How to Stop the Flow of Junk Mail and Save Trees — and Your Sanity
Many people love to hate junk mail — and they have lots of different ways of quantifying their disgust: New York University says 5.6 million tons of junk mail end up in American landfills every year. Ecocycle.org says we may spend as much as eight months of our life sorting junk mail. TreeHugger.com claims junk mail’s annual carbon contribution is equal to that of seven U.S. states combined. Of course, these stats all come from people...
Chamber Profile: Lebanon Chamber Marks Centennial, Prepares for New Leadership
On Friday, Feb. 11, 1916, the Granite State Free Press reported on the goings-on among the roughly 6,000 residents of Lebanon. The items included news of one Helen Campbell, who went to visit a friend in Etna for a few days; plans for a Valentine Leap Year dancing party at Town Hall; and a report that Rudolph White had returned to his job at Plamondon Brothers grocery after a six-week absence due to illness. The last entry gave an...
‘What Effect Can You Have?’
Participants in the 10-month Leadership Upper Valley program from Vital Communities discover the rich diversity of the Upper Valley region. They gather in municipalities across the Twin States, grapple with critical regional issues, connect with local service organizations and establish a strong, collegial network. After graduation, as an outgrowth of their learning experience, participants often step into new leadership roles —...
Mixing It Up
The Hartford and Woodstock chambers of commerce teamed up for a mixer last month at Simon Pearce in Quechee that drew 120 people. The event, featuring free hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar and a raffle, was wonderful, said Beth Finlayson, director of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce. “People had a great time and got to see a new area of Simon Pearce not everyone sees,” she said. In addition to the new bar, they viewed the upstairs loft, a...
Making Friends, Making Careers
Two 20-somethings walk into a pub, and notice everyone there is over 60. A setup for a joke? No, just a snapshot of Andrea and Matt Denhart’s first night out in the Upper Valley. “What did we do?” wondered Andrea, now 27. Ohio natives, the couple moved to the area two years ago from New York City for Matt’s job. “It’s a beautiful area,” Andrea remembers thinking. “There’s got to be something out there.” Well, of course there was, and...
The HR Pro: Top Human Resource Issues for 2016, Part I
From the evolution of employee sick leave to an increase in disability claims, from changing workplace demographics to overtime expansion, human resource professionals are facing a variety of new and developing challenges this year. This month’s column will address four health-related topics. Next month, we’ll look at four workplace and employment issues. Paid Sick Leave The paid sick leave revolution is upon us. As of today, four...
People in Business: March 2016
Nicolaas Bekker, of Lyme, has been named a vice president and Norwich branch manager for Ledyard National Bank. Bekker has nearly 20 years of customer service experience, first in the hospitality industry and then in banking. He earned a master’s degree in film and television studies from the University of Amsterdam. He began his banking career in Fairfield County, Conn. Since arriving in the Upper Valley in 2010, Bekker has served as...
Company News: March 2016
GW Plastics has announced the completion of a major expansion of its Dongguan, China, facilities. The project more than doubled the size of the plant, and the new 125,000-square-foot facility will allow the company to streamline its tooling, molding and medical device assembly operations while leaving room for contract manufacturing growth, the company said in a news release. GW Plastics plans to enhance its Asia manufacturing...
From the Editor: A Place to Make Their Stand
We have a fair amount of fun here in the newsroom riffing on the age differences among the staff. One of us — a grizzled business magazine editor, say — will make a witty reference to Sheriff Buford T. Justice or maybe Glenn Frey, only to be met with an indulgent but nevertheless uncomprehending stare from a 20-something fellow editor. Later, a 20-something staff writer demonstrates how he monitors multiple social media “timelines” on...
The Big Event: Montshire’s 40th Anniversary Draws 1,200 Museum Lovers
T he Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich has been offering hands-on science exhibits and programs throughout its 40 years, and the museum’s recent anniversary celebration hewed to that mission. The Jan. 10 open house didn’t neglect birthday basics — cake and a group rendition of Happy Birthday both were served up, and each of the 1,200 guests received a gift: free admission. But visitors also were treated to related science...
