Salem's Donna Sytek Gets 'Lifetime Achievement' Award

Information released by the Business and Industry Association

On Oct. 23, New England Wire Technologies Chairman Wendell Jesseman and former New Hampshire Speaker of the House Donna Sytek will accept Lifetime Achievement awards at the Business and Industry Association’s 100th Annual Dinner, Lifetime Achievement and New Hampshire Advantage Awards Celebration presented by Lindt and Sprüngli (USA) Inc. from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel/Center of New Hampshire in Manchester. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes business leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to leadership in their professions, communities and New Hampshire. Award recipients help shape their local communities and the state through their successful business endeavors, active participation in civic and town organizations, involvement in boards, and service to local and state government.

Wendell Jesseman, representing the seventh generation of Jessemans to live in northern New England, began his business career with New England Wire Technologies, located in Lisbon, following his graduation from the University of New Hampshire in 1956. After serving as production manager, marketing manager and vice president, he became president in 1969 and served for 35 years until 2004. Jesseman remains active today, serving as chairman of the electronic wire and cable company, which was established in 1898. In addition, Jesseman has served, or is currently serving, as a director, trustee or member of various organizations including most notably the Business and Industry Association, NH Industrial Research Center Oversight Committee, Littleton Regional Hospital, Lisbon Chamber of Commerce, NH Energy Planning Advisory Board, Dartmouth Bank Corp., Lisbon Regional School Foundation and many others.

Donna Sytek has participated in the civic life of New Hampshire for almost 40 years. First elected a state representative from Salem in 1977, she chaired several policy committees before becoming Speaker of the NH House from 1996 to 2000. During her legislative tenure, she sponsored more than 150 bills that became law, including truth in sentencing, anti-stalking, Purple Heart license plates, computer crimes and the police memorial. Sytek has served in leadership roles for several nonprofits, including the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies, New Hampshire Catholic Charities and the Vesta Roy Excellence in Public Service Series. She has also served on the boards of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, New Futures and Leadership New Hampshire. Recently, Sytek was appointed chair of the New Hampshire Adult Parole Board and chaired the Judicial Conduct Commission from 2001 to 2004.

Last year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipients were former Dartmouth-Hitchcock chiefs James Varnum and John Collins and Executive Councilor Ray Wieczorek. Recipients from prior years include Stephen Barba, the Balsams Grand Resort; John Broderick, former N.H. Supreme Court chief justice; John Crosier, Business and Industry Association; Patrick Duffy, P. Duffy and Associates; Sylvio Dupuis, Notre Dame College; Lew Feldstein, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation; Courtland Freese and George Freese, Jr., Globe Manufacturing Co.; John Frisbee, New Hampshire Historical Society; William S. Green, Sheehan, Phinney, Bass and Green; Saul Greenspan, Seco; Judd Gregg, former U.S. senator; Eli Isaacson, Isaacson Structural Steel; Andrew Lietz, University System of New Hampshire; Malcolm McLane, Orr and Reno; Jack Middleton, McLane, Graf, Raulerson and Middleton; John Morrison II, Hitchiner Manufacturing; J. Bonnie Newman, Kennedy School of Government; Walter Peterson, Franklin Pierce College; Henry Powers, Sprague Energy; David Putnam, Markem Corp.; Dr. Stephen Reno, University System of New Hampshire; F. Fuller Ripley, Troy Mills; William Ruger, Sr., Sturm Ruger and Co.; Neil Tillotson, Tillotson Corp.; James Wagner, Nexfor Fraser Papers; and Kimon Zachos, Sheehan Phinney Bass and Green.

Tickets for the 100th Annual Dinner, Lifetime Achievement and New Hampshire Advantage Awards Celebration presented by Lindt and Sprüngli (USA) Inc. are $1,100 for a table of 10 or $125 per person and may be purchased online at BIAofNH.com at the events calendar. For more information, call 603-224-5388 x116.