Lakes Region businesses celebrate success, look toward future of uncertainty

LACONIA — What impact will the Trump administration's tariffs and potential tax hikes have on local business? Those questions and others were examined by Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce members Thursday evening with keynote speaker Steve McAllister of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce during the chamber's annual meeting.

Around 100 members of the chamber gathered at the Chaos & Kindness Experience Theatre downtown to recognize outstanding area businesses and appoint a new slate of officers.

The chamber had a big year — it grew 12%, from 535 members to 604 to date. Their website garnered 875,000 views and 400,000 business directory searches, and people accessed the event calendar 475,000 times. For an organization focused on connecting businesses to the broader community, those impressions go a long way.

The chamber distributed 80,000 copies of the Lakes Region Summer Fun and Fall Fun guides, through a collaboration with The Laconia Daily Sun. Chamber staff also collaborated with the Newfound Independence to produce a regional map of businesses around Newfound Lake. The chamber has grown to support 37 communities in the Lakes Region, and maintain an average open rate for emails of 45%.

In 2024 alone, the chamber hosted more than 30 events and engaged in 10 collaborative initiatives.

“No matter what your industry is or your business, support is essential — having a strong network of likeminded individuals, like you, helps us pave the way to success at the Lakes Region Chamber,” outgoing board Chair Dirk Nadon of Lakes Media NH said. “It’s more than just an organization, it’s your business partner, and we really believe that.”

Nadon will be replaced by Don St. Gelais of Lakes Region Airport Shuttle.

“The next thing we are at the chamber is not just a resource, but a valuable connector of invaluable resources to be connected with people,” Nadon said. “Together we share ideas as connectors, we navigate challenges. Together we share ideas and lift each other up.”

McAllister, eastern region vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said he admired the creativity and persistence displayed by business owners.

“In this world, the news comes at you fast and furious — it is impossible to keep up with the changes — and that is a real issue for the business community. As [Nadon] was saying, the business owners, they’re creative, they’re energetic. Every day in and day out, they put everything they have into their business, and all they’re asking for is consistency and to know the path,” McAllister said. “Unfortunately, the way the world is right now, it is impossible to do that.”

McAllister said the U.S. Chamber does not support a shutdown of the government at the federal level and tariffs could have a negative impact on business, but much is unknown at this point.

“One in five jobs in New Hampshire are trade-related, so these tariffs would have a massive negative impact on the business community and costs as a whole,” McAllister said.

“We have to take a breath, and we have to wait and see how these things play out. We understand how frustrating that is — all the business community is looking for is consistency.”

Raising corporate tax rates could negatively impact businesses, McAllister said.

“If they raise the corporate tax, we go back to a massive tax increase for the business community,” McAllister said. “When I’m meeting with your congresspeople, we’re saying, ‘Let’s start at what we have today, let’s use that as a baseline’. Because then at least we know, if nothing else changes, we are not going to get a massive increase to the business community at one of the worst times with all of the tariffs coming in, with the economy maybe taking a dip.”

St. Gelais thanked Nadon for his work as chair of the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s going to be big shoes to fill yours,” he said.

Performers with Tara Little's School of Dance put on an exhibition of Irish dancing in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day.

The chamber’s new slate of officers was presented Thursday evening. St. Gelais is incoming chair, 1st vice chair is Tate Miller of Meredith Village Savings Bank, 2nd vice chair is Taylor Laro, treasurer is Chris Dickinson, and secretary is Grace McNamara of Lakes Region Public Access. Ted Fodero of Meredith Insurance, Shawna Young of Lakes Region Community College and Marci DeCarli of Concord Hospital are leaving the board, and Nadon and Dickinson were reelected.

New directors elected to the board include Joel Arsenault of PlanFirst LLC, Carissa Elphick of Partnership for Public Health, Steve Tucker of Lakes Region Community College, Cindy Theriault of Wilcox & Barton and Sharon Chapman of Wescott Law.

And St. Gelais presented 2025 Business Inspiration Awards to businesses including: Stafford Oil & Propane; Laconia Refrigeration; Bank of New Hampshire; a public building project in the Town of Bristol; the fire station in Sanbornton; Partnership for Public Health; Greenside Restaurant at Lochmere Country Club; Dox on Winnipesaukee; Winnipesaukee Self Storage (Gilford); The Manor; Stevens Mill; The Breeze by the Bay; Casa Lago Cantina; Enso Japanese Steak House; and 603 Oil & Propane.

“As we conclude the business portion of our meeting, I want to thank each and every one of you for your dedication, engagement and support for the Lakes Region Chamber. Your involvement is what makes our chamber strong and our community thrive,” St. Gelais said. “I think I speak for all of you when I say that just a few weeks ago, during our board retreat, we laid the foundation for a strong 2025 — one focused on priority challenges, new opportunities and collaboration.”