Each year, the Greater Concord community celebrates a business, small business, nonprofit and business leader who has demonstrated professional excellence and worked to make a positive impact on the Capital Region. This year’s Pinnacle Award recipients have added beauty and inspired volunteerism in the city of Concord. The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce is honored to announce the 2022 Pinnacle Award honorees.
The Small Business of the Year Pinnacle Award recipient is The Hotel Concord. This stunning boutique hotel in the heart of Concord brings a high-end experience to business, leisure and political guests. In its first year in operation, and every year since, The Hotel Concord has received the prestigious Four Diamond rating for the highest degree of hospitality service from AAA. Although accommodations in all 38 rooms include high-speed Wi-Fi, Amazon Echo Dots, luxury bed linens, floor-to-ceiling windows and more, the hotel was built with the historic downtown in mind. “This is not your ‘cookie-cutter’ style hotel,” said owner Michael Simchik. “[We created] a unique space that reflects the character and charm of the city.”
The high-end hotel encourages guests to take in the Capital City by visiting local restaurants and venues, offering unique packages like the “Live Free and Shop” getaway, and supporting community events. Initially organized to celebrate the hotel’s grand opening, The Hotel Concord has partnered with Intown Concord annually to present Concord NH Winter Festival—a family-friendly celebration of NH’s coldest season. The event includes a competition between some of New England’s most talented ice carvers, outdoor winter games, hot cocoa, a sparkling ice bar, and shuttle service to the Black Ice Pond Hockey Championships in White Park. In just four years, The Hotel Concord has welcomed numerous travelers to Concord, provided exemplary service, and will continue to advertise the Capital City as one-of-a-kind destination—boosting our local business community and adding luxury accommodations to Concord’s wealth of offerings.
The Business of the Year Pinnacle Award recipient is Bangor Savings Bank. Bangor Savings Bank came to Concord in 2018 with a full-service branch on Loudon Road, and expanded onto Main Street in 2021 after refurbishing a historic building across from the State House. “Bangor Savings Bank is grateful to be a part of the revitalization of downtown Concord,” said President and CEO Bob Montgomery-Rice. After repairing the building’s brickwork, adding insulation, replacing roofs and much more, the bank invited a new restaurant—NH Pizza Co—to share their space and be a part of the downtown community. This support of small businesses is evident in the bank’s services; their Buoy Local program promotes shops and restaurants in the downtown community and rewards customers for shopping locally.
The bank also contributes to programs that have a direct impact on individuals and families in Concord. This year, Bangor Savings Bank gave notable grant awards to Best Buddies International’s New Hampshire branch, The Friendly Kitchen in Concord, Girls Inc. of New Hampshire and NHTI-Concord’s Community College. The bank has also contributed to the Capital Region Food Program, Concord Coalition to End Homelessness, The Friends Program, Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum, New Hampshire Public Radio and supported the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s education initiatives by serving as lead sponsor of the Funds for Education Golf Tournament. Bangor Savings Bank also supports the communities it serves by nurturing an internal culture of excellence and encouraging employees to make a difference through volunteerism. Employees from Bangor Savings Bank have served the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Business and Education initiative, Capital Area Student Leadership (CASL) program, Leadership Greater Concord (LGC) program, Local Government Affairs committee and Concord Young Professionals Network (CYPN) and staff have been awarded Concord Young Professional of the Month awards in 2021 and 2022 for their work in the community. Bangor Savings Bank has made a significant impact on the Capital Region and continues to serve with enthusiasm and professional excellence.
The Nonprofit Business of the Year Pinnacle Award recipient is The Friendly Kitchen. The Friendly Kitchen’s mission is to feed the hungry in a warm, caring and non-discriminatory environment by coordinating volunteers and resources. The dining room on South Commercial Street seats 120 people, and serves over 40,000 meals per year. “I never thought I’d need to ask for a little help to feed my family,” said an individual who utilized this community resource. “Hard times can happen to anyone at any time. Thank you for being there for us.” In 2021, after seeing the pandemic exacerbate food insecurity issues for local families, The Friendly Kitchen established the Family Friendly Meals program. Volunteers create take-and-bake style meals for families and seniors and deliver them through the Merrimack Valley Day Care, Boys and Girls Club of Concord, The Children’s Place and The Friends Program. Volunteers give over 600 hours per month to support The Friendly Kitchen’s programs, and these individuals come from many sources—schools, churches, businesses, nonprofits, and more. The Friendly Kitchen is proud to facilitate “people serving people”—a motto that emphasizes a welcoming atmosphere, mission of inclusivity and outstanding community partnerships that this organization has fostered.
The Business Leader of the Year Pinnacle Award recipient is Jonathan Halle of Warrenstreet Architects, Inc. Jonathan Halle is the President, Co-Owner and Managing Member of Warrenstreet Architects, Inc.—a full-service architecture, landscape architecture and interior design firm in Concord. Halle established this business, which was called Sherman Geiner Halle Ltd., with two partners in 1990. In 2008, as the remaining sole owner, he modified the firm’s name and business structure, transforming it into one of the first employee-owned design service cooperatives in the country. This innovative structure allows Warrenstreet employees to grow financially with the firm and take an active role in the firm’s future. “There are many things I admire about Jon as a leader—his entrepreneurship; how seriously he takes his work; how he’s not afraid to take risks; how he never gives up, that he’s constantly learning and upping his credentials and skills; how much he cares for others, making them feel valued; how he wants us all of us that work with him to succeed, he’s supportive, fun, a team player and simply the HARDEST working man I know,” said a member of the Warrenstreet team.
One of Halle’s proudest achievements over the last decade is helping to establish, and continuing to support, Building on Hope—an organization of volunteers that collaborates with builders, architects and designers to transform facilities of nonprofit agencies. Through Building on Hope and beyond, Halle has donated countless hours to community impact projects for organizations such as Christ the King Parish, Concord Coalition to End Homelessness, Pope Memorial SPCA, The Friendly Kitchen and many more. Halle is also well-known for his extensive portfolio of commercial work in Concord and beyond. Jonathan Halle has proved himself to be an outstanding leader in his firm and industry, while demonstrating a deep commitment to the community.
The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce will celebrate The Hotel Concord, Bangor Savings Bank, The Friendly Kitchen and Jonathan Halle of Warrenstreet Architects, Inc. at the Pinnacle Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 18. This luncheon will be held at The Barn at Bull Meadow in Concord from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with food served by Catering by Design, and is generously sponsored by Eastern Bank, Eversource Energy Services, Sanel NAPA and Business NH Magazine. Learn more and reserve tickets to the event at concordnchamber.com.
Pictured: Representatives from 2022 Business of the Year, Bangor Savings Bank, volunteer at The Friendly Kitchen, 2022 Nonprofit Business of the Year. From left to right: Zachary Trowbridge, Rebecca Britenriker, Beth Mulleavey, Chandler Biron, Katie Jennings, Mark Paluzzi, and Tiana Deneault.
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