NH Business Review will recognize the achievements of 16 business owners and operators in New Hampshire during its 22nd annual Business Excellence Awards ceremony on Thursday, October 10. The ceremony, which will take place at DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown from 5 to 8 p.m., will recognize top New Hampshire business executives, including leaders from Dartmouth Health, The Friendly Toast, Jewett Construction Co., SilverTech and Lakes Region Community College, among others. NH Business Review will also honor entrepreneur and inventor Dean Kamen as the 2024 Hall of Fame recipient during the awards ceremony.
“New Hampshire’s business community continues to evolve and succeed, and we are proud to celebrate their collective accomplishments and determination at the 22nd annual Business Excellence Awards ceremony,” said Mike Cote, editor of NH Business Review. “These 16 business leaders have made an incredible contribution to our state through their leadership, industriousness and commitment to their work in their respective industries.”
During the awards ceremony, prolific inventor Dean Kamen will be named the 2024 Hall of Fame recipient. Kamen, best known for inventing the Segway, is the founder of For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), a nonprofit that organizes robotics competitions for students ages 4 to 18 worldwide and that receives support from more than 200 Fortune 500 companies and a network of volunteers and educators. He has also developed health care technologies, such as a portable dialysis machine, a stair-climbing wheelchair, a bionic prosthetic arm and a water purification device. Additionally, since 2017, Kamen has led the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), a nonprofit consortium of life science companies, educational institutions and government working to accelerate the production of human tissue and organs.
The Business Excellence Awards recognize both small and large New Hampshire-based businesses across several industries, including health care, real estate and construction, nonprofit, manufacturing and technology.
2024 Business Excellence Awards Recipients:
Business & Professional Services
Small: Kathleen Nelson, President, World Academy
Large: Ken Viscarello, Shareholder, Chair of Affordable Housing Group, Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green
Consumer Services
Small: Patrick O’Keefe, Co-owner, E-Z Test Pool Supplies
Large: Eric Goodwin, Co-owner, The Friendly Toast
Financial Services
Large: Angela Strozewski, Executive VP and COO, New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp
Health Care
Small: Betsy Harrison & Susan Borchert, Co-founders, Counseling Associates of New London
Large: Carolyn Isabelle, System VP, Talent Acquisition and Career Development, Dartmouth Health
Manufacturing
Large: Douglas Thomson, Vice President, Granite State Manufacturing
Nonprofit
Small: Maryse Wirbal, CEO, The Front Door Agency
Large: Patrick Cate, President, Lakes Region Community College
Real Estate & Construction
Small: Lorianne Smith, Director of Architecture, Jewett Construction Co.
Large: Bryan Hussey, President, Metro Walls
Social Equity
Small: Dr. Bethany Bilodeau, CEO, C.O.R.E. Methods
Technology
Small: Jeff McPherson, Chief Digital Officer, SilverTech
Large: Jay Abendroth, President, L3Harris Technologies
Award winners will be featured and profiled in the October 4 issue of NH Business Review.
The 2024 Business Excellence Awards are sponsored by presenting sponsor M&T Bank, and general sponsors Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Service Credit Union, New Hampshire Business & Industry Association, UHY LLP and New Hampshire PBS.
