MANCHESTER, NH – Granite United Way recently welcomed six new Board Members to the Board of Directors.
Granite United Way is the single largest United Way in New Hampshire. It serves more than 80% of the state and Windsor County, Vermont. The organization covers the Southern Region, Merrimack County, Central Region, Upper Valley, North Country and the Northern Region of the state. Granite United Way is rated a Platinum Level Participant from GuideStar and a Three Star Charity by Charity Navigator, among the highest ratings from these two nonprofit watchdog organizations.
“The volunteers on Granite United Way’s Board of Directors are driven and dedicated to improving conditions across our community,” said Sean Owen, Interim Chair of Granite United Way’s Board of Directors. “Each of our new members have demonstrated that and we look forward to leveraging their leadership on the Granite United Way Board.
“Each of our Board Members bring a unique skillset and experience to our Board,” said Patrick Tufts, President and CEO of Granite United Way. “We are honored to welcome Mitch Davis, John Hughes, Diana Johnson, Justin Slattery, Tim Soucy and Rusty Talbot to the Board. Each of them brings an expertise in their industry and an exciting perspective as a volunteer.”
The following individuals have been elected to Granite United Way’s Board of Directors:
Mitch Davis – Dartmouth College
Mitch Davis is Vice President and CIO of Dartmouth College. He is a senior executive who is redefining the role of the CIO in higher education. Davis has promoted organizational change, innovation, and emerging technology in education for over twenty years. He regularly consults with universities and faculty, speaks at seminars, participates on education technology committees and business and government advisory boards. Further, Davis works with venture capitalists and businesses to deliver next generation solutions.
Davis combines a strategic and functional understanding of change management, business process, and marketing, with broad technology experience to quickly build highly effective, motivated, and talented teams that deliver business value through ideas and innovation. His goal within higher education is to create a generation of faculty, students and staff who seamlessly apply the latest information and technology to their research, teaching and learning.
Davis resides in Cornish, New Hampshire.
Davis shared this quote on why he joined the Board of Directors of Granite United Way, “To change the world, think about how you change yourself to make it happen.”
John Hughes – McLane Middleton
John Hughes is a partner who concentrates his practice in tax, business and estate planning. He focuses on estate planning for family-owned businesses and has authored several articles on this subject. A long-time native of New Hampshire, he is the grandson of Irish immigrants who worked in the mills of Manchester. He
earned his High School Degree from Manchester West High School, his Bachelors Degree, with honors, in
Business Administration from Saint Anselm College, his Law Degree, with honors, from Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law and his graduate law degree in Taxation from Boston University School of Law. He is also a graduate of New Hampshire’s premiere leadership training program, Leadership New Hampshire.
Formerly, he practiced in the Boston office of Arthur Andersen, LLP where he was a senior member of
that firm’s Research and Development Team. He is licensed to practice in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Washington, D.C. He is a member of the Tax Sections of the New Hampshire Bar Association and the
American Bar Association. Hughes’ accomplishments include being a Fellow, New Hampshire Bar Foundation, among the Best Lawyers in America 2020 (Trusts and Estates), Lawyer of the Year 2019 in Best Lawyers of America. Hughes was chosen by The Union Leader as one of New Hampshire’s “40 Under 40” and he has also been recognized as a New England Super Lawyer from Chambers USA: A Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers 2017
Hughes is very active in the community and has served on the Board of Directors of the United Way and as a
Co-Chair of the Annual Bishop’s Fund. John currently serves on the Board of Directors and is the Treasurer of Rebuilding Together, a national charity dedicated to the housing needs of the elderly and disabled.
Hughes resides in Bedford with his wife Pamela and his three children.
“I am excited to join the Board of Directors for Granite United Way. As a New Hampshire native, I am very familiar with the impact that Granite United Way has in our communities. McLane Middleton has been a long-time supporter of Granite United Way and I’m honored to represent the firm on the board of this organization serving a tremendous need in our state.” Said Hughes.
Diana Johnson – Merrimack County Savings Bank
Diana Johnson is the Marketing Relationship Officer of Merrimack County Savings Bank (the Merrimack), a 154 year old mutual savings bank serving the communities of Central and Southern NH. She has been with the Bank since 2010. Diana is the Treasurer of the Board for Biz-Gen, Next Generation Entrepreneurs, and is part of the event planning committee for Rock N Race, which benefits Concord Hospital Trust and the Payson Center. She is an active volunteer at the Friendly Kitchen, participating on one of several of the Merrimack’s dinner service teams. Diana became a youth mentor for the Circle Program in 2014 and remains close with her mentee. She has also served on the Board for Crisis Center of Central NH.
Johnson earned her a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Boston University and is a graduating member of the 2013 class for Leadership Greater Concord. She also received her group fitness certification in 2017 and teaches exercise classes in both Concord and Manchester during her free time.
She resides in Hooksett, NH with her husband.
“Granite United Way has a proven track record for knowing exactly where resources are best directed, and is both a voice and champion for the underserved in our communities,” said Johnson. “I look forward to being of service to Granite United Way and I’m grateful to be one of the newest members of their Board.”
Justin Slattery – Belknap Economic Development
A New Hampshire native, Justin Slattery joined the Belknap Economic Development Council (Belknap EDC), a non-profit regional development corporation, as its Executive Director in 2014. He is responsible for implementing Belknap EDC’s strategic initiatives including supporting entrepreneurs; enhancing workforce development programming; and managed its revolving business loan financing programs. He joined Belknap EDC from the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development where he worked on workforce and economic development projects throughout the state. He started his career as an aide to Governor John Lynch. He has served on numerous economic development boards and commissions and is Past-President of the New Hampshire Alliance of Regional Development Corporations.
Slattery is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and received a Master of Business Administration degree from Plymouth State University.
“I am humbled and honored to join the Board of Directors of the Granite United Way.” Said Slattery. “Representing the central region, I look forward to working with the Granite United Way team to support strategies and programming that advance our collective economic vitality and community development.”
Tim Soucy – Catholic Medical Center
Tim Soucy, a Manchester, New Hampshire native, currently serves as the Senior Executive Director of Community Health & Mission at Catholic Medical Center (CMC). In his current role, he is responsible for assessing, evaluating and prioritizing community needs and identifying CMC’s role in meeting these needs. In addition, he manages the delivery of CMC’s Community Health Services including Healthcare for the Homeless, Poisson Dental Facility, Medication Assistance Program, Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program and The Doorway of Greater Manchester. Prior to joining CMC, Soucy spent 28 years at the City of Manchester Health Department, including twelve years as the City’s Public Health Director.
Soucy holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from the University of Vermont and a Masters Degree in Public Health from Boston University where he was also inducted into Delta Omega, the Public Health Honor Society. Mr. Soucy is a Kresge Foundation Emerging Leader in Public Health Fellow, a 2016 graduate of Leadership Greater Manchester, a 2009 Fellow with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, a graduate of the 2005 Leadership New Hampshire Program and was recognized by the Union Leader and Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire as one of their 2004 “40 Under Forty.” He is a frequent guest lecturer at the University of New Hampshire and currently serves on the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s Manchester Regional Advisory Board.
Soucy resides in Manchester, New Hampshire.
“Having been involved with Granite United Way for many years, it is an honor to join their Board of Directors. Granite United Way is the leading agency in the State to convene community partners to problem solve the many issues we are faced with today,” said Soucy. “I’m privileged to have the opportunity to be part of this organization and everything it represents.”
Rusty Talbot – North Country Climbing Center
Rusty Talbot is the founder and owner of the North Country Climbing Center. He and his wife have built a small business described as an “inclusive community,” creating an environment that is welcoming to both experienced climbers and beginners. He has worked diligently to engage with various organizations throughout the community, like the Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country, which empowers individuals who experience disabilities to learn rock climbing.
Talbot has also been working to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the North Country. He is involved with a variety of groups including serving as current President of the Board of the Littleton Rotary Charitable Fund, current Vice President of the Board of the Bethlehem Colonial Theatre and Board Member Franconia Notch Chamber of Commerce. He is also actively involved with the North of the Notch Young Professionals Network and the Littleton Rotary Club.
Talbot graduated Magna cum Laude from Dartmouth College, majoring in History and minoring in Anthropology. He is also a graduate of Leadership New Hampshire, class of 2019.
Talbot resides in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire with his wife and two children.
“I am honored and thrilled to join the Board of Directors of the Granite United Way. It is a great privilege to be able to play a meaningful role in an organization that does so much good in my own community and throughout New Hampshire.” said Talbot.
