Business People: Richard L. Powers, Michael Rafeal, Robert Whittaker, Michelle Hoffman, Greater Manchester/Nashua Board of Realtors
Richard L. Powers
Richard L. Powers of BAE Systems in Nashua was recently elected chair of the New Hampshire Innovation Research Center Oversight Committee.
The NHIRC funds partnership projects between New Hampshire companies and academic institutions via the Granite State Technology Innovation Grant. Past projects have been in the areas of materials science, environmental technology, nanotechnology, plant biology and medical technologies.
Powers is the director of advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance solutions at BAE Systems and has been a member of the NHIRC Oversight Committee, representing the New Hampshire large-business sector since 2003. He directed the committee through a strategic thinking process in 2005 which resulted in a change to the name of the program.
Powers has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Lowell and master’s degree from Northeastern University, both in electrical engineering, and has been with BAE Systems and its predecessors since 1978. He lives with his wife and daughter in Brookline.
Michael Rafeal
Michael Rafeal was one of seven professional truck drivers recently honored with the New Hampshire Motor Transport Association’s certification of Master Truck Driver. He’s employed by YRC Corp. in Nashua. The certification is a method of recognizing those professional vehicle operators who have made a career of driving large vehicles and whose character, experience and good judgment have contributed to the safety of the driving public.
Each of the drivers must have driven for their company for at least one year; have driven for 1 million accident-free miles or 25,000 hours of accident-free driving; have received no citations within the past three years; and either have performed some meritorious act of selflessness (e.g., helped a motorist in distress), participated in some community service, and/or demonstrated leadership in a program or event that promotes or furthers the trucking industry’s ideals and growth. Gov. John Lynch and New Hampshire Department of Safety Commissioner John Barthelmes were on hand to congratulate the honorees. The event took place at the start of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week at the State House.
Robert Whittaker
St. Mary’s Bank has announced the appointment of Robert Whittaker of Merrimack to mortgage loan originator. He will be responsible for originating residential loans in St. Mary’s Milford office and the surrounding area.
Prior to joining St. Mary’s Bank, Whittaker worked for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Prudential Insurance and Financial Services. He has eight years of experience in the financial services industry.
Whittaker has attended Hesser College in Nashua and New Hampshire Technical College in Concord. Throughout his career, he has been awarded numerous professional honors and awards. Founded in Manchester, St. Mary’s Bank is the nation’s first credit union.
Michelle Hoffman
Nashua resident Michelle Hoffman has been recognized as the employee of the year by the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association.
Hoffman has been employed at the Radisson Nashua, formerly the Sheraton, since it opened 26 years ago. She works as a “Jill of all trades” in the culinary department. She prepared food for President Barack Obama during his many primary visits and more recently served 250 University of Massachusetts Lowell students who were bunking at the hotel due to a shortage of dorm space on campus. Hoffman’s 2009 Hotel Star of The Year award was handed out earlier this month at the Mt. Washington Resort at a dinner of approximately 300 hotel and restaurant owners and operators.
Greater Manchester/Nashua Board of Realtors
The Greater Manchester/Nashua Board of Realtors recently inducted 13 new realtors into the profession. The inductions took place at the GMNBR office in Bedford in early October.
Local inductees were: Fran Blanda Allison Lammi, Peter Ledoux and Bonnie Currier, all of Keller Williams Realty in Nashua; Sherre Dubis of Better Homes & Gardens – The Masiello Group in Nashua; Rachel Graham of Virtual Homes Real Estate in Amherst; Deb Hoffman-Scoggins of CB Residential Brokerage in Amherst; and Susan Perkins of Nancy Hubert Real Estate in Milford.
The induction ceremony included a pinning ceremony and a pledge in which the new Realtors swore to hold themselves to the highest of professional standards of professionalism.
