Business NH Magazine, the state’s leading monthly business publication, has been acquired by Granite Media Group (GMG), a company formed by two of the magazine’s long-time leaders, and a well-known entrepreneur and business consultant.
Matthew J. Mowry, who has served as editor of Business NH Magazine for 22 years; Christine Carignan, a 16-year veteran of the magazine, serving as its creative director; and Nathan Karol, founder & president of Cardinal Consulting in Bethlehem, formed Granite Media Group earlier this year and completed the acquisition of Business NH Magazine and EventsNH on Sept. 28, 2022. They are the fifth set of owners in the company’s near 40-year history.
Granite Media Group acquired the magazine and events divisions from Heidi Copeland, president and publisher of Millyard Communications, who joined the company in 2005 as associate publisher. She purchased the company in 2011 and is now is retiring from the business after 17 years of service.
Granite Media Group is maintaining Business NH Magazine’s current office at 80 Canal St. in Manchester.
Mowry is a veteran journalist with nearly 30 years of experience. After graduating from St. Michael’s College with a journalism degree, Mowry worked as a reporter and bureau chief for the Caledonian-Record in St. Johnsbury, Vt. and as a reporter, bureau chief and Tri-City Editor for Foster’s Daily Democrat in Dover, NH. He joined Business NH Magazine as editor in 2000 and has since led the magazine’s editorial department, including overseeing its major competitions, including the Best Companies to Work For and the Businesses and Business Leader of the Year awards. As co-publisher and executive editor of Granite Media Group, he will continue to oversee all editorial content of the award-winning magazine, its social media channels and develop new media platforms. Mowry is a graduate of Leadership NH and was named to the Union Leader’s 40 Under Forty list in 2010. He lives in Rochester with his wife, Lisa, and their two sons.
“I am excited to build on the legacy of Business NH Magazine and develop exciting new content and media platforms for our audience,” Mowry says. "We have a talented team of employees who are dedicated to our mission of informing and elevating businesses in New Hampshire."
Christine Carignan joined Business NH Magazine in 2006, working as the ad traffic coordinator, events coordinator and editorial assistant. She moved into the role of graphic artist in 2008 and by 2009 was promoted to creative and production manager, and was promoted again to creative director in 2014. She oversees the look and style of Business NH Magazine, and also works as the in-house photographer, taking photos of many of the business leaders that appear on the cover of the magazine and within its pages. In addition, Carignan manages the production department and oversees freelance designers, illustrators and photographers.
As co-publisher and chief creative officer for Granite Media Group, she will continue to oversee the production department, and will now also oversee the events division (EventsNH) and circulation department. Carignan received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Visual Communications from Endicott College in Beverly, MA. She is a graduate of Leadership Greater Manchester, serves on the community advisory board for the Palace Theatre in Manchester, and is an award-winning photographer and graphic designer.
“I look forward to the future of Business NH Magazine and EventsNH. I’m grateful to the former leaders who have made the company what it is today, and I’m excited to work with the GMG team to bring top-notch, quality visuals, content and events to our audience," says Carignan.
Nathan Karol most recently founded Cardinal Consulting LLC, a strategy, advisory and project management firm based in Bethlehem, NH that will continue to operate. Prior to founding Cardinal, Nathan was the executive director of the Littleton Area Chamber of Commerce in northern NH and has served various positions on nonprofit boards, and municipal committees. His early career was focused on sales, marketing, and operations in the Boston area before moving to NH full-time in 2013. He received his undergraduate degree from Daniel Webster College in Nashua, NH.
Shortly after founding Cardinal, Karol connected with Business NH Magazine, launching the BizCastNH podcast with the magazine in 2021 and serving as co-host with Mowry. As Chief Growth Officer for Granite Media Group, Karol oversees sales, operations and overall growth strategy for the company. He is a member of the current class of Leadership NH and lives in Bethlehem with his wife Kerry and their two children.
“Every successful company needs a solid foundation to grow and thrive. Business NH Magazine and EventsNH are the very solid foundations that we need to grow Granite Media Group into a 21st Century multimedia company that meets our clients and our readers where they are. To say I’m excited about the potential is an understatement”, says Karol.
Business NH Magazine was started in 1983 as NH’s first statewide monthly business magazine serving thousands of readers in print and online. Today, the magazine is known for its in-depth business coverage, special reports, competitions and its award-winning weekly podcast, BizCastNH. It also provides contract publishing services to clients, creating customized publications for associations, companies, nonprofits and business groups. It also produces a popular weekly e-newsletter with 15,000+ subscribers.
EventsNH produces two consumer expos—the Made in NH Expo in the spring and the Made in New England Expo in December—that attract thousands of attendees to support local small businesses. It also produces prestigious business-to-business events, including NH Futurecast in January; the Business of the Year luncheon in May; and Breakfast With the Best in September as well as various other events throughout the year.
For more information, visit BusinessNHmagazine.com
Pictured from left: Matthew J. Mowry, co-publisher and executive editor; Christine Carignan, co-publisher and chief creative officer; and Nathan Karol, co-publisher and chief growth officer.
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