Business NH Magazine Named Finalist in Stay Work Play NH Competition

Stay Work Play NH and NH Public Radio announced the finalists for their Rising Stars Awards. The winners will be revealed at the 2015 event, which will be held on Monday, October 5, at the Space Entertainment Center in Hooksett. The finalists for six award categories, plus a new student video category, span cities and towns throughout the Granite State and will be joined by keynote speaker Chief Justice Tina L. Nadeau of the New Hampshire Superior Court.

“We look forward to celebrating New Hampshire’s unique combination of people, businesses and organizations that make our state a wonderful place for personal and professional pursuits,” said Kate Luzcko, Stay Work Play’s president and CEO. “It is especially rare to see such strong partnerships between private and public initiatives for young professionals, and showcasing that is one of the many reasons we are so excited to feature Justice Nadeau’s insights at the Rising Stars Awards.”

Chosen by panels of volunteer judges, this year’s finalists are a remarkable group of young professionals, companies, college students, young entrepreneurs and organizations that exemplify civic and professional excellence. The 2015 Rising Stars Awards finalists are:

Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalists

• Alex Freid of Lee and Post-Landfill Action Network
• Zach Luse of Keene and Paragon Digital Marketing
• Tim Thyne of Nashua and Adored

This category honors an outstanding young entrepreneur who has “looked outside the box,” to shape the future of NH through their entrepreneurial venture.

College Student of the Year Finalists

• Alicia Frazier of Candia and Southern NH University
• Matthew Mayer of Windham and the University of NH
• Katerina Messologitis of Milford, Conn. and University of NH
• Kirsten Spooner of North Haverhill and Southern NH University

This category honors an outstanding college student between the ages of 18 and 24 living in and attending school in the Granite State, who demonstrates academic and civic excellence.

College Video Submission Finalists

• Alicia Frazier of Candia and Southern NH University
• Kristina Velasquez of Merrimack and Plymouth State University
• Joe Gallagher of Concord and Hellenic American University

New for 2015, college students were asked to submit a 15-second video about why they deserve to be the College Student of the Year. Videos were scored by judges based upon students’ community involvement, originality and vision, and most of all, creativity.

Young Professional of the Year Finalists

• Nicole Barreira of Manchester and Great NH Restaurants
• Chris Wellington of Manchester and Grafton County Economic Development Council
• Jeremy Woodward of Concord and Jeremy’s Boot Camp

This category honors an outstanding professional between the ages of 18 and 40 who works and lives in NH, and is rising in their industry while giving back to their community.

Civic Leader of the Year Finalists

• Bryan Bouchard of Manchester and Southern NH University
• Amanda Bouldin of Manchester and IdoVape
• Serena Galleshaw of Somersworth
• Zach Williams of Claremont and the City of Claremont

This category honors an individual between the ages of 21 and 40 who, through their volunteerism, philanthropy, and/or community involvement demonstrates a commitment to civic participation, strengthening their community, and developing personal leadership capacity to make New Hampshire a better place for future generations.

Coolest Companies for Young Professionals Finalists

• Cranmore Mountain Resort of North Conway
• Fidelity Investments of Merrimack, which won the award in one of the competition's first years
• ICE Worldwide of Portsmouth
• Red River Computers of Claremont
• Single Digits of Bedford
• Technology Seed of Salem

This award honors companies that create environments to attract and retain young talent (specifically ages 40 and under).

Leadership Development Program of the Year Finalists

• Hoffmann-Haas Fellowship, an initiative of the NH Center for Nonprofits
• NH Bar Association Leadership Academy
• Young Reporters Project, an initiative of Business NH Magazine

This award honors an innovative program initiated and conducted by a NH organization aimed at a young audience to propel their personal and professional growth.