Mayor Jim Bouley was recently named Citizen of the Year by the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. See the announcement in their press release included below.
The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce is honored to announce Jim Bouley, Mayor of Concord and partner in Dennehy and Bouley, LLC, as its 2023 Outstanding Citizen of the Year. The Chamber will present this distinguished award at its 104th Annual Meeting and Citizen of the Year Award event on Wednesday, November 1 at the Grappone Conference Center. All are welcome to attend this celebration of Bouley’s incredible impact on the Greater Concord community.
“Jim has been a selfless and tireless advocate for the City of Concord,” wrote Mike Dennehy of Dennehy and Bouley, LLC. “From transforming Main Street, to building goodwill across the entire community, Jim has arguably been the most successful Mayor the City has ever seen.”
Bouley served as City Councilor for 10 years, followed by 16 years as Mayor of Concord. In August 2023, Bouley announced he would not be running for reelection; he shared how his service as Mayor has been an incredible honor, and that his love for Concord and its citizens will continue into his next chapter of volunteer service for the community.
Mayor Bouley received an outpouring of support for his nomination as Citizen of the Year, with recognition from Tara Reardon, Commissioner of Merrimack County, James MacKay, New Hampshire Representative and former Concord Mayor, Stephen Duprey of Duprey Companies, Stephen Shurtleff, former Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, Gary Miller of Unitil, and Ari Pollack of Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell, PC. Tom Aspell, City Manager for Concord, shared his experiences working with Mayor Bouley for over two decades. “I can unequivocally testify to his commitment to utilize every available opportunity to improve the community for all of its residents, businesses, and visitors.”
One project in particular stands out in Bouley’s tenure as Mayor. The award-winning Main Street renovation has permanently transformed the capital city’s landscape, creating a stunning shopping district that attracts visitors, supports small businesses, and provides better access for individuals with disabilities, pedestrians, and cyclists. Bouley embraced the community’s inherent tensions with this disruptive renovation by creating a 17-member committee, with over 70 public meetings, demonstrating the Mayor’s resolute commitment and unwavering work ethic to address complex challenges and find practical solutions. Concord’s citizens will reap the benefits of this historic project for generations to come.
A less visible, but equally important facet of Bouley’s impact on the city has been his ability to foster and build mutually beneficial relationships with other governmental agencies. The city’s relationships with the State of New Hampshire, the federal government, two school districts, and Merrimack County are unmistakably the best they have been in generations. This dedication has opened the door for funding opportunities, provided success with negotiations on Concord’s upcoming I-93 expansion project, and has made immeasurable impacts on the overall function of our capital city.
Although Mayor Bouley may be well-known for the “business” of the city, few people know the extent of his connection to its citizens, and his many volunteer roles throughout our community. His approach to addressing a citizen’s concern is not just to call them back, but also to stop by their home or business to hear more about their issue. For one particular resident in Concord, it meant climbing into a basement to view sewage seeping into the building and making a weekend call to General Services to resolve the issue. Few people realize that the first winter shelter for our homeless population was due to the efforts of Jim Bouley—negotiating for space in the old Tobey building, raising funds for the necessary insurance, and going to Walmart to purchase phones so that the volunteer staff could stay in touch with each other.
Bouley’s outstanding leadership as Mayor of Concord has helped advance our community’s standing in the State of New Hampshire, transformed Concord’s footprint to support a thriving economy, and made an everlasting impact on our quality of life. Trieste Philbrook of Mariner Wealth Advisors wrote, “There is no better time to recognize someone who has worked tirelessly to better our community.” The longest-serving Mayor in the history of Concord will soon complete his final term, but the community can rest assured that his positive impact and commitment will extend well into the future. As Jim would say, “It’s another great day in the city.” The Chamber thanks Jim Bouley for being one of the reasons Concord stands out as one of the greatest capital cities in the country.
The Chamber’s 104th Annual Meeting and Citizen of the Year award event takes place on Wednesday, November 1 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. Presented by Merrimack County Savings Bank, the celebration begins at 5 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed by a plated dinner, and culminates in the Citizen of the Year award ceremony. All are welcome to attend the celebration by registering at concordnhchamber.com, emailing events@concordnhchamber.com, or calling (603) 224-2508.