Meet the Team

Christopher Way
Business Services Manager
Cell: 603-419-9164

Chris Way is the Business Services Manager for the Business Resource Center.  Formerly with the Department of Environmental Services, Chris managed several technical, grants, and market development programs in the solid waste and wastewater sectors; serving small businesses and creating public private partnerships. In keeping with his expertise in the areas of electronics asset recovery and construction debris, Chris also served as President of the Northeast Recycling Council, a thirteen state coalition dedicated to sustaining business programs utilizing recyclables as feedstocks for manufacturing processes. In his early years, Chris began his career as a marine biologist, worked in aquaculture ventures and laboratory management. Chris has earned his MBA from Plymouth State College and is also a member of the first graduating class for the NH Certified Management Program.

Business Resource Specialists

Ricia Velasco
Business Service Specialist
603-271-2591

Ricia Velasco, Business Resource Specialist with the State of New Hampshire's Business Resource Center, assists businesses and communities in the Greater Nashua and Greater Peterborough areas with economic development issues. Prior to joining the Business Resource Center in 1996, Ricia spent eight years at New Hampshire Employment Security doing statistical analytical work. At the University of New Hampshire, Ricia earned her Master and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics, with a specialty in Labor Studies. Ricia enjoys gardening, contra-dancing, and voluntary work on her church finance committee.

Deborah Avery
Business Service Specialist
603-271-2591

Deborah Avery is assigned to Belknap and Merrimack counties and also serves as BRC's in-house insurance specialist. She joined the Business Resource Center in 2000 after more than two decades in the insurance industry, first with Aetna Life and Casualty in corporate marketing sales and account administration for group insurance and pension plans, and then in sales with Healthsource and CIGNA. A board member of the Capital Region Development Council (CRDC) and New Hampshire Economic Development Association (NHEDA), she is a graduate of Mills College in Oakland, California.

 

Benoit Lamontagne
Business Service Specialist
603-271-2591

As North Country Regional Resource Specialist, Beno plans and implements development strategies which build economic opportunity for the North Country business community. He works hand in hand with companies on issues ranging from permitting and site selection to energy efficiency and diversification while also providing strategic counsel to local community and economic development officials.
Beno, a Town of Colebrook selectman and owner of Lazerworks Radio Shack, is a member of the Community Development Finance Authority Board of Directors as well as past president of the Coos Economic Development Corporation. In addition, he was a founding board member of the Colebrook Merchants Association’s Main Street Program and was formerly President of the Colebrook Economic Development Corporation.


 

Carol Miller
Director of Broadband Technology
603-271-2341

Carol Miller represents the State of NH with regards to broadband and technology.  Her job is to direct and coordinate state telecommunications policy planning initiatives as well as to encourage and facilitate collaboration between public and private research development efforts.  She is working to develop a high technology plan and act as an agent in recruiting and retaining high technology companies. She also serves as a resource for state policy makers and seeks resources from government and non profit entities to promote the state’s technology development and telecommunications planning initiatives.
Carol is a native of Northern New Hampshire where she and her husband founded and ran an internet company offering dialup, DSL, wireless and telephone service for 16 years.  In addition to internet access, the company provided network consulting, website design and hosting and computer sales and service. 
Carol has served as President of the New Hampshire Internet Service Providers and been a member of the State of NH Telecommunications Advisory Board as well as Chair of AVER (Androscoggin Valley Economic Recovery Corp).  In addition, Carol is a North Country Board Member of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and sat on many task force initiatives regarding telecommunications in rural Northern New Hampshire. 
She is an adjunct faculty member of the Community College System of New Hampshire teaching Financial Software.  Carol also worked part-time as radio disc jockey at many Northern New Hampshire Radio Stations for 19 years.  Her last gig was a jazz and big band program every Saturday morning from 9 – noon on local station AM 1230 WMOU.