A Division of New Hampshire Business Sales, Inc.

New Hampshire Business Sales, Inc., the state’s largest business brokerage, and parent company of Business Transition Strategies(BTS), announces that John Howe has acquired the ownership interest of the company previously held by Ivor Thomas. Howe is now a co-owner of the company and a member of the Board of Directors, and has assumed the role of vice president and treasurer of the corporation.

               Howe is also Director of the company’s BTS division, which handles complex business transactions and mid-market merger and acquisition projects as well as business advisory engagements.

               Leon Parker, president, said the move will provide for a smooth transition in ownership and management of the company which has been successfully selling businesses since the mid-1970s.

               “We are emerging from one of the worst economic periods in our history, and New Hampshire businesses appear to be heading toward a new period of prosperity,” Parker said. “We are looking forward to helping current business owners achieve the maximum value for their hard work when they sell. This will preserve jobs and help grow the economy.”

Parker will remain president and half owner of the company. Ivor Thomas will continue with the company in a variety of roles. He will also remain with the company as an associate and member of the Board of Directors.

               “I am very pleased to see this smooth transition in ownership and management under way,” commented company founder Stewart Lamprey. “I have been watching John’s progress with our company over the past few years, but more importantly, have observed his commitment to the state of New Hampshire and his devotion to economic development through the years. He cares about people, businesses and the state. And that matters.”

               Lamprey founded the company and established core values that remain in place today: integrity, hard work, professional competence, cooperation and accountability.

               Howe joined NHBS as an associate on July 1 of 2009 after retiring from a career in journalism. Previously, he was editor and general manager of Citizen Publishing Company when it was owned by the Geo J. Foster Company.

               Thomas is responsible for recruiting Howe to join the company and has served as a mentor over the past two years.  He intends to continue working closely with Howe over the next few years in building up the BTS division. “John brings strong organizational and project management skills to his new role,” Thomas said. “I feel it is important for us to transition leadership and ownership in a way that preserves the heritage of this company, as exemplified by Stewart Lamprey, while taking us into the future and to be relevant as the New Hampshire economic landscape transforms. John will help us do that.”