High Honors: Businesses recognized for their outstanding work in 2023 by Chamber Collaborative

Chamber News

 
Members of the PortsmouthNH 400 celebrate with their unique trophy marking their Lighting the Way Award at the Oct. 30 Collaboration Awards held by the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth. (Photo by Will Zimmermann)

 

High Honors: Businesses recognized for their outstanding work in 2023 by Chamber Collaborative 

 

PORTSMOUTH—Capped off by a special recognition of the Portsmouth NH 400 organization called the Lighting the Way Award, the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth celebrated its annual business awards on a dark and rainy Oct. 30.

More than 150 members of the Portsmouth business community and their friends filled the Venue at Portwalk Place, where the only sunshine was from their smiles. The occasion was the 2023 Collaborative Awards, the business honors given by the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth to members in the Large Business, Small but MIGHTY Business, Volunteer of the Year, Collaborator of the Year and one special award uniquely bestowed upon an organization for 2023 alone.
 

The Lighting the Way Award, represented by an artistic sailboat fashioned from driftwood, recognized the efforts of the largely volunteer group that has spearheaded the City through signature activities and partnership with the community at large every chance it could--the Portsmouth NH 400. The goal of the organization was to give the community an opportunity to tell the stories that are important to them, through programs, events, exhibits and legacy projects. The executive team that helped light the way was Karen Conard, Portsmouth City Manager; Susan Labrie, Community Engagement Officer; Valerie Rochon, Managing Director; Denise Wheeler, Minister of Fun and Trevor Bartlett, “Tech & Social Media Guy.” 
 

Traditionally part of the Chamber Collaborative’s street.life! celebration, this year, the Chamber broke the mold, separating the 900-person dinner held al fresco on Aug. 15 in celebration of Portsmouth’s 400th year activities from the Oct. 30 business awards 

  

Ben VanCamp, the president and chief collaborator for the Chamber Collaborative, served as master of ceremonies and a video was presented featuring sponsors and the award winners in each category. VanCamp said, “Normally the awards are part of street.life!, but we really felt they deserved an event of their own, so they didn’t get lost. These nominees and award recipients really needed their own time to shine.” All but the special recognition award recipients received a Portsmouth themed clock created by the Artful Carver and discovered at the downtown store, NH Made. 

 

The following are the 2023 Award nominees and recipients and a link to their videos. 

 

VIDEO: Portsmouth NH 400 - Lighting the Way Award presented by Newburyport Bank  

 

 

VIDEO: New Hampshire Art Association  - Small but MIGHTY Business of the Year Award presented by First Seacoast Bank 

 

Nominees: 

  • 3S Artspace 

  • Avery Insurance 

  • Business Alliance for People of Color 

  • Calling All Cargo 

  • Children's Museum of New Hampshire 

  • MacEdge 

  • Port City Chiropractic 

  • Portsmouth Scuba 

  • Radmoto 

  • SoHo Creative Studio 

  • Stroll Café and Wine Bar 

  • TCS Communications Corp. 

 

  

VIDEO: J.Group Hospitality - Large Business of the Year Award presented by Nvest Financial Group  

Nominees: 

  • Bangor Savings Bank  

  • Clark Insurance  

  • Portsmouth Regional Hospital 

  • Rockingham County Rehabilitation & Nursing Center 

 
VIDEO: Joshua Leonard of Calling All Cargo - Volunteer of the Year Award presented by Bangor Savings Bank  

 

Nominees:  

  • Ben St. Jean - Cross Roads House & Strawbery Banke Musem  

  • Ginna MacDonald - Portsmouth Music & Arts Center, Rye400  

  • Ilysse Sirmaian - Portsmouth Music Hall & PNH400  

  • Kaley Gagne - Kennebunk Savings & Catapult Seacoast  

  • Kali & Wayne Moulton - Sages Entertainment  

  • Ryan Kaplan - Envision Group at Compass Real Estate  

  • Wendy McCoole - Strawbery Banke Museum 

 

 

Latonya Wallace of New Hampshire Community Loan Fund & Business Alliance for People of Color - Collaborator of the Year Award
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/dQHYQ2Lbo2g 

 

Nominees:  

  • Caitlyn Hassett - Atlantic Grill  

  • Evan Mallett - Black Trumpet Bistrot  

  • Shawn Shapiro - Port City Chiropractic  

  • Stacy Moore - Stroll Café and Wine Bar 
     

    The Chamber Collaborative wishes to thank Bangor Savings Bank, First Seacoast Bank, The Nvest Group, R.M. Davis, Newburyport Bank and Centrus Digital for their support!
     
     
       

High Honors: Businesses recognized for their outstanding work in 2023 by Chamber Collaborative