SBA NH District Office Celebrate the 2022 NH Small Business Week Award Winners
The 2022 National Small Business Week award celebration, hosted by the NH Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the NH Banker’s Association, was held on May 12th at the Manchester Country Club.
New England Regional Administrator Mike Vlacich, NH District Director Amy Bassett, Deputy District Director Rachael Roderick, and co-hosts NH Bankers Association recognized NH Small Business owners for their growth, innovation, and community contributions of their business. Each of the eleven winners accepted their prestigious award, received letters from all NH members of Congress, shared their small business story and connected with fellow small business winners. An audience of one hundred fifty attendees joined the celebration, including family, friends, SBA Lenders, and SBA resource partners from SCORE, Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE), Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC), and NH Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
List of NH 2022 Small Business Winners
Small Business Person of the Year
Sara B. Nadeau
Carriage Hill Assisted Living, 306 Knox Marsh Road, Madbury, NH
Sara Nadeau grew up in Madbury, NH. Sara’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2013 after separating from the U.S. Air Force as a Major and working for 9 years at a local community hospital. She partnered with her husband and brother to design and open an assisted living facility in Madbury. ‘Carriage Hill Assisted Living’ opened in 2015 as a 24-bed traditional assisted living residence. Sara attributes her determination and ability to open her own business to the significant specialized experience and training she received in the Air Force. Each position she held over the years gave her the insight and training that was invaluable to being able to manage all the facets of business ownership and operations. Sara also finds time to work in another family business offering a unique event venue for weddings and other specials events in a converted church known as “The Hall at Great Falls” in Somersworth which opened in 2018. To learn more https://carriagehillassistedliving.com/.
District Director Award
Steve Kesselring
Your Oil Tools, 78 Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett, NH
Your Oil Tools is a family-run business that sells aromatherapy oils and supplies, including bottles of all shapes & sizes, carrier oils & butters, bottle labels, recipe sheets, diffusers, cases, DIY kits, aroma jewelry, apparel, home products, and more to consumers and other essential oil and natural health businesses. The company showed solid growth for its first five years, moved to a larger location three times in five years and expanded internationally opening locations in the UK and Australia. In 2018, Steve was connected to SCORE, a resource partner of the SBA and started teaching workshops supporting others trying to start e-commerce businesses of their own and Steve has also worked independently with many small business owners looking for guidance. To learn more www.youroiltools.com.
Financial Services Champion
Denise Roy-Palmer
Wentworth Economic Development Corp. (WEDCO), Wolfeboro, NH
Denise Roy-Palmer, Executive Director of the Wentworth Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO) recently celebrated her 25th year with WEDCO. Over the course of her tenure, she has championed community and economic development in Strafford and Carroll Counties. Denise is a true advocate for the small businesses she serves. She kept in close contact with her clients to help them navigate programs and find creative and innovative financial solutions during the pandemic. Over the years, she has facilitated and coordinated so many community and economic development projects that the true impact is immeasurable. Denise’s belief in small business owners and the importance of their success, has been her passion for her long-standing career. To learn more https://wedco-nh.org/
Veteran Owned Business of the Year
For NH and New England
AJ Jarnagin
Expansia, 71 Spit Brook Road, #410, Nashua, NH
Adam ‘AJ” Jarnagin is a founding partner and CEO of EXPANSIA of Nashua, a leading consulting firm focusing on advancing technology & technical services in support of our nation’s defense. EXPANSIA partners with government agencies and commercial entities to transform, scale, and implement needed technical and strategy innovations that enhance and scale technology. In 2014, AJ and wife, Tynel Jarnagin saw an opportunity to extend the nation’s research and development and commercial investments by bridging the gaps between commercial, R&D, acquisitions, and the operational user communities throughout all the branches of the Department of Defense, Intelligence community, and federal agencies. The staff at EXPANSIA includes technical personnel with advanced engineering degrees and subject-matter experts from the military, defense, and aerospace communities. To learn more https://expansiagroup.com/.
Home-Based Business of the Year
Lynne Beernaert
Hug Patrol, 125 Main Street, #62, Newmarket, NH
Lynne Beernaert is a woman who is incredibly passionate about her sewing, her mission and motto “Live Free and Hug” and so much more. Since 2015, Hug Patrol produced weighted wraps, made in New Hampshire from 100% cotton fabrics sourced from the USA. Weighted wraps can be heated or cooled, and either scented or unscented coming in a variety of sizes. Individuals of all ages and walks of life dealing with stress, anxiety, poor sleep, or those that need a natural support use weighted wraps and blankets as a source of comfort. Lynne is a community-minded business owner and used her sewing skills to donate over 500 masks during the pandemic. To learn more https://hugpatrol.net/.
Micro-Enterprise Business of the Year
Kelly E. Jewett
Bog Road Designs, 11 Perley Street, Concord, NH
In 2018, Kelly embarked on making her small business ownership dreams come true, creating custom wood signs with inspirational messages. After much success on Etsy the business was formally incorporated in 2020 and Kelly and her husband Bradley got very busy designing, manufacturing, and shipping handcrafted decorative signs. The couple recently purchased a building in Concord for a storefront giftshop and expanded manufacturing space. To learn more https://www.bogroaddesigns.com/.
Minority Owned Business of the Year
Nizar Jhaver
Global American Sales, Inc., 17 Hampshire Drive, Hudson, NH
For 32 years, Nizar Jhaver has run a successful thriving business in southern NH as a minority business owner. Starting a business in NH over 30 years ago as a minority was difficult. In 1989, Nizar founded Global American, Inc. and it was one of the first companies to propose that computer components needed to remain consistent and viable for years longer than the typical consumer PCs. Today, they lead the embedded system integration industry in technology, custom solutions, and personalized service. Global represents more than 10 overseas factories and manufacturers and counts thousands of companies as its clients - among them Fortune 500 and process control, aerospace, and biotech giants. To learn more https://globalamericaninc.com/.
Small Business Manufacturer Business of the Year
Mark Sullivan
Environmental Devices Corporation, 4 Wilder Drive, #15, Plaistow, NH
Mark Sullivan is the founder, owner, and managing director of Environmental Devices Corporation (EDC), in Plaistow. Mark started EDC at his kitchen table, where he designed the first circuit board, with a lot of help from friends. This circuitry was installed into EDC's first product - a handheld respiratory aerosol monitor. Environmental Devices Corporation is a manufacturer of precision scientific instrumentation specializing in real-time air quality monitoring. Since 1990, EDC has designed and commercialized several advanced product lines of air monitoring equipment. All products are highly portable, lightweight, and compact. Their instruments detect what is in the air you breathe. EDC designed a new state- of- the- art handheld respiratory air monitor specifically for firefighters and emergency first responders. To learn more https://environmentaldevices.com/.
Woman Owned Business of the Year
Jennifer Legere
A Place to Grow, 436 Route 125, Brentwood, NH
Jennifer Legere is the founder and director of ‘A Place to Grow, LLC, a nature based early learning center in Brentwood, NH. In 2005, Jennifer’s dream of becoming an entrepreneur came true. Situated on 13 acres with a spring-fed pond and natural play spaces nestled in the forest, the early learning center focuses on a warm, loving whole child approach where children learn inside and out. Indoor classrooms feature an eco-friendly environment with a holistic approach to physical and mental health which supports the children as they learn academically. A Place to Grow was franchised in 2020 with the goal of expanding their mission and vision of the school. The franchise model will support working families and build additional opportunities to add skilled educators to the workforce, all while supporting new entrepreneurs. To learn more https://www.aplace2grow.com/.
Jeffrey Butland Family Owned Business of the Year
For NH and New England
Fritz Family
Electrical Installations, LLC, 397 Whittier Hwy, Moultonborough, NH
In October 1987, Charlie, Sr. and Darlene Fritz started Electrical Installations (EII) from their garage. They began designing and manufacturing control panels while programming complex, state of the art control systems.
As technology and regulations were evolving, and water and wastewater treatment plants began to need required upgrades, the automation and water treatment worlds merged. They identified the need for environmentally friendly automated process controls to ensure cleaner wastewater and purer drinking water. Today, Electrical Installations provides electrical services and automation for water and wastewater treatment facilities and provides electrical construction services for owners and general contractors throughout New England. The company has grown exponentially and currently includes nine Fritz family members. All company employees have, and continue to be, considered part of the extended family. To learn more https://www.eii-hq.com/.
Small Business Champion
Heather Turner
Merrimack Valley SCORE
SCORE Business Advisor
Heather Turner, Vice-Chair Merrimack Valley Chapter, is an invaluable asset, both as a mentor and workshop presenter. Heather has conducted over 240 individual mentoring sessions with approximately 100 different small business owners. She presented an average of one workshop per week for the past three years, which have been well received by the dozens of current and aspiring small business owners who have attended. To learn more www.SCORE.org
According to the 2022 Small Business winners the valuable support of the SBA programs was vital in their journeys. The SBA resource partners, from NH Small Business Development Center (SBDC), SCORE, Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), our SBA lenders, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program, have provided them with ongoing support and technical assistance. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) allowed businesses to remain open and sustain their employees all while strengthening their businesses.
Amy Bassett, NH District Director stated, “We are honored to celebrate such a diverse group of winners this year. Our New Hampshire SBA award winners are dedicated individuals all with a drive for success. Through their innovative ideas they all have grown their businesses and are significant contributors to their communities and the NH economy.”
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