Portsmouth announces selection of Susan Morrell, Esq. as City Attorney

PORTSMOUTH – City Manager Karen Conard has chosen NH Senior Assistant Attorney General Susan G. Morrell, Esq. to serve as the next City Attorney, succeeding Robert Sullivan, Esq. who is retiring after 40 years in that post. Attorney Morrell’s starting date is Aug. 8, 2022.

Attorney Morrell comes to the post after two stints with the New Hampshire Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General (1999 to 2022 and 1990 to 1995) and brings a four-decade career in law to her new responsibilities. In addition to her career in prosecutorial law with the Office of the Attorney General, and as Deputy County Attorney and then Assistant County Attorney for the Stafford County Attorney’s Office, she served as Assistant City Attorney and then Acting City Attorney for the City of Keene. She received her BA in Political Science from the University of Maine at Orono and her law degree from Franklin Pierce Law Center (UNH School of Law). She is a resident of Portsmouth, N.H.

In making the announcement, Conard said, “The City’s demands on our Legal Department are significant. Attorney Sullivan’s knowledge, experience and familiarity with the nuances of cases involving the City are vast, and we knew it would be challenging to find a candidate who could answer our needs and ensure a smooth transition. Attorney Morrell brings both deep understanding of the law in New Hampshire and specific experience in the responsibilities of a city attorney to the job. I believe she will be an immediate asset to the City.”

Morrell said, “I am honored to be chosen to succeed Attorney Sullivan as Portsmouth’s City Attorney.  I look forward to this unique opportunity to make a significant contribution to this thriving community.”

Sullivan will continue with the City in a part-time, of counsel capacity, to advise on various legal matters and ongoing litigation.

Nic Stockman joins MVSB Rochester team as Universal Banker

ROCHESTER — Meredith Village Savings Bank recently brought Nicolas “Nic” Stockman on board as Universal Banker for the Bank’s new Rochester Branch set to open in early June at 21 Farmington Road (Route 11). In this role, Stockman will be responsible for maintaining positive customer and community relationships and managing day-to-day branch banking needs.

“I am excited to have Nic join our team and help grow our customer base as we open our new branch,” said Jolene Whitehead, Rochester Branch and Business Development Manager. “He has already been coming up to speed at our Portsmouth location and I know he will do an amazing job serving Rochester clients when we open in June.”

Prior to joining MVSB in February, Stockman served in the military, worked as a chef and held professional roles in retail. He resides in Rochester with his cat.

MVSB has locations throughout the Lakes Region and opened its Portsmouth branch in 2017 to expand its footprint in the Seacoast region. The new Rochester location will bridge a geographic gap between MVSB’s two nearest locations in Alton and Portsmouth, offering added convenience for current banking customers who live closer to the Rochester area or who travel between the Lakes Region and Seacoast.

Partners Bank adds Jared LeClaire as Mortgage Loan Officer

PORTSMOUTH, New Hampshire — Partners Bank has welcomed Jared LeClaire as a Mortgage Loan Officer at the Portsmouth, New Hampshire branch location.

LeClaire joins Partners Bank with a diverse background in banking as well as small business ownership and management throughout the seacoast of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He began his career in banking as a Hedge Fund Accountant at JPMorgan Chase in 2013. Most recently, LeClaire held the positions of Mortgage Loan Officer at Gold Star Lending, serving both self-employed and W-2 income borrowers.

“With many years of client-facing experience and a vast network of professionals and residents on the seacoast of New Hampshire, Jared is positioned to drive quality loan volume and asset growth for the bank,” Bank SVP, Stephen Sessler says. “We are excited to have Jared join our expanding team of lenders.”

LeClaire holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of New Hampshire and strives to work with integrity. “Whether you are looking for your first home, second home, an investment property, land, or even to build a home,” shares LeClaire, “my goal will be to make the process as clear and smooth as possible.” Outside of work, he enjoys golf, the beautiful seacoast beaches, and spending time with family and friends.

NHTrust promotes Kelly Brown to Vice President, Administration and Operations Manager

Kelly Brown has been appointed Vice President, Administration and Operations Manager for NHTrust. Kelly was hired a year ago as Assistant Vice President and Trust Administration Manager coming from an extensive background in trust administration and experience building systems for a regional bank.

“In the relatively short time Kelly has been with us she has demonstrated exceptional skills in the area of team building, future solution building, mentoring and leadership,” noted NHTrust President, Paul Provost.  “I have come to personally appreciate Kelly’s impressive work ethic, commitment to providing personalized support to each of our staff and her dedication to always having NHTrust do what is in the best interest of our clients.”

“This is a great nod to Kelly’s character to continue to elevate NHTrust’s model to meet and exceed our client’s expectations,” said Eulalie Paris, SVP Operations, Partnerships & Client Experience.  “She has really stepped up to support our staff and help build our best in practice client experience.”

Prior to coming to NHTrust, Brown was responsible for providing wealth management services to affluent clients throughout New York City, Long Island and Fairfield County Connecticut. She was focused on streamlining customer interactions and evolving the personalized needs of her clients.

Brown is a member volunteer for the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation which provides a $35,000 educational account for every child who loses a parent serving in the US Marine Corps or any Federal Law Enforcement Agency.

North Branch Construction welcomes new Project Manager                             

CONCORD - Michael Cerbone recently joined North Branch Construction as a Project Manager with over 20 years of experience in commercial construction. Cerbone has experience working in active industrial environments, commercial, educational, hospitality, multi-family housing, healthcare, and non-profit sectors. Cerbone also has experience in safety and regulatory compliance and the research and development of alternative energy projects.

“After many years managing projects on the West Coast, we are very pleased Mike has moved to New Hampshire and has joined our team at North Branch Construction,” said Joseph H. Campbell, North Branch Construction President. “Mike brings many years of valuable experience and a keen interest in helping North Branch Construction continue as one of the most respected construction managers in New Hampshire.”

McLane Middleton’s Brian Garrett admitted to New Hampshire State Bar

PORTSMOUTH – McLane Middleton announced that attorney Brian B. Garrett has been admitted to the New Hampshire State Bar.

Garrett is Vice Chair of McLane Middleton’s Education Law Group.  He has extensive experience in a broad range of complex education and employment matters throughout the country, including in state and federal courts, in alternative resolution processes, and before various administrative agencies.

Garrett focuses his practice on understanding and serving the needs of independent day and boarding schools, colleges and universities, and early child care programs. Garrett partners with many of the country’s leading independent schools to provide comprehensive advice on all aspects of school operations, including establishing new schools, student and parent issues, employment matters, school governance and leadership, and general risk management. He works closely with board chairs, heads of schools, financial officers, and other senior leadership members in tackling complex matters affecting school communities.

Garrett can be reached in the firm’s Portsmouth office at 603-334-6934 or brian.garrett@mclane.com.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Names to Know: Meet the new professionals on the Seacoast