Awards

Each year, the New Hampshire Retail Association presents our Retailer, Legislator, and Law Enforcement Partner of the Year Awards at our Annual Meeting and Legislative Event.

Retailer of the Year Award

The Retailer of the Year Award is presented to a member of the New Hampshire Retail Association and is a prestigious recognition of a NH retailer who has met the highest standards of excellence. Those standards of excellence are…

• Continued growth in the number of employees or sales
• Providing Excellent Customer Service
• Commitment of company resources, including employees, to community projects
• Creation of a positive work environment for employees

Click here to Nominate a Retailer.

Mail your nomination form to the NH Retail Association, 72 North Main Street, Suite 206, Concord, NH 03301, or Email to: mari@retailnh.com

Legislator of the Year

The Legislator of the Year Award is awarded to a state Senator or Representative who, through their voting record, has advocated policies and laws that maintain and advance New Hampshire’s strong retail climate. They should have a record of opposing legislation limiting or restricting a retailer’s way of doing business or putting an unfair financial burden on retailers.

Law Enforcement Partner of the Year

The New Hampshire Retail Association’s Law Enforcement Partner of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding member of the law enforcement community, or an entire department, who has gone out of his or her way to help retailers and open the lines of communication between retailers and law enforcement.

Previous Award Recipients:

2023 

• 2023 Retailer of the Year – Lahout’s Ski Shop – Lincoln & Littleton, NH – Ron Lahout, owner
• 2023 Legislator of the Year – Senator Regina Birdsell (R)
• 2023 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Sgt. Carl Root – Rochester Police Department

2022

• 2022 Retailer of the Year – Kilwins Chocolates, Fudge and Ice Cream Shoppe, Portsmouth, NH. Janette Desmond owner
• 2022 Legislator of the Year – Representative Howard Pearl (R),Merrimack County.
• 2022 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Anne M Edwards, Associate Attorney General

2021

• 2021 Retailer of the Year – The Toadstool Bookshops – Peterborough, Keene and Nashua. Holly and Willard Williams owners.
• 2021 Legislator of the Year – Representative Timothy Land (R), Belknap County.
• 2021 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Officer Andrew Wood, Newington Police Department

2020

• 2020 Retailer of the Year – Osborne’s Agway Farm & Garden Centers. Concord, Hooksett, and Belmont, NH. Tom, Paul and Andy Osborne owners
• 2020 Legislator of the Year – Senator Jeb Bradley (R) Wolfeboro, NH
• 2020 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Deputy Chief Joel Dolan, Salem, NH Police Department

2019

• 2019 Retailer of the Year – Granite State Candy Shoppe, Concord and Manchester, NH. Jeffery Bart owner.
• 2019 Legislator of the Year – Senate President Chuck Morse (R) Salem, NH.

2018

• 2018 Retailer of the Year – Emma & Co Consignment Boutique, Littleton, NH. Carrie Gendreau owner.
• 2018 Legislator of the Year – Representative Laurie J. Sanborn (R) Bedford, NH.
• 2018 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Officer Danielle Nightingale, Bedford, NH Police Department.
• 2018 Loss Prevention Person of the Year – Rick Daniels, Irving Oil.

2017

• 2017 Retailer of the Year – Goedecke Paint, Flooring and Design, Bedford, NH.
• 2016 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Lt George Walker, Conway, NH Police Department.
• 2016 Legislator of the Year – Representative William Pearson (D) Keene, NH.

2016 – 50th Anniversary

• 2016 Retailer of the Year – Red’s Shoe Barn, Dover, Plaistow, NH.
• 2016 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Berlin, NH Police Department.
• 2016 Legislator of the Year – Senator Gary Daniels (R) Milford, NH.
• 2016 Recognition – Plymouth Furniture, Plymouth, NH. David and James Lurie – Founding members of the NH Retail Association.

2015

• 2015 NH Retailer of the Year – Bellman’s Jewelers, Manchester, NH.
• 2015 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Master Patrolman William Adamson, Nashua, NH Police Department.
• 2015 Legislator of the Year – Senator Sharon Carson, (R) Londonderry, NH.

2014

• 2014 NH Retailer of the Year – Benson Lumber and Hardware, Derry and Londonderry, NH.
• 2014 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Officer Tracey Hayes and the Rochester, NH Police Department.
• 2014 Legislator of the Year – Former Representative Nick Levasseur (D-Manchester).

2013

• 2013 Retailer of the Year – Top Furntiure, Gorham, NH. Donna Goodrich – owner.
•  2013 Legislator of the Year – Vice Chair of the Commerce Committee, Representative Donna Schlachman.
• 2013 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Lt Scott Qualls, Newington Police Department.

2012

• 2012 Retailer of the Year – The Prescription Center, Concord, NH. Charles Fanaras – owner.
• 2012 Legislator of the Year – Senate President Peter Bragdon.
• 2012 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Tilton, NH Police Department. Chief Robert Cormier, Detective Nate Buffington, Detective Matt Dawson.
• 2012 Energy Efficiency Award – Dorr Woolen Store, Guild, NH.  Terry Dorr, owner.

2011

• 2011 Retailer of the Year – Green Mountain Furniture, Ossipee, NH, Marshall Kendall Founder.
• 2011 Legislator of the Year – Representative David Welch, R-Kingston, NH.
• 2011 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Deputy Chief of Police Shawn Patten, Salem, NH Police Department.

2010

• 2010 Retailer of the Year – Laconia Electric Supply – Laconia, Plymuoth, Conway, Littleton and Wolfeboro, NH.
• 2010 Legislator of the Year – Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, Senate Majority Leader, D- Exeter, NH.
• 2010 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Officer Mark Ampuja, Manchester, NH Police Department, Community Policing Division.

2009

• 2009 Retailer of the Year – Persian Rug Gallery, Nashua, NH. Sy Mahfuz, Owner.
• 2009 Legislator of the Year – Representative Laura Pantelakos, D Portsmouth, NH.
• 2009 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year – Detective Sean Ford, Concord, NH Police Department.

2008

• 2008 Retailer of the Year – Baron’s Major Brands; Laconia, Concord, Plaistow and Salem, NH. Brian Ellis, Mike Baron and Dave Souter, owners.
• 2008 Legislator of the Year – Representative Stephen Stepanek, Amherst/Milford, NH, House Finance Committee.

2007

• 2007 Retailer of the Year- Gondwana and Divine Clothing Company, Concord, NH. Pamela Peterson – owner.
• 2007 Legislator of the Year – Manchester’s Representative William Infantine, House Labor Committee.

2006 – 40th Anniversary

• 2006 Retailer of the Year – Zeb’s General Store, North Conway, NH. Peter Edwards and David Peterson – owners.
• 2006 Legislator of the Year – Representative Sheila Francoeur, Hampton, Commerce Committee.

2005

• 2005 Retailer of the Year, Single Location – Ben Franklin/Ace Hardware, Raymond, NH. Richard & Karen Vinson – owners.
• 2005 Retailer of the Year, Multiple Locations – Daddy’s Junky Music, Fred Bramante – owner.
• 2005 Legislator of the Year – Representative John B. Hunt, Rindge.

2004

• 2004 Retailer of the Year, Single Location – Seasonal Specialty Stores, Amherst, NH. Dennis DiPaolo and Jeanne Larssen – owners.
• 2004 Retailer of the Year, Multiple Locations – Miltner Shoes, Al Miltner – owner.
• 2004 Legislator of the Year – Senator Charles Morse, District 22, Salem, NH.

2003

• 2003 Retailer of the Year – Your Kitchen, Keene, NH. Dean Eaton – owner.
• 2003 Legislator of the Year – Keith Herman, Staffer to Gov Benson, former Representative.

2002

• 2002 Retailer of the Year – Flash Photo, Flash Pack & Ship, New London, NH. Joseph Cardillo.
• 2002 Legislator of the Year – Legislator of the Year – Representative Kathy Flora, Hillsboro, NH.

2001

• 2001 Retailer of the Year – Alec’s Shoes, Nashua, NH. John Koutsos – owner.
• 2001 Legislator of the Year – House Speaker, Representative Gene Chandler.