SALEM, N.H. — The Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce welcomed a capacity crowd to its sold-out 2026 YES! You Can Empowering Women in Business Summit June 12, at the Artisan Hotel at Tuscan Village in Salem, New Hampshire.
The annual event brought together women leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners, and community members from across the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire for a day focused on leadership, professional development, networking, and inspiration.
The summit featured keynote presentations by Joanna De Pena, founder and CEO of Top Notch Scholars and nationally recognized fashion icon and television personality Sondra Celli. Both speakers shared personal and professional insights designed to inspire attendees to pursue their goals and continue breaking barriers in business and leadership.
A highlight of the event was the Power Panel discussion, moderated by Dana DeFranco, owner of Battle Grounds Coffee Company. Panelists included Mary DeDonato of Lupoli Companies, Holly Howes of Valley of Hope Shelter and Recovery, Amanda Forrestal of Pest-End, and Danielle Noyes of 1DegreeOutside. The panel shared valuable perspectives on leadership, career growth, overcoming challenges, and achieving success in their chosen fields.
For more information about the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce and upcoming programs, visit MerrimackValleyChamber.com or call 978-686-0900.
United Tool & Machine lands state grant
LAWRENCE — Merrimack Valley manufacturer, United Tool & Machine Corporation (UTM), recently received a $300,000 grant through the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerator Program (MMAP), a state initiative designed to help manufacturers invest in growth, modernization, and long-term competitiveness.
Administered by the Center for Advanced Manufacturing, the newly updated MMAP awarded $4.8 million to 20 small- and medium-sized manufacturers across Massachusetts. The program supports projects that strengthen manufacturing operations, increase productivity, and position companies for future growth.
UTM will use the funding to purchase a horizontal machining center with a pallet system, a strategic investment that will increase productivity, improve efficiency, and expand manufacturing capacity.
Located at 50 Shepard Street in the Lawrence Industrial Park, UTM is a precision machining and manufacturing solutions provider serving customers across a variety of industries throughout New England and beyond.
3 PrideStar Trinity employees honored
LOWELL — PrideStar Trinity EMS is proud to announce that Human Resources Specialist/EMT-B Cathy Lanoue, Operations Manager/EMT-B Amanda Lehman, and Operations Supervisor/Paramedic Josh Swallow have been awarded the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award, a prestigious recognition presented by the Department of Defense’s ESGR program.
The three employees were nominated by PrideStar Trinity EMS EMT Curtis Chanthaboun, who serves in the Army National Guard. PrideStar Trinity serves Haverhill, Groveland, Plaistow, Atkinson and Hampstead among other cities and towns in the area.
Chanthaboun, who is still on deployment, recognized Lanoue, Lehman, and Swallow for their unwavering support throughout his military commitments, including drill weekends, annual training, activations, and deployments.
On Tuesday, ESGR Area Chair Doug Edwards visited PrideStar Trinity EMS in Lowell to formally present the awards during a special recognition ceremony.
Small businesses get help to cut energy
LAWRENCE — As a part of its ongoing efforts to expand access to energy efficiency services and incentives for small businesses across the Commonwealth, Mass Save is continuing the 2026 Main Streets initiative in Lawrence, Gloucester and Woburn. The targeted, outreach to 20 cities and towns connects small business owners with solutions to reduce energy use, manage operating costs, upgrade to more efficient technologies and improve building performance.
Through Main Streets, energy experts will provide no-cost energy assessments. Since the program began in 2020, the sponsors of the initiative have worked with thousands of small businesses across more than 100 communities, helping identify energy-saving opportunities and improve overall building performance.
Participating businesses begin with a no-cost, no-obligation energy assessment to identify practical efficiency opportunities, which may include, weatherization upgrades such as insulation or air sealing. high-efficiency lighting improvements and occupancy sensors, programmable thermostats and refrigeration controls
To maximize convenience, select upgrades, including low-flow aerators and spray valves, may be installed on the spot at no cost. More comprehensive improvements are scheduled for a later date. Small businesses owners interested in scheduling an assessment, including those located outside of participating Main Streets communities, can learn more and sign up at www.masssave.com/smallbusiness
Lawrence, Windham grads win scholarships
LAWRENCE — BrightBridge Credit Union awarded $26,500 in scholarships to 18 exceptional students, including graduating seniors from Lawrence and Windham, during its annual scholarship awards ceremony, recognizing their academic achievements, leadership and dedication to their communities.
Winner of the Lisa Lewis Goodman Community Spirit Award, Ashanti Vargas is a Lawrence High School grad who will study neuroscience at Swarthmore College.
The Community Spirit Award comes with a $2,500 and recognizes a student who is committed to helping others through volunteerism. The award honors the legacy of a longtime BrightBridge collections manager whose dedication to serving others left a meaningful impact before her passing in 2021.
Kiley Candon, a Windham High School graduate who plans to study civil engineering, was one of three winners of the James A. Burley Jr. Scholarship, commemorates the legacy of a devoted board leader who served the organization for 39 years, including 33 years as board chair. This scholarship is awarded annually to three graduating seniors who exemplify strong academic performance and leadership potential.
BrightBridge is a state-chartered community credit union with more than $2.4 billion in assets and headquartered in Lawrence. With approximately 117,000 members, BrightBridge has 23 branches including Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen, North Andover, plus Plaistow and Seabrook, New Hampshire.