About Our Organization

Discover Sugar River Region (DSRR) is a 501(c)(3) destination marketing and management organization founded in 2022 to strengthen the greater Sullivan County region as a thriving, vibrant, and distinct destination in New Hampshire. By supporting local businesses, celebrating local experiences, and promoting the unique attributes of the region, DSRR works to boost the visitor economy, foster entrepreneurship, and enhance resident quality of life.

How is DSRR Funded?

As a new nonprofit, DSRR is partnering with community-focused organizations as well as building revenue generating programs to ensure the long-term success of our initiatives. We are grateful to Sullivan County for seed funding that has allowed us to launch operations. With the support of local businesses, public entities, and civic-minded partners, we aim to create a sustainable organization that drives economic growth and enhances community vibrancy.

What Does DSRR Do?

• Destination Marketing: We collaborate with local businesses and organizations (accommodations, dining, recreation, attractions, arts, and more) to promote the Sugar River Region through a range of marketing efforts, including a high-quality destination guide, a regional events calendar, seasonal videos, and participation in domestic and international trade shows. We share our marketing collateral with NH Travel & Tourism, which extends our campaigns into target markets.
• Economic Development: By highlighting the area’s beauty, history, recreational opportunities, and unique businesses, we aim to deliver more customers for existing businesses as well as create the opportunity for new business ventures.
• Community Engagement: We provide a platform for local businesses and organizations to thrive through networking events, marketing opportunities, and professional development.
• Education: Through newsletters, workshops, and meetings, DSRR aims to foster a deeper appreciation of the assets of the broader region, share industry trends and partnership opportunities, and inform visitors of how to minimize their impact on our special places and how to give back.

Discover Sugar River Region serves to boost residents’ community pride and sense of place. It leads the management and marketing of the destination to attract day and overnight visitors for the purpose of enhancing the local economy and maximizing benefits for all stakeholders.

Penelope Whitman, Executive Director

Tel: 603-843-7630

Email: Director@SugarRiverRegion.org

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors, composed of twelve (12) members, meets monthly to provide overall direction to the organization’s program of work. Officers serve one-year terms as voting members of the Board.

Ashlee Rowley, Secretary
Executive Director, Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce

Directors

Shannon MacMichael
Executive Director, Newport Area Chamber of Commerce

Doug Daniels
Senior Manager, Skier Services & Summer Operations, Mount Sunapee/Vail Resorts

Yoshi Manale
City Manager, City of Claremont

Alissa Bascom
Interim Director, Fort at No. 4, Charlestown

Steve Schneider
CEO/General Manager, Eastman Community Association, Grantham

D.J. Chabot
Realtor, Town & Country, Claremont

Dave Finnerty
President, Claremont Savings Bank

Judy Aron
NH State Representative, Sullivan County, District 4

Rob Taylor
Taylor Brothers Sugarhouse & Creamery, Meriden
Land Use and Community Development Administrator for the Town of Enfield

Organizational History

Discover Sugar River Region was born out of the Regional Economic Profile work that Sullivan County and University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension (UNHCE) have led since 2017. From the first meetings, stakeholders recognized regional identity as an issue. Many participants struggled to define or describe Sullivan County and its sense of place.

The LoveSullivan Project, a crowdsourced story map project, aimed to find out from residents of the county what makes the region so special. As residents uploaded photos and descriptions of their favorite places, the history, beauty, natural resources, and spirit of entrepreneurship in Sullivan County stood out. From that project and other engagements with focus groups around the county, the Sugar River Region brand was born.

Sullivan County with UNHCE applied for a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business Opportunity Grant in spring of 2021, and the Sugar River Region Destination Development Initiative was selected from all other applicants in the state to be funded. The USDA, along with UNHCE management and County support, provided funds for technical assistance in the strategic and destination development planning. Solimar International, a sustainable tourism development firm, was hired to provide the technical assistance and produce project deliverables. The Initiative is guided by a 12-member destination council of local leaders who came together in 2021 as an appointed public body of Sullivan County government to define, develop, coordinate, and market the region’s assets to build a visitor economy and attract new residents and businesses.

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