New Hampshire's Team Effort Brings 75 New Jobs to Keene

Source: NH Business Review, NH DRED
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A relationship that began more than six years ago has brought 75 new jobs to New Hampshire. The Office of Business and Industrial Development has coordinated an effort that has brought Janos Technology Inc. of Townshend, Vermont, a world leader in advanced infrared optical components and assemblies, to the Black Brook Corporate Park in Keene. From the beginning of the process, State Industrial Representative Michael Bergeron knew that New Hampshire was right for the company, but the company took convincing and time.

"Keene is great place — a small city with big city amenities. It has a vibrant and diverse economy," said Jack Dugan, President of the Monadnock Economic Development Corporation. "Janos Technology is a great fit for the community."

On a daily basis, Bergeron and his partner John DiNapoli make a number of cold calls to prospective clients to outline New Hampshire's business advantages. Bergeron made one such call on January 6, 1998 to Bruce Gardner, then President of Janos Technology. The company was faced with a number of issues that Bergeron realized New Hampshire could alleviate, and a meeting was set for January 14.

During this meeting Bergeron outlined what New Hampshire could offer Janos, but, more importantly, Gardner explained how he had recently lost three skilled employees because they lived in Keene and no longer wanted to commute to Vermont. Gardner explained that training and maintaining a skilled workforce was his company's biggest issue, which made the possibility for future growth tenuous in Vermont. Analyzing the situation, Bergeron provided Gardner with a binder of information after the meeting outlining the benefits of New Hampshire's business climate and available real estate options in the Keene area.

Bergeron made follow up telephone calls to Gardner throughout 1998 and into 1999, and he also mailed a Christmas card. But with minimal response, he assumed that interest had dwindled. However, Irwin Lampron, a Janos employee, met with DiNapoli and Gordon Tuttle of Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) at the Eastec Trade Show in Springfield, Massachusetts on May 26, 1999, at which time Lampron explained that the owners had decided not to expand and instead were looking to sell the company. With this new information from DiNapoli, Bergeron supplied Janos with a revised binder of facts and figures about New Hampshire that included updated utility rate information from PSNH, and he remained in touch with Janos over the next several years.

In 2003, Janos was sold to the Monroe Group of Chicago, Illinois, whose purpose is to acquire and manage world-class companies for long-term growth. Bruce Gardner became the Vice President of Technology for Janos, and Brett Rosner was hired as the new President. During this time, Janos contacted Dugan and Doug Brown of the Monadnock Economic Development Corporation, which provided the company with information on several buildings in Keene.

In September 2003, Gardner was assigned the task of evaluating new facilities for company relocation and eventual expansion in either Vermont or New Hampshire. During the research process, Rosner worked with many state contacts including Senator Tom Eaton, Pat Russell, former Keene Mayor, and George Foskett of the Masiello Group.

In October, Gardner contacted Stuart Arnett, the Director of the Division of Economic Development, who immediately called on Bergeron to set up a meeting with Janos. A meeting was scheduled for November 14, 2003 at the Janos facility in Vermont, at which the Monroe Group decision makers, President Phil Haag and Vice President of Corporate Development Bryan Torcivia, were present, and Rosner and Gardner from Janos. Representing Team New Hampshire at this meeting was Senator Eaton, Department of Resources and Economic Development Commissioner George Bald, Keene Mayor Michael Blastos, Ward 1 Councilor Chuck Redfern, Keene City Manager John MacLean, Dugan, Brown, and Bergeron.

The main purpose of the meeting was a presentation by Bergeron and the New Hampshire team on the benefits of Janos relocating to the Granite State. From mid-October until the meeting, Bergeron worked to convene many of the New Hampshire team members Janos had worked with as well as to develop a presentation specifically outlining New Hampshire's benefits to Janos.

"We are very fortunate to work with the people at the state, and we have a great relationship with them," added Dugan. "Michael Bergeron is a great asset, and George Bald has always been there for us."

The presentation was made on November 14 to Janos and the Monroe Group with follow-up work ongoing throughout November and December. The Monroe Group needed clarification on S Corporation status in New Hampshire and the tax impact on Illinois residents. Bergeron contacted Commissioner Phil Blastos of the Department of Revenue Administration who suggested the company consider a CROP zone tax credit from New Hampshire. CROP zones are community reinvestment and opportunity zones, which provide a tax credit against New Hampshire's Business Profits Tax.

Calling on all available resources, Commissioner Bald contacted Doug Porter at Governor Benson's Office. Governor Benson made a personal call to Haag expressing New Hampshire's strong interest in Janos.

By December, Janos had narrowed their New Hampshire focus to a 36,000-square foot facility in Keene owned by the Monadnock Economic Development Corporation, and worked with Dugan on real estate terms. In order to provide additional tax benefit recommendations to Janos, the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority was contacted and offered legal counsel through Bill Ardinger of Rath, Young and Pignatelli.

After more than six years of work by the New Hampshire team, Dugan, Bergeron, and Bald received a call from Rosner announcing that Janos and Monroe had selected Keene as their new home, with occupancy scheduled for the second half of 2004. Rosner also contacted the rest of the New Hampshire team with the good news.

"After more than thirty years of production at our current location, our commitment to growth and customer service has brought forth this much needed move to a larger facility," Rosner said. "We are confident that Keene will provide a stimulating business climate that will infuse further growth into our company."

The new state-of-the-art facility will allow Janos to reach a higher technological level, by providing streamlined manufacturing and production efficiencies. The existing square footage will allow for additional employees to be added as well as possible expansion to 50,000 square feet.

"The Janos project is a great example of a large number of New Hampshire officials working together as a team to benefit a company and our state," said Bergeron. "It sometimes takes several years and a lot of hard work from a number of people, but in the end, working as a coordinated team is what makes all the difference."