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January 31. 2012 3:17PM
Sam DePrima
Birthplace: Nashua
Immediate family: Chuck DePrima, husband; sons David Walton, 7, James Walton, 7, and Graham DePrima, 11 months
High school: Manchester High School West (1997)
College/ post grad degrees: Bryant University (2002)/ B.S. in marketing
Current job: Director of marketing and public relations, Intown Manchester
Key past positions held: Project specialist, Intown Manchester
Volunteer activities: I volunteer my time and brain power on several steering committees within the Manchester area whose respective group leaders are looking for insight or ideas on how downtown Manchester and its opportunistic position can be helped by or improved upon in symphony with whatever event, initiative or development plan is brought to the table. Between three young kids at home and a demanding work schedule, I find that my title as an idea cultivator is the most valuable asset I can bring into any volunteer situation. I like it because it keeps me connected to my peers while affording me the opportunity to break out of the downtown “bubble” and hear what people are thinking, saying, doing relative to our collective missions and how it effects my organization.
Most admired person (outside your family): The person I admire most is my boss, Stephanie Lewry. Here is a woman who moves to New Hampshire with her husband years ago, raises two of her own children, adopts a young son and daughter from Korea and in her spare time while her husband establishes his business downtown, immerses herself in community development, ultimately finding her rightful place as executive director of Intown – working up from an intern to executive director in very short time. Stephanie exudes grace, dignity, knowledge, compassion and has been a superior mentor to me as I have grown within the organization and someone whose opinions, advice and perspective have helped me to make Downtown BID Management a chosen career. We all get our respective degrees, graduate and then spend a good five years figuring out what fits for us, what gets us going… it took one serendipitous knock on her door in 2007 while I was pounding pavement to realize this is where I belong and that helping to revitalize and grow an area that I grew up in and adore is right where I need to be. She doesn't micro-manage me and allows me to do my job my way. She also has the best suit collection on earth – FYI.
Key current professional challenge: To attract and secure revenue for a nonprofit organization during a complex and volatile economy while simultaneously assuring maximum return to every constituent and stakeholder within Intown's defined district. To successfully connect two blossoming areas of the CBSD (north of Bridge and south of Elm) to create a more cohesive downtown community. In addition, this year I have enrolled to obtain a certificate in business district management from Rutgers, which will no doubt prove beneficial in respect to being more resourceful and responsive to constituent needs.
Last major achievement: Attracting and retaining sponsorship to successfully organize/ execute the largest municipal Christmas parade notwithstanding the aforementioned complex and volatile economy.
Biggest Problem Facing New Hampshire: In my opinion, the biggest challenge the State of New Hampshire faces is retention. We have become a leader in the Northeast region for business; have once again weathered a turbulent economy and have seen positive signs like tons of new shops and restaurants opening up in times where similar businesses in similar economic climates in other New England states have closed. When towns and municipalities tightened their belts, non-profits prospered by mastering the art of the public/private partnership to meet their needs. The real problem we face is keeping this momentum going and lucky for us, we are surrounded by an abundance of community collateral, all ready to work towards not only keeping N.H. on top, but moving us even further along and marketing our story to attract business, tourists and residents to our great state.
Favorite place in New Hampshire: Prescott Park (Portsmouth) – Innumerable cultural activities, beautiful architectural and landscape features and sweeping ocean views = omnipotent park. I can (and have) spent hours lost in their “secret gardens.”
What book are you reading now? “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole
How do you relax? Spending time with my family and friends; great glass of wine and a tasty meal cheffed up by husband; driving home from the office in my car alone listening to music at obscene volumes.
What websites do you visit most often? Facebook, The Oatmeal , MSNBC , Intown Manchester (www.intownmanchester.com – shameless plug)
Favorite TV show, radio station, or musical artist: My friends make fun of me but my all time favorite television show is “Jeopardy.” Not only is Alex Trebek an enigmatic cult icon, I use the show for two major purposes – 1) to keep my brain young with challenging trivia and 2) wage a war of the wits with my husband, but sadly, geography is always my undoing.
Promoting Intown Manchester has built up passion for downtown businesses in Sam DePrima
Sam DePrima
Samantha DePrima, 32
Hometown: ManchesterBirthplace: Nashua
Immediate family: Chuck DePrima, husband; sons David Walton, 7, James Walton, 7, and Graham DePrima, 11 months
High school: Manchester High School West (1997)
College/ post grad degrees: Bryant University (2002)/ B.S. in marketing
Current job: Director of marketing and public relations, Intown Manchester
Key past positions held: Project specialist, Intown Manchester
Volunteer activities: I volunteer my time and brain power on several steering committees within the Manchester area whose respective group leaders are looking for insight or ideas on how downtown Manchester and its opportunistic position can be helped by or improved upon in symphony with whatever event, initiative or development plan is brought to the table. Between three young kids at home and a demanding work schedule, I find that my title as an idea cultivator is the most valuable asset I can bring into any volunteer situation. I like it because it keeps me connected to my peers while affording me the opportunity to break out of the downtown “bubble” and hear what people are thinking, saying, doing relative to our collective missions and how it effects my organization.
Most admired person (outside your family): The person I admire most is my boss, Stephanie Lewry. Here is a woman who moves to New Hampshire with her husband years ago, raises two of her own children, adopts a young son and daughter from Korea and in her spare time while her husband establishes his business downtown, immerses herself in community development, ultimately finding her rightful place as executive director of Intown – working up from an intern to executive director in very short time. Stephanie exudes grace, dignity, knowledge, compassion and has been a superior mentor to me as I have grown within the organization and someone whose opinions, advice and perspective have helped me to make Downtown BID Management a chosen career. We all get our respective degrees, graduate and then spend a good five years figuring out what fits for us, what gets us going… it took one serendipitous knock on her door in 2007 while I was pounding pavement to realize this is where I belong and that helping to revitalize and grow an area that I grew up in and adore is right where I need to be. She doesn't micro-manage me and allows me to do my job my way. She also has the best suit collection on earth – FYI.
Key current professional challenge: To attract and secure revenue for a nonprofit organization during a complex and volatile economy while simultaneously assuring maximum return to every constituent and stakeholder within Intown's defined district. To successfully connect two blossoming areas of the CBSD (north of Bridge and south of Elm) to create a more cohesive downtown community. In addition, this year I have enrolled to obtain a certificate in business district management from Rutgers, which will no doubt prove beneficial in respect to being more resourceful and responsive to constituent needs.
Last major achievement: Attracting and retaining sponsorship to successfully organize/ execute the largest municipal Christmas parade notwithstanding the aforementioned complex and volatile economy.
Biggest Problem Facing New Hampshire: In my opinion, the biggest challenge the State of New Hampshire faces is retention. We have become a leader in the Northeast region for business; have once again weathered a turbulent economy and have seen positive signs like tons of new shops and restaurants opening up in times where similar businesses in similar economic climates in other New England states have closed. When towns and municipalities tightened their belts, non-profits prospered by mastering the art of the public/private partnership to meet their needs. The real problem we face is keeping this momentum going and lucky for us, we are surrounded by an abundance of community collateral, all ready to work towards not only keeping N.H. on top, but moving us even further along and marketing our story to attract business, tourists and residents to our great state.
Favorite place in New Hampshire: Prescott Park (Portsmouth) – Innumerable cultural activities, beautiful architectural and landscape features and sweeping ocean views = omnipotent park. I can (and have) spent hours lost in their “secret gardens.”
What book are you reading now? “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole
How do you relax? Spending time with my family and friends; great glass of wine and a tasty meal cheffed up by husband; driving home from the office in my car alone listening to music at obscene volumes.
What websites do you visit most often? Facebook, The Oatmeal , MSNBC , Intown Manchester (www.intownmanchester.com – shameless plug)
Favorite TV show, radio station, or musical artist: My friends make fun of me but my all time favorite television show is “Jeopardy.” Not only is Alex Trebek an enigmatic cult icon, I use the show for two major purposes – 1) to keep my brain young with challenging trivia and 2) wage a war of the wits with my husband, but sadly, geography is always my undoing.
MANCHESTER - Promoting downtown Manchester has become a passion for Intown Manchester's Samantha De-Prima, who grew up in the city.
Serving as director of marketing and public relations for Intown Manchester, DePrima advocates for local businesses and their employees.
“In five years working for Intown Manchester, I have become very passionate about the businesses in the downtown and central district,” she said.
Providing quality services to those businesses and their employees is important to her, she said.
“A lot of these businesses don't have the money to do advertising,” she said. “It makes me feel good that we can spotlight them in our newsletter.”
DePrima lived off Auburn Street till she was about 10 and both her parents worked downtown, she said.
Now a Milford resident, DePrima, 32, struggles with the usual issues facing working moms but with the added strain of her husband's current unemployment. Chuck DePrima's job as parks director was eliminated in June 2010 when the city consolidated its Parks and Highway Departments.
“We struggle quite a bit financially with me working for a nonprofit and the demands of having small children and him traveling quite often on job searches,” she said.
“Some days, your kids are sick or you're sick ... and in the meantime, you've got to come in and do your job well, but that's every mom's life, that's every wife's life,” DePrima said.
While she's enjoying her husband's cooking since he's at home, “I'm hoping that he gets something so that I can continue to do my job here that I love,” she said.
DePrima has an impressive list of accomplishments with Intown Manchester.
“Many of the programs Sam has developed are being used throughout New Hampshire by similar organizations to help them grow their downtown community, such as Taste of Downtown, the Holiday Stroll, Summer Concert Series and the Banner Program,” Chris Wellington wrote in nominating DePrima.
Wellington, who is marketing and retention specialist with the Manchester Economic Development Office, said, “Her endless pursuit to make Manchester a better place to live has been felt across the state.”
Still, DePrima said, “I was very surprised and very honored to be nominated.”
Downtown Manchester continues to be vibrant, she said. The biggest problem is retention, she said.
“This is a great place to live,” DePrima said. “We are in Manchester, in one form or another, recession proof. Look at all these businesses that have chosen to open up in downtown Manchester.
“We are an economic driver in the Northeast region for business, and we are proud just to be in the center of that,” she said.
DePrima said Intown Management executive director Stephanie Lewry has been a mentor to her. “I've kind of shifted from having a myopic view about my job to really seeing the big picture,” DePrima said, “Not where we are now, but where we could be five years from now. I would certainly want to make downtown management a career.
“I'm very passionate about it, and a lot of that is thanks to Stephanie,” she said.
Serving as director of marketing and public relations for Intown Manchester, DePrima advocates for local businesses and their employees.
“In five years working for Intown Manchester, I have become very passionate about the businesses in the downtown and central district,” she said.
Providing quality services to those businesses and their employees is important to her, she said.
“A lot of these businesses don't have the money to do advertising,” she said. “It makes me feel good that we can spotlight them in our newsletter.”
DePrima lived off Auburn Street till she was about 10 and both her parents worked downtown, she said.
Now a Milford resident, DePrima, 32, struggles with the usual issues facing working moms but with the added strain of her husband's current unemployment. Chuck DePrima's job as parks director was eliminated in June 2010 when the city consolidated its Parks and Highway Departments.
“We struggle quite a bit financially with me working for a nonprofit and the demands of having small children and him traveling quite often on job searches,” she said.
“Some days, your kids are sick or you're sick ... and in the meantime, you've got to come in and do your job well, but that's every mom's life, that's every wife's life,” DePrima said.
While she's enjoying her husband's cooking since he's at home, “I'm hoping that he gets something so that I can continue to do my job here that I love,” she said.
DePrima has an impressive list of accomplishments with Intown Manchester.
“Many of the programs Sam has developed are being used throughout New Hampshire by similar organizations to help them grow their downtown community, such as Taste of Downtown, the Holiday Stroll, Summer Concert Series and the Banner Program,” Chris Wellington wrote in nominating DePrima.
Wellington, who is marketing and retention specialist with the Manchester Economic Development Office, said, “Her endless pursuit to make Manchester a better place to live has been felt across the state.”
Still, DePrima said, “I was very surprised and very honored to be nominated.”
Downtown Manchester continues to be vibrant, she said. The biggest problem is retention, she said.
“This is a great place to live,” DePrima said. “We are in Manchester, in one form or another, recession proof. Look at all these businesses that have chosen to open up in downtown Manchester.
“We are an economic driver in the Northeast region for business, and we are proud just to be in the center of that,” she said.
DePrima said Intown Management executive director Stephanie Lewry has been a mentor to her. “I've kind of shifted from having a myopic view about my job to really seeing the big picture,” DePrima said, “Not where we are now, but where we could be five years from now. I would certainly want to make downtown management a career.
“I'm very passionate about it, and a lot of that is thanks to Stephanie,” she said.
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