Chamber

2007 Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner Sponsored by Patriot Healthcare

Bill Hallager, 2006 Eileen Rice Business Leader of the Year with Brian McCarthy, Executive Director; and Maureen Polimeno, 2005 Eileen Rice Award Winner

The 2007 Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, sponsored by Patriot Healthcare, will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 24 at The Mountain Club on Loon.

It gets underway with the Business Meeting at 5:30 p.m. at which time, the Annual Report will be reviewed and the vote will be held on the budget and the slate of Board Members and Officers.

A reception and cash bar will begin at 6:15 p.m.

Paul Pinkham, 2006 Board Member of the Year, with Past President Mark LaClair, and Brian McCarthy.

At 6:45, you will hear what the Chamber has done to identify needs of its members and the community and what the organization has planned going forward. That will be followed by the Announcement of the Seventh Annual Eileen Rice Business Leader of the Year Award, the Outstanding Board Member of the Year Award, the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award and the Volunteer of the Year Award.

We will then hear a brief presentation from our generous sponsor. Eve Oyer of Patriot Healthcare, provider of the Chamber Health Insurance Program, will represent our sponsor. Eve Oyer is the Chief Operating Officer at Patriot Healthcare. Ms. Oyer has been actively involved in the development, regulation and management of New Hampshire healthcare and insurance organizations for nearly 20 years as a private attorney, senior health plan executive and community board member. She is a former Senior Vice President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Hampshire, where she served as General Counsel and as the senior executive in charge of provider network development and management. Prior to joining Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Hampshire, Ms. Oyer was engaged in the private practice of law at Orr & Reno and then Rath, Young and Pignatelli. Ms. Oyer holds a JD degree from the University Of Maine School Of Law.

Next up will be the featured speaker, Steve Barba. Stephen P. Barba worked at The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire starting in 1959 when, as a thirteen year old, he attended the caddy camp. He spent succeeding summer seasons there serving in a variety of jobs such as: golf course greenskeeper, bell hop, doorman, waiter, and bartender. From junior high school days through to a graduate teaching assistantship in English literature at Michigan State University, whenever school was out Barba continued to return to the White Mountains. In 1970 university faculty and students went on strike in protest of the war in Southeast Asia, so Barba once again returned to The Balsams. He accepted a management position in 1971 along with another former employee.

From 1976 with three managing partners, Barba owned the operating company for the 15,000 acre resort. His continuous management spanned 35 years until his retirement in 2005. Barba then served as Innkeeper Emeritus to provide on-site counsel and continuity to the new management until 2006.
In 2006 Barba accepted a senior administrative postion with Plymouth State University as Executive Director of University Relations.

The Mountain Club puts on an amazing feast. Just starting with the Cocktail Reception, they will be offering up a delicious supply of Season Crudités in Vases “On the Lawn” along with Crispy Brie Wontons with Raspberry Spiced Vintage Port Dipping Sauce, Bourbon Molasses Beef Satay with Balsamic Drizzle, Assorted Autumn Soup Shooters and Wild Mushroom-Chevre Tartlets with Red Onion Confit. Be careful though. You won’t want to get too full on appetizers. Dinner starts with an Autumn Salad, followed by entrees of Slow Roasted Atlantic Salmon, Chicken Rachel or Carved Roulade of Beef. These exquisite meals will come with Maple Sweet Potato Pave and Gratin of Roasted Vegetables. And, of course, there is dessert, again with a seasonal twist. Notice a theme? It’s “Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin” with Pumpkin Crème Brulee, Warm Pumpkin Spice Cake, Pumpkin Seed Brittle and a Warm Cinnamon Caramel Sauce. And this is a plated dinner so there’s no need to wait in a buffet line. Dinner will be served at approximately 7:45 p.m.

During the dinner, a silent sports memorabilia auction is being planned with many incredible autographed items from the Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics. And, yes, there might even be an item or two for you Yankee fans. So, bring your checkbook or credit card (MC or VISA).

The Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner is for members of the Chamber of Commerce only and is $40 per person.