2024 FNRCC Annual Dinner Meeting & Northern Star Award

Thursday, November 7, 2024
Franconia Inn, Franconia, NH
5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
$80 per person

Seating is limited so book your reservation EARLY!!!!

The Chamber will be recognizing Wayne Presby, with the 7th Annual Northern Star Award. This award was established to honor individuals, businesses, or organizations that have made a significant contribution to the North country in promoting economic development, our natural resources in and around the notches, and a quality of life fostering a climate in which commerce, recreation, and tourism will flourish.

The Chamber’s Silent Auction will be returning this year with donated goods and services from our many Chamber partners. We invite Chamber members to assemble gift baskets or gift cards for services or merchandise that can be included in the Auction.

For more information or to register, contact Kevin Johnson at [email protected].

Click here for the dinner registration form.

Buffet Style Menu:

• Appetizer/Salad – Chef’s Garden Salad
• Beef Selection – Marinated Steak Tips
• Poultry Selection – Apple Bourbon Chicken
• Fish Selection – Maple Walnut Salmon
• Vegetarian Selection – Pasta Primavera
• Potato & Seasonal Vegetable Selection
• Dessert Option(s) – TBD
• Coffee/Tea/Soda

NORTHERN STAR AWARD

This award was established to honor individuals, businesses, or organizations that have made a significant contribution to the North country in promoting economic development, our natural resources in and around the notches, and a quality of life fostering a climate in which commerce, recreation, and tourism will flourish.

As owner of the Mt. Washington Cog Railway since 1983, Wayne has overseen the construction of a 34,000 square foot state-of-the-art maintenance facility; designed and built a new enclosed 65’ rail car providing a safe environment for Cog Railway crews to working efficiently year-round; re-railed the 3-mile route to the summit, strengthened the track system smoothing out the ride and greatly reducing the routine track maintenance; and reconstructed the Waumbek Station; all of which has enabled the Cog to operate year-round.

In partnership with the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Engineering Department he has developed an internship program where senior engineers are working with the Cog’s Engineering Department on the development of an electric locomotive.
In addition, Mr. Presby in partnership with UNH, has overseen the development of a new mobile application, MWRC-On Track. The application educates visitors about the unique environment of Mount Washington and encourage individuals to be greater stewards of this unique environment.

Mr. Presby and a former business partner owned and operated the Mount Washington Hotel and the Bretton Woods ski area (all acquired between 1993-1997) completely restoring the property, with major upgrades, enabling the hotel to remain open year-round. By the late 1990s, the hotel had become the largest resort in the Northeast.

Wayne has also made some significant contributions to environmental mitigation strategies in New Hampshire. In 2008, co-founding White Mountain Biodiesel, which for a time, was the largest biodiesel production facility in the northeast.