William Harrison Binnie

William Harrison "Bill" Binnie
William Harrison "Bill" Binnie
Born	Scotland
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, investment banker, philanthropist
Known for	President of Carlisle Capital Corporation and New Hampshire 1 Network; 2010 Republican U.S. Senate nominee in New Hampshire

William Harrison "Bill" Binnie is a prominent American entrepreneur, investment banker, and philanthropist. He currently serves as president of Carlisle Capital Corporation and the media enterprise New Hampshire 1 Network, in addition to owning Carlisle One Media. Previously, he chaired the Finance Committee for the New Hampshire Republican State Committee and was the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Binnie managed Carlisle Plastics, Inc. until its acquisition by Tyco International in September 1996.

Education

Originally from Scotland, Binnie moved to the United States at the age of five. He attended Harvard University on a scholarship and contributed as a research fellow for the Accounting Review during his academic tenure. Upon completing his undergraduate studies, he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he held the position of president of the Management Consulting Club. Following graduation, he gained experience as a consultant at McKinsey & Co.

Business career

Following his Harvard education, Binnie established his business credentials by acquiring and consolidating several plastics manufacturers. His acquisitions included Polytech, a Minneapolis-based company known for household and commercial plastic products such as the "Ruffies" trash bags, along with American Western, a private label manufacturer from Sioux Falls, plus four additional plastics companies producing items like coat hangers. These entities were merged into Carlisle Plastics, Inc., which he expanded into a significant corporation employing thousands of workers. Binnie held the roles of chairman beginning in 1985 and served as CEO and president until 1994. By 1996, he owned 62.5% of Carlisle’s Class B shares, securing majority control.

During the early 1990s, Binnie was among the youngest executives listed on the New York Stock Exchange and earned recognition from Forbes as an energetic leader. Under his direction, Carlisle Plastics received Walmart’s "Vendor of the Year" distinction and broadened its operations throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. In September 1996, he divested his controlling stake to Tyco International.

Currently, Binnie heads Carlisle Capital Corporation, an investment and venture capital firm based in New Hampshire with estimated annual revenues between $2.5 million and $5 million and a modest team. He is also proprietor of Wentworth By The Sea Country Club located in Rye, New Hampshire.

In 2010, Binnie initiated New Hampshire 1 Network and established Carlisle One Media in 2011 by purchasing television station WZMY for $9.25 million, subsequently rebranding it as WBIN. He swiftly grew the station’s workforce by attracting professionals from CBS, ESPN, and local rival WMUR. Further acquisitions included Vermont stations WVBK and WVBQ along with Nashua’s WYCN.

Together with Jeff Shapiro, Binnie sought to acquire Nassau Broadcasting’s Northern New England radio stations, subject to bankruptcy court approval and FCC authorization.

In 2017, WBIN-TV sold its broadcast spectrum rights for $68.1 million and entered into a channel-sharing arrangement with a major network. The overall transaction value is estimated close to $100 million—approximately $90 million above Binnie’s initial investment.

Binnie has also played an active role in restoring historic buildings in downtown Manchester, including the former Citizen's Bank Building on Elm Street and multiple mill yard properties purchased for $11.2 million.

Racing career

With a lifelong passion for driving and mechanical work, Binnie competed for Lotus before establishing his own team, Binnie Motorsports. He achieved class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on two occasions as a driver and once more as a team principal. His racing accomplishments also include triumphs at the ALMS Petite Le Mans held at Road Atlanta and the 12 Hours of Sebring. In 2012, he took the wheel for James Watt Automotive's JWA-Avila squad.

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
Template:24hLM	United States Intersport Racing	United States Clint Field United States Rick Sutherland	Lola B2K/40-Judd	LMP2	278	25th	1st
Template:24hLM	Template:Country data FRA Template:Namespace detect showall Rachel Welter	Template:Country data JPN Template:Namespace detect showall Yojiro Terada Template:Country data FRA Template:Namespace detect showall Patrice Roussel	WR LMP04-Peugeot	LMP2	233	NC	NC
Template:24hLM	United States Binnie Motorsports	Template:Country data JPN Template:Namespace detect showall Yojiro Terada Template:Country data GBR Template:Namespace detect showall Allen Timpany	Lola B05/42-Zytek	LMP2	326	13th	2nd
Template:24hLM	United States Binnie Motorsports	Template:Country data GBR Template:Namespace detect showall Allen Timpany Template:Country data GBR Template:Namespace detect showall Chris Buncombe	Lola B05/42-Zytek	LMP2	318	18th	1st

Philanthropy

Binnie has actively contributed to several charitable efforts within New Hampshire, notably supporting the expansion of Nashua's "End 68 Hours of Hunger" initiative, which supplies weekend meals to children experiencing food insecurity who depend on school-provided breakfasts and lunches.

In recognition of his work restoring the historic Walker School Building in Concord and converting it into a broadcast facility for the state capital, he was honored with an award from the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance in 2015.

In 2017, after donating $20,000 to upgrade technology at Manchester's Smyth Road School, Binnie committed to funding college tuition for a fifth-grade student who had not initially planned to pursue higher education. Subsequently, the school's library was renamed the Bill Binnie Media Center in his honor.

Politically identified as a moderate Republican, Binnie has financially supported various candidates and initiatives from both major parties. Serving as Chairman of the Finance Committee for the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, he contributed substantial sums to the state GOP. Nonetheless, his previous donations to Democratic candidates attracted criticism from conservative factions during his 2010 Republican Senate primary campaign.

Candidacy for United States Senate

Binnie entered the race for the Republican nomination in New Hampshire's 2010 U.S. Senate election, contending against Jim Bender, Ovide Lamontagne, and Kelly Ayotte—the latter ultimately securing both the primary victory and general election win.

He announced his Senate bid in November 2009, framing his platform around Ronald Reagan’s principles of limited government and fostering economic growth. His campaign team featured consultant Arthur J. Finkelstein, former NHGOP executive director Paul Collins, and Sheri M. Keniston, a former congressional staff member.

During the campaign, Binnie faced scrutiny over his decision to close A&E Plastics in Santa Ana, California—leading to 450 job losses—and relocate production to Tijuana, Mexico. He also reported receiving death threats linked to his pro-choice abortion position; however, local law enforcement did not verify any investigations into these threats. Additional incidents included vandalism targeting his daughter's vehicle and threatening messages aimed at his family.

In December 2021, Binnie announced that he was seriously contemplating another run for the U.S. Senate.

External links

Binnie featured on WMUR's Close Up
Binnie delivering a speech at an event hosted by STEWARD, a political advocacy organization founded by New Hampshire entrepreneur Fred Tausch
Records referencing William H. Binnie on the Sunlight Foundation platform