The Buzz Online

This Week's The Buzz Online Spotlight  

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Andy Crews, president and CEO of AutoFair Honda in Manchester, was named the 2015 TIME Dealer of the Year today. Crews received this highest honor out of a select group of dealers nationwide who were recognized at the 98th annual National Automobile Dealers Association Convention & Exposition in San Francisco. The announcement of this year’s national TIME Dealer of the Year and finalists was made by Mark Ellis, senior vice president corporate sales, Time Inc., and Tim Russi, president of Auto Finance for Ally Financial.

Crews was nominated for his community involvement. Crews, 44, was chosen to represent the New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition – one of only 55 auto dealers from 17,000 nationwide – nominated for the 46th annual award. A panel of faculty members from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan selected one finalist from each of the four NADA regions and one national Dealer of the Year.

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An anonymous private NH foundation made a matching donation of $75,000 to the NH Food Bank in Manchester.

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Barker Architects merged with Warrenstreet Architects, both of Concord.

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Northeast Utilities, which operates New England’s largest energy delivery company, will begin doing business under the name of Eversource Energy on February 2. All of the company’s subsidiaries, including Connecticut Light and Power Company, NSTAR Electric, NSTAR Gas, Public Service Company of NH (PSNH), Western Massachusetts Electric Company and Yankee Gas Services Company (Yankee Gas) will adopt and operate under the Eversource name.

“Energy is what brings us all together, and Eversource reflects the one-company focus we have been driving for the last few years,” said Tom May, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Northeast Utilities. “Consolidating our brand was the obvious next step for us." 

As part of the change, Eversource plans to trade on the NYSE under the ticker symbol ES. Changes to the company’s ticker symbol are expected to be effective at the
beginning of trading on Thursday, February 19, 2015.

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Kathleen Mullin, associate vice chancellor for partnerships and strategic initiatives at the University System of NH in Durham, was appointed to work with UNH’s Manchester campus.

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The University System of NH announced the winners of the NH Social Venture Innovation Challenge. First place in the Student Track Awards was given to Amano’s Mobile Grocery Store in Durham and first place in the Community Track Awards was given to Sensible Spreader Technologies in Manchester.

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The NH High Tech Council in Manchester selected Ellen Scarponi to join its board of directors. Scarponi is director of government relations and economic development at FairPoint Communications, which has NH headquarters in Manchester.

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Granite State Credit Union in Manchester opened a branch in Tilton.

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Standard and Poor’s Rating Services in N.Y. raised the long-term rating of Catholic Medical Center in Manchester from “BBB+” to “A-.”

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Holy Rosary Credit Union in Rochester donated a total of $5,000 to four local charities: Barrington Community Food Pantry, Barrington; The Community Food Pantry, Somersworth; End 68 Hours of Hunger, Rochester; and Rochester Youth Reach, Rochester.

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Goodwill Industries of Northern New England in Maine opened a retail store in Hudson.

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Southern District YMCA in Kingston awarded its 2014 Volunteer of the Year award to Helen and Kevin Joyce. The Joyces received the award for their 26 years of work as advisors to high school delegations to YMCA Youth and Government in NH.

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Cigna, which has NH offices in Hooksett, promoted Mark Butler as president and general manager for its New England market. Previously, Butler served as the market’s senior VP of sales.

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The NH Coalition to End Homelessness in Manchester released its 2014 report, which noted a 3 percent decline in overall homelessness in the state.

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The NH Liquor Commission Division of Enforcement and Licensing in Concord used a $25,000 grant from the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association in Md. to increase a statewide effort to combat impaired driving and alcohol abuse.