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| Building on Our History. Shaping Our Future.
As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, this year's Housing & Economy Conference will explore how the people, places, and ideas that shaped our communities can help shape New Hampshire's housing future. Hear from experts and practitioners as they discuss preserving and repurposing historic buildings, building the skilled workforce needed to meet today's housing demands, and advancing innovative strategies that strengthen our communities and economy. Join housing professionals, developers, policymakers, business leaders, and community partners from across the state to connect, learn, and be part of the conversation shaping what's next.
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Tickets are $75 and include breakfast |
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| 8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Breakfast and Networking 8:30 - 9:00 a.m. Welcome Remarks
- Rob Dapice, Executive Director and CEO, NH Housing
- Governor Kelly Ayotte
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Keynote Speaker: Christopher Thornberg, Ph.D., Founding Partner, Beacon Economics
Social Narratives, Housing Realities, and the Economic Outlook for New Hampshire Join Dr. Christopher Thornberg, founder of Beacon Economics, for an engaging presentation examining the national outlook, New Hampshire’s housing market, and the growing gap between economic fundamentals and prevailing public narratives. The session will explore the forces shaping housing supply, affordability, home prices, rental demand, and demographic change across the state—and what these trends mean for businesses, communities, and policymakers. 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Break 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Panel Discussion: Preserving the Past. Creating Homes for the Future Historic buildings tell the story of our communities, and they can also play an important role in addressing today's housing needs. This session explores how adaptive reuse and historic preservation can breathe new life into schools, mills, and other landmark buildings while preserving the character that makes New Hampshire's communities unique. Discover the challenges and opportunities of converting historic structures, along with the tools, partnerships, and policies that help make these projects possible.
Panelists: Stuart Anderson, Partner, Alba Architects Preston Hunter, VP of Business Development, PROCON John Knight, Executive Director, Historic Harrisville, Inc. Moderator: Nadine Miller, NH Division of Historical Resources
11:30 - 12:30 p.m. Panel Discussion: Building the Workforce That Builds Our Communities Meeting New Hampshire's housing needs requires more than materials and financing. It requires people. This session explores the growing demand for skilled trades professionals, the workforce challenges facing the construction industry, and innovative efforts to recruit, train, and retain the next generation of builders. Explore how expanding career pathways, increasing access to housing for the workforce, and embracing innovative construction methods can help build a stronger workforce and create the housing New Hampshire needs.
Panelists: Emily Benson, Employee Success Officer, Bensonwood Lucy Lange, Commissioner, NH Dept of Business and Economic Affairs Joshua Reap, President & CEO, Associated Builders and Contractors, NH/VT Chapter Steve Turner, CEO, Bring Back the Trades Moderator: Rich Lavers, Commissioner, NH Employment Security
12:30 p.m. Conclusion |
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Christopher Thornberg, Founding Partner, Beacon Economics Dr. Christopher Thornberg is the founding partner of Beacon Economics, one of the nation's leading economic research firms. A nationally recognized economist, he is known for accurately forecasting major economic trends, including the housing market collapse preceding the Great Recession and the resilience of the U.S. economy following the COVID-19 pandemic. A former UCLA Business School professor and currently a research fellow at Pepperdine University, Dr. Thornberg advises businesses, governments, and public agencies and is a sought-after speaker on economic and housing market trends. |
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Panel Discussion: Preserving the Past. Creating Homes for the Future |
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Stuart Anderson, Partner, Alba Architects Stuart J. Anderson is a Partner at Alba Architects with a particular interest in traditional and vernacular architecture and historic preservation. A native of Scotland, he earned his architectural degrees from The Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and has lived in the U.S. since 2004. Stuart brings a focus on thoughtful, innovative design that adds value to buildings and the communities they serve. |
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Preston Hunter, Vice President of Business Development, PROCON Preston Hunter is Vice President of Business Development at PROCON, a leading New England design and construction management firm. With more than 20 years of experience in construction and real estate development, he guides projects across the multifamily, commercial, and industrial sectors. He is also managing member of the team converting the former Hallsville Elementary School in Manchester into a 36-unit affordable housing community in partnership with New Hampshire Housing, RBC, and Rockland Trust. |
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John Knight, Executive Director, Historic Harrisville, Inc. John Knight is Executive Director of Historic Harrisville, Inc. (HHI), a nonprofit that promotes community and economic development through historic preservation. He oversees HHI's affordable housing program, community facilities, and the stewardship of 26 historic properties within and around the Harrisville National Historic Landmark District. Before joining HHI, John worked in book publishing and earned a PhD in comparative literature. |
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Nadine Miller, Deputy State Historic Officer, NH Division of Historical Resources Nadine Miller serves as Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer with the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources, where she leads a team of archaeologists and historic preservation professionals. She oversees programs related to historic preservation, archaeological resources, tax incentives, and project review, helping protect and preserve New Hampshire's historic places. Nadine enjoys working with communities to celebrate and safeguard the state's unique heritage. |
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Panel Discussion: Building the Workforce That Builds Our Communities |
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Emily Benson, Strategic Planning & Workforce Development, Bensonwood Emily Benson leads strategic planning and workforce development at Bensonwood, where she focuses on building the skilled workforce needed to support the company's long-term growth. She launched Bensonwood's apprenticeship program in 2023 and works closely with regional schools and industry partners to expand career pathways in construction. Emily holds an MBA from Plymouth State University and a PhD in Management from UMass Amherst, with research focused on organization development, workforce development, and regional economic growth. |
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Lucy Lange, Commissioner, NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs Lucy Lange was appointed Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs in 2026, becoming the first woman to lead the state's economic development agency. She brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in business development, strategic planning, marketing, and stakeholder engagement, with previous leadership roles at Saga Communications, iHeartMedia, Comcast Spotlight, and Time Warner. As commissioner, she leads statewide efforts to strengthen New Hampshire's economy, support business growth, advance workforce initiatives, and promote the state as a destination for investment and innovation. |
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Joshua Reap, President & CEO, Associated Builders & Contractors NH/VT Chapter Joshua Reap is President & CEO of the Associated Builders & Contractors NH/VT Chapter, where he leads efforts in construction workforce development, safety training, industry advocacy, and apprenticeship programs. He also serves as founding president of the Vermont Construction Academy, advancing partnerships with schools, employers, and community organizations to address the skilled trades workforce shortage across New Hampshire and Vermont. Josh holds an MBA from Empire State College. |
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Steve Turner, CEO, Bring Back The Trades Steve Turner is an entrepreneur and founder of Bring Back The Trades, a national nonprofit promoting careers in the skilled trades and providing scholarships for students pursuing trades education. He is also the owner of Turners Upholstery in Rye, N.H., which he started at age 19 and has operated for more than 35 years. Drawing on his own experience as a tradesperson and business owner, Steve is a passionate advocate for expanding awareness of and opportunities in the skilled trades. |
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Richard J. Lavers, Commissioner, New Hampshire Employment Security Richard J. Lavers has served as Commissioner of New Hampshire Employment Security since November 2025, following 12 years as Deputy Commissioner. Since joining the department in 2010, he has helped advance programs that connect employers and job seekers, support workers facing unemployment, and provide labor market information. He works closely with public, private, and nonprofit partners to strengthen New Hampshire’s workforce and modernize services for workers and employers. |
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Thank You to Our Sponsors |
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Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact us for details. |
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About New Hampshire Housing: As a self-supporting public corporation, New Hampshire Housing promotes, finances and supports housing solutions for the people of New Hampshire. We operate rental and homeownership programs designed to assist low- and moderate-income persons with obtaining affordable housing. Since its inception, NH Housing has helped more than 55,000 families purchase their own homes and has been instrumental in financing the creation of over 16,000 multifamily housing units. NHHousing.org |
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