nhhs masthead

The independent nonprofit that saves, preserves, and shares New Hampshire history.

NEWS FROM THE NEW HAMPSHIRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2015

PHOTOGRAPHS AVAILABLE.

CONTACT: Brenda French at 603-856-0607 or Joan Desmarais at 603-856-0603

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

CONCORD, NH--The New Hampshire Historical Society has elected James L. Garvin of Pembroke, Michael R. Reopel of Hillsborough, and Philip Zea of Norwich, Vermont, as new members to its board of trustees. Trustees elected to additional terms are David M. Sundman of Littleton, William P. Veillette of Amherst, and Bert R. Whittemore of Pembroke.

Board officers also were elected, including Joel J. Bedor of Littleton, board chair; David H. Souter of Hopkinton, vice chair; Kurt M. Swenson of Hopkinton, treasurer; and Kathleen A. Belko of New London, secretary.

James Garvin

James L. Garvin served for 24 years as state architectural historian with the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. Prior to that, he served for 11 years at Strawbery Banke Museum, and then curator at the New Hampshire Historical Society from 1976 to 1987. Garvin has degrees in architectural engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology, art history from the University of New Hampshire, Early American Culture from the University of Delaware's Winterthur Program, and a doctorate in American and New England Studies from Boston University. Garvin has a long history of public service on several boards and commissions, including the Portsmouth Athenaeum, Canterbury Shaker Village, Strawbery Banke National Council, and the New Hampshire Humanities Council. In addition to his public service, Garvin currently serves as an adjunct faculty member in the graduate historic preservation program at Plymouth State University.

Michael Reopel

Michael R. Reopel is a principal in the Boston office of Deloitte Consulting and a co-leader of the firm's Global Strategy and Operations Practice for manufacturing clients. He has worked primarily with large industrial, aerospace, and high-tech clients. Reopel holds a BS in engineering from the United States Military Academy and a Masters from Harvard University. He is a highly decorated US Army officer, and served 13 years on active duty and 8 years in the reserves from 1974 to 1995. Reopel has served as a member of the New England Board of Higher Education and as president of the Hillsborough Historical Society.

Philip Zea

Philip Zea is a nationally recognized scholar on New England social history and decorative arts. He is president of Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Prior to this he served as vice president for museums and collections at the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities and as curator of furniture at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. He was employed previously by Historic Deerfield for 18 years, concluding as deputy director and chief curator. Zea also served as assistant curator of the New Hampshire Historical Society and a consultant to museums on the topics of early furniture, clocks, and historical interpretation. A New Hampshire native, Zea holds degrees from Wesleyan University and the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture at the University of Delaware.

David Sundman

David M. Sundman is president of Littleton Coin Company. He holds a degree in history from Gettysburg College and has been fascinated by the rare coin industry from childhood. Long active in the community, Sundman is past chairman of the board of governors of New Hampshire Public Television and has served as a trustee of the Littleton Public Library.

Bill Veillette

Bill Veillette is executive director of the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, Mass. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and had a successful career in business before moving to New Hampshire in 1998 and immersing himself in the preservation of New Hampshire's historic buildings, collections, and archives. Veillette has served as executive director of the New Hampshire Historical Society, as a trustee of Historic New England, and as chairman of the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance.

Bert Whittemore

Bert Whittemore of Pembroke, a graduate of Dartmouth College, the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and Boston University's Graduate School of Business, is a retired naval officer, and has been in the commercial real estate business for the past 40 years. In recent years he has actively supported the development of rowing programs at Concord High School and the Derryfield School.

Founded in 1823, the New Hampshire Historical Society is the independent nonprofit that saves, preserves, and shares New Hampshire history. The Society serves thousands of children and adults each year through its collections, library, educational programs, publications, and outreach programs. The Society is not a state-funded agency. All of its programs and services are made possible by membership dues and contributions. For more information about the Society and the benefits of membership, visit nhhistory.org or call 603-228-6688.

###