Attorney William Chapman Named 2017 Citizen of the Year
Oct 31, 2017The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce has announced William Chapman as the 2017 Citizen of the Year. Chapman will be honored in a celebration on November 8, 2017 at the Grappone Conference Center.
Chapman’s law partner Bob Carey shared the following about Bill, “Since beginning his career at Orr & Reno more than 40 years ago, Bill has been a leader in the Greater Concord community. The breadth of his involvement and service in a myriad of local organizations is just amazing.”
Chris Emond, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Hampshire, added, “I have known Bill since I took the reins of the Boys and Girls Club 17 years ago. He has very quietly and so substantially supported this and many other area nonprofits, often doing so anonymously. His humble nature has resulted in his incredible contributions flying under the radar screen, and that is by his choice.”
New Hampshire Public Radio President and CEO Betsy Gardella said, “Bill embodies the qualities and values that define us as Granite Staters and Americans: wisdom, curiosity, generosity, loyalty, humility and commitment.” At NHPR, Bill served as chair of the capital campaign that resulted in the a new broadcast center. He remains deeply committed to NHPR serving as Chair Emeritus, attending board meetings, chairing campaigns and providing pro bono legal advice. According to Gardella, when a roadblock appears in the reporting of a story, the immediate response is, “Let’s run this by Chapman.”
David Ruedig, chair of the Concord Hospital board of trustees, praised Bill’s long-term commitment to the hospital. “He has been a phenomenal board member since 2011, serving on the Finance, Investment, Compensation and Audit Committees. We have come to rely on him for his total commitment to this organization. We call him our James Madison.”
In his nearly 10 years of service as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Kimball Jenkins Estate and School of Art, Bill has played a critical role helping the organization through challenging economic times. Executive Director Rob Fried said, “Bill has often single-handedly helped the Kimball Jenkins Estate balance its books, navigate difficult fiscal and administrative challenges, and keep a steady eye on what is best for the city and people of Concord. I can think of no person who more deserves this honor.”
Deborah Watrous, executive director of New Hampshire Humanities for 24 years, recalled Bill’s time serving on their board. “I relied on Bill for many things – his knowledge of nonprofit practices and finances, his legal experience and his passion for our mission. Bill brought his rock-solid commitment to ethical policies and behavior, ensuring that we applied the highest ethical standards to everything we did.”
Stephen Reno, executive director of Leadership New Hampshire added, “Were a person fresh to New Hampshire to ask me who it is he or she should meet to gain an appreciation of the values and traditions of our state, without hesitation, I would seek to make an introduction to Bill.”
Chapman has earned a national reputation as a leading attorney on First Amendment rights. He has also assisted a variety of charitable organizations to protect their exemptions from New Hampshire property taxes, including prevailing in the NH Supreme Court in the Town of Peterborough’s attempt to tax the MacDowell Colony, the world renowned artists’ retreat which has nurtured the arts since 1907. Chapman was recently selected to the Best Lawyers in America list for the 27th time.
