Business Insider Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce
KennebecValleyChamber.com
March 2016
Upcoming Events
Business Insider March 16, Senator Inn
Ranked Choice Voting
Recently, you may have heard a lot about Ranked Choice Voting. Perhaps you find yourself wanting to learn more about the effects of this proposition on local politics and your business. At this month’s Business Insider Breakfast, we will learn the ins and outs of ranked choice voting from Dick Woodbury, an economist and former Maine State Senator. He served five terms in the legislature, and is currently chairing the citizen initiative to implement ranked choice voting in Maine. This initiative of Mainers collected over 70,000 signatures to put this reform on the ballot in November 2016. Join us to learn more about this topic and be an informed voter! Send your RSVP to [email protected]
Women’s Network March 9, Senator Inn
Girls On The Run
Young women can gain inspiration in many settings and from many role models. Some girls in Maine are finding fun, friendship and fitness with Girls On The Run. GOTR's mission is to "inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running." Join program director Staci Olsen and coach Kari deLongpre to learn about the Maine Girls on the Run. Staci is constantly amazed by the generosity and dedication of the volunteers who deliver the program and is thrilled to be able to provide this unique opportunity to the girls in Maine. RSVP to [email protected]
Women’s Network sponsors: Business Insider sponsors:
Small Business Resource Team 1
New & Renewing Members 2
CEO Corner 2
CYNERGY Spotlight 3
Sponsor Spotlight: KSB 4
Help us spread the word! 5
Member Spotlight 6
Meet the Board 6
Chamber Notes 7
Business After Hours 8
Inside this issue:
March
3/01 KLI Golf Comm., 11:00 a.m. @ KVCC
3/01 KLI Alumni Comm., 12:00 p.m.
@ KVCC
3/08 KVCC Board Meeting
3/09 Women’s Network Luncheon,
11:30 a.m. @ Senator Inn
3/10 Cynergy: Interviewing for Management Panel & Workshop,
5:30 - 7:00 p.m. @ Kaplan University
3/16 Business Insider Breakfast, 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. @ Senator Inn
3/16 KVCC Membership Comm., 11:30 a.m. @ KVCC
3/23 Business After Hours,
5:00 - 7:00 p.m. @ Civic Center
April
4/06 KLI Comm., 12 p.m. @ KVCC
4/12 Member Appreciation Day
4/12 KVCC Board Meeting
4/13 Women’s Network Luncheon,
11:30 a.m.@ Senator Inn
4/20 Business Insider Breakfast, 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. @ Senator Inn
4/20 KVCC Membership Comm., 11:30 a.m. @ KVCC
4/25 CYNERGY Bowling Tournament @Sparetime Recreation, Hallowell
4/27 Business After Hours,
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
@ Bangor Savings Bank
Business Owners—have
you ever felt like you were
just “winging it”? We all know
that Small Business Owners
wear many hats, but have
you ever had the nagging
feeling that you were missing
something?
Do you know the answers
to the following questions?
What type of insurance should I
have for my business?
How can I use direct deposit for
payroll?
I’m not a lawyer or accountant –
how can I figure out what all
these regulations mean?
“experts” who could lend their
experience and knowledge to
provide mentorship to foster the
growth and success of
organizations in the Kennebec
Valley region. Our lead mentors
are ready to speak with you and
direct you to resources in the
areas of Operations, Finance,
Insurance/Legal, Technology,
Marketing/Advertising.
Could you use some help
navigating your small business?
Are you thinking of opening a
new business? There are no
long applications or forms; all it
takes is a phone call to get
started—you don’t even have to
be a chamber member! Contact
the Kennebec Valley Chamber
at 623-4559 to get started.
We’re open for business – your
business!
Should my business have a
website or Facebook page?
What’s the deal with accepting
ApplePay and chip cards?
If you need help answering
these questions, we have the
solution.
The Small Business
Resource Team is a FREE
mentorship program that allows
local small businesses and
entrepreneurs to access a
wealth of knowledge and
resources. With the support of
the Chamber and the efforts of
over twenty volunteers from
area businesses, the Small
Business Resource Team can
help entrepreneurs from start-
up to expansion.
After resounding requests
from Kennebec Valley Chamber
members, an idea was born to
assemble a team of local
Small Business Resource Team By Jessica Norton
Page 2 Business Insider
AARP Maine David Torresen, 776-6312
www.aarp.org/me
The Breathable Home Nadine Aubuchon, 446-0943 www.thebreathablehome.com
The Computer Shop Brad Dostie, 215-5365
www.MaineComputerShop.com
Wrench Hound Automotive, LLC Ashley Hamilton-Ellis, 458-9332
WELCOME NEW
MEMBERS!
MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
Kennebec Journal
Macomber, Farr & Whitten
40+ YEARS
Knowlton Hewins Roberts Funeral
Homes and Cremation Service
35+ YEARS
MaineGeneral Community Care
Marketplace at Augusta
North Country Rivers - Whitewater
Rafting
Sam's Club
Theater At Monmouth
20+ YEARS
Hampton Inn
Jems d'Amour
Lakepoint Real Estate
Lisa's Legit Burritos
Sportsman's Alliance of Maine
ALSO RENEWING
Capital Area Staffing Solutions, Inc.
Dance Unlimited, LLC
Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed
Ganneston Construction Corp.
Liberty Mutual Company
Line-X of Augusta
10+ YEARS
Please welcome & give your personal support to our newest members:
Augusta Trails
Kozak & Gayer, P.A.
Maine Mathematics and Science
Alliance
National Worksite Benefit Group
New Dimensions FCU
The Cat Hospital/The Cat's Inn
5+ YEARS
A Partner in Technology
Hershey's Ice Cream
Lamey Wellehan
On Top, Inc.
Spurwink School
15+ YEARS
25+ YEARS
CEO
Corner
I continue
to be
impressed
by the
amazing
things happening
throughout our Kennebec
Valley region. If you have
something new or innovative
at your business, please
drop us a line, we would
love to tell your story.
Additionally, if you know of
a business in our region who
is not a member of our
Chamber family, please put
them in touch so we can
continue to connect all of
the great businesses
together.
Ross Cunningham,
President & CEO
Page 3
Spotlight
Are you a young professional in the Kennebec Valley region who is hoping to move into a management role within your company and beyond? Are you starting to find
it difficult to fit all of your resume information on a single double-sided sheet of paper?
If you answered “yes”, “maybe”, or even “I'm not sure” to either of the questions above... then we want you to join Cynergy on Thursday, March 10th as we host an Interviewing for Management panel and workshop from 5:30-7pm at Kaplan University in Augusta.
Our panel discussion will feature Cathy DeMerchant from Capital Area Staffing Solutions along with career counselors and advisors from Kaplan University to discuss ways to make sure YOU stand out at your next interview. After the panel, we'll follow up with breakout workshop sessions to review your current resume and provide tips to enhance your professional profile.
This event will take place in a classroom setting, so space is limited. We will provide light refreshments, and we ask that you bring your current resume with you for our breakout workshop sessions to get the most out of the event. Please RSVP to [email protected] and reserve your spot today!
Interviewing for Management Panel and Workshop Thursday, March 10, 2016 5:30-7pm
at Kaplan University Augusta All attendees are asked to bring their current resume for workshop discussion
Refreshments will be provided
SAVE THE DATE
KLI Golf Tournament
July 11, 2016
Thanks to our sponsors!
Page 4 Business Insider
MEET THE SPONSOR:
KSB Means Business! Whether your business need is real estate - or some variation of planes, trains and automobiles - Kennebec Savings Bank is all about business. Our full-service and continually expanding Commercial Team is ready to support your commercial, industrial, municipal or construction banking needs.
Kennebec Savings Bank’s commercial lenders know our local community and market place. Each lender has individual loan authority, which speeds the decision making process. We are a Finance Authority of Maine [FAME] approved lender, making additional resources available to small businesses customers.
In addition to our premier business checking account, Kennebec Savings Bank has also enjoyed great success with local firms by offering their employees robust Health Savings Accounts [HSAs], which include chip enabled debit cards.
With Kennebec Savings Bank’s Automated Clearing House [ACH] services, business owners can offer direct deposit of payroll, recurring payments, debits to clients’ accounts and other transactions. We offer Remote Deposit Capture (where businesses may scan deposits), Merchant Services (for on-site or online purchases) and Corporate Credit Card programs.
For business owners that need succession plans or financial planning, Kennebec Savings Bank has an Investment Management and Trust area, while our Kennebec Wealth Management group offers comprehensive financial services and securities through LPL Financial.
Kennebec Savings Bank has an established portfolio of secure products and services for business banking. While most banks focus on fees, we offer a simple and competitively low fee structure for products and services. Call Kennebec Savings Bank today and let us show you the KSB difference.
Looking for an
affordable way
to reach new
customers?
1/2 Page (5.5” x 8.5”) $150.00/month SOLD OUT
1/4 Page (4.25” x 5.5”) $100.00/month SOLD OUT
1/8 Page (4.25”x2.75”) $75.00/month
1/16 Page (2.5”x2.5”) $50.00/month
10% Discount for 6 month commitment
20% Discount for 12 month commitment
Contact us for more information!
Call 623-4559 or email
This could
be your ad!
Photo caption (l-r): Mark Stebbins, Katie Vickers and Brent Hall – members of KSB’s Greater Augusta-area commercial team
Inserts in the Business Insider
Newsletter are a great way to
reach a large audience for the
small investment of $250.
Call 623-4559 FMI
Page 5 Business Insider
Help us spread the word!
Your Chamber membership is something you should be proud of. Not only
are you a part of a flourishing business network, but you are also supporting
your community. Here are some great ideas to help you share your chamber
membership with your customers:
1. Put a link to the KennebecValleyChamber.com on your website. This
is so easy and can work as a great tool to promote your fellow chamber
businesses. If you would like to feature the Chamber logo and a link to
our website on your page, email [email protected] and
we will be happy to help!
2. Add the Chamber to your advertising. A simple statement at the end
of your radio, television, and print advertising can help share your
membership with the community. Simply add “A proud member of the
Kennebec Valley Chamber” to the end of each spot!
3. Share our news on Social Media. Do you follow us on Facebook and Twitter?
We are sharing member and community news every single day. Sharing this news
on your page not only gives your followers the dynamic and relevant information
they seek, but also shows your dedication to our community!
Proud Member of the
Kennebec Valley
Chamber of
Commerce
Page 6 Business Insider
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:
SAUNDERS MFG. CO., INC.
Meet the Board: Karen Boston
Karen Boston joined the
Kennebec Valley Chamber of
Commerce board in
December of 2015. During her
nearly 20 years as an attorney
with Lipman & Katz in Augusta,
Karen has fostered many
relationships throughout the
Kennebec Valley.
Karen was born and raised in
Augusta and has settled here
with her family. She has been
active with the Chamber
through her service on the Women’s Network Committee
and volunteers her time throughout the community.
Karen enjoys running in local road races, playing tennis,
and bike riding with family. Karen is married to Jeff Boston,
an elementary school principal in RSU #38 at Readfield and
Wayne Elementary Schools. Karen and Jeff have three
children.
A small family business established in 1947,
Saunders continues to manufacture high quality
products at its Readfield facility in the Kennebec
Valley. With equal measure “Yankee ingenuity”
and “old fashioned hard work” A.H. Saunders,
with his son Joe, introduced the first Aluminum
Holders. The Holders provided the solution for
management of multi-part business forms and
form-sets, providing a protected storage location
for spare forms, a firm writing surface to
complete the forms, and a separate storage
location for the retained copy of the completed
form. Primary initial users of the Holders
included delivery drivers and police officers.
Today, Saunders continues to emphasize
products manufactured in the USA and offers a
full line of clipboards, with storage or without,
produced from aluminum, plastic, and
hardboard. In addition to clipboards and their
customization, Saunders offers many other
items for use in the home, office, and industry.
Saunders products can be found across the
U.S. in office products retailers, contract
stationers, industrial suppliers, and through
familiar companies including Sam’s, Walmart,
and Amazon. Saunders products are also
available in Canada, Mexico, and many
locations internationally.
We are pleased to be a Maine manufacturer
producing quality products, employing a quality
workforce, and enjoying quality of life in Maine!
This section, dedicated to highlighting a member
business, is given away at the monthly
Business After Hours!
Page 7 Chamber Notes Johnson Hall continues its
season in February with Avner the Eccentric (Mar 12), Carol Noonan & Rose Cousins (Mar 18), and Maine Event Comedy (Mar 26). Visit johnsonhall.org or call 582-7144 for more information.
Bangor Savings Bank, just received an A+ national financial health rating from DepositAccounts.com, which places it in the highest tier (top 10%) of the approximately 13,000 federally insured banks and credit unions nationwide, in terms of financial health.
The Healthy People of the Kennebec Valley invites you to a special forum for employers to learn about the most recent Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). This is a unique opportunity for employers to gain a better understanding of the health of our community & to provide input on how to better address the health needs of their workforce. This will be held March 23, 2016 at MaineGeneral's
Alfond Center for Health from 9:00-11:00 am. FMI, contact Kristen Easter at 621-8809.
Sexual Assault Crisis & Support Center, in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, will be hosting an awareness/fundraising event on April 6th from 4:00-6:00 pm at the Red Barn in Augusta. Please call 377-1010 or visit www.facebook.com/silentnomoreorg/events for more information.
Kennebec Savings Bank President and CEO, Andrew Silsby, has announced a promotion for Jessica Norton to Operations Officer. She will oversee the bank’s branch operations, items processing, and customer care departments and have overall responsibility for the daily operations of the Bank’s core operating system. Norton will also continue to support and enhance the systems that each of the Bank’s branches use to operate on a daily basis. Congratulations Jessica!
Redzone Wireless, LLC, a leading Maine wireless internet solutions
provider (WISP), announced the first in a new suite of broadband services specifically developed for Maine businesses featuring breakthroughs in speed and affordability. The new commercial broadband service offers symmetrical speeds of 200 Mbps at a monthly cost of $159, or 100 Mbps service for only $99 per month. Redzone’s Business Broadband, initially developed and offered in Camden, will expand 2016 availability to other Redzone-served communities including Rockland, Portland, Westbrook, Lewiston/Auburn, Bangor, and Augusta.
Option
3
Option
2
Option
3
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3
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2
Option 1
Be on every page!
Advertise with KennebecValleyChamber.com! With options available for every type of budget, your Chamber is
happy to help you find the right fit for your business. We offer free
ad creation, discounts for 6 month commitments, and
comprehensive analytical data for your ad.
For more information, contact Cynthia at 623-4559
MEMBERSHIP
APPRECIATION DAY
APRIL 12, 2016
If you are interested in
donating items or
volunteering, please call us
today at 623-4559!
The Augusta Civic Center will host the March Business After Hours on Wednesday, March 23rd from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at their location in Augusta. KV Chamber members and guests are welcome to join us for networking and great food!
Every Business After Hours is an incredible opportunity to win amazing door prizes and take part in the 50/50 raffle. The Augusta Civic Center will be giving away several door prizes during the event. Delicious hors d’oeuvres will be available and guests are welcome to partake in the cash bar.
Be sure to bring a large stack of business cards to share with your new business contacts.
To RSVP call 623-4559 or email [email protected].
Mark your calendar! The next Business After Hours will be held on April 27, 2016 at Bangor Savings Bank!
KVCC Board of Directors Eric Jermyn, Chair*
Cross Insurance Agency
Stacey Morrison, Chair-Elect*
Ganneston Construction Corp.
Steven H. Marson, Vice Chair*
Central Maine Pyrotechnics
Matthew R. Tardiff, Treasurer*
J.S. McCarthy Printers
Kim Vandermeulen, Past Chair*
Alternative Manufacturing, Inc.
Chuck W. Hays, Past Treasurer*
MaineGeneral Health
Craig H. Nelson, Esq., Special Counsel*
Doyle & Nelson
Ross H. Cunningham, President and CEO*^
* Executive Committee ^ Full-time Executive
Karen Boston
Lipman & Katz, P.A.
James F. Conneely, Ph.D.
University of Maine at Augusta
Nathan R. Cotnoir
Camden National Bank
Cathy A. DeMerchant
Capital Area Staffing Solutions, Inc.
Randy Hutchins
O’Connor AutoPark
Earl Kingsbury
Augusta Civic Center
Michal Kleinlerer, D.M.D., M.M.Sc
MK Orthodontics
Ian D. Kopp
Kenway Corporation
Jeffrey Nevins
FairPoint Communications
Richard Parkhurst
Stained Glass Express
Chris Paszyc
CBRE/The Boulos Company
Gregory R. Piper
PERFORMANCE Foodservice - NorthCenter
Lynn M. Quirion
Macomber, Farr & Whitten
Andrew E. Silsby
Kennebec Savings Bank
Eric N. Stinneford
Central Maine Power Company
Business Insider Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce 269 Western Avenue Augusta ME 04332-0676 Phone: 207-623-4559 Fax: 207-626-9342 www.KennebecValleyChamber.com
Join us in March at The Augusta Civic Center!
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage
PAID Augusta, ME
Permit No. 576
Newsletter Sponsors:
KVCC Staff
Ross H. Cunningham, President & CEO
Patty M. Hewett, Vice President, Operations
Katie L. Doherty, Program Director
Cynthia M. Ross, Membership & Marketing Coordinator
Deborah R. Camporiale, Information Coordinator
Our Mission:
The KV Chamber exists
to enhance life quality by
strengthening our
regional economy.
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