Valeria Ryan steps in as Manchester Business Association’ s new Events Manager
a large-scale draw that highlights the breadth of the town’ s offerings.
One of Ryan’ s core priorities is the revival of beloved traditions, some of which once played a major part in defining Manchester’ s seasonal rhythms.“ Manchester used to have a huge Fourth of July parade,” notes Ryan.“ People loved it.” She adds that past events that served as community staples throughout different eras of Manchester’ s history and lore, such as the Fourth of July parade, were often passion projects that faded when a single community champion stepped back. For Ryan, the task is not only to bring them back, but to ensure they’ re designed to endure. Her approach is to modernize formats, build logistic infrastructure for consistent support, and make sure these beloved events are sustainably staffed so that they last well into the future.
Ryan also sees positive momentum in the outdoor recreation sector.“ Southern Vermont is the perfect landscape for outdoor adventures and extreme sports in all seasons, which is low-impact and high-excitement,” she explains. In her first weeks on the job, she began reaching out to local organizations with an eye toward hosting competitions and multi-day experiences based in Manchester. Early conversations have already led to potential site visits and exploratory planning, with Ryan encouraged by how quickly potential partners are returning calls and scheduling meetings. To her, it’ s a sign that Manchester’ s outdoor assets hold vast potential.
But food and recreation are only part of her vision. Culture and hospitality round out the picture. Ryan hopes to revive art gallery walks, reintroduce a restaurant week that spotlights each eatery’ s specialties, and bring in traveling outdoor exhibits, all of which create reasons for visitors to support local businesses. Ryan believes that these kinds of offerings will give Manchester an edge as a tourism destination, where every visitor, from families and solo travelers to food lovers and art enthusiasts, can find something new to discover.“ People love to stay here for the weekend,” says Ryan.“ It’ s beautiful, the food is great, and the shopping is amazing.”
Whatever the format, inclusion and access are non-negotiable.“ I want events that feel like they belong here,” says Ryan.“ They should be high quality and highly accessible.” Ryan believes that Manchester’ s blend of sophistication and smalltown charm is one of its primary strengths, and she intends to make sure that the MBA’ s events reflect that balance.
Ryan emphasizes that when it comes to event planning, every MBA member business should have a seat at the table. She sees the MBA’ s member businesses as the natural starting point for every new idea.“ The first people we’ re talking to are our member businesses,” shares Ryan.“ Many of them believed in the MBAs vision in its early years, and helped to build the foundation. Now that I’ m on board with the MBA as a dedicated Event Manager and John and I are aligned in our visions, it’ s‘ Go time!’” For Ryan, the success of any event depends on open collaboration, where businesses can offer input, lend their creativity, and find ways to tie their work into the greater Manchester experience. She adds:“ There’ s never been a better time for new member businesses to sign up and get involved with the MBA. The more members at the table, the stronger the events, and the greater the economic impact.”
Her vision is certainly ambitious, but it is also deeply grounded in Manchester’ s identity: a town where natural beauty and cultural vibrancy meet in perfect harmony. Her task is to create events that embody those qualities, while also ensuring that whether a person is a lifelong resident or a first-time visitor, they leave with a sense that Manchester is more than just a place to visit— it’ s a place to be a part of.
Past and Present
Ryan’ s background reads like a consummate blueprint for community-minded event planning, with every chapter of her career adding another skill, perspective, and layer of knowledge that she now brings to her role with the MBA. Her professional trajectory began in the corporate world, where she began working for Ryan Beck & Co after graduating from Florida State University. Soon after, she transitioned into a position with CDM, a global events and sponsorship company. While there, she managed highstakes finance congresses, which took her across continents, collaborating with international teams, clients, and vendors.“ No two events were similar— there was always something slightly different,” says Ryan. The pace was unrelenting, but it forged her ability to manage details under pressure, navigate cultural nuances, and think creatively about sales and customer service. That early immersion in the logistics of large-scale events gave her the confidence and adaptability that remain a central tenet of her strategy today.
After returning to Florida, Ryan shifted her career focus toward the nonprofit sector. She worked closely with respected civic leader David Lawrence Jr., former editor of The Miami Herald, on advocacy and outreach for The Children’ s Trust, an initiative that secured permanent state funding for early childhood development and after-school programs.“ It was intense and inspiring,” Ryan recalls, noting that it gave her a first-hand view of coalition building and how public policy intersects with community needs. She later joined Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden as Events Manager, where she organized fundraising events, coordinated programming, and spearheaded community outreach initia-
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