Three employees with the Chippers Inc. Turf Care Division — Theron Peck III, of Lebanon; Sean Smith, of Pomfret; and Jonathan Hall, of Newbury, N.H. — recently received designations as organic lawn care accredited professionals by Osborne Organics, a training and consulting company based in Marblehead, Mass. The certification is based on an intensive, two-day seminar. Students must then pass a 90-minute timed exam with a minimum 80 percent score. Chippers expects to employ more than 80 workers this year at its three locations in Woodstock, Enfield, and Meredith, N.H.
Sam Kempton, of Peacham, Vt., has joined the Taylor-Palmer Agency of Bradford, Vt., as manager. Kempton has worked for Prudential, the Sawyer Agency, the Ritchie Agency, and for the Sawyer & Ritchie Agency, after the Noyle Johnson Group purchased both. He has extensive experience in providing service for larger commercial accounts as well as personal insurance and life and disability coverage. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont. The Taylor-Palmer Agency traces its lineage to 1869 and was acquired by Paige & Campbell in 2004.
Kim Ashley, of Brownsville, and Matt Houseman, of Quechee, each won individual statewide awards recently from the New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters. Ashley received a Radio Merit Award for best on-air personality on 92.3 WGXL. Houseman won a Merit Award for best radio station promotion on WHDQ. Ashley is veteran broadcaster who can also be heard on SiriusXM and Houseman is the operations manager for Great Eastern Radio in Lebanon and Keene, and afternoon host on Q106.
The Valley News recognizes the achievements of members of the local business community in the Sunday Business section. Submissions may be sent via e-mail to biznotes@vnews.com. Photographs may be attached in .jpg format. You may also send your items by mail to: People in Business, c/o Sunday Valley News, P.O. Box 877, White River Junction, Vt. 05001. All items are subject to editing for clarity or space.