Dividends--January 2006

President's Message
by Dick Ingram
Chamber President

As we start into 2006, I must tip my hat to Barbara Massar, the Board of Pro Portsmouth and the many excellent volunteers who made First Night Portsmouth such a memorable event. The spirit throughout the evening was uplifting and once again we experienced what is best about Portsmouth and the Seacoast. I hope that you were among those participating in this great event. If you missed it this year, make sure that you plan to kick off 2007 with us at First Night. It is held on December 31st every year (yes, Barbara does get questions about when New Year's Eve is…).

By the time you read this message, a new City Council will be sworn in and the legislature will be back in session. Your Chamber is already at work on your behalf with both bodies.

Through our partnership with the city, we actively support its economic development programs, including new business initiatives and tourism promotion. Our latest report may be found on our website at www.portsmouthchamber.org/uploads/edcreport.doc. This is an exciting time for the city, and our priorities align with those identified by the Economic Development Commission in their plans for 2006. Workforce housing is among those priorities, with a need to transform the elements of the master plan into zoning that will address this pressing need for our local economy. We have succeeded in raising the profile of the issue and I continue to receive feedback from all around the region that we must address it now. This is an issue with growing statewide visibility and I will devote some time to advancing the agenda for workforce housing at the state level as well.

Other priorities include continued implementation of the plans for the Northern Tier where several significant properties are in line for redevelopment. Improvements to the Market Street gateway to the downtown are also being studied, with the city and the Chamber Tourism Committee in close cooperation. Developing stronger ties to our downtown businesses is a personal priority for me and the Chamber and we look forward to new opportunities there. Other initiatives in early stages of discussion are the Islington Street corridor, and the future of the federal building downtown.

In Concord, we will be focusing our attention on legislation that deals with a variety of issues of concern to our members. These include workforce housing, business incentives, health care, and others. We will be monitoring 13 specific pieces of legislation and add others as circumstances warrant during the session. As appropriate we will speak or write in favor of specific legislation. By the time you read this I will have spoken in support of bills that would appropriate funds to support the Seacoast Shipyard Association and offer tax incentives to businesses that encourage carpooling and mass transit options for their employees. We have also supported legislation that would create health care purchasing alliances for organizations like the Chamber.

Of course, it is often the case that not all members share the same opinion about a particular piece of legislation. An example is the health care purchasing alliance legislation. It has passed the House and will face further scrutiny in the Senate. While most support the objectives of the legislation, not all agree about the details. There may be some modifications to it as it moves though the process. We will remain closely involved with it because our members have identified this as a priority and a critical business issue for them. I encourage you to share your thoughts with me about the issues that matter most to you.

Regionally, I fervently hope that we can apply the lessons from our "Save the Shipyard" campaign to other issues, in particular opportunities for regional economic development. To that end a small group has started a regional conversation about our economic future. We live in a region that is fairly homogeneous economically, but bisected, somewhat inconveniently, by a state border. We learned from the Shipyard that ignoring the border and focusing on the big picture pays enormous dividends. This working group, which is comprised of economists, planners and economic development professionals from both New Hampshire and Maine, in addition to Cathy Goodwin from the York Chamber and me, is very excited about the potential for some very fruitful work. I look forward to keeping you posted on our progress.

All of this is in keeping with my resolution for the New Year - to be a good and effective advocate for you, our members. In February, we will be focusing on membership development, so that our programs and advocacy will benefit as many businesses as possible. We will hold our first membership drive in many years, and offer incentives to members who refer new members who join the Chamber. This is another example of "Better Together," the theme of my message in the September issue of this newsletter.

Everyone at the Chamber is committed to your success. We are ready to work for you in 2006. Let's do some great things together.

Chamber News

Legislative Reception Chance for
Members to Talk Issues
Chamber Takes Positions on 13
Pieces of Current Legislation

The Chamber's Government Affairs Committee invites members to this year's legislative reception set for 5-7 p.m., Jan. 30 at the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel. The free event is underwritten by Public Service of NH and Comcast.

During the reception attendees will have a chance to meet with local, state and federal representatives, government officials and Chamber executives from across the region. "This is a great opportunity for our members to meet face to face with those people who work on issues that sometimes have a great impact on their businesses," said Dick Ingram, Chamber president.

"The GAC is currently focussing on 13 pieces of legislation that involve issues of concern to the membership," said Ingram. Some of those bills address workforce housing needs, business tax incentives that encourage carpooling, appropriating funds to support the Seacoast Shipyard Association and creating healthcare purchasing alliances that would allow organizations like the Chamber offer group healthcare for members.

Those interested in attending may RSVP by contacting the Chamber at (603) 610-5513 or info@portsmouthchamber.org.

Plans for Annual Tourism
Summit 2006 Underway
Event Scheduled for April 3 at
The Music Hall in Portsmouth

Positioning Your Business in a Growth Climate and Getting to Success are just two of the topics planned for this year's Tourism Summit set for 1-5:30 p.m., April 3 at The Music Hall in Portsmouth. Members connected to the tourism industry should mark their calendars for a day of interesting and practical education.

The event will feature a host of local tourism-related business celebrities who'll be sharing their expertise as members of two panel discussions. Some of the notables expected at this year's event include Jay McSharry, owner of several popular local restaurants including Radici and Jumpin Jays; and Water Country's Richard Samuels. Other speakers include Alice DeSousa, director of the New Hampshire Department of Travel and Tourism; George Bald, director of the Pease Development Authority and former commissioner of the NH Department of Resources and Economic Development; and Karen Ida Peterson, one of the country's top tourism marketing experts.

Some of the other activities for the day include a Talking with the Experts session, vendor booths and an Increasing Your Business by Reaching Growing Market Segments panel. The day will conclude with a reception from 4:15-5:30 p.m.

Vendor booths and sponsorship opportunities are still available for the day. For more information on any aspect of the summit, stay tuned to the Chamber's website at www.portsmouthchamber.org or contact Marge Hubbard, the Chamber's tourism manager, at (603) 610-5517.

Christmas Comes Early for
Local Member Nonprofit
Chamber Presents Check for
$1,635 to Area Home Care

Christmas came early for a Seacoast nonprofit Dec. 21 at the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce Holiday Winetasting where representatives of the organization received a check to support their work in the community. The group received $1,625 which represents 10 percent of the proceeds from the Chamber's holiday auction and food tasting held Nov. 18 at the Frank Jones Center in Portsmouth.

The contribution to Area Home Care & Family Services is the most recent installment in an ongoing Chamber tradition of "giving back" to the community during the holiday season. The agency provides nonmedical home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities so they can stay in their own homes for as long as possible. Area Home Care has been operating since 1972 and currently has 109 staff and homecare providers who deliver more than 120,000 hours of direct service annually to 859 clients in the Seacoast area.

"This time of year, we look forward to financially empowering one of our member non-profits," said Dick Ingram, chamber president. "This holiday season we felt led to double our contribution over prior years and are really excited the money is going to an agency like Area Home Care. They play a critical role in tending to those in our community who are unable to care for themselves without assistance."

Mary Jane Harris, vice president of client services, accepted the check on behalf of Area Home Care which had a number of staff and board members at the event. "We greatly appreciate this gift and thank the Chamber and its members for their generosity," she said. "Your contribution will go toward "Project Cool Air" which purchases air conditioners for low-income elderly in Rockingham County."

Chamber Secures Grant for
Seacoast Music Scene
Group Aims to Create
Venue Brochure & Web Site

Always looking for new ways to promote tourism in the Seacoast, the Chamber recently joined with several members to create a partnership dedicated to promoting the area's music scene.

The Seacoast Music Collaborative, formed in the summer of 2005, is the brainchild of The Music Hall Marketing Director Margaret Talcott, The Wire Publisher Dave Karlotski and Stone Church Owner Peter Hamelin. Their idea was to come up with a way to provide a single point of information for everything "Seacoast music" including a web site and brochure-and the Chamber is helping the group realize those goals.

Marge Hubbard, the Chamber's tourism manager, recently secured a $5,000 matching grant for the effort through the New Hampshire Joint Promotional Program. Other members of the group are currently in the process of soliciting the matching dollars needed to support production of the web site and brochure.

"Our goal is to create and promote an environment and experience similar to such well-known music destinations as Austin, Texas; Seattle; and Burlington, Vermont," said Hamelin. "We have a great scene here--what we need to do now is get the word out." Talcott added, "The Seacoast is home to an impressive diversity of performance halls, clubs, festivals and other venues. Working together we can put this region on the map for music lovers."

The current schedule calls for brochure distribution in key New England markets, including the Boston area and Seacoast regional hotels, restaurants and chambers of commerce, beginning in April 2006. "State officials were impressed with our enthusiasm in promoting this unique gathering of businesses in the Seacoast," said Hubbard. "It's another reason for people to come here. All the Seacoast area chambers are enthusiastic about this project as well and are planning to help distribute the brochures."

More than 20 local businesses, including major underwriters The Press Room and the Kittery Outlets, have already signed on to support the initiative. For more information, or to contribute toward the effort (investments range from $200 to $1,000), please contact Peter Hamelin at (603)659-6321 or peter@thestonechurch.com; Margaret Talcott at (603) 433-3100, ext. 21 or mtalcott@themusichall.org; or Marge Hubbard at (603) 610-5517 or mhubbard@portsmouthchamber.org.

Chamber Events

ANGEL INVESTMENT CONFERENCE--It was truly a gathering of angels Dec. 1 as investors flocked to Portsmouth from every corner of New England for a first-ever Angel and Early Stage Capital in New England Conference. The event, underwritten by Wiggin & Nourie, P.A., was organized by eCoast Chair George McQuilken and hosted by the eCoast Angels investment group in partnership with the eCoast Technology Roundtable. More than 200 guests jammed the Portsmouth Elks Club for the day-long event that featured presentations from New England angel group leaders who talked about their personal investment philosophies and introduced selected investment opportunities. The audience represented a wide range of interests from organized angel groups, individual angels, prospective angels, early-stage investment firms, and academics to bankers, accountants, lawyers, and public officials. Jeff Sohl, director of the UNH Center for Venture Research, kicked off the program with an overview of investment trends and shortfalls related to capital needs in New Hampshire. Sohl said that angel and venture capital investors were shifting their money to support established and later-stage companies leaving little for entrepreneurial startups. He praised the angel groups for their past support of fledgling companies and encouraged to them keep innovation alive by investing in promising new companies. Angel groups presented nearly a dozen interesting investment opportunities featuring unique and breakthrough technologies including pre-symptom screening for Alzheimer's Disease using a simple eye test, a sound-cue software that allows Wall Street investors to use their ears as well as their eyes to track the ups and downs of stock prices, and a collaboration software suite that coordinates every aspect of product packaging from the ad agency, client and designers all the way through printing-including proofing, permissions, signoffs, and the digital transfer of files and technical specifications. The conference was followed by the monthly eBrew where members of the eCoast got the chance to rub elbows with investors. For more on the conference, visit the Chamber library at www.portsmouthchamber.org/library.cfm.

HOLIDAY WINETASTING--There was no end to the holiday "spirits" at the Chamber's Holiday Winetasting where a record number of members and guests enjoyed a banquet of fine food and refreshments courtesy of the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel and Horizon Beverages. The theme of this year's event was the appropriate pairing of wine and cuisine from around the world featuring an eclectic arrangement of waiter borne crab cakes, lobster-stuffed beef fillets, baby New Zealand lamb and tables full of unique breads and cheeses-not to mention a dessert spread of frosted petits fours, giant chocolate-covered strawberries and other delectable treats. To add to the excitement and spirit of the evening, the Chamber also took the opportunity to present its annual holiday grant to a local nonprofit and recognize the winners of the first-ever $10,000 cash bash. Chamber President Dick Ingram presented Area Home Care with a check for $1,635 gleaned from proceeds of this year's Holiday Auction (see related story on Page 3) and turned the program over to Bill Gagnon of Horizon to pick the cash winners. The first prize of $10,000 went to Library Restaurant Owner Bruce Belanger; Sally Evans won $1,000; Gary Gigliotti picked up $500; Lisa Grella, Ocean Properties, won $300; and Brian Wyatt, from the Housing Partnership, doubled his money with the $200 fifth prize. Door prize winners for the evening were: Lucy Champion, Pepsi Bottling Group, who won a healthy fruit bouquet from Edible Arrangements; Martin Lapham, Lapham and Miller picked up dinner for two at the Sheraton's Harbor's Edge Restaurant; and Todd Carey, Philbrick's Fresh Market, and Pamela Gamis, Canine Academy, drew four adult buttons for First Night Portsmouth.

eCOAST 7TH ANNIVERSARY BIRTHDAY BASH--The eCoast Technology Roundtable celebrated its 7th birthday Jan. 5 with its traditional "bash" at the Press Room in Portmouth. The region's tekkies trickled in early this month to reconnect with colleagues, talk about their successes in 2005 and enjoy some cake courtesy of Harbor Light Strategic Marketing. Overall, the crowd seemed positive and upbeat, and some volunteered their insight on the biggest issue facing high tech companies in 2006. "I think the biggest issue facing the high-tech community will be securing seed capital and there is a persistent seed funding gap," said Jeff Sohl, eTR cochair and director of the UNH Center for Venture Research. "The difficulty is that venture capital has steadily progressed toward investments in later-stage companies and angels, while providing the majority of seed stage financing, cannot provide all the seed funding for new entrepreneurial ventures." Steve Wrenn, Liberty Mutual, and former eTR, chair echoed the sentiments of several other attendees saying the biggest challenge will be to fill the region's need for highly skilled and talented IT and high-tech workers. "We have good people here but we're finding there just aren't enough qualified employees in the state to fill our needs." This year's celebration was sponsored by Liberty Mutual, Tidal Media, Good Leads, Harbor Light and Mass High Tech.

Chamber Calendar

Mid-Day Meet Networking

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 20
Two International Group
1 New Hampshire Ave., 3rd Floor
Pease Int'l Tradeport

Mark your calendar to attend the first Mid-day Meet of the new year. The conversation is facilitated by volunteers to make it easy and fun to learn about other participants and those with whom they do business. Attendees will also get a chance to share their business stories and who they'd like to do business with. There's also a "lightning round" where almost anything goes. The networking forum usually draws more than 30 people, so come early to get a seat. Those interested should contact Kendra Frangos to RSVP at (603) 610-5514 or kfrangos@portsmouthchamber.org.

Business After Hours at
Flatbread Pizza

5:30-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 26
Flatbread Pizza
138 Congress St., Portsmouth, NH

Join us Jan. 26 for a laid back night out at Flatbread Pizza in downtown Portsmouth. What better way to shake off a little winter chill than to cozy up to their wood-fired clay oven and enjoy some fare from their au naturel menu.
Established in 1998 in Amesbury, Massachusetts, the company prides itself in providing unmatched hospitality and the purist pizza experience anywhere-using only spring water, organic flour, kosher salt and real cake yeast to make pizza dough. They also refuse to use canned tomatoes choosing instead to make their own sauce from organic tomatoes in a wooden cauldron right in the dining room.

And their "purist" philosophy doesn't end there. Here are just a few of their goals as a company: use only the highest quality ingredients free of pesticides or chemicals, use only local foods and support community farms, create a company where advancement is based on performance not politics, give back to the community with benefit nights and sponsorships and create a restaurant where children, adults and employees can renew their spirit.

Admission is free.

Legislative Reception

5-7 p.m, Monday, Jan. 30
Sheraton Harborside
Portsmouth Hotel
250 Market St., Portsmouth, NH

The Chamber's Government Affairs Committee invites members to this year's legislative reception set for 5-7 p.m., Jan. 30 at the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel. The free event is underwritten by Public Service of New Hampshire and Comcast.

During the reception attendees will have a chance to meet with local, state and federal representatives, government officials and Chamber executives from across the region. "This is a great opportunity for our members to meet face to face with those people who work on issues that sometimes have a great impact on their businesses," said Dick Ingram, Chamber president. Among the legislators expected to attend are NH Gov. John Lynch and Congressman Jeb Bradley.

The GAC is currently focussing on 13 pieces of legislation that involve issues of concern to the membership," said Ingrim. Some of those bills address workforce housing needs, business tax incentives that encourage carpooling, appropriating funds to support the Seacoast Shipyard Association and creating healthcare purchasing alliances that would allow organizations like the Chamber to offer group healthcare for members.
Those interested in attending may RSVP by contacting the Chamber at (603) 610-5513 or info@portsmouthchamber.org.

eBrew

5-7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 2
The Press Room
77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, NH

Join us for the monthly eBrew at The Press Room on Daniel St. in Portsmouth. The event is open to the employees and guests of all local high-tech businesses and the local business community. There are always opportunities for eBrew sponsorships and special programs during the evening. To find out more, please contact Ginny Griffith, the Chamber's business development manager, at (603) 610-5514 or ggriffith@portsmouthchamber.org. For more on the monthly eBrew and Roundtable activities, surf over to the official web site at www.ecoast.org.

Small Business Challenges
Breakfast Forum

7:30 -9 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 15
Frank Jones Center
Route 1 Bypass, Portsmouth, NH

Join us to learn how local smalll business owners have overcome the challenges of starting and expanding their businesses at February's Bank of America Speaker Series Breakfast Forum.

Guests for the special panel discussion include Moderator Mary Collins, director of the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center; Jeanine Sylvester, owner of Runner's Alley in downtown Portsmouth; Bill Hurley, owner of Infinite Imaging (formerly Portsmouth Copy & Blueprint, LifeSize Graphics and York Copy & Blueprint); and Ed Hayes, owner of Ricci Lumber.

Cost of the breakfast is $12 for Chamber members and $15 for nonmembers. Those interested in attending may RSVP by contacting the Chamber at (603) 610-5513 or info@portsmouthchamber.org.

Breakfast Forum with
NH Public Radio President

7:30-9 a.m., Wednesday, March 15
Frank Jones Center
Route 1 Bypass, Portsmouth, NH

Make plans to attend the March breakfast forum featuring New Hampshire Public Radio President and General Manager Betsy Gardella. She is expected to talk about the organization's role in today's media, its recent $300,000 broadcast signal enhancement program for Portsmouth and Nashua and . The forum is a part of the Bank of America Speaker Series. For more on coming events, visit www.portsmouthchamber.org.

Cost of the breakfast is $12 for Chamber members and $15 for nonmembers.

Movers and Shakers

York Harbor Inn recently welcomed Patrick McNamara as its new director of social sales. According Gary Dominguez, inn owner, McNamara is a seasoned hospitality professional with an extensive management and event planning background in luxury properties including The Copley Plaza where he took part in coordinating receptions for Prince Charles and Nelson Mandela among other notables. Dominguez also said, McNamara, a native of the Seacoast Area, has coordinated hundreds of weddings and events during his hospitality career and is excited to bring his knowledge of the industry and the beautiful coastal area to a new and exciting venue. For more on the inn, visit www.yorkharborinn.com.

Snap Surveys recently announced the Portsmouth Best Buy as the winner of the Seacoast Chamber Business Expo drawing for a free PC License to its most popular software program for Internet, email, paper and phone surveys, Snap ProNet. Snap Surveys is recognized as the leader in the survey software industry, providing easy to use, full function survey software. The company's goal is to make survey tasks both easier and more effective. For more on Snap, visit www.snapsurveys.com or contact them at (603)610-8700.

Brothers Steve and Cary Chaisson, owners of Allegra Print & Imaging in Portsmouth, NH, recently awarded Portsmouth Community Radio/WSCA-LP 106.1 with the company's quarterly FootPRINT Fund grant. The grant was created to help nonprofit organizations "leave a footprint" in the community, according to the owners. The $500 award may be used to produce and print promotional and informational materials. On the air since September 2004, WSCA-LP is a listener supported, volunteer operated, nonprofit, noncommercial FM radio station dedicated to serving Portsmouth and adjacent communities. For more on Allegra and the FootPRINT Fund grant, visit www.allegraportsmouth.com. For details on WSCA, visit www.portsmouthcommunityradio.org.

Jennifer A. Lemire, a member of Wiggin & Nourie, P.A., was recently elected president of Ballet New England's Board of Directors. Ballet New England is a professional dance company and school based in Portsmouth. Currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, Ballet New England produces a broad range of performances each year, and its dance school works with hundreds of students annually. Lemire also serves on the Board of Governors for the New Hampshire Trial Lawyers Association and the New Hampshire Women's Bar Association and is past president of the Rockingham County Bar Association and past chairman of the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Children's Museum of Portsmouth recently received a $25,000 grant from the Otto Fund of the Piscataqua Region of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. According to Denny Doleac, the museum's executive director, the grant will fund strategic planning for expansion of services within the "award-winning 22-year-old museum." "We are sincerely grateful to receive this major grant from New Hampshire Charitable Foundation's Otto Fund," said Doleac, "Throughout our history, the foundation has supported innovative programs and o

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