By Nathan Duke
Staff Writer

Claira Monier was named the Manchester Chamber of Commerce's Citizen of the Year at the group's 50th anniversary dinner on Tuesday, March 29. (Courtesy Photo)

The Manchester Chamber of Commerce has named Goffstown resident Claira Monier as the 2004 Citizen of the Year for her extensive service to local communities.

Monier acts as a board member for several local organizations, including the American Lung Association of New Hampshire, the American Red Cross and the West High Endowment Fund. She is also executive director of the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority (NHHFA), where she has worked since 1988 and is a founding member of the Board of Trustees of Manchester Neighborhood Housing Services.

Monier said she was honored to be given such a prestigious award.

"I'm very surprised, happy and excited," she said. "I feel good about the award. Over the years, the community has given so much to me, and so many different organizations have given to my family. It is a warm, caring and loving community. The more I give back to them, the more I get back from them."

Monier was raised on a farm in Bedford, but now lives in Goffstown. Many of the organizations she is involved in are based in Manchester. She wasrecently appointed co-chair of the Fannie Mae Housing Impact Advisory Council and is the immediate past president of the board of directors of the National Council of State Housing Agencies.

Manchester Chamber of Commerce President Robin Comstock said Monier was an obvious and undisputed choice for this year.s Citizen of the Year award.

"I think because of the longevity of her community contribution is extraordinary and the level and extent is so impressive, she was an obvious choice," she said. "She is an extremely giving and caring person, both professionally and personally. Her contributions are profound."

The process for electing a winner for the award is a typically a long one, said Comstock. A screening committee rounds up a handful of candidates that move into several selection rounds in a typical year. The committee eventually rounds the candidates down to five. However, Monier was unanimously chosen by this year's committee in only 30 minutes, without four other contenders even being named.

Her name just jumped right out there for the committee, said Comstock, who does not take part in the selection process.

Monier said she began her community volunteer work at an early age. When she was 8, she attended meetings of the farming organization National Greens, passing out ice cream. She said the nature of the Bedford she grew up in helped steer her toward volunteering.

"Whenever somebody needed something in Bedford, we would all pitch in," she said. "My volunteer work came out of that attitude."

Monier became a board member of Heritage Way United in Manchester in 1993. Communications Director Mike Quinn said not only does she dedicate much of her time to helping others, but she convinces other people to give back to the community as well.

"Claira has got a great deal of expertise in this community and has insight about a variety of topics," he said. "There is a lot of experience she can bring to the table and people really listen to her."

Monier is the stepmother of Stephen Monier, who served until 1999 as Goffstown's fifth police chief. She currently is a member of the board of directors for United Way in Manchester and a member of the Seniors Count Task Force.