Ayotte Nominates Lucy Lange to Lead NH BEA

MANCHESTER, NH - Gov. Kelly Ayotte on Tuesday nominated Lucy C. Lange, president of Manchester Media Group, to serve as commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs.

If confirmed by the Executive Council, Lange would oversee the state agency responsible for promoting business growth, economic development and workforce initiatives.

Ayotte said Lange would bring private-sector experience and a new approach to marketing New Hampshire to companies considering relocation or expansion.

“Lucy’s creativity and well-respected private sector experience are exactly what we need in our next BEA Commissioner,” Ayotte said in a statement.

Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais also endorsed the nomination, citing Lange’s involvement in the city’s business community and her role in promoting local organizations and institutions.

Lange has more than 20 years of experience in broadcasting, media management, marketing and business development. She has served as president and general manager of Saga Communications of New England LLC, operating as Manchester Media Group, since 2020. The company owns multiple radio stations serving audiences across New Hampshire, including WZID, WFEA and WMLL.

According to her biography, Lange oversees multi-million-dollar operations and has led initiatives to improve financial performance and operational efficiency. Her previous executive roles include leadership positions with iHeartMedia, Comcast Spotlight and Time Warner Inc., where she managed major-market sales organizations.

Lange is active in several industry and civic organizations. She serves as treasurer of the New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters and sits on the board of Friends of the Manchester Animal Shelter. She is also a member of the ReGen Valley Tech Hub Consortium and the American Legion Auxiliary.

Originally from Buffalo, New York, Lange moved to New Hampshire in 2008 and lives in Bedford with her daughter.

Taylor Caswell, the former BEA Commissioner, came under scrutiny and resigned in October, 2025 after the Live Free Press (Granite Eagle Press at the time) broke a story of NH BEA’s extensive involvement in recruiting Nongfu Spring, a Chinese bottling company, to Nashua, NH. 

The Live Free Press congratulates Lucy on her new chapter and knows she will accomplish great things for the State of New Hampshire. 

Chris Thompson’s (christhompsnh@gmail.com) column is published weekly on livefreepressnh.com and howiecarrshow.com