february intouch newsletter
DESCRIPTION
InTouch NewsletterTRANSCRIPT
InTouchInTouchInTouch MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2012
2012-2013 Living Better in
Mid-Maine Guide Book
Hot off the press, a copy will be mailed
out to you soon. If you would like extra
copies for your business call the
chamber and reserve them today!
873-3315 or email
A special thank you to our sponsors,
SAPPI and Atkins Printing who made this
publication possible.
Business to Business Showcase
April 11, 2012 2:00-7:00 PM
Alfond Youth Center
126 North Street, Waterville
See Insert for Registration Information.
Seminars and Events
2:00 - 3:00 PM: Marketing Roundtable Forum - - Join other businesses at one of our four tables
to discuss how to use: QR Codes, LinkedIn, Facebook Intro & Facebook Advanced. There will be
a facilitator at each table keeping the discussion to the topic identified, and sharing their own suc-
cess within that area. Participants will have time to share ideas and network at four tables during
the hour. The tables are an opportunity for any business professionals to ask questions and share
feedback on marketing strategies they have tried or have concerns with.
3:30 - 5:00 PM: College Internship Fair - - Network with local
college students that are looking for an internship. College students
from Colby, KVCC and Thomas will be present. If your business can
offer a paid/unpaid internship with a minimum of 10 hours per week,
please join us. Contact Diane Anderson [email protected] to
reserve your booth. Sponsored by the Central Maine Growth Council.
5:30 - 7:00 PM: Business After Hours - - The trade show floor will culminate into a Business
After Hours event complete with hors d’oeurves and beverages. Don’t miss
this great opportunity to network with your fellow area business leaders.
Business After Hours sponsored by Oxford Networks:
Thank you to our 2012 Major Sponsors:
Highlights in this Issue:
P. 2: From the President’s Chair
P. 3: 2011 BVP Year in Review
P. 4: Member Events Calendar
P. 5: Good Health = Good Business
P. 8: Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s Centennial
49th Annual Awards Dinner Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Waterville Elks Banquet & Conference Center
5:00 PM Social Hour ~ 6:00 PM Dinner
Watch for your invitation in the mail
or call 873-3315 to reserve a seat.
$50 Per Person or $500 for a table of ten.
Congratulations to our Winners!
Thank you to our Major Sponsors: Inland Hospital & AT&T Video Sponsor: Oxford Networks
Happy Hour Sponsor: Care & Comfort Home Modification Specialists of Maine
50 ELM STREET, WATERVILLE, ME 04901 • TEL: (207) 873-3315 • FAX: (207) 877-0087
[email protected] • www.midmainechamber.com
Nikki Desjardins, Chair of the Board • Kimberly N. Lindlof, President & CEO
Distinguished Community Service Award: Gilman “Gil” Pelletier
Business Person of the Year: Pamela Kick, Pinnacle IT
Business of the Year: Central Maine Disposal
Outstanding Professional of the Year: Dr. Barbara Covey, Medical
Director MaineGeneral SAFE Program
Rising Star: Bruce Harrington, The Bank of Maine
Customer Service Stardom: Darla Frost, Loan Officer KFS
Community Service Project of the Year: Waterville Public Library
27 Cool Street • Waterville, ME 04901 (207) 873-0721 • Fax (207) 877-2287
www.genesishcc.com Rehabilitation and Living Centers
www.centralmaine.com
- Kimberly
From the President’s Chair
Page 2
Business After Hours:
Inland Hospital, Eastern Maine
HomeCare & Kennebec Behavioral Health
Wednesday, Feb. 15
5:30-7:00 PM @ Inland Family Care
16 Concourse West, Waterville
Complimentary Beer, wine, & hors d’oeuvres
Door prizes, 50/50 raffle & other fabulous prizes!
$100’s in Chamber Gift Certificates will be given away
to one lucky winner in celebration of 100 years!
Thank you to our
50/50 Sponsor:
Bowdoin Photography
Mid-Maine Chamber
board of directors and I are
so thrilled to roll out a new
program in this, our centennial year. In March,
we will host of first of our quarterly program,
Leading Women. This will be a noontime
luncheon at the Best Western Plus. Anthem
Blue Cross & Blue Shield is our exclusive
sponsor. The luncheon will be $20.
Leading Women is intended to be more than
just learning about a profession that a success-
ful woman has embraced; Leading Women is
intended to be mentoring, as the speaker re-
veals her path to success, the ups and downs,
what worked and what did no work. The focus
is on the unique opportunities, challenges and
obstacles that women face. It's designed to
allow attendees to network with each other, and
to learn from one's colleagues as well as the
presenter. We have a short list of exceptional
women that we will invite to speak; if you have
someone in mind, please drop me a line.
More details to come so stay tuned!
Happy Valentine's Day.
Sponsored by:
Legislation Tracker
Concerned about the workings of state
government? Want to keep track of legisla-
tion during the 125th Legislature’s Second
Regular session? Maine.Gov let’s you do just
that.
Track the progress and scheduling online
at maine.gov/legis/lio/publications.htm
Barbara Woodlee, President of KVCC, is speak-
ing at the Blaine House press conference where
the Alfond Foundation announced a $10.85
million gift to KVCC and Good Will-Hinckley,
Maine’s First Charter School.
Leading
Women
Luncheon
Advantage Card
Discounts List
Gift Certificate
Program List
Don’t forget to use up your Chamber
Gift Certificates that you received over
the Holidays! Also, take advantage of
the great discounts with your Chamber
Advantage card!
Scan with your smart phone QR code
reader & save it for future reference!
Page 3
Full Service Office Supplies Retail Store and Furniture Showroom
in Downtown, Skowhegan
The Paper Klip
New & Used Furniture
A Local, Independent, Family- Owned & Operated Company
www.WarrensOfficeSuppplies.com 800.924.9006
Tractor Supply
Dennis Bonman
10 Kennedy Memorial Dr.
Waterville, ME 04901
Phone: 877-7775
http://www.tractorsupply.com/
Lockharts Lawn Care &
Critter Removal
Justin Lockhart
293 Cushman Rd.
Winslow, ME 04901
Phone: 314-3849
http://lockhartscritter.com/
Kennebec Valley District,
Pine Tree Council, Boy Scouts Assc.
Scott Verrill
131 Johnson Rd.
Portland, ME 04102
Phone: 797-5252 x 27
http://kv-scouts.org
By Darryl Sterling
Each year the Mid-Maine Chamber of Com-
merce (MMCC) and the Central Maine Growth
Council (CMGC) conduct a Business Visitation
Program (BVP) facilitated by MMCC’s Business
Attraction & Retention Committee (BAR) to
determine the economic health and viability of
our central Maine businesses and ways to effec-
tively respond to the needs of local businesses.
The process for gathering information for BVP is
a face-to-face interview with individual busi-
nesses in which a confidential business assess-
ment form is completed. The form addresses
topics such as challenges/obstacles for success/
growth, future plans, workforce concerns, busi-
ness climate, and public policy.
Both MMCC and CMGC have a mission to
stimulate local economic growth by working
with our business community to grow and ex-
pand existing businesses. Primary objectives of
the program include community support for local
businesses, addressing individual business con-
cerns, increasing the strength and competitive-
ness of local establishments, and assisting local/
regional economic development organizations
with their strategic decision making. The tabulat-
ed results of the 2011 BVP information gathered
are as follows:
40 businesses were visited and interviewed by
18 Chamber Board members/volunteers. Kim
Lindlof and I sat in on many of these visits and
we wish to thank all the businesses and volun-
teers that participated! Several trends emerged
from this year’s survey despite a challenging
business climate:
Median size of businesses visited: 49 employ-
ees. If 5 businesses with over 100 employees
excluded, the mean declines to 14 employees. 15
businesses have been in the community for 20
years or more. 109 jobs were lost from 2008 -
2011; an average decrease of 2.7 employees per
company. Sales comparisons from 2008 – 2011:
14 companies: increase in sales; 9 companies:
the same; 6 companies: decrease in sales. Most
companies feel that central Maine is a good place
to do business but a struggling economy, lack of
capital, high cost of energy and health care, high
taxes, and regulatory burdens make it harder for
local businesses to compete. Key workforce
issue: Skills gap to hire qualified workers to fill
jobs. Key marketing challenges/opportunities:
Businesses need to cooperatively cross promote
each other, do more shop local/customer loyalty
campaigns, and better celebrate and publicize
small successes that businesses are experiencing.
In 2012, BAR expects to do 45 – 50 BVP
visits utilizing a new survey form to better assess
the needs of our businesses and effectively re-
spond to achieve desired outcomes.
Darryl Sterling is the Executive Director for the
Central Maine Growth Council FMI: 680-7300,
2011 BVP Year in Review
Did you know...
If you are a 501(c)3 that there's a
statute on the books requiring that
you possess a fund-raising license if
you raise money in the state of
Maine? FMI: www.maine.gov/pfr/
professionallicensing/professions/
charitable
Continued from page 8
100 Year Centennial
Another story is people had to throw paper
airplanes into open sun roofs and whoever got the
airplane in from the furthest point won the car! I
know I could have won that one!
I think Mr. Gaunce has a good job because he
gets to be the leader and it seems like he has fun
all day--plus, HE GETS TO DRIVE ALL THE
TIME! He says it's been very important to be a
member of the Mid Maine Chamber of Commerce
because he unites with other businesses and they
all help each other make Waterville a great city to
live and do business in. His company has been a
member for many years.
If I could buy a car, I would get a Toyota be-
cause they have some that are good for the envi-
ronment and look really cool and can get up to
high speeds easily. I would buy it at CMM because
they are so nice to their customers.
Page 4
Prime Financial You dream it...
We help you realize it Prime Financial has become the trusted partner for many
clients, both in Maine and across the country. We under-
stand that each stage in life presents unique challenges and
opportunities. We also know that wherever you are in life
– expanding your business, adding to your family, looking
forward to your retirement or any stage in between – being
prepared for change is crucial to future growth.
Contact us today for a personalized consultation in regard
to your financial future.
Securities offered through Investors Capital Corporation
Member FINRA / SIPC
Advisory Services offered through Investors Capital Advisory
753 West River Road, Waterville, Maine 04901
800-877-9450 Fax 207-877-8876
Feb 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29: 5:30 pm Snowshoeing/
Winter Hiking at Inland Woods/Pine Ridge Trails
Stay active this winter! Join us for a weekly out-
ing on the trails to enjoy quality time with friends
in the outdoors. All are welcome; lights re-
quired. Meet at the trailhead behind Inland Hos-
pital, 200 Kennedy Memorial Dr., Water-
ville. FMI: [email protected] or 861-3292.
Feb. 2: Happy Ground Hog Day! Come to the L.
C. Bates Museum and have your picture taken
with its mounted groundhog, Gertrude. And,
check if -- or not -- you can see her shadow.
Feb 2, 9, 13: Sustain Mid Maine Coalition's Education Team presents FREE presentations on
abrupt climate change by Alder Stone Fuller,
Ph.D. 6-8PM. 2nd & 9th at Barrels, the 13th at
Waterville Public Library.
Feb. 2: Friends Night Out: Dinner & A Plate • 5-
8PM Enjoy a night out with friends, share dinner
and beverages while you make a decorative, mosa-
ic style fused plate. Stained Glass Express FMI:
stainedglassexpress.com.
Feb. 3, 4, & 5: Check out Pine View Homes at
the 24th Annual Manufactured Home Show. Pine
View Homes will have three affordable energy
efficient homes at the Augusta Civic Center.
FMI/Free Tickets: 1-800-464-7463 or
Feb. 3: An Evening of Jazz, gala fundraiser,
cocktails, music, food, live and silent auctions.
Kennebec Valley Community College, 92 West-
ern Ave., Fairfield. FMI: 453-5020 or
Feb. 4: Quarry Road Recreation Area Winter Car-
nival, 10AM – 2PM – off North Street in Water-
ville, near Thayer Hospital. Family-friendly activi-
ties include ski instruction, sledding, laser biathlon
demo, trailside food, snowshoe races, and the
Amazing Tree Maze. New this year - expanded
trail system, winter bike race, Winter Story Walk,
and more! Admission is free.
February 8: 7:30-9AM. Kennebec Valley Hu-
man Resource Association seminar on Employ-
ment Law Update presented by Lawrence C.
Winger, Esq. at the Augusta Civic Center. Em-
ployment law is constantly changing and it’s es-
sential that HR professionals maintain a current
understanding of how these changes affect the
workplace. FMI: [email protected]
Feb. 10: Father/Daughter Dance 6-8PM at the
Waterville Jr. High School.
Feb. 10: Unity College Career Fair, 10 AM to 2
PM Free & open to the public. Environmentally-
focused. FMI: 948-9453, [email protected] or uni-
ty.edu/CareerServices/CareerResourceCenter/Care
erFair.aspx.
Feb. 11 Chocolate Festival 10AM –4PM Fairfield
Community Center FMI:
www.fairfieldchocolatefestival.org/.
Feb. 11: United Way of Mid-Maine invites you
to spend an evening with friends and two comedi-
ans from the Boston comedy scene, Ben Hague
and Ray Harrington at Best Western Plus. Please
be advised the comedy will be PG-13. All pro-
ceeds from ticket sales and a 50/50 raffle at the
event will benefit the Keeping Mid-Maine Warm
Program and The Waterville Area Warming Cen-
ter. FMI: 873-0686 or [email protected].
Feb. 17: Downtown Sounds Coffeehouse Opera
House Studio Theater FMI: www.operahouse.org.
Feb. 26: Ice Fishing Derby • 2-5PM Sponsored by
Spectrum Generations FMI/Tickets: 873-4745.
Feb. 29: 8-9:30AM Healthy People of the
Kennebec is offering a presentation of Maine’s
first comprehensive statewide community health
needs. [email protected] or 621-7579.
Starts March 4: Sign up for Move and Improve
free community-based 12-week program put on by
Inland Hospital that provides resources and sup-
port (and great prizes!) for increased physical
activity. Register as an individual or bring Move
and Improve to your organization or worksite.
FMI: moveandimprove.org or 973-7245.
March 14: 9:30 AM to 2 PM Thomas College
Career Fair. Registration fee $35. Register online
by Feb. 24 at www.thomas.edu/career. 859-1464.
Chamber Tip of the Month
Did you know that for just $100 a year
you can have your brochures included
in our relocation packets? Relocation
packets are sent out to anyone who
requests information about the area
and who is looking to move here.
Many of the hospitals and other big
businesses also use these for recruiting
purposes. Call the Chamber Today!
Facebook, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and
NFIB recently united to present a free
Facebook seminar for Mid-Maine and KV
Chamber members. Pictured above are the
two Facebook presenters. It was great to see
so many of you there!
Kennebec Behavioral Health Ribbon Cutting.
Pictured above are Tom McAdams, Kim
Lindlof & John Dalton.
Page 5
Good Health = Good Business
By William McPeck
In the February 2012 edition of the Success maga-
zine, there is a story about the TV reality show
Shark Tank. I have never seen the show, but as I
read the article, my blood began to boil. The article
suggests that to achieve success, you must sacrifice
everything else. Is this really necessary? Is suc-
cess really worth this price?
If I understand the show’s concept correctly, entre-
preneurs are selected by the show’s producers to
pitch their business concepts to the sharks whose
role is to decide whether to invest in the entrepre-
neur’s business. The so called sharks are: Kevin
O’Leary, Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Barbara
Corcoran and Robert Herjavec.
As a worksite wellness and well-being thought
leader and strategist, what particularly concerned
me was two of the story’s concluding three para-
graphs. These two paragraphs stated: “The sharks
agree that entrepreneurs have to be willing to sacri-
fice a lot until a new business starts to succeed.”
Mark Cuban is quoted as saying, “If you are not
dreaming about it, if your relationships aren’t being
injured by it, you know, if you are not tired, you are
not working hard enough.”
Kevin O’Leary is quoted as saying, “I love working
with young people who are willing to sacrifice
everything for success. I am talking about people
who are willing to give up their marriages just to
make the business successful. They are willing to
live like hermits and work for 20 hours a day if that
is what it takes.”
I have been a W-2 employee for all of my profes-
sional career. As I explore what my life might be
after state government, maybe I am more of a
wantrepreneur, than a true entrepreneur. However,
it just does not make any sense to me that in order
to achieve success, one has to sacrifice their health
and happiness. There has to be a better way.
As human beings, I believe we both want and need
happiness and success. Our current societal operat-
ing model, known as Blank Slate, puts success
ahead of happiness. Blank Slate and its associated
materialism overlay state that once you achieve
success, you will be happy. Recent positive psy-
chology research has, however, proven otherwise.
Happiness precedes success. If you can achieve
happiness, success will follow.
For the past two years, I have been studying the
happiness and success model put forth by Mike Jay.
Mike is an international business and leadership
developmentalist who has consulted and coached
managers and executives in 47 countries. Original-
ly from Nebraska, Mike now lives in Manila, Phil-
ippines where he believes he can better capitalize
on the near east and Asian demographic growth
curves.
In Mike’s model, known as Flawless Living, what
makes us happy is inborn and unique to each of us.
What we view as success is usually determined by
sources and forces outside ourselves, what Mike
refers to as a composite success standard. This
creates a gap that Mike refers to as the happiness –
success gap. Traditionally, we try to close the gap
by changing ourselves, more often than not, with-
out success. As Mike is fond of saying, “Just be-
cause you can, doesn’t mean you will.” In Flawless
Living, closing the gap involves the use of strate-
gies other than personal change.
If you think about it, the current entrepreneurial
model, where 90 percent of the start-ups fail within
five years, is obviously flawed. I am not suggest-
ing that entrepreneurial success should not require
focus and hard work, only that it should not require
the loss of either health or happiness. The good life
should include happiness, success and health. To
achieve the good life, you should not have to sacri-
fice either happiness, health or success. Bill McPeck is a Certified Worksite Wellness Program
Consultant and Director of Employee Health and Safety for
Maine State Government. Contact Bill with your questions
and comments at 287-6783
What Price for Success?
Fourth in a series:
Childhood health
and our prosperity
EDITOR’S NOTE: To-
day’s young children are
tomorrow’s business lead-
ers, policy makers, and
parents. Capable children
are the basis of a prosper-
ous and sustainable society. Our future prosperity
starts with their success.
Getting it Right Early – Early childhood is a
complicated time when cognitive, emotional
and social development are tightly connected.
Learning, behavior and physical and mental
health are tied to this development.
“Early childhood experiences and learning
opportunities have a significant impact on a
child’s future success in life. We understand
that the positive impact of early childhood pro-
grams is directly dependent on the level of pro-
gram quality. Economists have determined that
investments in early childhood programs pro-
vide a more significant return on interventions
than at any other stage in an individual’s
life.” (Reidt-Parker, Judy. "Data Collection in
Maine: Assessing the Return on Public Invest-
ment in Maine's Early Childhood System | Mar-
garet Chase Smith Policy Center."Home | Mar-
garet Chase Smith Policy Center. N.p., n.d.
Web. 29 June 2011. <http://mcspolicycenter.
umaine.edu/?q=V18N1_Reidt-Parker>.)
Your business can assist in the healthy devel-
opment of children. Offer a family friendly
environment where children are welcome at
some company events or a “bring your child to
work day”. Another way to help is to offer fi-
nancial support to parents with children in early
education programs. Another option is to have
flexible work hours for those working parents.
For free children’s books and tips on how to
make your business more child-friendly please
contact United Way of Mid-Maine at 873-0686,
PO Box 91, Waterville, ME 04903-0091 or
This early childhood development message is
brought to you by the Greater Waterville Alli-
ance for Early Childcare and Education.
Page 6
Upcoming Events
Feb. 7 Fri. 8:00 a.m. Bus. Attraction & Retention
Chamber Boardroom
Feb. 10 Fri. 7:30 a.m. Public Policy
Chamber Boardroom
Feb. 16 Thur. 7:30 a.m. Executive Board
Chamber Boardroom
Feb. 22 Wed. 8:00 a.m. Membership
Chamber Boardroom
Feb. 24 Fri. 7:30 a.m. Board of Directors
Chamber Boardroom
Mar. 1 Thur. 12:00 p.m. Information Services
Chamber Boardroom
Mar. 2 Fri. 7:30 a.m. Public Policy
Chamber Boardroom
New Business Support Services Available
By Tammy L. Rabideau, MLS
Are you starting a business in Maine? Grow-
ing your business in Maine? Bringing your
business to Maine? Maine now has business
development experts strategically located
throughout the state. A newly formed team of
Governor’s Account Executives intends to
make sure hundreds of companies and eco-
nomic development organizations take ad-
vantage of Maine's valuable business re-
sources. The team’s primary goal is to ensure
that businesses are successful and have the
ability to grow jobs in the state of Maine. This
new team of Governor's Account Executives
is available now to help you and your busi-
ness succeed. Account Executives will work
with you to identify your goals and help you
achieve them by bringing the right people and
resources to the table. You don't have to know
all the programs, people, resources, and re-
quirements necessary to run and grow your
business, the Governor’s Account Executives
are ready to help with it all. The Governor’s
Account Executives program was created by
Deb Neuman, Deputy Commissioner of the
Department of Economic and Community
Development.
To speak with a member of the Governor’s
Account Executive Team, call: 1-800-872-
3838 or contact any of the Account Execu-
tives.
Governor’s Account Executive Team: Deb Neuman: 624-9822; 557-1097 (cell);
Ron McKinnon: 624-9819; 557-3591 (cell);
Brian Doyle: 624-9807;
Rosaire Pelletier: 624-7425; 557-1971 (cell);
Kristine Schuman: 624-7456; 592-0448 (cell);
Brian Mulligan: 624-7457; 446-7533 (cell);
Jaimie Logan: 624-7585; 215-0302 (cell);
To find out more about the Governor’s Account
Executives contact anyone listed above or visit the
web site at: http://www.maine.gov/decd/business_
in_maine/find_specialist.shtml
Tammy Rabideau is Business & Career
Center Coordinator at the Waterville Public
Library. FMI: 207.680.2611 or busi-
[email protected], http://
www.watervillelibrary.org/departments/ness/,
http://www.facebook.com/wplbcc
Feb. 9: Business Breakfast Series
7:30-9 p.m. Thomas College
From Myth to Reality-What We
Do & What We Don’t Do
Peter Pare, Director of the Maine Department of La-
bor Bureau of Employment Services, will give an
overview of the Bureau of Employment Services
offerings.
Feb. 29: Meet the Reps
5:30-7 p.m. Chamber Boardroom
The final in the Mid-Maine Cham-
ber’s and KV Connect’s popular
Meet the Reps program is scheduled
for the last Wednesday in February. The evening
affairs are designed to promote and prolong commu-
nication between business leaders, professionals and
young professionals with their local, state and nation-
al government officials. Complimentary hors d' oeu-
vres, beer & wine are provided thanks to our sponsor,
Eagle Rental.
Feb. 15: Business After Hours
5:30-7 p.m. Inland Family Care
16 Concourse West, Waterville
Hosted by: Inland Hospital, Eastern
Maine HomeCare & Kennebec
Behavioral Health
Sparetime Recreation in
Waterville is now being man-
aged by Rusty Cottle, previ-
ous owner of Lucky Strike
Lanes in Gardiner.
Century 21 Surette Real
Estate welcome’s Ron
Blaisdell and Heather Stone
to their team. Ron was first
licensed in the mid 70’s and
has been active full time since
1984. Heather, recently hav-
ing been through the first time
home owner process is espe-
cially excited to help people
destined to own their own
home!
MaineGeneral Office of
Philanthropy welcomes Tina
Burrill as their newly appoint-
ed Community Fundraising
Coordinator.
Score, Counselors to Ameri-
ca’s Small Businesses, recent-
ly appointed Ed Ross as the
new Chair of the Board.
Spectrum Generations is
very happy to introduce
Diane Woodworth as its new
Development Director, with
over 25 years of experience.
Page 7
Selah Tea Cafe is excited to offer new vegan and
gluten-free menu choices. The ham and brie sand-
wich is coming back and the hours of operation
will be Monday through Saturday, 8AM to 9PM.
Bangor International Airport reported that 2011
passenger traffic was up 11%, with more than
429,000 passengers using the airport. This is
the 2nd consecutive year that numbers have in-
creased. A total of 31,282 passengers used BIA in
Dec. making it the best Dec. since 1998.
Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area will offer
an 6 week support group for mothers and fathers
who have experienced the death of an infant. The
group will start at the end of January, 2012. Meet-
ings are free and will be held at the Hospice Vol-
unteers of Waterville Area Community Center,
304 Main St., Waterville. Sarah Swift-Simons,
Director of Bereavement Services FMI: or to join
the group 873-3615 x 15 or sswift-
A collaborative effort of United Way of Mid-
Maine, Key Bank, the IRS, Casey Family Ser-
vices and many others, the Central Maine Creat-
ing Assets, Savings, and Hope (CA$H) coalition is
launching its annual service of free tax preparation
in what they hope to be a record-breaking season
helping individuals and families gain their maxi-
mum tax return possible. They’ll be offering 16
local tax clinics. Appointments required. Call 873-
7700 or 1-888-392-4636.
Try Champions Fitness Club's Zumba Class
Tuesday and Thursday’s at 8:15 AM if you want
to really spice it up! It's a Latin inspired, calorie
burning dance party that is easy to follow and so
much fun you'll forget your exercising. FMI: 873-
0571 or [email protected].
Dead River Co. is buying the home-heating divi-
sion of Webber Energy Fuels according to a re-
cent press release. The two companies signed a
purchase-and-sale agreement on Jan. 12 and ex-
pect to close by the end of Jan. or beginning
of Feb.
MaineGeneral VP of Philanthropy Lisa Hallee
proudly announced that their Imagine campaign
for the New Regional Hospital/Thayer Compre-
hensive Outpatient Center recently surpassed the
$7 million mark on their march to raise $10 mil-
lion to fully meet the Alfond Foundation Chal-
lenge. In addition to its campaign, the steel for
their new facility is also rising quickly – follow the
progress with a live web cam and cool time-lapse
video: www.give.mainegeneral.org.
Somerset Stone Center, 43 Green Rd., Fairfield is
proud to announce that it is a certified Techniseal
dealer. Techniseal offers only premium quality
treatments to help clean and protect the exterior
surfaces of homes. FMI: 453-2616 or
www.somersetstonecenter.com
Maine-ly Elder Care would like to introduce its
newest division, Christian Caregivers. Ease that
stress with caregivers that share your same values.
Clients not only receive the quality personal care
they need, but can share their faith with their care-
giver. Such activities include: sharing in prayer
and worship, reading the Bible and participating in
church functions, and sharing fellowship. This is a
match made in Heaven. FMI: 207-465-3249 or
www.maine-lyeldercare.com
Winslow Community Federal Credit Union is
proud to announce that with the help of its mem-
bers, area businesses and staff, it raised $3400 for
this year's Maine Credit Unions' Campaign for
Ending Hunger. Way to go!
Maine State Chamber of Commerce and Maine
Development Foundation announce the release
of "Making Maine Work: Investment in Young
Children = Real Economic Development." The
most recent in the Making Maine Work series
examines the proven benefits derived from invest-
ment in a child's early development years, which
have real potential for Maine. For a copy, go to
either web site or stop by the Mid-Maine Cham-
ber.
Looking for the best sushi around? Check out
Thai Bistro where sushi is always fresh and deli-
cious!
Downeast Energy recently announced that its
employees have raised $52,076 in this year's Unit-
ed Way campaign. Downeast matched with
$31,650 to make its total contribution $83,726!
A2Z Computing Services, Inc. the parent compa-
ny of Hometown USA, announced that it will
begin accepting press releases from businesses,
organizations and individuals for posting on
HometownUSA.com. In an effort to populate its
redesigned News and Events section with quality
information of interest to local residents and visi-
tors alike, the company will immediately start
posting valid press releases for viewing by its visi-
tors. News and Press Releases may be submitted to
[email protected]. Events are also being
accepted for posting on the new Community Cal-
endars; please see HometownUSA.com for details.
Webster Atlantic Corp. is selling its three maga-
zines, Bangor Metro, Real Maine Weddings and
Maine Ahead. A group of investors led by area
businessman and former Department of Economic
and Community Development Commissioner Jack
Cashman is buying Bangor Metro.
Inland Hospital recently started a program called
“Let’s Go!” to help combat the childhood obesity
epidemic in Maine. Let’s Go! Reaches children
and families where they live, learn work and play
with a consistent message that promotes four
healthy behaviors. FMI: www.letsgo.org or contact
Ellen Wells, Inland Hospital’s Community Well-
ness Coordinator at 861-3292 or [email protected].
US Airways will begin offering nonstop flights
between Bangor International Airport and
Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Va., begin-
ning in March. The airline will also add flights
between Bangor and Philadelphia.
Spectrum Generations Family Caregiver Pro-
gram is pleased to announce it will hold two ses-
sions of the Savvy Caregiver Program at its Mus-
kie Community Center located at 38 Gold Street,
Waterville. This six week training is designed with
family caregivers of people with cognitive losses
in mind. Participants will obtain the attitude, skills
and knowledge that are necessary to keep a person
with dementia content and involved in their life at
home. Each session includes training, activities
and discussion. Caregivers are given reading and
practice assignments to complete. FMI: call 1-800-
282-0764 ext 127.
If you have any member news for the March
InTouch email it before Feb. 17th to
Page 8
50 Elm Street
Waterville, ME 04901
PRE-SORTED STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT #146
Waterville, ME 04901
Have some news you would like to share? Submit a short announcement to the Chamber office by the 3rd Friday of the prior month. Inserts are also available for $125 per month. Call 873-3315 or email [email protected]. Disclaimer: The Mid-Maine Chamber’s InTouch newsletter is published monthly as a benefit to members and affili-
ates. All member news is compiled and submitted solely by our members; therefore, we reserve the right to omit and/or edit as appropriate, and cannot guarantee complete accu-
racy of all announcements. Sponsorship inserts do not necessarily reflect the position of the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce.
166 College Ave., PO Box 215 Waterville, ME 04903-0215
www.az-cpa.com
12 Monument St Winslow, Me 04901
207-872-2636 www.wcfcu.com
COMMUNITY PEOPLE YOU KNOW
Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s Centennial Charlie Haberstock is 8 years old and has a busi-
ness card collection of over 1,400 cards. He likes
to know about each business and asks many ques-
tions so he decided to help us by interviewing some
area businesses. Below are excerpts from his 1st
interview. Charlie received a little help from his
mom, Carrie Haberstock.
Chris Gaunce is the General Manager at Central
Maine Motors. He manages the managers at his car
sales company. You can tell he likes people be-
cause he has photos of all his employees on the
walls, has great play rooms for kids who are wait-
ing for their parents to buy a car, and has bananas
and cookies for people. He took my mom and me
on a tour of all of his buildings. We got to ride in
one of his cars and sit in a Chevy Caprice Police
car with a radio and spot light.
I liked the tour and the funny customer stories
the best. We went to the parts shops of Chevrolet
and Toyota where CMM has so many parts that
most likely they can fix a person's car that day. We
went to the service shops where each worker has a
tool kit that can be as expensive as $15,000.00 to
$20,000.00!!! They take all the old oil from peo-
ple's cars and use it to heat their buildings--a great
thing for the environment.
At the body shop we saw cars being painted in a
place where the temperatures reach up to 150 de-
grees to set the paint! The paint is water based for
the environment. The guy has to wear protective
gear to breathe. Everybody seems really nice and
everybody gave me business cards for my collec-
tion. I did not know that all this was going on in
my town.
In the past, CMM gave away one car a year but
people had to do funny things to win the car. My
favorite story is the one where people had to leave
their hands on the car and whoever lasted the long-
est with both hands on the car won the car! A guy
won after about 3 or 4 days. He couldn't sleep or
itch himself.
Charlie Haberstock (left) & Chris Gaunce
at Central Maine Motors Continued on page 3
Business to Business Showcase 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 Alfond Youth Center 126 North St., Waterville 2:00 to 7:00 PM
Thanks to our major sponsors:
Program Sponsors: Inland Hospital, TD Bank, Time Warner Cable Business Class, Pine View Homes,
Cape Air, Thomas College Graduate Division, People’s United Bank,
Fairfield, Oakland, Unity & Winslow Pharmacies
Thanks to Oxford Networks for sponsoring the Business After Hours!
I would like provided (check all needed): Electricity Table Table Cloth
Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce members are invited to reserve a booth to display their wares/services at the 2012
Business to Business Showcase. The event will include a marketing forum, an internship fair, and culminate in a Business
After Hours! The cost is $195 per booth, and space is limited.
2-3 PM — Marketing Roundtables on Facebook, Facebook 2.0, QR Codes, LinkedIn
3:30-5 PM — Internship Fair Sponsored by Central Maine Growth Council - Do you have a possible
internship opportunity in your company? Contact Robyn Loubier at [email protected].
5:30-7 PM — Business After Hours sponsored by Oxford Networks
Name: ___________________________________________________
Company: ___________________________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________________________
Phone: __________________________Email:________________________
Only a few available booths are remaining, please call us at 873-3315 or email us
at [email protected] for openings.
2012 Participants:
1 Amcomm Wireless
2 EZ To Use.com
3 Bangor Savings Bank
4 Central Maine Motors
5 TD Bank
6 Delta Ambulance
7 Cumulus - 92 Moose/B-98.5/KOOL
AM
8 Kennebec Savings Bank
9 Day's Travel
10 Sexual Assault Crisis & Support
Center
11 Pine View Homes
12 Hospice Volunteers of Waterville
13 Fireside Inn & Suites
14 Workplace Health/MaineGeneral
Medical Center
15 Elm City Home Inspection
16 American Glass Company
17 PFBF CPAs
18 Kennebec Valley Council of
Governments
19 Kennebec Wealth Management
20 Kennebec Wealth Management
21 AAA Insurance & Travel
22 Cappza's Pizza
23
24 Spectrum Generations Muskie Center
25 The Advertising Specialist of Maine
26 KSW Federal Credit Union
27 Advance 1 Cleaning Services
28
29
30
31
32 Pete's Pig
33 Century 21 Nason Realty
34 Choice Investments
35 Bath Fitter
36
37 Windows Plus
38 American Lung Association
39 Pine Tree Cellular
40
41
42
43
44 High Hopes Club House
45 The Bank of Maine
46 Maine Eye Care
47 Winslow Pharmacy
48
49
50
51 Black Dog Graphics
52 Mid-Maine Marine
53
54
55
56 Assistance Plus
57 Snow Pond Technology Group, Inc.
58 Skowhegan Savings Bank
59 Sullivan Wealth Management
60
61 SCORE
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69 Time Warner Cable Business Class
70 Cape Air
71 Hampton Inn
72 Waterville Opera House
73
74
75
76 MEANS (Maine Academy of Natural
Sciences)
77
78 Main Security Surveillance, Inc.
79
80
81
82
83 Kelly Services
84 Care & Comfort
85 Ware-Butler Inc.
86 Morning Sentinel
87 Are You Ready To Party??
88 The Maine Children's Home
89 People's United Bank
90 SBS Carbon Copy
91 KeyBank NA
92 New Dimensions Federal Credit
Union
93 Kennebec Behavioral Health
94 Somerset Stone Center
95 Champions Fitness Club
96 BNI Elm City Referral Source
97 Bug Busterzzz
98 Lockharts Lawn Care
99 US Cellular
100 Stained Glass Express
101 O'Donnell, Lee, McCowan, &
Phillips, LLC
102 Kennebec Electric & Lighting
103 T & B's Celebration Center
104 T & B's Outback Tavern
105 Manpower
106 Inland Hospital
109 Coldwell Banker Plourde Real Estate
110 Eye Center of Central Maine
111 Transco
112 Downeast Energy
113 Bridges Help at Home - Spectrum
Generations
114 Valley Distributors
115 Charles J. Ruff, Orthodontics
116 Best Western Plus
117 Northeast Limo
118 United Way of Mid-Maine
119 Oxford Networks
120 Oxford Networks
121 Century 21 Surette Real Estate
2012
Thank you to our 2012 sponsors
Registration Form is at the bottom Held at Thomas College Student Center, 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
January 12: The New Face of DECD – Business Friendly. Deb Neuman, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development joins us to talk about the many ways State Government is working to be more "business friendly" and how the State can help you start and expand your business in Maine. February 9: From Myth to Reality-What We Do and What We Don’t Do! : Peter Pare, Director of the Maine Department of Labor Bu-reau of Employment Services, will give an overview of the Bureau of Employment Services offerings. March 8: Ten Workplace Wellness Tips for Small Businesses. Willow Sherwood, executive director of WELCOA. Despite limited resources, small businesses can implement a workplace wellness program for employees. Workplace health promotion can help im-prove employee health, boost productivity, increase employee morale, reduce employee turnover and increase your bottom line. April 5: Customer Service. LL Bean’s Julie Girard gives us a look at what makes Maine’s top outdoor retailer succeed. May 3: Grant Writing Workshop: “How to Find, Apply, and Get the Funding!” Find out how to add “CFO (Cash~ Flow~ Oxygen)” to your business, non-profit, construction, service, and more! June 14: Non-Profit Success Stories. Learn from Panelists of successful non-profits from around the state about what’s worked (and what hasn’t) as they strive to grow and remain relevant in today’s economy. September 13: Integrated Marketing: Getting The Whole Picture. Alexandra Heseltine of Gray Cat Marketing & Design explains why marketing is more than a Web site, advertising or social media. It is a holistic approach to identifying your customers’ pain points, meet-ing them where they are and offering them a solution to a problem. October 11: Legislative Issues: TBD. November 8: Become an Epic Networker: 10 Commandments to Build your Professional Connections. David Pease, senior vice president, Androscoggin Bank, and one of our state's most respected human resource professionals, will break it down for us so that we can become expert networkers and build our customer base. December 13: Unbind your Mind. Ted Helberg, vice president, human resources at Acadia Hospital outlines principals of creative problem solving and developing methods of reframing processes/work. The discussion centers on metaphorical thinking and ridding our-selves of 10 mental blocks. A fun session with puzzles and riddles mixed in for the audience.
R E G I S T R A T I O N F O R M Cost per person: $14 members, $16 late registration (after Friday before the event), $20 non-members
Name(s): ________________________________________________________________ Phone: __________________
Company: ________________________________________Address: ________________________________________
CHECK ENCLOSED FOR $ _________ as noted above. (PLEASE NOTE: Your reservation guarantees your Business Breakfast. To cancel, please call the Chamber three (3) working days prior to the event, or you will be charged. Late-registration fee applies after the Friday prior to the breakfast.)
Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, 50 Elm Street, Waterville, ME 04901-6015 E-mail: [email protected] • PHONE: 873-3315 • FAX: 877-0087
Special thanks to Time Warner Network 9 & Local Access Channel 7 for taping and rebroadcasting our Business Breakfasts!
2012
Do you have a need for an intern to assist with
projects, research, marketing, data & more?
Do you want to support the professional
development of the younger generation?
Come meet with area college students at The 4th Annual Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s
College Internship Fair
Sponsored by the Central Maine Growth Council
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Alfond Youth Center, Waterville
3:30 - 5:00 PM In conjunction with the Business to Business Showcase 2:00 - 7:00 PM
Consider hiring a student intern!
What an internship might include:
Paid and unpaid positions
A minimum of 10 hours per week
Special projects
Takes place during summer and/or fall 2012
The Mid-Maine Chamber is recruiting local businesses that currently offer or
can create internships to participate in this networking event, sponsored by
the Central Maine Growth Council. Meet with area college students interested
in working for local firms. Firms interested in participating or learning more
should contact: Diane Anderson, Assistant Director of Career Services at
Thomas College, at 207-859-1464 or [email protected]
Thank you to our 2012 sponsor!
Registration form on the back.
2012 Internship Fair Registration and Information
Thank you for your interest in participating in the 2012 Internship Fair, sponsored by the Central Maine
Growth Council, and held in conjunction with the Mid-Maine Chamber’s Business to Business Showcase. Please
complete the form below. If you have questions about developing an internship description, need any other
information related to creating an internship, or information about the event itself, please feel free to contact:
Diane Anderson, Thomas College Career Services, at [email protected] or 859-1464.
Please return this form via email to: [email protected]
or by mail to:
Diane Anderson Thomas College 180 West River Road Waterville, ME 04901
Company Info.
Company Name: __________________________________________________________________
Contact Person: ___________________________________________________________________
Telephone: ______________________________ Email:___________________________________
Internship Info.
Internship Title: __________________________________________________________________
Hours per week:__________ Guidance on whether or not an intern should be paid is available at:
Paid or Unpaid: ___________ http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf
Please provide a brief description of duties; and knowledge, skills, and abilities the position would require
(feel free to attach a separate document if you need more space:
The 4th Annual Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s
College Internship Fair
Sponsored by the Central Maine Growth Council
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Alfond Youth Center, Waterville
3:30 - 5:00 PM
Reach Your Target Audience
The InTouch newsletter is sent to over 825
business professionals. What better way to
reach a responsive audience than with the
Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s news
publication? Advertise with us!
Pricing
8 ½ x 11 inch single sheet, unfolded $125 per issue
8 ½ x 11 inch single sheet, folded $150 per issue
825 Inserts Required
Inserts must be delivered to the Chamber office by the 3rd Friday of the
month.
InTouch is printed 11 months per year.
Be wise – print on both sides of your insert.
Contact the Chamber TODAY to
reserve your space. All requests are
taken by date on a first-come, first-
serve basis. Call 873-3315 or e-mail:
Looking for Meeting Space?
Rent our Chamber Board room! It
comfortably seats 25 people, but more can
fit if standing. Free Starbucks coffee service
is included. LCD Projector and screen are
available.
Pricing for Members:
4 Hours $45
Full day $75
TV/DVD Service FREE
Pricing for Non-Members:
4 Hours $75
Full day $125
TV/DVD Service $15
Contact the Chamber TODAY to reserve your
space. All requests are taken by date on a first-
come, first-serve basis. Call 873-3315 or e-mail
Glenn at [email protected].