SBA’s 2023 New Hampshire District Director Award

Andrea O’Brien - NH Small Business Development Center (NH SBDC)

Each year, 3,000 small businesses from approximately 200 New Hampshire communities benefit from the advising and educational programs offered by the NH Small Business Development Center. Andrea O’Brien is a key member of this dedicated team of professional business advisors delivering highly individualized, confidential advice to enterprises and entrepreneurs across New Hampshire. Andrea is being recognized as this year’s recipient of the New Hampshire District Director Award for her tremendous support of NH small businesses and her dedication to the NH SBDC mission, wearing many hats over her 25-year tenure.

Andrea was nominated by Julie Glossner, an NH SBDC colleague, who highlighted Andrea’s outstanding commitment to clients in the Merrimack Valley/Southern Region of NH and sees her as a pioneer of business advising who goes above and beyond to get the job done. Andrea’s positive energy and attitude have led to a tremendous impact in jobs created and capital investment.  She often meets clients in the evening and on weekends when it is more convenient for their schedules. She has established strong relationships with many State economic development organizations including the local SBA office allowing her to educate and refer her clients to a full array of funding sources and other technical assistance available in NH.  She helps many clients access the capital they need through various programs including SBA guaranty loans, USDA funding for EV stations, CDFA grants for solar arrays, and non-traditional sources like crowdfunding. Andrea’s main goal is to help her clients understand the financial well-being of their business and how to best present their needs to the right source of funds based on their individual circumstances.

Outside of her business advising role, Andrea also serves as the NH SBDC Director of the Sustainability Program assisting her co-workers and clients with navigating the various energy efficiency programs available to the NH small business community.  She also serves as the NH SBDC’s Statewide Inclusivity Business Advisor working with the BIPOC and other underserved small business communities to further the reach of business resources to those not formally connected.

Andrea possesses 30 years of experience in serving businesses with general business advising and in the environmental management field. She held positions in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, and worked as a consultant for financial institutions requiring environmental assessments on non-performing loan portfolios. Her prior work experience also includes Senior Associate Engineer at IBM where she developed the company’s hazardous waste management program in Burlington, VT, and Poughkeepsie, NY.

When Andrea is not busy in her many roles helping and advising clients, she can be found on the Hillsborough Meals on Wheels Advisory Board or finding new trails to hike and mountains to climb. Andrea has hiked all 48 of the 4,000-foot mountains in NH. She holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Maine-Orono and is soon to be a grandmother.

For more information on NH SBDC NH Small Business Development Center | University of New Hampshire (nhsbdc.org)

Award winners will be honored at the 2023 Small Business Week celebration, co-hosted by the NH Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration and the NH Banker’s Association, which will be held on Wednesday, May 3rd from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the Manchester Country Club, Bedford, NH.