SBA, outdoor rec leaders talk tourism with Pappas
CONWAY — U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) met last Thursday at the Pope Memorial Library in North Conway with a roomful of state and local tourism leaders for a business roundtable, in which outdoor recreation took center stage.
Locals included Tyler Ray of Granite Outdoor Alliance; Michelle Cruz, executive director of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce; Kyla Brustin of North Conway, certified business adviser for the N.H. Small Business Development Center; Lisa McCoy, events and marketing director of the Mt. Washington Auto Road; Mari Corbett, co-owner of Villa Hygge; Ellen Chandler, executive director of the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation; Drew Bush, executive director, and Charlie Buterbaugh, director of external affairs, from the Mt. Washington Observatory; and Benny Jessman, board member of the North Conway Community Center.
In addition, Hayes Miller from SCORE (the Service Corps of Retired Executives) was there; Janel Lawton, director of the state Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development; Misty Sinsigalli, area director for USDA Rural Development in Vermont and New Hampshire; Chandra Reber, director of the Manchester-based Center for Women & Enterprise; and from the Small Business Administration, Amy Bassett of Concord, district director; Rachael Roderick, deputy district director; Warren Haggerty, economic development specialist; and Tuesday Belanger, lender relations specialist.
"Workforce development is something that I think is top of mind to everyone right now, as in how do we hire up to meet the demand that is out there?" Pappas said to open the roundtable.
"And so we're continuing to support legislation to expand programs regarding access to those seasonal workers that are the lifeblood of many of the enterprises in this part of our state," Pappas said, adding, "Anytime you can get folks from the USDA, from SBA and all of our resource partners who are out there supporting small businesses, it's a good way to help them understand the unique challenges that are faced in this region of the state."
Bassett of the SBA said: "We hear from small businesses that what stymies their ability to start and grow is a limited access to capital. And there are some challenges right now. But the SBA loan programs are still strong and widely used by lenders throughout the state."
There are no fees on their loans under $500,000 and starting Oct. 1 no fees on their loans under $ 1 million, she said.
SCORE's Miller said his organization offers free mentoring services for businesses. "I've found that most people come to SCORE because they have a business idea. And they are really strong in three of the six or seven areas that you have to be strong at to be an entrepreneur. And usually there's a learning curve with regards to accounting or getting funding, those sorts of things."
Brustin of the SBDC said she does similar work to SCORE but is focused more regionally: "We also like to work with partner organizations. So it's important for anyone who is here, considering one of these services, that it is not a choice of one or the other. And in fact, you're probably best off working with all two or three of us."
Lawton said: "It's really important to note ... all the work that Michelle (Cruz) is doing, through the chamber really shows that this region is a gateway community to the outdoor recreation industry. So we're looking to support that and my office is looking to help by bridging federal and state resources, including grant funding, modern monitoring, outdoor recreation, industry policy, supporting equitable outdoor access, and by building with the state outdoor recreation brand."
Cruz said: "I think there are many people that now are attracted to this area. They were always attracted to this area, but we know that it is now accelerated. And it's a lifestyle that is continuing to build."
Bush and Buterbaugh from the Obs said even though they're on the science side of things, their work is tied closely with the outdoor rec industry; others, especially Cruz, echoed the importance of their connections with the Obs.
Ray noted: "The outdoor rec space is alive and well. And you know, previously, I think we were fighting for elbow room. We didn't really exist, but as Janelle mentioned, the industry is now an industry, it's now measured ... We have 120 businesses in the outdoor recreation space all over the state, and it's all about this collaboration. Rising tides float all boats."
However, he noted that despite the wealth of enthusiasm and natural assets here, "New Hampshire is behind in regulatory/environmental policy" and there is "a lack of attention to sustainability and stewardship."
He asked Pappas to back the Rural Outdoor Investment Act for federal money to help with this issue, to bring more focus on preserving, protecting and developing recreational activities responsibly.