CONCORD, N.H. – There will be two Manchester restaurant professionals being honored when the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association (NHLRA) holds its annual awards dinner on Nov. 14.
Kim Roy will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work at what is now the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown as well as the Holiday Inn on Front Street and other local establishments.
Roy worked at this location from 1983 to 2021, serving at times as front desk manager, controller, rooms division manager, director of operations and general manager.
She has seen the property through three brand transitions, extensive renovations, and ten New Hampshire primaries. The property achieved the Radisson’s President’s award 12 out of 13 years with the brand and in 2021 was honored with the Doubletree Pride award. Roy has served on the Board for the BIA, as Chair of the Leadership Steering Committee for the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Vice-chair UNH Co-operative extension, Community Advisory Board for MPD, Vice-Chair of In-town Manchester, Secretary of New Hampshire Travel Council, and on the Planning Board in Deering NH.
She has been previously recognized as the NHLRA’s Employee of the Year in 2001, GM of the year for the Radisson in 2011, has received NHBR’s Outstanding Women in Business Award in 2017, the Michael Briggs Community Hero Award in 2017, was recognized as one of the top 200 New Hampshire Influential business leaders in 2019 and 2021, and as a GM to watch in Hotel Management in 2021.
Common Man Family of Restaurants Owner Alex Ray will be receiving the Live Free and Give Award.
Ray built the first Common Man restaurant in Ashland in 1971 and since then has built a series of Common Man locations and other hospitality businesses across the state including 15 restaurants, three inns, a spa, company store, the Barn on the Pemi event center, New Berry’s on the Common, Common Man Roadside locations, and The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center, employing more than 650 people.
Ray’s mantra for The Common Man family has always been “Do Good,” and he encourages all employees to get involved with their local communities through hosting fund-raisers at each location and volunteering their own personal time.
Ray has a passion for saving old buildings. Among his revitalization projects are The Common Man Inn & Spa in Plymouth, a former wood mill converted into an Inn, restaurant, Spa and event center; The Common Man Inn & Restaurant in Claremont, breathing new life into old textile mills that stood defunct for decades; preserving the historic structures of the Daniel Webster homestead in Franklin, NH and converting them into a non-profit drug and alcohol rehabilitation center; and carefully deconstructing and moving the historic Peverly Barn from Canterbury to Plymouth, opening as The Barn on The Pemi, an event space for up to 300 guests.
Recently, Ray has become known for his work fundraising for victims of the Ukraine War, matching up to $1 million in donations for victims of the conflict.