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Posts Tagged ‘Grappone Conference Center’

Antioch University New England Named NHBSR 2011 Cornerstone Award Recipient

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

Antioch University New England was named the 2011 Cornerstone Award winner by New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR) at NHBSR’s 8th Annual Spring Conference at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH. 
 

Governor John Lynch (middle) and NHBSR Interim Executive Director, Kate Luczko (right), present the 2011 NHBSR Cornerstone Award to Antioch University of New England, represented by Tracey Thompson (left), Vice President of Institutional Advancement. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Lomanno Photography)

Governor John Lynch (middle) and NHBSR Interim Executive Director, Kate Luczko (right), present the 2011 NHBSR Cornerstone Award to Antioch University of New England, represented by Tracey Thompson (left), Vice President of Institutional Advancement. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Lomanno Photography)

“NHBSR is honored to present the 2011 Cornerstone Award to Antioch University New England,” said NHBSR Interim Executive Director Kate Luczko. “Antioch has been a long-time engaged member of NHBSR and has demonstrated their commitment to corporate social responsibility. They continue to strive to do more and they serve as a role model for other NH organizations to follow.”

Antioch University New England, founded in 1964, and based in Keene, New Hampshire, serves 1,000 students and is a dynamic, innovative institution offering scholarly, practice-oriented graduate study. They have a history of high academic standards, integration of work and study, commitment to bypassed populations, and learner responsibility all intertwined with the New England traditions of self-reliance, small-community values and private action for the public good.

Their community engagement efforts go well beyond that of their organization, but also include providing “transformative education through scholarship, innovation, and community action for a just and sustainable society.” Antioch University New England educates leaders who want to create or work in organizations that are successful, effective, sustainable, and socially and environmentally responsible. Their Green MBA, is ranked in the top 5 nationally by Net Impact. 

Antioch has implemented numerous energy-saving measures not only in office areas, but academic spaces as well. This year they launched Community Garden Connections to work with local human service agencies to address problems of food security by supporting the establishment of community gardens and accompanying educational programming. Their Green MBA students engage in multiple projects through which students assist businesses in putting CSR practices to work, such as COOL MONADNOCK, a three-year project that is working to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the Monadnock Region and the 10% Challenge, a collaborative effort between Antioch and the City of Keene, through which students assist Keene businesses in voluntarily reducing green house gas emissions by 10%. They currently have 30 businesses participating.

The two other finalists for this year’s Cornerstone Award were: Northeast Delta Dental and Sequoya Technologies Group.

The NHBSR Cornerstone Award is presented every year at the NHBSR Spring Conference to a company, organization or individual that exemplifies the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and promotes the concepts of CSR to the greater business community within the state of New Hampshire.
 
This year’s NHBSR Spring Conference, titled “Integrating Corporate Social Responsibility into Your Core Business Strategy,” focused on how businesses can fully incorporate more sustainable practices into all aspects of their organization including saving resources and creating a return on investment. The conference incorporated a variety of “green” elements including carbon offset, recycling, minimizing waste and sustainable menu choices.
 
Additionally, the conference featured an energetic and engaging networking session, numerous morning and afternoon educational breakout sessions, a CEO Panel Discussion, a Silent Auction, and a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability book store.

NHBSR Spring Conference Planned

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility’s (NHBSR) Spring Conference, “Integrating Corporate Social Responsibility into Your Core Business Strategy,” will take place on Monday, June 13, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center at the Courtyard Marriott in Concord, NH.

nhbsr“Corporate social responsibility isn’t just a good business practice, it also adds to your company’s bottom line,” said NHBSR Interim Executive Director Kate Luczko. “This conference will not only help your business to better meet the needs of your clients and employees, it will also provide you with information you need to grow your business in a sustainable way.”

The conference features a lively morning networking session, the presentation of the NHBSR Cornerstone Award, four educational breakout sessions, and an afternoon CEO panel.
These educational sessions, which will offer real world suggestions that are appropriate and applicable to any size company, include “New Hampshire’s Changing Workforce: The Growing Need for Flexibility,” “Successfully Integrating Corporate Social Responsibility into Your Core Strategy and Culture,” “Current Trends in Managing Corporate Citizenship,” and “Managing Sustainability Performance with the Balanced Scorecard.”

At noon, Lisa Hardin Berghaus, Marketing Specialist, Monadnock Paper Mills, NHBSR Board Member and Spring Conference Co-Chair, will introduce Governor John Lynch who will present NHBSR’s annual Cornerstone Award to a company that exemplifies the principles of corporate social responsibility and promotes the concepts of CSR to the greater business community within the state of New Hampshire. The finalists for this year’s Cornerstone Award are: Antioch University, Sequoya Technologies Group, and Northeast Delta Dental.

“NHBSR is delighted to recognize one of our members with this award. It’s a fantastic way to highlight outstanding work in the field of social responsibility and sustainability and provides a important example to our New Hampshire community,” Luczko said.

C&S Wholesale Grocers was the proud recipient of the 2010 NHBSR Cornerstone Award for their efforts in feeding the hungry, promoting environmental awareness and encouraging employee volunteerism.

Here’s a brief overview of this year’s nominees:

Northeast Delta Dental
Northeast Delta Dental specializes in the administration of dental programs. It is their mission to be the leading force in the dental prepayment marketplace by offering quality, versatile and affordable dental programs to benefit their purchasers, subscribers, and participating member dentists. They have created a corporate environment built upon high trust and mutual respect. They are a values-driven company that successfully balances profitability and socially-responsible initiatives. Their leadership team follows the principles of servant leadership, enabling all employees, customers, and stockholders to be free from bureaucratic red tape, to self-actualize, and to have a delightful experience with Northeast Delta Dental.

Antioch University New England
Since its founding in 1964, Antioch University New England (ANE) has supported the tenets of Corporate Social Responsibility, and as its mission, provides transformative graduate study education through scholarship, innovation, and community action for a just and sustainable society. Antioch University New England supports CSR in three ways. Antioch operate the business of running a university using CSR principles, they educate their students in CSR principles, and through many of their student practices and internships, they help businesses and organizations locally and throughout New England recognize and begin to adopt CSR principles.

Sequoya Technologies Group
Sequoya is a managed IT services and software design firm specializing in meeting the needs of small businesses in southern New Hampshire. They’re located in Peterborough and provide IT support throughout the greater Monadnock region, including Keene, Concord, Manchester, and Nashua. They’ve also performedsoftware development projects for clients in New York, Denver, and beyond. They have a dedicated team of technicians, network engineers, and software developers. Sequoya truly believes in the values of a supportive and enjoyable work environment, with many benefits that are unusual for a company of only seven people, including flexible work schedules, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance for both full-time and part-time staff, and more.

Following the Cornerstone Award Presentation there will be a CEO Panel Discussion, a new feature for the conference. The moderator is Jon Greenberg, Executive Editor at NH Public Radio, and panelists include Gerardine Ferlins, President/CEO of Cirtronics Corporation, Nannu Nobis, founder and CEO of Nobis Engineering, Inc., Doug Vincent, President and CEO of Design Mentor, Inc, Walter Chapin, Co-founder and CEO of Company C, Inc., and John Hamilton, Vice President of Economic Opportunity at the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund. Following the CEO Panel Discussion there will be a short break and the Educational Breakout Sessions from the morning will repeat.

Over twenty-five socially responsible exhibitors will be showcasing their products and services throughout the conference, as well as the Silent Auction and Sustainability Book Store.

This event is made possible by the generosity of many sponsors.  Conference Leaders: FairPoint Communications, Normandeau Associates, the New Hampshire Community and Development Finance Authority, Monadnock Paper Mill and Hannaford. Conference Partners; Public Service of New Hampshire, and PAX World. AM Networking sponsor is Nixon Peabody LLP. CEO Panel sponsor is NH Community Loan Fund. Carbon Offset for this event was sponsored by C&S Wholesale Grocers. The Tote-bag sponsors are Northeast Delta Dental and Hypertherm. Design, paper and printing were provided by Baker Salmon Design, Monadnock Paper Mill and RAM Printing. NHBSR web marketing is sponsored by SilverTech.

The cost is $125 for any NHBSR member, $150 for non-members, $50 for non-profits and $30 for students.

For more detailed information about the Spring Conference, please visit http://www.nhbsrconference.org/ or contact Interim Executive Director, Kate Luczko at kate@nhbsr.org, (603) 391-7437. For more information about NHBSR, visit our website at www.nhbsr.org

FairPoint Communications Announces New Economic Development Tool

Monday, November 8th, 2010

FairPoint Communications today announced it is introducing a powerful economic development modeling tool to assist economic development and planning professionals in forecasting regional growth. The announcement was made today at a press conference held at the State of New Hampshire Legislative Office Building in Concord.  Joining FairPoint Communications State President Teresa Rosenberger were Commissioners George Bald of the New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development, Tara Reardon, Department of Employment Security, George Copadis, Department of Labor and Liz Gray, Governor Lynch’s Special Assistant for Policy.

Fairpoint Communications State President Teresa Rosenberger

Fairpoint Communications State President Teresa Rosenberger

The Connect NNE Economic Scenario Model™ is a FairPoint-sponsored Microsoft Office Excel-based software tool created to provide information on existing economic conditions and estimate potential impacts of new development and job creation scenarios in New Hampshire and across northern New England.  The model allows users to estimate impact on jobs, earnings, output and gross domestic product (GDP) resulting from changing a region’s economic focus.

“In the past two years, we have heard from economic development leaders that they are looking for tools to help them understand influences on the local economies,” said Teresa Rosenberger, state president for FairPoint in New Hampshire.  “This software tool will provide local communities with quantitative data to support economic development initiatives that will help the communities grow and prosper and, in turn, provide a benefit to all.”

NH Department of Resources & Economic Development Commissioner George Bald

NH Department of Resources & Economic Development Commissioner George Bald

“This model will provide economic development professionals across the state with a much needed tool that will allow us to benchmark the region’s current economic status and forecast the impact of future economic and community development strategies,” said George Bald, commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development speaking on behalf of Commissioners Copadis and Reardon as well. “With New Hampshire-specific data, we can compare public infrastructure projects competing for limited available funds as well as calculate the economic impact of a capital investment proposal.”
 
The model was launched in Maine and has been used by  economic development professionals there to show the impact that a soon-to be-abandoned rail spur in Aroostook County would have on jobs and gross domestic product, gaining the attention of Maine’s legislature and providing data to support a bond initiative.  Supporters of a charter school in northern Maine used the model to calculate the economic benefit to the area in earnings and jobs, adding quantitative data to the discussion that resulted in the school staying open at its existing location.  Output from the model has also been part of discussions on the impact of various plant closures, helping benchmark equivalent job replacement strategies.  Annual updates ensure that the model is using the most up-to-date data and that its functionality continues to be improved.

FairPoint is offering hands-on training sessions led by its economic development arm, Connect NNE, at six sites across New Hampshire.

November 8th (2:30-5:00 pm)
Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce, 151 Main Street, Nashua, N.H.

November 9th (9:00-11:30 am)
Grappone Conference Center, 70 Constitution Avenue, Concord, N.H.

November 9th (2:00-4:30 pm)
Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, 54 Hanover Street, Manchester, N.H.

November 10th (2:30-5:00 pm)
Granite State College, 53 Technology Lane, Suite 150, Conway, N.H.

November 12th (9:00-11:30 am)
Great Bay Community College, 320 Corporate Drive, Portsmouth, N.H.

December 7th (9:00 – 11:30 am)
Courtyard by Marriott, Downtown Keene, 74 Railroad Street, Keene, N.H.

Economic development professionals interested in attending one of these sessions are asked to contact jill.wurm@fairpoint.com.

C&S Wholesale Grocers Named NHBSR 2010 Cornerstone Award Recipient

Monday, May 24th, 2010

C&S Wholesale Grocers was named the 2010 Cornerstone Award winner by New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR) at NHBSR’s 7th Annual Spring Conference at the Grappone Conference Center. 
 

NHBSR Program Director Kate Luczko presents the 2010 Cornerstone Award to C&S Wholesale Grocers Community Involvement Program Director Erin Temmen.

NHBSR Program Director Kate Luczko presents the 2010 Cornerstone Award to C&S Wholesale Grocers Community Involvement Program Director Erin Temmen.

“C&S Wholesale Grocers exemplifies all of the best qualities of socially responsible companies,” said NHBSR Executive Director Molly Hodgson Smith. “Whether they’re carrying out programs to feed the hungry, promoting environmental awareness or encouraging employee volunteerism, C&S serves as a role model for other NH companies to emulate.”
 
As the largest wholesale grocery distributor in the United States, based on revenue and the 12th largest privately held company in the country, as ranked by Forbes magazine, C&S Wholesale Grocers, founded in 1918, provides wholesaling and distribution services from warehouses in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, West Coast and Hawaii. The men and women of C&S are responsible for the delivery of food and non-food products to 3,900 grocery stores across the nation. Four platforms guide the company’s CSR initiatives:

Eliminating Hunger: In partnership with leading national hunger organizations Feeding America, Share Our Strength and the Congressional Hunger Center, C&S has the opportunity to help address immediate needs and to contribute to innovative, long-term solutions.

Strengthening Communities: Through their support of United Way and their community-focused mini grant program, C&S helps create stronger, healthier families and communities. They have a special focus on organizations dedicated to improving children’s literacy.

Protecting the Environment: C&S is committed to protecting the health of the planet and the natural environment. In addition to corporate initiatives to reduce waste and save energy, C&S participates in the Go Zero® carbon sequestration program sponsored by The Conservation Fund.

Encouraging Volunteerism: C&S employees believe in rolling up their sleeves and making a difference. Through programs like Make A Difference Day, Dollars for Doers, and Team Up & Make Strides, C&S supports their employees who volunteer in their communities.
 
The two other finalists for this year’s Cornerstone Award were: Antioch University of New England and Alison Huber-Jewett.

The NHBSR Cornerstone Award is presented every year at the NHBSR Spring Conference to a company, organization or individual that exemplifies the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and promotes the concepts of CSR to the greater business community within the state of New Hampshire.
 
This year’s NHBSR Spring Conference, titled “Social Responsibility: Competitive Advantage to Competitive Imperative,” focused on how businesses can incorporate more sustainable practices in the workplace while saving resources and creating a return on investment. The conference incorporated a variety of “green” elements including carbon offset, recycling, minimizing waste and sustainable menu choices.
 
Additionally, the conference featured a prominent keynote speaker; Mindy Lubber, President of Ceres. It also featured numerous morning educational breakout sessions, a World Cafe, a Silent Auction, a Job Board and a “Green Drinks” themed cocktail hour to end the day.
 
About NHBSR: NHBSR fosters socially and environmentally responsible business in New Hampshire, recognizing that people, principles and profits must be linked.  NHBSR offers education, networking and promotion around sustainability and CSR issues. Learn more at www.nhbsr.org or call 603.391.8471.

NHBSR Announces Cornerstone Award Finalists

Friday, April 30th, 2010

New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR) is proud to announce the finalists for this year’s Cornerstone Award:  Antioch University New England, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. and Alison Huber Jewett of Jewett Construction.

Molly Hodgson Smith

Molly Hodgson Smith

“NHBSR is pleased to honor one of our members each year with this award.  It serves as a great example of exceptional work in the social responsibility field and allows NHBSR to highlight the high level of commitment to sustainability and social responsibility here in New Hampshire.” said Molly Hodgson Smith, Executive Director of NHBSR.

The NHBSR Cornerstone Award is presented every year at the NHBSR Spring Conference to a company or individual that exemplifies the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and promotes the concepts of CSR to the greater business community within the state of New Hampshire. The recipient of this year’s award will be announced at NHBSR’s 7th Annual Spring Conference on Monday, May 24, 2010, at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH.

Hypertherm, Inc. was the proud recipient of the 2009 NHBSR Cornerstone Award.   Hypertherm’s Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, Barbara Couch said, “We attended last year’s event as learners, drawing inspiration from other leading corporate citizens. We continue on our journey of learning today, inspiring to be a model for corporate social responsibility. This is not simply a nice thing to do, it is a must do for business today.”

Antioch University New England
Since its founding in 1964, Antioch University New England (ANE) has supported the tenets of Corporate Social Responsibility, and as its mission, provides transformative graduate study education through scholarship, innovation, and community action for a just and sustainable society. Antioch University New England supports CSR in three ways. Antioch operate the business of running a university using CSR principles, they educate their students in CSR principles, and through many of their student practices and internships, they help businesses and organizations locally and throughout New England recognize and begin to adopt CSR principles

C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc.
C&S is a privately owned company with annual sales of $19 billion. The company is the 12th largest privately held company in the nation, as ranked by Forbes magazine. Founded in 1918, C&S provides distribution services to grocery chains and independent stores, delivering to approximately 4,600 locations from its distribution centers in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Vermont.  C&S’s corporate social responsibility strategic plan focuses on four core initiatives:  Eliminating Hunger, Strengthening Communities, Protecting the Environment, and Encouraging Volunteerism.

Alison Huber-Jewett, Jewett Construction

Alison Huber-Jewett

Alison Huber-Jewett

Alison encourages CSR and community involvement amongst her coworkers by researching and presenting opportunities that prove rewarding to both the participant and the community.  She is always open to new ways to give back to the community and encourages others to do the same.  Alison’s efforts toward corporate social responsibility have been recognized by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), as her policies have helped Jewett Construction to be selected to participate in the NHDES Aspiring Leaders Program.

NHBSR fosters socially and environmentally responsible business in New Hampshire, recognizing that people, principles and profits must be linked.  NHBSR prides itself on offering education, networking and promotion in an environmentally sustainable way.  This conference will incorporate a variety of ‘green’ elements including carbon offset, recycling, minimizing waste and sustainable menu choices.  For more info about the Cornerstone Award and NHBSR visit www.nhbsr.org or call 603-391-8471 or email molly@nhbsr.org.

National Manufacturing Survey Results Announced

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

The New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NH MEP) today announced the results of the first national survey of world-class manufacturers, hailing the findings as valuable to both state policymakers and New Hampshire companies. 

nh_mepBased on an in-depth national survey of more than 2,500 manufacturers, including 74 firms in New Hampshire, the study identifies six crucial strategies necessary for world-class manufacturing success.  The most unique aspect of the ground-breaking study, however, is the evaluation instrument utilized in the study.  It provided participating manufacturers with a detailed assessment of how their management practices compare to global industry leaders and can evaluate whether individual firms are implementing the procedures and strategies that will enable them to thrive and succeed in the coming decade.

“The Next Generation Manufacturing Study is probably the most exhaustive and detailed survey of the US manufacturing base ever conducted. In today’s climate of globalization and the threat of lost manufacturing jobs, it’s important to know where the U.S. stands as a player in the international market. The study was also illustrative for Graphicast, as it highlighted where we stand compared to the more than 1,000 companies that responded to the study. This information gives us a clear path to follow to achieve world class status in technology and service,” said Val Zanchuk, president of Jaffrey-based Graphicast.

New Hampshire manufacturers like Graphicast that participated in the study received a free customized benchmarking report comparing their progress to the overall state and national results. Each confidential benchmarking report was prepared by the respected research and strategic consulting firm, the MPI Group.

Commissioned by Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers across the country, including NH MEP, and the American Small Manufacturing Coalition, the study offers the most detailed description yet of what it takes for American manufacturers to compete in the global economy.  The study was designed as the first step in a long-term effort to help U.S. manufacturers survive the recession and renew America’s manufacturing leadership over the next decade.

manufacturing_welding_lg“New Hampshire’s economic recovery depends on the ability of its manufacturers to maintain profitability in the face of fierce competition.  Manufacturing remains the state’s largest industry in terms of gross state product, accounting for more than 13 percent of state GDP.  The challenge to policymakers is not to give up on manufacturing but to support the transformation of the state’s manufacturing sector into a faster, more flexible industry capable of outperforming their non-world-class peers,” said Zenagui Brahim, NH MEP director of operations.

“The study itself is only the first step in NH MEP’s efforts to assist local manufacturers,” Brahim stated.  “Although the national study is complete, New Hampshire manufacturers can take advantage of the evaluation instrument and work with NH MEP project managers to conduct an assessment of their company’s strategic policies, investments and performance.  Every manufacturer in the state has the ability to utilize this valuable new resource.”

The Keys to Next Generation Manufacturing Success

Next Generation Manufacturing (NGM) refers to a framework of strategies that will drive manufacturing growth in the 21st century.  Developed by leading manufacturers, industry thought leaders and the MEP centers, Next Generation Manufacturing reflects the best practices and performance strategies of world class companies.  To remain competitive, manufacturers in New Hampshire and across the country need to achieve world-class performance in at least some of these key areas.  The study identifies six essential strategies:

• Customer-focused innovation: Deliver new and better customer solutions at a faster pace than the competition.

• Advanced talent management: Secure a competitive performance advantage by having superior systems in place to recruit, hire, develop and retain talent.

• Systemic continuous improvement: Record annual productivity and quality gains that exceed the competition through a companywide commitment to continuous improvement.

• Extended enterprise management: Leverage a flexible network of supply chains and partnerships to provide competitive advantages of speed, cost and quality.

• Sustainable product and process development: Design and implement waste and energy-use reductions at a level that provides superior cost performance and recognizable customer value.

• Global engagement: Secure business advantages through people, partnerships and systems capable of engaging global markets, talent and resources.

The survey administered to the initial 1,500 companies nationwide employed 63 questions to drill down and measure each firm’s progress, or lack of progress, in implementing strategies in these six essential areas.

Sobering Findings

• A serious gap exists between the strategies that New Hampshire and U.S. manufacturers believe are critical to their future success and their actual progress in implementing those strategies. Currently, only a fraction of New Hampshire manufacturers are at or near world-class in any of the six NGM strategies.

• Small and midsize manufacturers are less likely than larger firms to be at or near world-class status in each of the NGM strategies. One-third of respondents nationwide with less than $10 million in revenue were not at or near world-class in any strategy, compared to just 14% of manufacturers with more than $100 million in revenue.

• Measurement systems are inadequately deployed.  Even in one of the most fundamental and easiest-to-measure areas – process improvement – 46% of respondents in New Hampshire and across the country had no measurement system or only ad hoc measurement systems.

• Effective partnerships with employees, suppliers and regional support organizations are the exception rather than the norm.  Nationwide, a majority of respondents (56%) engage less than half of their employees in improvement initiatives, falling far short of industry best practices that require company-wide participation. In New Hampshire the results were modestly better, but 45% of respondents still engage less than half of their employees.

• In New Hampshire and across the nation approximately 40% of companies fail to reach or approach world-class status in the ability of their supply chains to respond to unexpected customer demand for existing products.  In part this is due to the failure of companies to implement supply-chain measurement systems.  More than 45% of New Hampshire firms said that they have no measurement system or only ad hoc measurement systems in place to review the return from supply chain management and collaboration.

• Energy efficiency remains a weak link. Less than five percent of New England firms are at or near world-class status in terms of annual reduction of energy consumption per unit of product output.

• Only 28% of respondents nationwide and 35% of firms in New Hampshire believe global engagement is highly important, despite a near-term future in which markets, talent, competitors and partner opportunities are growing faster outside the U.S. than within its borders.

New England’s Strength: Advanced Manufacturing

The survey data reveal a sobering picture of the challenges facing American manufacturers.  But the report highlights an important distinction that characterizes New England manufacturers in general and New Hampshire manufacturing sector in particular.  New England possesses a robust advanced manufacturing cluster that distinguishes itself from manufacturers nationwide in some very notable ways. 

• New England manufacturers devote more resources to new product development and R&D than their counterparts nationwide. 
o 23.8% of New England manufacturers invest more than ten percent of sales in new product development versus 14.6% of firms nationwide.
o 48.9% of New England manufacturers dedicate more than five percent of their workforce to new product development versus 34.6% of firms nationwide.

• New England manufacturers launch significantly more new products annually than their counterparts nationally (23.5% of New England manufacturers launch more than ten percent of their total SKUs annually versus 15.7% nationally.)

• New England manufacturers derive a significantly larger percentage of annual sales from new products than their counterparts nationally (33.7% of New England manufacturers derive at least one-quarter of their annual sales from products introduced in the last three years versus 24.8% of manufacturers nationally.)

• New England manufacturers derive significantly more value-added per employee than their counterparts nationwide, with 34.9% of New England respondents reporting that they receive more than $125,000 per employee versus 28.0% nationwide achieving that level of value-added.

manufacturingThese findings confirm the results of another recent study on manufacturing conducted by Deloitte Consulting LLP for the New England Council, which found that New England enjoys a strong cluster of advanced manufacturers whose productivity improvements have been transformational.  That report, Reexamining Advanced Manufacturing in a Networked World: Prospects for a Resurgence in New England, noted that advanced manufacturing has reversed the decline associated with traditional manufacturing in New England by developing a talent-rich network of advanced manufacturers with skilled workforces capable of creating complex product solutions.

“New England manufacturers clearly out-perform their counterparts nationally in terms of developing new products and gaining a higher value-add from each employee.  But the Next Generation Manufacturing study clearly shows how far many manufacturers still have to go to reach world-class status,” said NH MEP Operations Director Brahim.  “In many strategic areas our state’s firms are just as challenged as manufacturers nationwide and need to take major steps to improve their performance or else risk being left behind by the global competition.  New England’s economic future will be determined by how the region’s manufacturers respond to this challenge.”

Attention manufacturers! Growth and sustainability will be the theme of the seventh annual Governor’s Advanced Manufacturing and High Technology Summit, scheduled to take place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord.

Coordinated by the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire, the summit will provide participants with tips for accelerating reliable growth in their businesses.

Sponsors of the event are Citizens Bank, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Association for Operations Management and New Hampshire Business Review.

Registration fee for the summit is $85 per participant; lunch is included. Interested parties can sign up online by visiting http://www.acteva.com/ttghits.cfm?EVA_ID=23444.

7th Annual Governor’s Advanced Manufacturing & High Tech Summit Scheduled

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

 Growth and sustainability is the theme of the 7th Annual Governor’s Advanced Manufacturing and High Technology Summit scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 13th from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center.

Coordinated by the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NH MEP) and the Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire and sponsored by Citizens Bank, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Association for Operations Management and New Hampshire Business Review, the summit will provide participants with tips for accelerating reliable growth in their businesses.

beth-goldsteinMorning speaker Beth Goldstein, author of The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Toolkit, will lead participants in an interactive discussion on the art of developing a powerful brand based on customers’ needs, spending patterns, pain points and the value they derive from your company.

Later workshops will center around the following subjects: “Case Studies on Lean Green and Energy” (Jay Fallon, Continuous Improvement Manager, BAE Systems and Art Christianson, Vice President of Manufacturing, High Liner Foods), “Growing Your International Business: Successful Export Growth Strategies” (Michael Stone, Stone & Associates, Dawn Wivell, Director, NH International Trade Resource Center and Justin Oslowski, Director, NH Export Assistance Center, U.S. Department of Commerce), and “Introducing a System for Reliable Growth” (Patricia Giavara, Assistant Director and Growth Coach with the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center and Jane Ely, NH MEP Project Manager).

Keynote speaker Michael Reopel, Principal of Deloitte Consulting, will present the results of his report “Reexamining Advanced Manufacturing in a Networked World – Prospects for Resurgence in New England.” This report identified five subsectors within the New England manufacturing industry that are poised for growth, discussed the challenges that these industry subsectors face and identified the opportunities they provide for sustainable economic growth even during these difficult economic times.

The registration fee for the summit is $85 per participant; lunch is included. Interested parties can sign up online by visiting www.nhbia.org’s “Calendar” page and clicking on October 13th. For more information, call Zenagui Brahim or Cathy Doty at the NH MEP at (603) 226-3200.

Safety Makes Good Business Sense

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Can you put a pricetag on healthy employees? Each year workplace accidents cost U.S. companies billions of dollars in worker’s compensation claims, lost productivity and overtime costs.

Thankfully, there are organizations that are dedicated to helping companies avoid workplace injuries and create a healthy atmosphere for their employees. One such group is the NH OSHA Consultation Program which will be hosting a free breakfast seminar on Tuesday, September 29th from 8-11:30 a.m. at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord.

nhdes_logoKeynote speaker Dr. Jose Montero, the NH Director of Public Health, will be speaking about “Pandemic Flu, Seasonal Flu & Infection Control in the Workplace.” Workshop sessions will include “How Safety Pays in the Construction Industry,” (Rich Lambert, Executive Vice President, Pro Con Incorporated), “The Culture of Safety in a Small Community Hospital,” (Harry Dorman, CEO, Alice Peck Day Hospital, Lebanon, NH) and “The Biggest Loser – How to Get Employees to Lose Weight and Gain Health” (Mark Compos, Materials Manager, Northern Elastomeric, Inc., Brentwood, NH).

osha1Again, the seminar is free and is limited to the first 100 registrants. To sign up, RSVP by 9/18/09 to Teresa Ferrara at teresa.ferrara@des.nh.gov or 271-4676.  To view the conference flyer, visit http://www.nheconomy.com/breakfast-seminar.aspx.

– Steve Boucher, Communications & Legislative Director

A Great Evening for the Ladies

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Too often, the ladies in our life don’t take the time that they need to ensure their own physical and spiritual health and well-being. In today’s lightning paced society where it seems that there’s a race to see who can do the most in the quickest amount of time, stepping back and recharging batteries often seems like an impossible task.

That’s why I’m so happy to spread the word about a tremendous seminar taking place at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord tomorrow evening.

leslie_sturgeon_000“Taking Care of You” is the name of the health and wellness panel discussion being sponsored by our friends at Women Inspiring Women. This organization, whose motto is “bringing super cool chicks together for education, empowerment, personal development, networking and fun,” is a great catalyst for women’s business growth in the Granite State. Led by Office Options and Association Solutions Owner Leslie Sturgeon, this group provides an excellent forum for personal and professional growth through networking and educational opportunities.

The “Taking Care of You!” session presents an all-star team of health and wellness providers including Amy Gebo of Concord Hospital (stress management), Dr. Kristen O’Dell of Bedford Natural Medicine (health/wellness), Kim Dorval of Nutrition in Motion (diet/nutrition) and Gina McGuire of The Bod Squad (exercise/fitness).

Socializing and exhibit visits take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. with the buffet dinner and program taking place promptly at 6:30 p.m. The program is being offered at the low cost of $35 and registrations can be made at www.wiwnh.com. Walk-ins are also welcome. For more information, contact (603) 744-0400.

Ladies – take this opportunity to take good care of yourself. You deserve it!

– Steve Boucher, Communications & Legislative Director

Hypertherm Captures NHBSR Cornerstone Award

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Wow! That’s all I can say after yesterday’s NH Businesses for Social Responsibility 6th Annual Spring Conference.  I’ve always enjoyed being around people who are doing the right thing for the right reasons and yesterday I was surrounded by business leaders who are truly making a positive difference in their communities. Here’s a brief write-up about the event. Special thanks to Kate Luczko at NHBSR for all of her background work and copywriting and to NHBSR Executive Director Molly Hodgson Smith for allowing me to serve on the board of this fantastic organization.

Hypertherm was named the 2009 Cornerstone Award winner by New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR) at NHBSR’s 6th Annual Spring Conference at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH.

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“It’s entirely fitting that we are honoring Hypertherm at a conference that is celebrating sustainability and corporate citizenship,” said NHBSR Executive Director Molly Hodgson Smith. “With a corporate culture that focuses on care for the community and the environment, Hypertherm is a company that sets the pace in terms of ‘doing well by doing good.’”

Based in Hanover, this world class plasma cutting manufacturer consistently partners with organizations and engages in activities that strengthen and create sustainable, positive change in the communities and environment. The Hypertherm Owners’ Philanthropic Endeavors (HOPE) program fulfills the company’s commitment to share its success with the community. The program’s focus is on promoting the well-being of children and families by supporting organizations in the areas of arts and education, affordable housing, healthcare and the environment. Over the past several years, millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours have been donated to nonprofit organizations.

The four other finalists for this year’s Cornerstone Award were: Antioch University New England, BAE Systems, Electronics, Intelligence & Support, Stonyfield Farm and Simply Green Biofuels.

The NHBSR Cornerstone Award is presented every year at the NHBSR Spring Conference to a company, organization or individual that exemplifies the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and promotes the concepts of CSR to the greater business community within the state of New Hampshire.

This year’s NHBSR Spring Conference, titled “Sustainability – The New Frontier For Revenue Growth,” focused on how businesses can incorporate more sustainable practices in the workplace while saving resources and creating a return on investment.

The conference incorporated a variety of ‘green’ elements including carbon offset, recycling, minimizing waste and sustainable menu choices.

Additionally, the conference featured two prominent keynote speakers; Andrew Savitz, Author, The Triple Bottom Line: How Today’s Best-Run Companies Are Achieving Economic, Social and Environmental Success, and Dr. Tom Kelly, Director, Office of Sustainability, University of New Hampshire. It also featured numerous morning and afternoon educational breakout sessions, lunchtime CSR discussion circles, and a “Green Drinks” themed cocktail hour to end the day. To learn more about NHBSR, visit www.nhbsr.org.

– Steve Boucher, Communications & Legislative Director