The Maine Technology Institute has launched its new remote office in Waterville. The MTI office at 50 Elm St. is co-located with several economic development and business support organizations, including the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, the Central Maine Growth Council, and a Small Business Development Center counselor of Coastal Enterprises, Inc., according to a news release from MTI.

A nonprofit corporation publicly funded by the state of Maine, MTI provides financial and business development support to assist innovative businesses in converting and scaling their concepts into new products, processes and companies. Through loans, grants, equity investments, and business development services, MTI strives to grow and diversify Maine’s economy. In 2018, MTI awarded over $57 million, in large part because of the Maine Technology Asset Fund 2.0 bond funding, to generate $1.4 billion in economic impact and 5,350 jobs across Maine.

The launch of MTI’s new remote office coincides with strong economic growth in the mid-Maine region. With over $100 million invested in downtown Waterville, over 20 acquisitions of commercial properties, and several new businesses, including MTI-funded GenoTyping Center of America, the area attracts organizations looking to scale.

 

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust to launch School Supply Drive

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is holding its first School Supply Drive from Monday through Aug. 16, according to a news release from the bank.

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Collection boxes are available at all Bar Harbor bank branch locations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Donors are encouraged to contributed new school supplies such as notebooks, folders, glue sticks, pencils and crayons. No cash donations are being accepted. All donations support students and educators in the communities where the bank operates.

 

Servpro franchisees in region receive awards

Servpro recognized area franchisees during its recent 50th annual convention. The event, themed “Making History,” was held June 24 to 28 in Sacramento, Calif., where the company was founded.

Anthony Wolverton and Kelsey Wolverton, owners of Servpro of Augusta/Waterville, received the Millionaire’s Bronze award.
Shawn Cox, owner of Servpro of Bath/Brunswick, received the Chairman’s Bronze award.

The convention was a celebration of the company’s history and a showcase of small-business best practices and cutting-edge restoration and remediation technology. The event featured a variety of workshops and group sessions ranging across 37 topics. Attendees gained knowledge and hands-on experience to help them build and grow their businesses and strengthen ties with both residents and businesses in their local communities. Highlights of the convention included a keynote address by motivational speaker Jon Gordon and an awards ceremony recognizing the achievements of top-performing franchisees.

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Hammond Lumber’s Belgrade mills win 1st-place safety awards

Hammond Lumber Co. was given four awards for outstanding safety performance during 2018 at Hammond’s sawmill and planer mill in Belgrade. The awards are given to mills operating in the New England states, plus New York and Pennsylvania, according to a news release from the Northeast Lumber Manufacturers Association.

A Maine family-owned business founded in 1953, Hammond finished first in Division 2 for the combined operations of both mills. Divisions are determined by the number of worker-hours logged during a calendar year. A Division 1 classification represents 1 to 25,000 hours, while Division 2 represents 25,000 to 50,000 hours.

The Maine family-owned business also earned first place in Division 1 for planer-mill safety, first place in Division 2 for sawmill safety, and received a certificate for achieving an accident-free year in both mills.

Perhaps best known today as a building supplier operating 21 retail stores throughout Maine, Hammond Lumber began in 1953 as a three-man sawmill, which is still housed at its original location in Belgrade. In its 65-plus years of continuous operation, the Hammond mill has seldom had a lost-time accident and has won many safety awards.

According to safety director Bruce Pelletier, there has not been a lost-time accident in the sawmill since 2004, nor in the planer mill since 2001.

 

Compiled from contributed releases


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