Lawton B. Chandler Award · President’s Choice Award · Sherry Vermilya Award (NRAAO) · Assessing Staff Member of the Year · Manuscript Award
Awards
Lawton B. Chandler Award
In 1948 Lawton Chandler was appointed New Hampshire’s Tax Commissioner and served with the Tax Commission until he retired in 1972. Over the years he has served as a substitute member on the Board of Tax and Land Appeals.
The Tax Commission was established in 1911 by Legislature, and its members were appointed by Supreme Court and commissioned by the Governor and Council.
In the early years between 1911 and 1912, the Tax Commission was advised to raise assessments by revaluations in the State. They gave orders to Towns and Cities to implement equalization of property values. The New Hampshire Association of Assessing Officials was legally organized by law and by the Tax Commission to help revaluate properties. In the Tax Commission’s records, the assessing officials were highly praised for accomplishing this task efficiently and finely. This was the beginning of the New Hampshire Association of Assessing Officials.
As Tax Commissioner, Lawton Chandler was involved with making local assessors more aware of professionalism. His enthusiasm and desire to improve the assessing field was an inspiration to those around him. His goal was furthering education for local Selectmen/Assessing Officials and encouraging the State to take a more extensive hand in establishing local values.
In 1971, the Association established their first Lawton B. Chandler Award. This award is presented to an individual who shows outstanding service by contributing through involvement, and encouraging others to follow in Lawton B. Chandler’s footsteps.
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Year Name Community/Agency
2025 Dan Langille
2024 Kris McAllister
2023 Marti Noel, Milford
2022 James Commerford, Meredith
2021 Verna Sharpe, Portsmouth
2020 Loren Martin, Avitar Associates of New England
2019 Michael Ryan, Hanover
2018 David Cornell, Cornell Consultants
2017 James Rice, Durham
2016 Robert J. Gagne, Manchester
2015 Stephen Hamilton, Dept. of Revenue Admin
2014 Rosann Lentz, Portsmouth
2013 Julie Huntley, Enfield
2012 Joseph Lessard Municipal, Resources
2011 Richard Brideau, Londonderry
2010 Scott W. Bartlett, Goffstown
2009 Angelo Marino, Nashua
2008 William Ingalls, Bedford
2007 James Michaud, Hudson
2006 Gary Roberge, Avitar Associates of New England
2005 Normand Bernaiche, Sunapee/New London/Newbury
2004 David M. McMullen, Claremont
2003 Thomas Holmes, Conway
2002 Donna Langley, Dover
2001 David Gomez, Derry
2000 Barbara Chapman, Derry
1999 Maura Carroll, NH Municipal Association
1998 Robert Estey, Hampton
1997 Michael Hathaway, Concord
1996 Catherine Arsenault, Salem
1995 Kathryn Temchack, Laconia
1994 Normand Pelletier, Salem
1993 Laura Thibodeau, Keene
1992 Karen Marchant, Londonderry
1991 Dominic D'Antoni, Merrimack
1990 Howard Promer, Portsmouth
1989 Sylvia Grimes, Madbury
1988 David MacArthur, Concord
1987 William Mitchell, Concord
1986 Anne L. Whitney, Merrimack
1985 Edward Elcik, Amherst
1984 Edgar Bellevance, Nashua
1983 Anthony Maiola, Newport
1983 Raymond D'Amour, Dept. Revenue Administration
1982 Daniel Sullivan, Concord
1981 Douglas Smith, Nashua
1980 Louis Ballam, Walpole
1980 Arthur Hobsch, Derry
1979 David Perry East Swanzey
1978 Robert Hough, Laconia
1977 Clovis Chabot, Somersworth
1976 David Nutt, Hanover
1975 John McGranahan, Manchester
1974 Jacob Hackler, Swanzey
1973 Jack Ambrose, Concord
1972 Arthur H. Labonte, Tilton
1971 Carl Adams, Lebanon
President’s Choice Award
The NHAAO President’s Choice Award distinguishes an association member for exemplary dedication, service and commitment as demonstrated during the President’s tenure. The award is assigned to a member of the President’s choosing and is announced with the other esteemed awards at the annual NHAAO banquet.
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2025 Jim Michaud
2024 Loren Martin
2023 Doug Irvine
2022 Chuck Reese
2021 Lee Ann Provincher
2020 Jim Commerford
2019 Norm Bernaiche
2018 Scott Bartlett
2017 Jim Rice
2016 N/A
2015 Jim Rice
2014 N/A
2013 N/A
2012 Jon Duhamel
2011 Donna Langley
2010 Karen Marchant
2009 Scott Bartlett
2008 N/A
2007 Bill Ingalls
2006 Sue Golden
Sherry Vermilya Award (NRAAO)
Each state organization affiliated with the Northeast Regional Association of Assessing Officers, annually recognizes a member with the Sherry Vermilya Award. At the NRAAO executive board meeting at Newton, Massachusetts in November 1992 the NRAAO Awards Committee recommended that such award be known as the “Sherry Vermilya Award” for outstanding service to the assessment profession and in honor and memory of Sherry Vermilya’s support of NRAAO principles and his untiring efforts to assist assessors throughout the entire country and in particular the northeast.
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2025 Susan Golden
2024 Lee Ann Provencher
2023 Doug Irvine
2022 James Commerford
2021 Verna Sharpe
2020 David Cornell
2019 James Rice
2018 Kristen McAllister
2017 Loren Martin
2016 Marti L. Noel
2015 Rosann Maurice-Lentz
2014 Robert Gagne
2013 Richard Vincent
2012 Scott Bartlett
2011 Donna Langley
2010 William H. Ingalls, Jr.
2009 Karen G. Marchant
2008 Richard Brideau
2007 Thomas Holmes
2006 David Gomez
2005 James Michaud
2004 Barbara Chapman
2003 David M. McMullen
2002 Normand Pelletier
2001 Laura Thibodeau
2000 Michael Hathaway
1999 Angelo Marino
1998 Normand Bernaiche
1997 Katherine Temchack
1996 Dominic D’Antoni
1995 F. William Mitchell
1994 Karen Marchant
Assessing Staff Member of the Year
In 2018 the New Hampshire Association of Assessing Officials (NHAAO) established an award to recognize the achievements of administrative staff employed in assessing and assessing related offices. This commendation is the “Assessing Staff Member of the Year Award.” The recipient will be presented a plaque by the President of the Association at the NHAAO Annual Banquet in November.
Any Member of the NHAAO working in a local municipality, state government or providing contract assessing services may nominate one (1) individual for this award.
Those eligible for this award include any employee or contractor that provides customer service, exemption processing and any other office duties that support assessment administration and appraisal. NHAAO Committee Members, other than Committee Chairs, can also be nominated for the award. Membership in the NHAAO is not a requirement for an individual to be considered.
Nominations should be in letter format. They must include the following:
Name of the nominee
Position or job description of nominee
Nominee’s number of years of service
A summary of the responsibilities, performance and achievements that justify the award
Full name, position and signature of the individual submitting the nomination
Letters of recommendation will be given substantial weight in the selection process. It’s crucial for nominations to be descriptive, compelling and objective.
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Year Name Community/Agency
2025 Lisa Siegel
2024 Tracy Cragin
2023 Amanda Mazerolle
2022 Sue Girouard, Hanover
2021 Corey Hilton, Conway
2020 Melissa Pollari, Sunapee
2019 Shelley Charron, Avitar Associates of N.E.
2018 Louise Brown, Nashua
The Manuscript Award
The Manuscript Award was given each year (1992-2012) to an individual who submits a manuscript or article for the NHAAO Assessor’s Exchange Newsletter under the following criteria and guidelines:
Manuscript/Article should have a minimum 400 words.
Brief professional biography.
Accurate mathematics and statistics for which the appraiser/assessor is responsible should be documented.Always write out individual names acronyms in full in the first text citation, E.G., net operating income (NOI): short forms or acronyms.
Original charts, tables, as drawings and photographs, if appropriate, indicating where there are to appear and accompanied by titles or captions.
The Manuscript Award was co-terminated at the end of 2012 along with the newsletter.
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Year Name Community
2008 to Present No Award
2007 William Ingalls, Bedford
2006 Thomas Holmes, Conway
2005 Scott Bartlett, Seabrook
2004 Thomas Holmes, Conway
2003 No Award
2002 Drew Lemay, Nashua
2001 No Award
2000 James Michaud, Hudson
1999 John DeVittori, Exeter
1998 No Award
1997 No Award
1996 No Award
1995 No Award
1994 No Award
1993 Laurence Shaffer, Keene
1992 George Twigg, BTLA
