Q+A with Cynthia Harrington at the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs

You were recently promoted to deputy director of the Division of Economic Development at the New Hampshire Department of Business & Economic Affairs. Congratulations! Tell us about the agency and the work that you do.

The work we do at the Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) ensures the vitality of the New Hampshire economy across diverse sectors, from travel and tourism development and visitor services to government contracting, international commerce and keeping our workforce strong. As deputy director, I oversee key programs and operations within the Division of Economic Development, which includes the New Hampshire Procurement Technical Assistance Center, the Office of International Commerce, and business recruitment and retention. Blending travel and tourism, talent attraction and business development efforts strengthen a balanced ecosystem leveraging the state’s business climate and natural beauty. We help businesses recruit the talent they need to be competitive in the global marketplace and assist wherever we can to make sure companies succeed, and we’ve had some incredible accomplishments. BEA is very nimble in responding to opportunities and challenges, such as affordable housing, expanding broadband, increasing foreign and direct investments, and business development.

The revitalization of downtowns such as Laconia, Rochester and Dover enables New Hampshire to attract more businesses, jobs and residents to the region. Programs like InvestNH are expanding workforce housing to accommodate this trend. How does BEA work to address ever-changing economic development trends?

Collaboration is key. For example, last year, BEA established the Collaborative Economic Development Regions (CEDRs), a grant program developed to promote post-pandemic economic expansion. The CEDRs was created as part of our Economic Recovery and Expansion Strategy (ERES) to encourage the collaboration of regional and local economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, non-profit agencies and businesses. Over the past year and a half, we’ve brought local and regional stakeholders together throughout the state to focus on how best to advance their regions for future growth. The CEDRs program illustrates that we are most effective when we work collaboratively.

biotech test tubesThe city of Manchester was just awarded a $44 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better program to support its biofabrication cluster. Can you talk more about the life science sector and its growth within the state?

New Hampshire is part of a world-class life sciences ecosystem, which includes companies and institutions providing life-changing and life-saving services, treatments, drugs, medical devices, research, innovation and advanced health technologies. The state’s life science and medical device sector includes over 600 companies, employs more than 7,000, contributes about $6 billion to the state’s GDP and is one of the top three leading drivers of economic growth. The funding for the research out of Manchester is exciting because it is innovative, will be life-changing, and solidifies New Hampshire’s position as a life science leader. We are proud of the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), City of Manchester and partners and excited for what’s to come.

How does working with Violet PR help highlight the work of the New Hampshire Department of Business & Economic Affairs?

Violet PR is a professional and enthusiastic partner with the BEA. New Hampshire has a great and diverse story, and Violet PR helps amplify the state’s key sectors through media relations and social media efforts. Like the regional collaboration with the CEDRs, we can best tell the state’s story when we work well with our partners. The team at Violet PR is energetic, professional and determined to get positive results. Our relationship with Violet PR helps us promote New Hampshire throughout the U.S.

There is much to do within the state, from the White Mountains to the Lakes Region to the Seacoast. Tell us about your perfect weekend exploring New Hampshire.

What I love most about New Hampshire is the variety of options statewide, from enjoying the arts and culture to outdoor recreation. My favorite weekend activity this season is exploring the many rail trails and bike paths throughout the state. On the same day, I can enjoy a leisure bike ride and then meet friends for dinner, which can be a culinary adventure in itself. You can have a perfect weekend in New Hampshire by enjoying the many unique and diverse recreational activities throughout all four seasons.

woman on a bike riding trails in new hampshire

Violet PR Named ‘Boutique Agency of the Year’ in the 2022 PRNEWS Platinum Awards

Violet PR is proud to announce we won the “Boutique Agency of the Year” in the 2022 PRNEWS Platinum Awards!

account executive sam and account manager alexa accept the award on behalf of the violet pr teamOur team attended, along with the 300 marketing and communication professionals, in New York City on Wednesday, October 12 to celebrate the PRNEWS Platinum Awards, which marks excellence in communications across people, teams and campaigns. The winners of this world-renowned recognition represent the best of the public relations industry who have reached the pinnacle of both innovation and industry knowledge.

We are so honored to be named “Boutique Agency of the Year” in the prestigious PRNEWS Platinum Awards. Our agency has experienced a tremendous year of successes — award-winning client campaigns, agency growth and a growing roster of clients. This award acknowledges the team’s outstanding work.

This latest recognition comes on the heels of Violet PR being awarded “Best Boutique Agency” by Bulldog Reporter, being included in the PRNEWS Agency Elite Top 100 list and winning PRSA Bronze Anvil awards for media relations campaigns on behalf of its clients Newark Symphony Hall and Choose Topeka. In the last three years, our agency has won more than 35 national and regional awards for PR and social media excellence.

To view the complete list of the 2022 PRNEWS Platinum Award winners, click here.

April Mason Featured as a Baristanet Profile

Baristanet is the go-to news website for all the local news in Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, and Essex County, New Jersey. Violet PR president, April Mason, was recently featured as a “Baristanet Profile,” a weekly Q&A that highlights community members’ talents, favorite entertainment, the area restaurants they love, and secrets about their towns that make living here an adventure.

A Day in a Life of a Violet PR Assistant Account Executive

What does a Violet PR Assistant Account Executive do on a typical day? We asked Luke Gavronski to share how he spends a workday.

7 a.m. – My morning routine always starts with a strong cup of coffee — cream, no sugar. I begin sifting through emails, social media and morning headlines. Staying on top of topics trending in the news helps draft pitches that interest reporters!

8:30 a.m. – After getting prepped for the day, I drive to the office.

9 a.m. – When I get to the office, I check my calendar to make sure I’m aware of every meeting I need to prepare for. Then I continue working through unopened emails. I also review my daily agenda, which I write at the beginning of every day, and prioritize what I need to get done.

9:45 a.m. – Time for our weekly roundtable! As a team, we discuss what’s happening this week with each client. We also take time to discuss “newsjacking” topics. When I read daily headlines, I’m always looking for stories that could be of interest to our clients. Using current topics is an awesome springboard to garnering additional coverage.

luke at his desk working on a typical day11 a.m. – After our roundtable, I take some time to make sure I am prepared for afternoon client calls. Especially making sure that call agendas have been sent and that I am prepared to discuss them.

Noon – I usually spend an hour before lunch performing follow-up messaging to media for whatever story announcement we are pushing out for our clients.

1 p.m. – Lunch time! We are fortunate to have many great restaurants in Montclair within walking distance of the office. I enjoy the walk and reflect on the initiatives we are working on.

2 p.m. – Back to work. I spend the early afternoon on content creation if I don’t have client calls. This includes pitches, press releases and social posts. For my creative process, I enjoy drafting the entire story, then bouncing it off my colleagues to get their thoughts on it.

3 p.m. – After an hour of content creation, I switch to something else to keep my mind fresh. Most of the time, I move over to more preparative tasks. This includes distribution list creation, media contact research and responding to incoming emails.

3:30 p.m. – Some days, the mid-afternoon slump hits hard! That’s when it’s time for a cup of coffee to replenish the energy reserves. I also use this time to check where I am on my daily to-do list.

3:45 p.m. – I usually get back to content creation for the rest of the day. I work on finishing tasks not completed earlier in the day or starting new projects to get ahead of deadlines.

4:45 p.m. – I always use the last 15 minutes of my workday to reflect on what I completed and, more importantly, write a to-do list for the next day. It is a game-changer to arrive in the morning with everything laid out for what I need to accomplish.

5-5:30 p.m. — I head home if I’ve completed everything I need to do for the day.

5:45 p.m. – Once at home, I enjoy cooking dinner and disconnecting from work. I love watching an evening baseball game (Go Brewers!), binging a new TV show or settling into a good book.

11 p.m. – Time to hit the hay. Every night I try to get eight hours of sleep. To have a successful tomorrow, you need to prepare today!

Violet PR Ranked a Top 100 Agency by PRNEWS

We are proud to share that Violet PR was named to the Agency Elite Top 100 list by PRNEWS. This coveted list highlights the 100 most innovative public relations and communications firms in the U.S. based on exceptional client work, core capabilities and industry thought leadership. Violet PR is the only firm specializing in economic development to be named to the Agency Elite Top 100 and one of only three New Jersey-based agencies on the list.

Since 2021, Violet PR has doubled in size, adding six full-time staff members and 13 public and private sector clients to our roster, including the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, Invest Buffalo Niagara, the World Trade Centers Association and Living Cities.

This latest ranking comes on the heels of being named 2022’s ‘Best Boutique Agency’ by Bulldog Reporter and winning PRSA Bronze Anvil awards for media relations campaigns on behalf of Newark Symphony Hall and Choose Topeka.

Each year, PRNEWS diligently reviews the applications submitted to the Agency Elite Top 100 and selects the top 100 firms in the U.S. to be included. To view the complete list of 2023 Agency Elite Top 100 honorees, click here.