Palace Theatre Trust Board of Trustees Announces New Leadership
Attorney David P. Eby succeeds J. Michael Perrella as Chair
July 23, 2024 – MANCHESTER, N.H. – The members of the Palace Theatre Trust Board of Trustees have elected its former vice chairman, David P. Eby, a shareholder at Manchester-based law firm Devine Millimet, as chairman. Eby will lead the organization in his new role until 2026 and succeeds previous chairman, J. Michael Perrella, senior commercial loan officer at Bellwether Community Credit Union.
The chair of Devine Millimet’s Probate Litigation Practice Team, Eby has been a member of the Palace Theatre Trust Board of Directors since 2019. An active community volunteer, he served nine years on the board for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of N.H., four as chair, and served as board chair for the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. He has also served as a board member of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation and the Brain Injury Association of N.H.
“The Palace Theatre has a long history of providing live entertainment to the city of Manchester and the state of New Hampshire,” said Eby. “It is a special place, run by a group of exceptionally talented people, and I am honored and excited to work with our impressive board members and the dedicated Palace staff. Performing arts are an important part of our community, and the Palace indeed brings the arts alive.”
Roland Martin, president of Cornerstone PDC, who previously served as a director on the Palace Theatre Trust Board of Trustees, was named vice chairman. Martin joins Eby, Treasurer Mark LaPrade, a principal at BerryDunn, and Secretary Doug Blais, Ph.D., a professor and director of business graduate programs at Southern New Hampshire University, as officers on the board’s executive committee.
The Palace Trust oversees the operation of the Palace Theatres, which include the Rex Theatre and the Palace Theatre, the busiest, full-time theatre in the state and a major contributor to New Hampshire’s creative economy. Along with various educational opportunities for children, diverse artistic programming includes professional and youth productions produced in-house as well as presenting and tribute shows and community performances.
“We are truly fortunate to have an incredibly strong board of directors at the Palace Theatres, and our commitment to the arts, on our stages and across the state, will, no doubt, continue to grow under David’s leadership,” said Peter Ramsey, President and CEO, Palace Theatres.
About The Palace Theatres
The Palace Theatre is an award-winning, non-profit, multi-cultural performing arts center in Manchester, N.H., that hosts its own professional company, youth and teen programs as well as presenting acts. Established in 1915, the Palace Theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a recipient of The Outstanding Historic Theatre Award by the League of Historic American Theatres. The organization also includes three additional venues – The Rex Theatre, Forever Emma Studios and Spotlight Room at the Palace – and is committed to achieving its mission through preserving the historic facilities of the theatres, responding creatively to the cultural and entertainment needs of the community, and governing in a fiscally responsible and strategic manner. Additional information is available at palacetheatre.org.
About Devine Millimet
Devine Millimet is one of the largest and most dynamic business and litigation law firms in the region, serving our clients and our communities since 1947. Working from our historic headquarters building in Manchester, New Hampshire, and our satellite offices in Concord and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, we serve individuals, businesses, and nonprofits in the areas of business & commercial litigation, construction litigation, criminal law, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), divorce & domestic relations, employment consulting and litigation, healthcare, insurance defense, intellectual property litigation, medical & professional malpractice, personal injury, probate litigation, real estate, ski defense litigation, tax, utilities, bankruptcy and collections work, estate planning, and all aspects of corporate law, including finance and business formation and mergers and acquisitions.
