NH's Statewide Chamber Elects Officers, Board Of Directors At Annual Business Meeting

BEDFORD, NH — The Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire, the statewide chamber of commerce and leading business advocate, elected officers and new members to the board of directors for 2025-2026, and honored outstanding community members at its Annual Business Meeting May 15.

The meeting and networking event was held at the Bedford Event Center in Bedford, NH. BIA has over 400 members and its Board of Directors is one of the largest in New Hampshire, featuring executives of New Hampshire’s top employers.

“Our members drive our mission to champion a competitive business climate and prosperous economic future for New Hampshire,” said BIA President & CEO Michael Skelton. “BIA continues our advocacy, networking and educational programs to advance the goal of New Hampshire becoming the top state for business in the country.”

Elected as officers were Chair Bryan Granger, senior vice president, compliance & administration, C&S Wholesale Grocers; Chair-elect Patrick Closson, director, McLane Middleton; Past-chair Katherine Garfield, president, Keller Companies; Treasurer Steve Lawlor, principal and CPA, Nathan Wechsler; Secretary Scott Ellison, partner, Sheehan Phinney; and President Michael Skelton.

Elected to the Executive Committee were Kat Bourque, vice president, policy and corporate relations, Unitil; Kate Burns, market president, Northern New England – retail, TD Bank; Robert Coates, president, NH electric operations, Eversource; Larry Major Jr., government relations director, Pike Industries; Don Marsolini, vice president of finance, DECCO, Inc.; Catherine Provencher, chancellor, University System of New Hampshire; Val Zanchuck, president, Graphicast.

Newly elected to the Board of Directors were Dan Cronin, founder and president, CGI Business Solutions; Crystal Dionne, president and CEO, Primary Bank; Tim Entwistle, director of operations, RTX/Collins Aerospace; Whitney Fenyak, CEO, Parkland Medical Center, HCA Healthcare; Vance Freyman, regional director, NH, Consigli Construction; Dave Harrold, vice president and general manager, countermeasure and electromagnetic attack solutions, BAE Systems; Mark Manuel, co-founder, Industrial Marketing; John Morison, EVP treasurer and secretary, Hitchiner Manufacturing; Matt Neuman, managing member, Absolute Title; Devin Oot, senior manager of public affairs, Novocure; Bobby Segal, CEO, Sanel NAPA Auto Parts; Anthony Strabone, president, NH gas, Liberty Utilities; Tom Sullivan Jr., president, Sullivan Construction; Stephen Ucci, secretary and general counsel, Hypertherm.

Reelected as a director was Kathryn Skouteris, vice president, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.

Wendy Hunt, president & CEO, Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce, and John Nyhan, president, Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce were reelected as representatives of the N.H. Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Champion of Commerce Awards

The following members received BIA’s inaugural Champion of Commerce Award, honoring their standout efforts to champion a strong economic climate for New Hampshire: Corinne Benfield, executive director, Stay Work Play NH; Taylor Caswell, Commissioner, NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs; Elyse Crossman, executive director, Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce, Jodi Grimbilas, president, J Grimbilas Strategic Solutions, Larry Major Jr., government relations director, Pike Industries; Alison Milioto, senior HR consultant, BlueLion; Lindsay Nadeau, attorney, Orr & Reno; Ashlee Rowley, director, Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce; Mike Vlacich, principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs.

For more information, visit BIAofNH.com.

The Business and Industry Association is New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce and leading nonpartisan business advocate. BIA represents over 400 leading employers in a variety of industries including manufacturing, technology, professional services, financial services, health care, hospitality and tourism, public utilities, higher education, insurance, and many others. Member firms employ over 100,000 people throughout the state and contribute $5 billion annually to the state’s economy. While proud of its many large members, 69% of BIA members have an annual payroll of $3 million or less. Through advocacy with state legislators and regulators, BIA works to promote a healthy climate for job creation and a strong New Hampshire economy. For more information about the BIA, visit BIAofNH.com.

Submitted by Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire