Salem Businesses Win Pillar Awards

The fourth annual Economic Development Breakfast saw a first for the Salem Chamber of Commerce – its Business Pillar Awards – and several Salem Businesses took honors this week.

Rockingham Park took home the Pillar Award for best large business. The park's vice president and general manager Ed Callahan graciously accepted the award, given to the park for its work with charity organizations and charity gaming.

A write-up on the park described it as an "icon in the national racing industry and a local treasure."

Callahan did mention the park's recent legislative hit. The location was a major candidate for a casino  in late March.

"We suffered a serious defeat a few weeks ago in our legislature but we promise there are better days to come," Callahan said.

The Center for Life Management, which features its main office in Derry with clinical offices in Salem and Hampstead, won the not-for-profit award.

A write-up for CLM provided to those who attended the breakfast said that the company served over 6,000 clients in the past year alone.

The small business Pillar Award was given to MSI Mechanical Systems Inc. of Salem.

The company has operated since 1979 and specializes in full service mechanical contracting and facilities service, for commercial, industrial and retail HVAC systems.

MSI Mechanical Systems has worked with several local charities, and has also helped Nesmith Library with the annual Strawberry Festival and Book Fair. 

Karl Dubay, president of The Dubay Group in Windham, also was recognized with the "new business" award.

The Dubay Group opened its doors only a couple of years ago and has since moved to a brand new location at 87 Indian Rock Road.

In accepting the award, Dubay thanked everyone for the support.

"We are truly commited to this community," he said.

Dubay also explained some of the big projects that his business will be bringing to the town boards this year, which include a funeral home, an expansion of the Nault's showroom, the Cricket Ridge workforce housing project and an urgent care medical facility off of Exit 3.

"We're just having fun and look forward to growing more," Dubay said.

Salem Chamber Executive Director Donna Morris told the audience that the Pillar Awards will be become an annual tradition, given out at the breakfast each year.