads Oct. 2 to ask them to report their budget-saving ideas to him in three weeks, but not to delay if some cuts can be implemented ...
Laidlaw Energy Group Inc., the company building a wood-fired power plant in Berlin, says it has reached agreement to sell all the power to Public Service of New Hampshire.(Berlin)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Laidlaw Energy Group Inc., the company building a wood-fired power plant in Berlin, says it has reached agreement to sell all the power to Public Service of New Hampshire. The 66-megawatt plant would be one of the biggest bio-mass power ...
Dover Corp., an international conglomerate that owns the former Markem Corp. in Keene, is planning a switch in some of its operations in the city.(Keene)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Dover Corp., an international conglomerate that owns the former Markem Corp. in Keene, is planning a switch in some of its operations in the city. Markem-Imaje, a Dover subsidiary whose executive offices are in France, said it will locally outsource some operations, including its machine ...
Eighty production workers are losing their jobs at Thompson Center Arms in Rochester, a unit of firearms maker Smith & Wesson Holding Corp.(Rochester)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Eighty production workers are losing their jobs at Thompson Center Arms in Rochester, a unit of firearms maker Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. This latest round of staffing cuts follows a 36-position ...
The slowing economy and high fuel costs are slowing things down at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire.(Manchester)
Oct 10, 2008 ... The slowing economy and high fuel costs are slowing things down at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire. Passenger traffic in August was down 11 percent from the previous August, and ...
The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission has agreed to expand a state program that offers discounted electricity bills to people with low incomes.(Concord)(New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission )(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission has agreed to expand a state program that offers discounted electricity bills to people with low incomes. The program is funded by electric customers throughout New Hampshire, so the average residential customer using ...
After six years overseeing storefront facelifts and fetes, Nan Hagen, Main Street Concords executive director, is resigning at the end of the year.(Concord)(Nan Hagen)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... After six years overseeing storefront facelifts and fetes, Nan Hagen, Main Street Concords executive director, is resigning at the end of the year. The organization has helped ...
David Perry, president of Port Electronics Corp. of Salem, has been selected as the New Hampshire Minority Small Business Person of the Year for 2008 by the New Hampshire district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration.(Salem)(David Perry)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... David Perry, president of Port Electronics Corp. of Salem, has been selected as the New Hampshire Minority Small Business Person of the Year for 2008 by the New Hampshire district office of the U.S. Small Business ...
Business executive Kurt Sanborn of Bow is accused of stealing from the company that owns the Lowell Spinners baseball team and is a partner with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.(Concord)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Business executive Kurt Sanborn of Bow is accused of stealing from the company that owns the Lowell Spinners baseball team and is a partner with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. A federal prosecutor has filed a wire fraud charge against Sanborn, who is ...
New Hampshire Thrift Bancshares Inc.(The Bottom Line)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... New Hampshire Thrift Bancshares Inc. (NHTB), parent company of Lake Sunapee Bank, said it took a non-cash charge of $497,614 in the quarter ended Sept. 30 because of its investment in Fannie Mae, the ...
StockerYale Inc.(The Bottom Line)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... The Irish subsidiary of StockerYale Inc. (STKR) has moved into a new modern production facility in Cork in order to meet increased demand for its LED systems business, the company said. The leased facility will enable the ...
Anheuser-Busch.(The Bottom Line)(InBev S.A. acquired Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc.)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... InBev SA shareholders have voted to back the company's $ 52 billion takeover of Anheuser-Busch (BUD), a deal that would form the world's largest brewer under the name Anheuser-Busch InBev. Shareholders also approved a capital increase and share issue that would raise up to $10 billion to ...
Speedway Motorsports Inc.(The Bottom Line)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) has declared a cash dividend of 34 cents per share of common ...
Stock check.(The Bottom Line)(Statistical table)
Oct 10, 2008 ... <Pre> Stock Check Representing a basket of stocks from N.H.-based companies or those doing a significant amount of business in the state10/3 9/19% SYMBOL NAME CLOSING CLOSING CHANGE TOP GAINER: ...
Managing the multigenerational workforce: employers face challenges in integrating not only the skills but the different values and needs of a diverse group of workers.(50+: The changing face of new Hampshire's workforce)
Oct 10, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Financial needs, health-care concerns and an overall desire to remain mentally and physically active are keeping people in the workplace well beyond what was once considered retirement age. The result is that the face of today's workforce is changing, with ...
First RGGI auction sets carbon price at $3.07: higher-than-expected price for carbon allowances has good and bad news for N.H.(ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT)(Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative )
Oct 10, 2008; ... The right to emit greenhouse gases in the Northeast is a little more valuable than expected. That, at least, is one way to read the results of the nation's first-ever auction of carbon allowances, each of which allows utilities in 10 Northeast states to emit 1 ton of carbon into ...
Wireless passes the test in North Country: broadband service to be rolled out in region over the next year.(TELECOMMUNICATIONS)(Littleton Industrial Development Corp.)
Oct 10, 2008; ... Long-awaited services are expected to be rolled out across the region over the next year now that testing of the Wireless LING broadband project has been completed in western Coos County. "We proved that it worked," said Veronica Francis, vice president of the Littleton ...
N.H. exports top $300m again: exports of manufactured goods jumped 6.1 percent in July.(EXPORTS)
Oct 10, 2008; ... In the last three years, strong global demand and a weak dollar have propelled state exports contributing to strong economic growth and the creation of export-related jobs. How long will the good times last for New Hampshire's exporting companies? On the dollar front, there is a ...
Shaheen, Sununu voice domestic priorities.(VOTERS' GUIDE)(Jeanne Shaheen)(John Sununu)(Interview)
Oct 10, 2008 ... AARP asks major candidates in selected races questions about the issues most important to its members and their families. AARP doesn't edit the candidates' answers. Here's what the candidates for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, incumbent Republican John Sununu and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, ...
The non-ethics of the financial bailout: we need tough measures and moral courage to swallow some rather bitter medicine.(CORPORATE GOVERNANCE)
Oct 10, 2008; ... No words can accurately describe the current financial meltdown. The. non-ethics of the bailout plan defies brief. As a former investment banker, I can attest to the fact that few, if any, people truly understand the pricing and risk implications of many financial instruments, ...
Out of touch with N.H. conservatives?(PORTSIDE)(Column)
Oct 10, 2008; ... While waiting in line to buy some beer, the guy in front of me noticed my Obama button. He volunteered: "I'm changing my registration. I've always been a Republican. I haven't changed my values one bit. I didn't leave my party--my party left me" Now, I'm not generally known as a ...
Who's best for small business?
Oct 10, 2008; ... Barack Obama Small businesses are the very foundation of our economy. They are the trainer, as the first employers of more than two-thirds of our workforce. They invest in the community rather than move offshore. They are the very source of innovation and American ingenuity. ...
NHBR about town.
Oct 10, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1 Tina Grebloski, and Lakisha Jones manned the Van Otis Chocolates booth at the recent TriCity Expo at the Radisson Manchester. (Photo by Cindy Kibbo) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2 Marcia Foster, Steve Fauteux and Victor Carbone of ...
Who are you trying to punish?(Improving Performance)(Column)
Oct 10, 2008; ... "We need a change! We have to get rid of Bush and all his cronies and let the Democrats in." "Why do you say that?" "Well, Bush gives tax breaks to the rich and the corporations. We need to give something to the poor, not the rich." "It sounds to me like ...
Memories of Paul Newman, a N.H. visitor.(Cook on Concord)(In memoriam)
Oct 10, 2008; ... The late Paul Newman was not just a great actor, philanthropist and race car driver, he also had connections to New Hampshire politics. On primary election night in 1968, Newman, supporting Eugene McCarthy; was prominent at the convention center of the old Sheraton Wayfarer in ...
John and Bill's excellent venture.(Growing Your Business)(John LaPlante)(Bill Larkins)(Interview)
Oct 10, 2008; ... John LaPlante and Bill Larkins met as undergraduates at M/Z Following school, they went their separate ways--LaPlante got into off-road racing as a design engineer; Larkins worked in startups and high-tech ventures, including seven years in the early 90s with Dean Kamen's DEKA. ...
Should your company have a blog?(Search Engine Marketing)
Oct 10, 2008; ... Blogging is a fairly recent phenomenon that has caught on fast in the corporate world, primarily because it allows businesses to have dynamic, real-time communication with customers and prospective customers. In fact, a blog is one of the best tools at our disposal today for ...
Branding a business with 'earned media'.(Beyond Ads)
Oct 10, 2008; ... A trying economy is the best time to increase efforts to further establish and expand the business "brand" for customers, present and prospective, as competitors foolishly reduce their market presence. The most cost-effective and efficient method for branding under any economic ...
Will Wall Street kill Main Street?(Selling with Nadilo)(Column)
Oct 10, 2008; ... The date is 9/18/08. I've been trying to think about what to write for my column, but the Wall Street mess this week is hanging very heavy on me and everyone I know. I'm having a hard time getting my head around an article on selling when it seems the earth is moving under my feet. ...
Online video offers a competitive edge.(Working with Video)
Oct 10, 2008; ... Fueled by the need to stay competitive, companies are turning to online video as the solution to their knowledge transfer requirements. Online video has the capability of reaching a globally dispersed workforce instantly, and outdated materials can be easily replaced with ...
NHBR: 30 years and counting.(NHBR's BIG 3.0)(New Hampshire Business Review)
Oct 10, 2008; ... NHBR is celebrating 30 years of reporting on business news and trends. Here are the 10 biggest business news stories of the past three decades, as selected by our readers in our online "Big 3-0" anniversary survey. Some events may have faded from the headlines, but their impact of many of ...
Green economy effort sees 9,000 new N.H. jobs.(going GREEN)
Oct 10, 2008; ... A coalition of New Hampshire business and development groups is taking the lead in promoting what they see as a green economic recovery program that they say can create 2 million new jobs nationally and more than 9,000 in New Hampshire. "Dealing with climate problems will result ...
A-B plant, container maker win P2 awards.(going GREEN)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Anheuser-Busch Inc's Merrimack facility and Southeastern Container Inc. of Hudson have been named the winners of this year's Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention. The companies will be honored in Oct. 30 ceremonies at each facility. Four companies were named in ...
The University of New Hampshire has entered into a licensing agreement with Itaconix LLC to commercialize a green chemistry process developed by the university's Nanostructured Polymers Research Center.(going GREEN)
Oct 10, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: The University of New Hampshire has entered into a licensing agreement with Itaconix LLC to commercialize a green chemistry process developed by the university's Nanostructured Polymers Research Center. Shown at the announcement are (pictured in ...
How to steer clear of 'greenwashing': making false or misleading environmental claims can mean trouble.(GOING GREEN)
Oct 10, 2008; ... Businesses caught up in the stiff competition or consumers with green preferences are making more and broader claims about their environmental products or the environmental benefits of their products. Unfortunately, many of these businesses are making false and misleading claims--also ...
New Hampshire's top business lawyers.(LAW)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Each year, the national polling firm Woodward-White performs an exhaustive search for the country's top attorneys and publishes their names in its comprehensive volume, "The Best Lawyers in America." Here is a compilation of the top attorneys who practice in New Hampshire in 24 ...
Habitat chapter ReStores building supplies: the Dover store features usable home improvement and building supplies donated contractors and homeowners.(REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION)(Habitat for Humanity)
Oct 10, 2008; ... When a contractor demolishes a property, usable items often go the landfill. But a New Hampshire chapter of Habitat for Humanity had another idea. Southeast New Hampshire Habitat for Humanity has opened ReStore, a home improvement and building supply store that accepts donations ...
N.H. construction contracts plummet in August.(REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Pending construction contracts in New Hampshire declined significantly across the board in August. According to McGraw-Hill Construction, an industry information service, contracts for future nonresidential projects--which include commercial, industrial and institutional ...
N.H. home sales drop 23 percent in August.(REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... New Hampshire home sales dropped 23 percent in August 2008 from the same month a year ago. According to the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, unit sales of single-family homes in August 2008 totaled 1,054, down from unit sales of 1,368 in August 2007. Median ...
HUD sending money to ease foreclosure effects.(REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION)(housing and urban development)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... The federal government is sending New Hampshire nearly $20 million to help respond to high numbers of mortgage foreclosures. The Department of Housing and Urban Development says the grant money can be used by communities to buy foreclosed homes at a ...
Developers file new CVS plan in Concord.(REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... Developers have revived a plan to build a new CVS drugstore on North State and Penacook streets in Concord in the wake of a rejection by the Concord Zoning Board in September. Attorney Richard Uchida, who represents Tropic Star Development, told the Concord ...
Manchester landlords face lead paint fines.(REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION)(Biren Properties Inc., Diosa Investments and Hala Investments v. United States. Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... The Environmental Protection Agency is accusing several Manchester landlords of possibly putting tenants at risk by not telling them of lead paint in their apartment buildings. The EPA alleges that Biren Properties, Diosa Investments, Hala Investments and Fernando Hilarion ...
Fredette honored with Chairman's Award.(REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION)
Oct 10, 2008 ... George Fredette, principal of SFC Engineering in Manchester, has been named the recipient of the Greater Salem Chamber of ...
Economic history is repeating itself.(Norton on Real Estate)(Column)
Oct 10, 2008; ... I recently had to participate in a "summit" and speak about what opportunities may be pending for commercial real estate in the next two to five years. At first blush, that should be easy. After all, commercial real estate is what we do at Norton Asset Management Inc. Alas, things are far ...
Bruss earns N.H.'s first LEED Platinum for homes.(MARKETPLACE)(leadership in energy and environmental design)(Bruss Construction Inc.)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bruss Con-struction Inc. of Bradford has been awarded New Hamp-shire's first Platinum-level rating for a single family residence by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program. ...
Manchester training center a national LEED first.(MARKETPLACE)(leadership in energy and environmental design)(Automotive Science and Technology Center)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... The new Automotive Science and Technology Center at Manchester Community College has been designated the city's first LEED certified building and the first for the Community College System of New Hampshire. It is also the first LEED certified automotive training facility in the ...
NHHEAF maintains low default rating.(MARKETPLACE)(New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation)(Report)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... The New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation, the state's leading student loan guarantor, had one of the lowest default rates in the country in 2006, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Education. NHHEAF had a 2.2 percent default rate, ...
National Lumber opens in Boscawen.(MARKETPLACE)(National Lumber Inc.)(Brief article)
Oct 10, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] National Lumber has opened a facility and showroom 112 High St in Boscawen, with the acquisition of the Tibo Lumber. Since 1934, National Lumber has been a family-owned and -operated company serving builders and homeowners throughout New ...