Spotlight May/June/July 2015
A Welcome From Our New President & CEO By Tracy Hatch, Incoming President & CEO of the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce “Hi, I’m Tracy Hatch, the new President and CEO of the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce.” When I said that for the first time, while introducing myself to a Chamber member attending our May Business After Hours at Eastern Bank, I know I was grinning ear-to-ear. In fact, I’d been smiling that way since the moment I was offered and accepted the pleasure and honor of leading our Chamber. In the month or so since then, my smiles have only gotten bigger. We have a tremendous Chamber, of which we can all be proud. We have an active, involved membership of diverse businesses, a membership which continues to grow as new members join us. We offer dozens of events to our members throughout the year, providing opportunities for our members to expand their relationships and access unique resources for business and leadership growth (not to mention some “Giggles” along the way). We’re highly respected and Photo Credit Studio Mark Emile an active participant in policy development with our legislators in Concord and at Nashua’s City Hall.
As I look out my window today, I can see over to the Millyard, where the Broad Street Parkway will finally become reality in the coming year. Nearly 40 years from conception to reality, completion of the project will open up a valuable opportunity for economic development in the city. The Chamber launched iUGO, our young professionals organization, in June 2007. With programming throughout the year and hundreds of participants at its events, iUGO has become ‘the’ organization for our young professionals. Little by little, discussions on commuter rail have moved forward (and sometimes backward, admittedly) and the Chamber has been at the forefront.
Chamber, I was asked to describe my vision for the Chamber – and I thought I’d share that with you. The Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce will be recognized and respected as the premier Chamber in New Hampshire, as a leader in public policy planning and advocacy, serving as the hub around which critical partnerships are formed. Businesses across diverse industries, small and large, start-ups and multi-generational, will see joining the Chamber as a natural and crucial step for growing their business.
New opportunities and challenges abound for the Chamber and greater Nashua: A Performing Arts Center, discussions about our region’s energy needs and how projects like Northern Pass and Kinder Morgan’s proposed pipeline will play out, and the continued evolution of downtown, to name but a few, will be at the forefront as I look towards our Chamber’s future. When I met with the Search Committee during the selection process for a new leader here at the aPPLICATIONS FOR lEADERSHIP gREATER nASHUA cLASS OF 2015-2016 are due by Friday, June 26th! Go online to www.nashuachamber.com!
Hatch and Williams at the May Business After Hours event at Eastern Bank. Photo Credit GNCC Staff.
Our Chamber members will feel valued, welcomed and connected with the Chamber staff and other members, finding tangible benefits in programs and events which focus on their professional and personal growth and success. With your support and help, I know we can achieve that vision and I’m excited to begin the journey.
Over the past 9 years, Chris Williams and his staff have worked tirelessly to build our Chamber into the preeminent business organization in our community – and I’m committed to not just maintaining but expanding our success.
Finally, I want you to know that I tremendously value and respect your opinions and ideas. We are who we are, and we’ve achieved what we’ve achieved, because of our members Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with your thoughts about our Chamber, initiatives and programs you would like to see our Chamber tackle, and to let me know what’s happening in your business that is leading to success – and to challenges we can jointly work to overcome.
In Chris’s very first Spotlight, back in June 2006, he pointed to several focal points for the Chamber: the Broad Street Parkway, attracting and retaining young professionals for the area, and bringing commuter rail to Nashua. Today, we’ve made progress on each of those fronts.
Schedule of Events State of the State Date: June 16, 2015 Time: 7:30-9:00 AM Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nashua Cost: $25 Members, $35 Non-Members
July Business After Hours Date: July 16, 2015 Time: 5:30-7:30 PM Location: Nashua Silver Knights 67 Amherst Street, Nashua Cost: $5 Members, $15 Non-Members
TD Bank Networking Series Date: June 25, 2015 Time: 8:00-9:30 AM Location: Center for Women and Enterprise 30 Temple Street, Suite 610, Nashua Cost: $5 Members
Downtown Music Festival Date: July 18, 2015 Time: 6:00-11:00 PM Location: Temple Street, Nashua Cost: $10 In Advance, $12 At the Door
TD Bank Networking Series Date: July 23, 2015 Time: 12:00-1:30 PM Location: Not Your Average Joe’s, Nashua Cost: $5 Members
Dinner & Movie #2 Date: August 19, 2015 Time: 7:00-11:00 PM Location: East Pearl Street, Nashua Cost: $8 In Advance, $10 At the Door
Dinner & Movie #1 Date: August 5, 2015 Time: 7:00-11:00 PM Location: East Pearl Street, Nashua Cost: $8 In Advance, $10 At the Door August Business After Hours Date: August 12, 2015 Time: 5:30-7:30 PM Location: Service Credit Union 337 Amherst Street, Nashua Cost: $5 Members, $15 Non-Members
Nashua Goes Back to School Date: August 27, 2015 Time: 5:00-6:30 PM Location: Nashua Public Library Cost: Free Header Photo Credit Chris Cousins
letter from the Outgoing president
142 Main Street. 5th Floor Nashua, NH 03060 www.nashuachamber.com 603-881-8333 2014-2015 Board of Directors Chairman of the Board
Paul Hebert, United Way of Greater Nashua Incoming Chairman of the Board
Beth Needham, Eaton & Berube Secretary
Lori Piper, Enterprise Bank Treasurer
Rob Prunier, Harvey Construction Community Outreach Committee Chair
Claire Moses, Bellwether Community Credit Union Ambassador Committee Chair
Mike Apfelberg, Educational Outfitters iUGO Steering Committee Chair
Mike Aquino, Weisman, Tessier, Lambert & Halloran Barbara Alves, Marguerite’s Place Kim Cadorette, BAE Systems Vincent Cosco, Pheasant Lane Mall Lucille Jordan, Nashua Community College Fou Mahfuz, Persian Rug Gallery Doreen Manetta, People’s United Bank Shane McLaughlin, Nashua Jet Aviation Joseph Murray, Fidelity Investments Kim Reagan, RJ Finlay Co. Mike Rose, Southern NH Health System Ellen Scarponi, Fairpoint Communications Bill Schick, MESH Agency Dan Snyder, Merrrimack County Savings Bank
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or the past nine years, I have enjoyed the best job in the world by serving as the President & CEO of your Chamber of Commerce. Each day, I have walked into our downtown office knowing that I am there to advance southern New Hampshire’s economic and business vibrancy, and to improve the quality of life for so many of us who call greater Nashua our home and our place of work. Each day, I have awoken and asked myself “what do I get to do today?” rather than “what do I have to do, today?”
• Bring new vibrancy to downtown Nashua through our Chamber’s summer programs • Significantly enhance the Chamber’s reputation as an organization that is willing to play a leadership role in the city’s general development and improvement • Improve the Chamber’s reputation for working in a bipartisan fashion on local and state issues
After nine years, I am leaving the Chamber in Tracy’s very capable hands, and I I am excited to hand over the baton to aim to pursue other opportunities in my your new president, Tracy Hatch, who future to move Nashua forward. This city I know will continue the good work our has been my home for almost a decade, organization has done over the past nine and it will continue to be my home for years and take it to yet another height. many more years to come. While I canThis is a bittersweet moment for me. not predict what my professional future Photo Credit Studio Mark Emile For nine years, I have benefited from an may hold for me, I can assure each of incredibly supportive Board of Directors our member companies, our city’s social that has allowed me to take on bold initiatives within our service agencies, our institutions of higher education, community and on behalf of our member businesses. our city’s young professionals, our community’s artists, Thanks to the support of so many of our members and and our city residents of all demographic communities of an incredibly hard-working staff, I have had the privithat I will eternally remain Nashua’s fiercest champion. I lege of overseeing efforts to: have been blessed to represent the interests of our city and its business community for these past nine years, • Address our region’s concerns with a declinand wherever my professional path takes me, you can ing young workforce, by launching the city’s first be confident that the city of Nashua, its businesses and Young Professionals organization its residents will always have a strong champion and • Help better position our city and Chamber by advocate in me. giving both entities a common brand and collaborative strategy for promoting Nashua as a business-friendly city • Help provide for our city’s future community leadership by revamping and expanding the Chamber’s “Leadership Greater Nashua” program • Produce a bold brand for the City of Nashua • Significantly increase the Chamber’ s reputation as an advocate for businesses on a state level • Strengthen the local business community’s role in our city’s political landscape by actively engaging the Chamber at City Hall with our Mayor and Board of Aldermen • Build bridges between Nashua’s business community, and both our city’s Indian-American and our Latino communities Williams with Chairman of the Board of Directors Paul • Support the growth of Nashua’s arts community Hebert and Nashua Mayor Donnalee Lozeau. Photo Credit Studio by providing logistical and marketing support to Mark Emile. the Annual Sculpture Symposium
Peter Tamposi, The Tamposi Group Frank Teas, The Nashua Bank Eric Valliere, Symphony NH Staff Tracy Hatch President and CEO thatch@nashuachamber.com J. Christopher Williams Outgoing President and CEO cwilliams@nashuachamber.com Shaunae Nolet Membership Director snolet@nashuachamber.com Cecilia Ulibarri Events and Membership
Ambassador spotlight
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teve Saxe was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts. He attended New England College of Pharmacy, and Suffolk University for Business Management, and many that know Steve might be surprised to learn that he was a pharmacist. Today, he works as the Director of Business Development at Alphagraphics, where he strives to develop and grow their customer base. Steve is married with two children, and two grandchildren.
Experience Coordinator culibarri@nashuachamber.com Maxwell Snelling Marketing and Relations Coordinator msnelling@nashuachamber.com Laurey Isanski Office Adminstrator lisanski@nashuachamber.com
Spotlight
For advertising sales, contact Shaunae Nolet, and for editorial information, contact Maxwell Snelling at 603-881-8333 Newsletter Design By SvenGrafik
When he’s not at work, you might find him golfing, skiing, volunteering at any number of groups and organizations, or watching his grandchildren play sports. He says his favorite part of his job at Alphagraphics is helping clients grow their businesses through social media, print, promotional items, and apparel. As far as career goals go, he says he wants to increase his sales by developing an even larger customer base. Steve became a Chamber Ambassador in April 2014 because he enjoys the opportunity to meet other community members and business associates. He works his schedule
around Chamber events to ensure that he is helping out at as many events as he can. If he could change one thing about the Chamber right now, he says he would increase the awareness of downtown Nashua business. On the casual side of life, Steve takes his hazelnut coffee black, and prefers such a beverage in the mornings. The last book he read was “Good to Great” by Jim Collins, and he says he very much enjoyed reading it. he says his favorite things to watch on TV are sports, especially the Patriots. Unsurprisingly, the Patriots are his favorite sports team. When listening to music, Steve prefers the smooth and funky swing of jazz. Another thing that some might not know about Steve is that, at the age of 14, he rescued eight people from a capsized boat. Something that everyone should know about is that he is a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. If he could be anywhere in the world, he would choose to be right at his home
with his family. His favorite place in Nashua is Best Fitness, and his favorite spot to dine is Surf. Steve can often be seen working the registration table at Chamber events and greeting everyone with his signature smile. We at the Chamber could not be happier to have a man like Steve helping us out. Next time you see him at a Chamber event, be sure to thank him for all that he does for the Chamber and the greater Nashua Community!
Member Happenings 2015 Rock’n Ribfest and RibRide ock’n Ribfest is an annual celebration of barbecued ribs and family-friendly entertainment put on by the Rotary Club of Nashua West as a fundraiser for local non-profit organizations. The 2015 Ribfest will be happening from June 19th to 21st. For these three consecutive days, you can join professional competitive barbecue teams from across the United States while they compete in the New Hampshire’s Official State Barbecue Championship, which is a Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned competition! There will be a tent with 42 judges to taste and choose the Champions in each of four Grilling entries on Saturday, and four different Barbeques categories on Sunday.
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Main Stage bands, attendance to the Performers Stage Entertainment, and to the Clowns. Food and beverage prices will be separate and set by the individual vendors during the fest, while kids’ rides will be $10 for a full day, and tickets for individual rides will also be available. This year’s Ribfest will feature the addition of the RibRide: a 25.1 mile bike ride through the streets of Merrimack, NH, including the scenic Amherst Village and Northwest Nashua. There is a $50 registration fee to participate in the ride, which includes an event t-shirt and free admission to Rock’n Ribfest. Riders can also have people sponsor them to become a Champion Rider where 100% of their contribution will go to help local families get back on track. According to Ribfest’s website, the Rotary Club of Nashua West has hosted Ribfest for over ten years in order to raise funds for the community. 2015 Gate City Brewfest & Wing Competition oin the fun on August 22, 2015 from one to five PM at historic Holman Stadium for the 2015 Gate City Brewfest & Wing Competion! Enjoy a day of fun and entertainment for the whole family. Local and regional craft breweries will be pouring handcrafted beer for partakers to explore, and local restaurants will be facing off in a wing competition. There will also be live music, games, and entertainment for all! The Gate City Brewfest & Wing Competition is presented by the City of Nashua, in partnership with the Division of Public Works Parks and Recreation Department, Rock 101 FM, the Nashua Silver Knights, New Hampshire Craft Alliance, 2Beerguys. com, and Bellavance
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With more than 40,000 attendees expected, the three-day event will be hosted at the AnheuserBusch facility in Merrimack, NH. Outside of delicious ribs and barbecue, Ribfest offers games, live music, and entertainment. Admission to all of Ribfest will be $10 at the gate, but will be $7 if purchased in advance online at ribfestnh.com or via the Anheuser-Busch gift shop. Children age eight and under can attend for free! Proceeds from the event will benefit more than 40 local, nonprofit organizations through Rotary Nashua West’s annual giving program. Admission will include entrance to the grounds, attendance to all
Beverage Company. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Nashua Police Athletic League and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua. 2015 SummerFun his Summer, Nashua’s Parks and Recreation Department is ensuring that everyone has some fun! Starting on June 6th, they are unleashing 3 jampacked months of activities, concerts, and more with their annual SummerFun series. On June 6th, the festivities kicked off with an all day Opening Day event. On July 4th, Holman Stadium will by hosting SummerFun’s Fourth of July Celebrations. There will be a Children’s Field day from 10 AM – 1 PM featuring carnival games and more. This will be followed by a concert, inductions into the Nashua Hall of Fame, a performance by the Spartans Drum & Bugle Corps, and fireworks. On Saturday, July 18th, SummerFun will be running the Fairy Tale Festival presented by Sharon’s Walk. The festival will begin at 10 am with Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes, where attendees are encouraged to dress as their favorite nursery rhyme characters. Mayor Lozeau will conduct the opening ceremonies, and their will be a magical puppet show. Saturday, August 8th will be Children’s Day: Kids in Motion beginning at 10 AM at the Greely Park Band Shell with a performance from children’s singer Wayne from Maine, a karate demonstration, and a performance by BJ Hickman, Trickster Extraordinaire. For the entire day there will be a bouncy house, game booths, caricaturists, and more! Then, on August 15th, Touch A Truck will take place at the Nashua Airport. According to the event’s Facebook page, it is “A fun-filled day to get up close and personal with all kinds of vehicles...including a few that fly!” The day will also feature a Ukulele Festival at the Greeley Park band shell from 10 AM to 4 PM, and the 62nd Annual Nashua Area Artist’s Association show will be taking place on the west side of Greeley Park.
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Member Renewals American Medical Response
Gate City Collision Center
Senior Activity Center Nashua
Gateway Hills Health Club
Merrimack Valley Business Machines, Inc.
B & S Integrated Security Systems Baker Newman Noyes
Girls Incorporated of NH
Millyard Technology Park
Signs Now NH
Bausch Articulating Papers, Inc.
Graffiti Paintbar
Mother & Child Clothing and Gifts, LLC
SkillSoft Corporation
Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant
Grappone Automotive Group
Mr. Sandless
South Nashua Living Magazine
Boston Billiard Club
Gregory J. Flooring & Design
MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar
Splash by Masi
Canobie Lake Park
HealthNH.com
Nashua Airport Authority
St. Joseph Community Services
Capital Transportation Logistics, Inc.
Heartfelt Therapeutic Massage
Nashua Electrolysis, LLC
Surf Restaurant
Celebrations Distinctive Catering Inc.
Home Health & Hospice Care
Nashua Regional Planning Commission
The Courville at Nashua
Christian Party Rental
HPM Insurance Agency
Nashua Teachers Union
The Lawn Dawg
Colliers International
Independent Services Network
The Peddler’s Daughter
Colonial Benefits Communications Comcast Spotlight
Joan Whitebook, Realtor w/BHG, The Masiello Group
NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire
Cornerstone Software, Inc
John Flatley Company
Craft Beer Cellar
Keller Williams Realty
Crown Linen Service, Inc.
Kulch Financial Services
Darrell’s Music Hall
Lambert & Associates
Devine, Millimet & Branch
Laurence C. Szetela, CPA
Downtowner-Nelson
Law Warehouses, Inc.
Edward Jones
Life Coping, Inc.
Ektron, Inc.
Lightblocks, Inc
Elevare Communications, LLC
Living At Home Senior Care
Elizabeth Grady of Nashua
Lovering Volvo
EnergyNorth Propane
Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank
EverSafe IT Services
Lowell Sun
Eversource Energy
Lui Lui Restaurant
Expressit Logistics
Manchester Radio Group
Fidelity Investments
Massage Envy
Fidelity Investment Center Nashua
McLaughlin Transportation Systems, Inc.
Flir Commercial Systems Inc.
Merrimack Building Supply Merrimack Premium Outlets
New England Career Services, LLC New England Financial Planning Group/ Raymond James New Hampshire 1 Network, Inc New Hampshire Motor Speedway New Hampshire Women’s Foundation New Sky Productions
ServPro of Nashua & Merrimack
The Plus Company, Inc. The Renegade Leader Coaching & Consulting Group The Salvation Army The Spartans Drum & Bugle Corps., Inc. Tokyo Joe’s Studios of Self-Defense Turn Cycle Solutions
Northeast Delta Dental
U.S. Army New Hampshire Recruiting Company
Northwestern Mutual Financial
U.S. Cellular
Opportunity Networks, Inc
United Way of Greater Nashua
Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt
USI New England
P & L Landscaping, LLC
Vascular Technology, Inc.
Palace Theatre
Vear Commercial Properties, Inc.
Positive Street Art
Verizon Wireless
Richard H. Belanger, C.P.A.
Weisman, Tessier, Lambert & Halloran
Rotary Club of Nashua
White Mountain IT Services
Ruo & Haschig Realty Inc.
Worthen Industries
S.L. Chasse Welding & Fabricating, Inc.
YCD Professional Management Consultants, Inc.
Santander Bank
Nashua Welcomes Center for Women and Enterprise NH
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ave you heard the news? Perhaps not, since you are reading this article, but the Center for Women and Enterprise has started a New Hampshire branch, and its headquarters are right here in Nashua! Their offices are located at the stylish 30 Temple Street, owned by the R.J. Finlay & Co. and just a stone’s throw from the Chamber of Commerce’s own building. Recently, I had the good fortune of visiting their spacious, modern offices and talking with Program Manager Terry Williams about what the Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE) is all about.
Photo Credit GNCC Staff
The CWE was founded twenty years ago in Massachusetts by Andrea Silbert after she returned to her hometown of Boston from a twoyear stint in South America. She had come back to the states with an idea for a non-profit microlending institution for women entrepreneurs, and the organization took off from there. Today, the CWE is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs start, establish, and grow their businesses. They offer both consulting and training, along with Women’s Business Enterprise certification, and technical assistance with issues across which a business might come. When an individual first comes to the CWE, Terry Williams explained to me, an assessment is done of the business to determine which areas the business needs training and assistance. Williams says that often times, individuals will focus on one particular area in which they need improvement, but that the CWE will help to broaden their gaze to find the best and most effective way to get them all the skills and training they need to succeed.
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NEws you can use From there, the CWE would set goals for the individual and advise them on which trainings to attend. Most of the trainings will take place right in CWE’s spacious offices at 30 Temple Street, which boasts a long conference room with wide, bright windows letting in lots of natural lighting. Williams noted that these trainings not only help their clients gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, but also act as great networking opportunities for participants, helping the clients to meet other entrepreneurs and build lasting business connections with them. The CWE also happens to be the New England Regional Partner Office (RPO) for the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. “All companies that are interested in WBENC certification that are in ME, MA, NH, VT, RI, and northern CT send their applications to CWE,” Jessica Yamas, the CWE-WBENC Program Manager explained via email. “The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), founded in 1997, is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned, controlled, and operated by women in the United States. WBENC … partners with 14 Regional Partner Organizations to provide its world class standard of certification to women-owned businesses throughout the country.“ When asked what the benefits of gaining WBENC certification were for a business, Yamas explained that the main benefit is that it gives womenowned businesses an advantage when bidding on contracts offered by corporations in the private sector. “Nationally, WBENC is currently comprised of over 12,000 certified women-owned businesses, and over 1,000 Corporate Partners,” Yamas explained. “These Corporate Partners, such as Disney, Staples, CVS, Stop & Shop, MGM Resorts, and Citizens Bank, to name a few, have made it their goal to do business with diverse vendors, particularly women.” She says that many of these corporations have set up supplier diversity programs to ensure that this happens. Yamas also noted that WBENC Certification provides a business with several other benefits, including networking opportunities, invitations to exclusive events, and two free consulting sessions on any range of topics. She said that certification can be arduous, but also very beneficial to a business, and that the CWE would be there every step of the way to assist applicants. When I asked Terry Williams why the CWE had chosen Nashua for its base of operations here in New Hampshire, she admitted that part of the de-
cision stemmed from their desire to chose a part of NH that did not already have a similar organization in operation. Williams said that they wanted to base themselves in a major city in New Hampshire, and that Nashua proved to be a very interesting city for them, with lots of different activities going on. “Nashua has been very welcoming and we are really looking forward to getting to know and working with area businesses!” Williams said of her experience thus far. She says that her plan is to get to know the area more by meeting with Great American Downtown, the Chamber, and networking with other area businesses. Williams plans to see what is here in the greater Nashua area, as well as looking into what needs to be brought to the area. In the coming months she will be going out to different communities in the state to give seminars and trainings to further help her get a feel for the area. For the time being, Williams says the CWE will focus on southern New Hampshire, but eventually they will expand out to the entire state as they listen and learn how to be the most effective for each different region. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand into New Hampshire to support the women entrepreneurs and women in business,” said CWE President and CEO Susan Rittscher. “CWE can and will help women to achieve their dreams of starting and growing a business. We will look for ways to partner with the community to further the economic expansion in New Hampshire.” For those looking for more information on the CWE, please contact Terry Williams at twilliams@CWEonline.org; visit their new offices at 30 Temple Street, Suite 610, Nashua, NH; or go online to www.CWEonline.org.
Photo Credit GNCC Staff
Advocacy
his will likely come as no surprise to anyone, but energy-related bills dominated much of the legislative debate just a couple of weeks ago. Although as of printing time, the Senate Energy Committee had not yet voted on the electric rate reduction financing bill (SB 221), discussions regarding SB 221 and energy issues in general are continuing to top the agenda in Concord. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Public Utilities Commission opened up a docket to look at establishing an energy efficiency resource standard (EERS), a policy to establish specific targets for energy savings that utilities in NH must meet. One of the things that the Commission has identified as a subject to be considered in that docket is the leveraging of private funding sources. This is a sign that the cost of the energy efficiency programs is going to be an issue that the Commission will focus on. It’s good that this will be the case because, as all of you know, it is the cost of energy that is the number one concern for NH businesses. Although SB 221 and the Eversource divestiture settlement are using up a lot of the energyrelated oxygen in the discussions going on in Concord these days (and no question that this is an important bill), it is important for everyone to keep their eye on the ball. The most important thing that policy makers should be doing is working on getting more energy into New England and NH. That is how energy rates will go down. All of this is a reminder of why we are encouraging the legislature to vote down HB 572, a bill that would place significant new hurdles in the path of the development of the new natural gas pipeline. Senate Protects Dedicated Funds One method that the NH Legislature has used recently to help balance bud-
gets has been raiding dedicated funds (these are funds that are earmarked for particular purposes and are accounted for separately from the State’s general fund). Instead of using those monies for the purposes that led to the raising of the funds in the first place, the Legislature sweeps up those monies and includes them as revenue to fund other parts of the budget. The House turned to this option in the closing stages of its review of the State budget earlier this year, when it took about $52 million from the State’s renewable energy fund and moved it to the general fund in order to fill a big part of the hole in the Department of Transportation budget. Just a couple of weeks ago, the members of the Senate Finance Committee voted to reject this raid on the renewable energy fund. Since the money in the renewable energy fund comes from electric utilities, and thus ultimately from the utilities’ rate payers, the raid on the fund would ultimately mean that electric rate payers were funding the work of the Department of Transportation – a result that is not exactly what the doctor ordered at this particular point in time, as we have noted above. This decision by the Finance Committee is not a one-off sort of thing. Senate President Chuck Morse has made it clear that the Senate is not going to build its version of the budget through the diversion of funds that are dedicated to other purposes. The taxpayers who pay into dedicated funds –whether those taxpayers are electric customers or anyone else who has paid a fee or a license which they assume is going to be used for a particular purpose–should not be subject to having that fee diverted by the Legislature to some other use. If the Legislature is going to have dedicated funds at all, then obviously those funds need to be maintained for the purposes for which they were created in the first place. Good work by the Senate Finance Committee on this one.
TIPS OF THE TRADE Let’s Negotiate By H. Scott Flegal, Partner at Flegal Law Office, P.A.
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e may not be aware of it, but most of us negotiate our way through life. Most of us know that we negotiate in our business lives, but we also negotiate with friends and family members on a regular basis. It behooves us then, to study the art of negotiation. Good negotiators are trained, not born. Understanding a few of the core tenets of negotiation can make our lives go more smoothly. Here are three negotiation tips that might prove helpful to you.
Tip #1: Do your homework, know your BATNA. Too often, parties enter into a negotiation without having done the homework necessary to permit them to negotiate successfully. Be sure to determine your BATNA ahead of time. BATNA is an acronym for “Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement.” Note that the proper benchmark for measuring the value of your dispute is your “Best” Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement, not the “Worst” alternative. If you conduct the BATNA analysis properly, you can avoid settling too cheaply, and rejecting offers you should accept.
Tip #2: Acknowledge that emotion is present and learn how to use it. If you ever find yourself in a business negotiation and the other lawyer or party suggests that you “keep emotion out of the discussion”, you know you are dealing with a negotiation neophyte. Emotion is always present. The latest scientific analysis demonstrates emotion is a key element of human decision-making. I often tell parties in a mediation that if I had Luminol for feelings, the walls would be covered with splotches. Acknowledge its presence, and make use of it. The late Roger Fisher, Harvard Law School professor and author of the seminal negotiation treatise, “Getting to Yes”, wrote that parties in a negotiation can use emotion to their advantage during negotiations. Emotion can be used as a lens, to view our own thoughts and feelings to better understand what is most important to us, and what might knock us off balance during the discussion. At the same time, emotion can be used as a lever to convince the other party that our interest ought to trump theirs in the discussion. Note that each of these examinations takes place prior to the negotiation or conversation, as part of your preparation. My suggestion is that you make a list of the emotions that might exist for each side, and how they might impact the discussion. Once again, preparation is key.
the parties may share. Sometimes making trades involving interests that seem irrelevant can add value and be the key to breaking deadlock. It is important to note that to make use of any of the foregoing tips, you must prepare properly for the negotiation. You and your business will be well served if you take the requisite time to prepare well for the important conversations in your lives. With a bit of knowledge and preparation you can make all of your toughest talks go more smoothly. H. Scott Flegal is the principal at Flegal Law Office, P.A., a boutique firm in Nashua focused on the representation of entrepreneurs, business owners and the lenders and investors that support them. The firm website is at www.flegal.com, and www.mygotocounsel.com. Scott’s Twitter handle is @hscottflegal, and his Blog is www.scottflegal.com. His direct dial is 603.882.7032.
Tip #3: Make the pie bigger. I approach every negotiation in my life not only with the objective of finding a solution that works for all parties, but of finding one that actually adds value to the equation. In every negotiation, parties have interests that are more important than others. Those need to be uncovered and made part of the solution. But it is a mistake to ignore other, seemingly unrelated interests that
Local Chef spotlight Interview with Adam Dorey, 110 Grill 110 Grill may be new to Nashua, but the guy in charge of the kitchen definitely isn’t new to the restaurant industry. Since early high school, Adam Dorey has worked in multiple kitchens, from a small locally owned restaurant, to his own catering company which specialized in corporate dining, to a well-known upscale, casual restaurant. Currently, as the Culinary Director and Operations Manager of 110 Grill, Adam Dorey manages the menus and oversees the kitchens for both locations (Nashua, NH and Chelmsford, MA). Prior to joining the 110 Grill team, he was an Executive Chef and managed operations with Burtons Grill where he successfully opened 5 locations and won multiple awards. Before Burtons, he worked with the Personal Executive Chef for Perry Ellis as a sous chef. We sat down with Adam to learn a little more about his background and plans for 110 Grill’s future.
What was one of your most memorable experiences in your culinary career? I’ve had a lot of great experiences throughout my career, but one that stands out was winning the 2013 Restaurant of the Year Award with my team at Burtons Grill of Westford. What were your main goals when creating 110 Grill’s Spring/Summer menu? 110 Grill features modern American cuisine in a trendy, casual atmosphere. The menu includes unique dishes utilizing local, fresh ingredients at an affordable price. I also added a variety of composed dishes where we encourage guests to get every flavor in each bite. We plan on releasing a few menus each year to complement the changing seasons. What’s your favorite dish on the new menu? The Cucumber and Avocado Tuna. It’s the perfect light summer dish. It includes sliced sesame tuna, served rare, over jasmine rice with avocado, thinly sliced cucumber and honeydew melon, finished with a light soy ginger dressing. What’s the biggest food trend that you see in New England? Ethnic influences in popular American dishes. We took advantage of this trend and incorporated some Asian and Italian influences into our new menu.
Cucumber and Avocado Tuna, Adam’s favorite dish on the menu. Photo Credit Ethan Gordon of Gordon Multimedia.
What’s your favorite restaurant besides 110 Grill? Trumbull Kitchen in Hartford, CT. I love the contemporary atmosphere, and their menu has a lot of interesting dishes with flavors from around the world.
What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work? I have a 7-year-old daughter Madyson, who I love spending time with. She’s growing up so quickly, and she’s really into dance right now. I also enjoy fishing whenever possible.
Ryan Dion, Chief Operating Officer of 110 Grill with Adam Dorey, Culinary Director and Operations Manager. Photo Credit Ethan Gordon of Gordon Multimedia.
What’s your favorite dish to cook at home? I actually don’t cook too much outside of work. Whatever is quick, easy, and healthy. I make a great yogurt parfait. What is 110 Grill looking forward to in the upcoming months? We’re all very glad that summer is finally here, and we’re looking forward to a fun patio season with great live music on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Heading into the fall, we’re excited about our company growth and the opening of our third location in Berlin, MA in October, as well as creating our Fall/Winter menu.
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