Tracy Hutchins, Executive Director, Upper Valley Business Alliance (UVBA)
Tracy Hutchins
(picture for the UVBA web page)
From the UVBA web page:
MISSION of UVBA is To invigorate the economic health of the areas we serve, while contributing to the well-being of the Upper Valley.
OPERATING PRINCIPLES
The Upper Valley Business Alliance represents 460 businesses strong located throughout the Upper Valley. Our mission is to serve as an advocate for our members large and small with local and state government and promote and seize opportunities to better the economic climate in our region.
Encourage addressing regional issues by working closely with other Chambers, other organizations without duplicating efforts and Government agencies at local, regional and state levels.
Support Environmental Stewardship by nurturing business and community relationships focused on sustainability initiatives, by engaging in civic dialogue, by incorporating environmental stewardship as a critical ingredient in the community’s enduring economic health.
Tracy began her talk by sharing the history of the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce which had a rich 104 year history; and the Hanover Chamber of Commerce which had a rich 71 year history. Tracy was the executive director of the Hanover Chamber of Commerce when both the Lebanon and Hanover Chambers began formal discussions about merging. The two boards met and established a new vision for one organization, to be called the Upper Valley Business Alliance. The combined organization now represent over 450 businesses in the Upper Valley (NH side of the Upper Valley).
Tracy then went on to talk about work of the UVBA.
Upper Valley MedTech Collaborative. From the UVBA web page:
The mission of the Upper Valley Medtech Collaborative is to create a vibrant medtech community. We will do this by:
Raising awareness of medtech activities within the Upper Valley
Enabling collaboration among medtech innovators (through in-person meetings, social media and web).
Broadening awareness of the Upper Valley medtech community beyond the Upper Valley to encourage investment, business creation, employee retention and workforce expansion.
Providing educational opportunities for medtech employees in the Upper Valley.
The Upper Valley hosts a thriving medtech community where innovators can work with talented and motivated colleagues to develop new technologies and manage existing operations while supporting a workforce that appreciates the exceptional quality of life afforded residents of Vermont and New Hampshire
Trailing Spouse — One barrier to recruiting individuals is finding employment for the "trailing spouse". Work is being done to develop strategies to help the "trailing spouse" find meaningful and appropriate employment based on their credentials.
Upper Vallry Young Professionals — UVBA is working with Upper Valley Young Professionals. They asked to join UVBA, asked UVBA to sponsor them. Many of our companies want to attract new talent and these young persons are seeking ways to network. Tracy had assumed most of these individuals would be from the Upper Valley, but 60% of their members (about 45 in total number) have relocated here. Hearing what they are looking for and might help us understand how to attract other young people to this area. UVBA's goal is to be a resource for young adults in the Upper Valley region of VT/NH who are looking to expand their personal or professional networks. They want to create opportunities for young professionals to connect with one another and with their community.
COVID — In March, everything changed; the business climate has changed dramatically. We’ve been doing lots of advocacy. I spend time working 1:1 with businesses. Restaurants, hotels, and retail are facing a situation never before seen. In 2008-9, that recession was deep, but it was gradual; COVID arrived overnight.
UVBA provides messaging for our members, and also, although UVBA is membership-based, UVBA is here to help all businesses in our area. Tracy take notes when the governor speaks and get the news out in our newsletter. The organization has been pushing messaging of Federal programs – how and where to apply. The Main Street Relief Fund deadline is tomorrow and UVBA has been working hard to make sure businesses find out and apply. They have been working with some lost applications, running some interference for those businesses to keep them from losing out.
UVBA also works with lawmakers: Tracy has given testimony to the House Ways and Means committee which proposes the NH biennial budget. NH, in 2021 wants to raise both the business profits and business enterprise taxes. NH has lost revenue from rooms and meals and other taxes. UVBA tried to urge the committee to consider that 2021 isn’t the year to increase taxes because businesses cannot absorb it. Another bill seeks to raise NH unemployment costs for employers; it would result in $100 more per week for unemployed workers, but would increase the cost to businesses.
QUESTIONS:
Paul Boucher – Recently NH Business Review and the Union Leader wrote about the effects of COVID on chambers of commerce what about you?
Tracy: Chambers are 501(c)6 organizations; we are tax-paying non-profits, not a charity. We have not been part of Federal relief programs. Some of us received emergency loan program funds through the Small Business Adminisytration. On Monday, we found out we were NOT eligible for state relief funds, not for any of the $1.2 Billion NH received from the CARES act. Chambers gathered together and learned today that the Governor wil allocate $2 million for the state chambers by contracting with us to perform some specific tasks, but we don’t quite know what it means yet. UVBA was well-supported when we started this year, but next year is looking very uncertain. Loss of membership dues and lack of events has increased stress on our future. We are excited that some help may be coming.
John Yacavone: We lost a few businesses in Lebanon and Hanover. What’s your understanding about the future – more losses?
Tracy: On the one hand, we’re somewhat lucky. The economy before the crisis was doing well in the UV. Some of the businesses we lost were in the works before COVID; I thought we’d lose more. I am concerned about the future – there are many businesses for whom this has been very, very tough. A lot will depend on consumer confidence about getting out among other people. Tourism is important in the UV – many visitors come through and I see that traffic diminishing.
Will Koppenheffer: My perception of Chambers of Commerce lobby on behalf of businesses. How are you planning to spend your share of the $1.2 M here in the Upper Valley?
Tracy: I can’t quite answer that yet. The governor says it won’t be a gift – he said he’d contract with us, perhaps some “data gathering, marketing,” and we don’t know what it means. As to lobbying – some chambers to have hired lobbyists; we have not, but we do advocate.
Will: NH has a squirrelly tax system, a variety of small taxes. Chambers of Commerce have advocated for lowering all taxes on businesses. The result of that is what we see all over the state = increased reliance on property taxes. Business advocacy is good for business, but not so good for property taxes.
Bruce Pacht: Thanks for the informative newsletter! I hope to apply for available not-for-profit funding for the Hanover Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
Paul Tierney: You could perform a great service for start-up businesses by looking at securities regulations in NH which are incredibly difficult and expensive to deal with. Current law seems to require $50-60,000 of outlay to put together a securities offering. It’s a big obstacle to setting up all kinds of businesses.
Tracy: Please send me information on this and I will follow up to learn more.
The Kilton Library Children's book given in honor of Tracy Hutchins is
When a young girl visits the site of Africville, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the stories she’s heard from her family come to mind. She imagines what the community was once like ―the brightly painted houses nestled into the hillside, the field where boys played football, the pond where all the kids went…
Africville was a vibrant Black community for more than 150 years. But even though its residents paid municipal taxes, they lived without running water, sewers, paved roads and police, fire-truck and ambulance services. Over time, the city located a slaughterhouse, a hospital for infectious disease, …
Today, Africville has been replaced by a park, where former residents and their families gather each summer to remember their community.
The book focuses on the importance of community--a priority, I think, of the Upper Valley Business Alliance.
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Moorings
The Club now has it's own Zoom Account, and it was up and functioning for this meeting.
The following members were present:
Dan Affeldt
Marilyn Bedell
Ron Bedell
Paul Boucher
Steve Christy
Hank Clarke
Dave Crandall
Rudy Fedrizzi
Tim Guaraldi
Garlan Hoskins
Cindy Jerome
Willy Koppenheffer
JoAnn Lemieux
Jane Mason
Melissa Mooney
Ernst Oidtmann
Bruce Pacht
Bill Secord
Marion Steiner
Paul Tierney
Rich Wallace
Steve Whitman
John Yacavonne
Marilyn rang the bell, Marion led us in reciting the 4-Way Test (garbled as usual)
The meeting was then turned over to Tracy Hutchins for her talk. We then watched a video from the Rotary Foundation entitled:
In 2018-19, Rotarians gave more than $400 Million to TRF which was able to accomplish huge benefits to people around the world.
Marilyn then thanked all members who have given to the Rotary Foundation this year.
We then moved on to happy thoughts and announcements.
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SHARING HAPPY THOUGHTS OR CONCERNS:
JOHN YACAVONE asked the club for help re: food bank in Plainfield. Four Rotarians responded to the call – Phil Rentz, Jim Damren, Bill Babineau and Ed Friedman. In less than 20 minutes, they loaded John’s borrowed truck in 20 minutes with frozen foods, peanut butter, soups, etc., which John drove to a church in Plainfield where everything was unloaded. Job well done!
CINDY JEROME: At APD Lifecare, we decided to test everyone in case there are infected non-symptomatic cases. 95% of residents and all our staff were tested -- all were negative, a wonderful feeling.
MARION STEINER: Charlie and I will celebrate 6 years of marriage this weekend. Marion’s excited to get away. The location will be a surprise for Charlie She’ll be taking her first day off from work in a long time.
HANK CLARKE: The weather in Bordeaux has been lousy this week so we’re happy our trip there was canceled.
PAUL TIERNEY: A person on the street asked me how I’ve been and I said, “OK.” The other person said she was “Not terrible,” which struck me as funny.
RUDY FEDRIZZI: I spoke about the Kids Marathon in Keene. The Rotary Club of Keene-Elm City has just started registration of kids with 60 signed up so far – we usually get 1100! We have no idea if the event could ever be held – there are normally 2,000 people at the fall event. But at least the kids who sign up will stay active through the summer. I hope that next year we’ll do something with the kids in the Upper Valley region.
ERNST OIDTMANN: 354 years ago, the Dutch fought to a standstill in a 4-day sea battle with Britain. 80 battleships were used on both sides. A few days later, we burned down their flagships, taking some home to Holland.
WILLY Koppenheffer: Didn’t the Dutch soon after this battle give away New York?
ERNST: Yes, but we got Surinam, which has proven to have been much more financially remunerative.
JOHN: The tomato plant I got from Steve Whitman has doubled in size.
WILL Koppenheffer: The Mollica Fund committee has decided to contribute $2,500 to SAU Lebanon to continue the student lunches through the summer.
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Club News and Other Announcements
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Officer Changeover
Coming Soon
Cartoon from the Rotary Club of Waratah, NSW, Austraila
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Rotary Club of Lebanon - Officer Change over 2020 will be Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 5:45 via Zoom.
The Zoom link will be shared by e-mail.
Please join us to thank our Co-Presidents, Liss Mooney and Marion Steiner for their year of service; and we will welcoming Paul Tierney as our incoming Presidents.
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District Officer Changeover
Saturday, 20 June 2020
June 20, 2020 District Changeover Cocktail Hour (open to all) 5:00 pm on Zoom. Featuring Brenda M. Cressey, Trustee of The Rotary Foundation. Welcome 2020-2021 District Governor Jamie Milne to his new role and celebrate a successful year! Zoom login information to be sent out in advance of the event, and to make a donation (in lieu of a ticket fee) please go to:
The guest speaker for District 7850’s Changeover will be Rotary Foundation Trustee Brenda Cressey.
Brenda Cressey
Trustee 2017-21
Rotary Club of Paso Robles
California, USA
Brenda Cressey is the former CEO of Office Support Systems, a telecommunications business in Maine. She has served in many volunteer capacities with civic organizations such as the American Cancer Society.
A Rotarian since 1989, Cressey served as the first female chair and vice chair of The Rotary Foundation. Before that, she held numerous positions in membership, the Foundation, and training. Cressey was a Future Vision RRFC Training Institute moderator, an endowment/major gifts adviser, Council on Legislation representative, RI president’s representative, 2012 International Assembly executive committee member.
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Lebanon's4thofJuly Fireworks
Cancelled.
Firework in at Lebanon Airport cancelled by FAA. Shaun thanked us for being willing to help.
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International Service Project
It's easy!...For Epilogos Charities Serving El Salvador
Picture from a 2013 to El Salvador
Bruce Bergeron in the back row
with former Rotary Members
Dear Epilogos Friends,
Do you have any old clothes, shoes, purses, bankets, sheets, pillows, backpacks, sleeping bags, towels and linens you'd like to get rid of?
We have the perfect solution! Donate them to Lebanon Rotary and we will use them to raise funds for Epilogos, a NH based nonprofit benefiting the people and community of San José Villanueva, El Salvador. Every pound of goods will earn $.20. Last year we colleted 1,500 pounds. This year our goal is 2,000 pounds. The items can be in any condition and do not have to be laundered or clean. It couldn't be any easier.
Donations can be dropped off in plastic bags at Jake's Coffee Shop or Guaraldi Insurance June 22 - June 26, 8 am to 5 pm.
Feel free to invite friends and family to drop off as well. The more the merrier.
Lebanon-Riverside Rotary has enjoyed a long relationship with Epilogos, and has sent teams of Rotarians to San José Villanueva on three occasions to build 3 homes for deserving families. We will share more details about Epilogos in an upcoming club meeting.
In the meantime, it's time for some serious spring/early summer cleaning.
Sincerely,
Bruce and Tim
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Food Drives
TIM Guaraldi state he spoke to 2 or 3 local grocery stores re: a drive-by food drive. No horizon for holding anything in their lobbies. They are considering something like a drive-by FOOD drive, but Tim's not holding his breath.
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Upcoming Events - Save the Dates
Bedell Classic....Hold the Date
Golf committee has secured September 17 Thusday as a new date for the Bedell Tournament. Probably a smaller event this year, but one where we can raise at least some money.
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Listen Dinners 2020
NEXT DINNER June 9, 2020/Cancelled, Volunteers still not permitted to help prepare meals.
Cook team to arrive at Listen at 3:30 PM
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2020 Holiday Party and Yankee Swap
It's never to early to plan...Mark you calendars now, our 2020 Holiday Party and Famous Yankee Swap! It will be on Thursday, December 17, 2020, at the Quechee Inn at Marshland Farms. Cost will be the same as 2019...$40/person
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Rotary International News
Sign up for the 2020 Rotary Virtual Convention! Share this free event with your family and bring a friend ->https://on.rotary.org/37682zA
Schedule at a glance
General sessions
Saturday, 20 June
General Session 1: Together, We Connect
08:00-09:15 in Chicago, USA (UTC-5)
14:00-15:15 in Lagos, Nigeria, and London, England (UTC+1)
By Paddy Rooney, governor of District 7390 (Pennsylvania, USA)
“We were built for this.” They were just a few words, cast upon a sea of words spoken that evening. But it encapsulated everything that I believe Rotary to be about and what our challenge is for the future. The words were spoken by Rotary International Director Jeffry Cadorette and General Secretary John Hewko at a zoom gathering of district governors and governors-elect. Spoken above the blare of the evening’s business, these words offer a profound vision for Rotary in the months and years to come as we move through this pandemic into the future which awaits us.
I have previously written about the need to re-envision our future as Rotarians, quoting Director Cadorette to illustrate that if Rotary were founded today, it would probably look nothing like it does at present. We showed how this pandemic has changed our very modus operandi from its structured and formalized process into something that is already more dynamic and flexible while still meeting the needs of our members.
But now I realize that the challenge before us goes much deeper than just sustaining our clubs, our community outreach, and our fundraising programs. It stretches into the very heart of our communities, into the very being of our existence as members of those communities, and as forces for change in the future. As Rotarians, 1.2 million strong, we are embedded deep into the life of our communities throughout the world. We represent all sectors, trades, and businesses. But more importantly, we are leaders in our communities.
In the coming months, governmental agencies and political groups will seek to rebuild our economy while other groups will help rebuild our healthcare system which is stretched almost to breaking point. But for me the question is: who will help rebuild our broken communities? Who will heal the rifts and divisions exposed by the pandemic, reach across the divide, and rebuild a sense of unity that says we can and will make a difference in the lives around us?
As Rotarians, we are best positioned to lead the rebuilding, reforming, and reshaping that will be needed in our communities. This is who we are and this is what we do. Indeed, you could say that “we were built for this.” We know our communities better than anyone else. We know its strengths and weaknesses, good and bad, joys and sorrows. We know, and in many cases, we love our communities. We care about what happens and seek the very best for our communities.
Whether in clubs large or small, whether in e-clubs or passport clubs, whether we meet in person or virtually, whether we are Interactors, Rotaractors or Rotarians, we are one in Rotary spirit. With the resources of Rotary International behind us, we can help rebuild our broken and shattered communities. Indeed “we were built for this.” This is our time, this is our moment, this is our call. We can and will do this because we are Rotarians.
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