CONCORD, N.H. –– On Oct. 20, the Business and Industry Association, New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce and leading business advocate, will host its 108th Annual Dinner, Lifetime Achievement and New Hampshire Advantage Awards Celebration presented by Eversource from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown Hotel.

The event kicks off with a networking reception from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. followed by the dinner and awards ceremony. There will be a livestream of the event broadcast simultaneously.

This event, which draws more than 700 business, political and opinion leaders from around the state and is New Hampshire’s largest and most prestigious business networking event, features presentation of two coveted awards – the Lifetime Achievement and New Hampshire Advantage awards. Honorees for 2021 will be announced in early September.

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 communities and the state through their successful business endeavors, active participation in civic organizations, involvement in boards, and service to local and state government. Last year’s Lifetime Achievement honorees were former Govs. Steve Merrill and John Lynch.

The New Hampshire Advantage Award honors businesses, organizations, or projects that enhance New Hampshire’s special character and quality of life in meaningful ways. Last year’s recipient was Granite United Way. Other past honorees include CASA NH, Girls Inc. of New Hampshire, the University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies, New Hampshire Public Television, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits, New Hampshire Humanities Council, New Hampshire Food Bank, Easter Seals New Hampshire, the 2-1-1 New Hampshire Partnership, New Hampshire Political Library and a core group of supporters that worked to prevent closure of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard under the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process.

Past recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award:

2020

Former Govs. Steve Merrill and John Lynch

2019

Larry Gammon, Easterseals New Hampshire

Joseph McQuaid, New Hampshire Union Leader

Joan Goshgarian, New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts

2018

Hon. Linda Dalianis, former chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court

Dr. Richard Gustafson, former SNHU president and CCSNH chancellor

Hon. W. Douglas Scamman Jr., former Speaker of the New Hampshire House

2017

Hon. John H. Sununu, former governor, former White House chief of staff, and president of JHS Associates

Dr. Edward MacKay, former chancellor, University System of New Hampshire

2016

Pam Hall, Normandeau Associates

Dick Hamilton, White Mountains Attractions Association

Tom Rath, Rath Young Pignatelli

2015

Bradford Cook, Sheehan Phinney Bass and Green

Barbara Couch and Richard Couch, Hypertherm

2014

Douglas Dean, Elliot Health System

John Olson, Whelen Engineering Inc.

Gary Long, Public Service of NH

2013

Donna Sytek, former Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives

Wendell Jesseman, chairman of New England Wire Technologies

2012

John Collins, Dartmouth-Hitchcock

James Varnum, Dartmouth-Hitchcock

Ray Wieczorek, Wieczorek Insurance

2011

John Crosier, BIA; Patrick Duffy, P. Duffy and Associates

Judd Gregg, former U.S. senator and former governor of New Hampshire

2010

John Broderick, former N.H. Supreme Court chief justice

2009

Lew Feldstein, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation

Dr. Stephen Reno, University System of New Hampshire

2008

Patrick Duffy, P. Duffy and Associates

2007

Andrew Lietz, University System of New Hampshire

2006

Henry Powers, Sprague Energy

2005

Jack Middleton, McLane, Graf, Raulerson and Middleton

2004

Malcolm McLane, Orr and Reno

2003

J. Bonnie Newman, Kennedy School of Government

John Frisbee, New Hampshire Historical Society

2002

William Ruger, Sr., Sturm Ruger and Co.

James Wagner, Nexfor Fraser Papers

2001

Stephen Barba, the Balsams Grand Resort

Saul Greenspan, Seco

2000

Sylvio Dupuis, Notre Dame College

Kimon Zachos, Sheehan Phinney Bass and Green

1999

David Putnam, Markem Corp.

1998

William S. Green, Sheehan, Phinney, Bass and Green

Walter Peterson, Franklin Pierce College

1997

Eli Isaacson, Isaacson Structural Stee

F. Fuller Ripley, Troy Mills

1993

Courtland Freese and George Freese Jr., Globe Manufacturing Co.

John Morison II, Hitchiner Manufacturing

Neil Tillotson, Tillotson Corp.

Tickets for BIA'S 108th Annual Dinner and Awards Celebration, presented by Eversource, are $1,500 for a table of 10 or $150 per person and may be purchased at BIAofNH.com/events. For more information, call (603) 224-5388 x101. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please email Lora McMahon.

Sponsors for this year’s annual dinner include:

Presenting – Eversource

Livestream – Bank of America

Audio Visual – Catholic Medical Center

Dessert – GZA GeoEnvironmental

Event parking – Well Sense Health Plan

Registration & Name Badge – Eastern Bank

Centerpiece – Rath Young and Pignatelli

Wine – The Mountain Club on Loon

Wi-Fi – United Healthcare

Hors d’oeuvres – Cook Little Rosenblatt and Manson

Media – New Hampshire Business Review

Newspaper – New Hampshire Union Leader

Platinum – BAE Systems, Bank of New Hampshire, CGI Business Solutions, Cirtronics Corporation, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, Fidelity Investments, Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., Inc., Liberty Mutual Group, McLane Middleton Professional Association, Rasky Partners, Sig Sauer, Inc., The RiverStone Group, Unitil, Waste Management

Gold – Anheuser-Busch, Inc., AT&T Services, Inc., C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc., Exigere Networks Inc., Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Hinckley Allen, Millennium Agency, Nathan Wechsler & Co., PA, Novocure, Watts Water Technologies

Silver – Anagnost Investments, Inc., Baker Newman Noyes, Casella, Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC, Fiduciary Trust of New England, The NHHEAF Network Organizations, Liberty, Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc., Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa, New Hampshire College and University Council, New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Inc., Northeast Delta Dental, Onvio LLC, Orr & Reno, PA, Planet Fitness World Headquarters, Sojourn Partners, Sprague Energy, TD Bank, Verizon, Vitex Extrusion/Momentum Manufacturing Group

Exhibitor – Littleton Coin Company