Lars Traffie, President of Hutter Construction Corp., has been named the recipient of the Thirtieth Annual New Hampshire Construction Industry Ethics Award. The award honors the “individual, business or organization that, through words and deeds, best demonstrates a commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards in construction.” Lars will be presented with this prestigious recognition at the Associated General Contractors of New Hampshire Annual Meeting, scheduled to take place on December 3, 2026, at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH.
In 2006, after working with Hutter Construction for more than 15 years, Lars was elevated to the position of President. His father, Al Traffie, held that position from 1973, when he founded the corporation, leading the organization for 33 years to become a $50 million construction firm. Today, after 20 years of leadership, Lars has taken the firm to more than $150 million in annual construction capacity while expanding the company’s position as a premier organization rooted in ethical decision-making.
While leading Hutter Construction, Lars has also dedicated many years to serving as the chairman of the elder team at Hope Fellowship Church in Jaffrey, NH. He is a man of faith, and all that he does is centered around those core values and beliefs. “…Lars leads with humility and wisdom, consistently putting others’ needs before his own for the good of our church and our community,” writes Pastor Jordan Moody of Hope Fellowship Church. “He always works hard to build things the right way, with honesty and care for the long term. He sees construction as a way to serve the community well and honor God in all that he does.” Lars has led the construction of their current place of worship and, earlier this year, headed up the major expansion of their current facility. Pastor Moody further commends Lars and his ethical demeanor: “Lars is notable for his genuine care of people. At Hutter Construction, he prioritizes his employees’ well-being, treating them with respect and compassion. This honesty also extends to his customers, helping the company maintain a strong community reputation for decades.”
Mark Cooper of Cooper Sales, LLC, refers to his experiences with Lars over the past 40 years as always rooted in the “bigger picture.” “He’s kind and supportive of all who he meets and works with and for, being very aware that his life’s purpose is not of monetary gain or ego but a genuine thankfulness of his blessings of his family, friends, and those he works with.” Mark’s career started at about the same time as Lars’s, and he’s seen firsthand the consistent work ethic and decision-making from day one. “From a Superintendent to his current position, he used positive words and actions that not only contribute to his success but shares that positiveness and success with his team and all at Hutter.” Mark continues, “On a personal note, I have called on Lars for guidance and direction and respect his feedback, guidance, and professionalism.” The overarching sentiment about Lars’s faith persists among all who know him, as Mark concludes, “In business, expressions of faith and trust in a higher power are most often separated and not spoken of. This is not the case with Lars.”
While Lars’s character is deeply influenced by his faith, he is human, and, like everyone in the construction industry, he has experienced ups and downs. Jonathan Halle, Principal Architect and Owner of Warrenstreet Architects, Inc., in Concord, NH, expands upon this. “His calm nature, very rarely getting flustered and never angry, is purpose driven and he leads by example. I have experienced conversations that have been tough, and Lars is always honest and direct, courteous to an extreme, and humble to a fault. In all my dealings with Lars and the Hutter organization, they have always stood by what is right and what is fair.” Jonathan adds, “For more than 19 years, Lars Traffie has influenced the construction industry in NH in a positive way, and is more than deserving of the honor of being awarded the 2026 NH Construction Ethics Award.”
In addition to a commemorative plaque, the award carries with it a $1,000 donation to the recipient’s charity of choice. This charity remains undetermined as of this publication.
The New Hampshire Construction Industry Ethics Award was established and is underwritten by David W. Wood, a former nationally recognized writer, publisher, and marketing consultant specializing in the construction industry. His newsletter, Words from Woody, won 25 awards, including being a three-time recipient of the Construction Writers Association’s prestigious T. Randolph Russell Award. In 2005, Wood was presented with the Silver Hard Hat, that organization’s highest honor. In 2018, Plan NH, an organization based in Portsmouth, NH, took over the leadership and promotion of this prestigious award.
Previous recipients of the award have been William J. “Bill” Clark, of Clark Masonry Construction, Milford, N.H.; William C. “Bill” Walker, of The MacMillin Company, Keene, N.H.; Samuel Audley, of R.S. Audley, Inc., Bow, N.H.; Levi Ladd, of L.K. Ladd, Inc., Concord, N.H.; Jack McDevitt Jr., of McDevitt Trucks, Inc., Manchester, N.H.; Tom Avallone, of Cobb Hill Construction, Concord, N.H.; Jim Morrill, of Morrill Construction, North Haverhill, N.H.; Mark & Rick Charbonneau, of Continental Paving, Londonderry, N.H.; Leighton A. White of Leighton A. White Inc., Milford, N.H.; Rich Lambert, of Procon, Inc., Hooksett, N.H.; Tom Palazzi, of The Palazzi Corporation, Hooksett, N.H.; Ron Severino, Severino Trucking, Candia, N.H.; Paul Morin, Tarkka Homes, Weare, N.H.; Bruss Construction, Bradford, N.H.; John Zahr, Harvey Construction Corp., Bedford, N.H.; Mark Bates, Weaver Brothers Construction, Bow, N.H.; Tom Morin, Morin’s Landscaping, Hollis, N.H.; Dan Hazelton, Anderson Equipment Company, Manchester, N.H.; Richard Uchida, Hinckley Allen, Concord, N.H.; Frank Lemay, Milestone Engineering and Construction, Concord, N.H; Dan Church, The Rowley Agency, Concord, NH; Gary Bertram, Hutter Construction, New Ipswich, NH; Bob Longchamps, Longchamps Electric, Manchester, NH; Gerry Perron, Granite State Plumbing & Heating, New Boston, NH; Richard M. Piper, R.M. Piper, Plymouth, NH; Sean Toomey, State Fire Marshal, Concord, NH; Gary Abbott, Associated General Contractors of New Hampshire, Bow, NH.
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Plan NH is a non-profit organization comprised of planners, designers, builders, and other members across New Hampshire that share a vision to improve and preserve the state’s communities. Since 1989, Plan NH’s mission has been to foster excellence in planning, design, and development of New Hampshire’s built environment. For more information about Plan NH, visit www.plannh.org.
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