Top businesses feted at 20th annual Maine Family Business Awards gala
Courtesy / Brian Peterson
All the winners take to the stage as the Institute for Family-Owned Business honored the best family-owned businesses at its 20th annual Maine Family Business Awards gala event in Portland. From 157 nominations, 32 semi-finalists competed to receive seven awards. An independent panel of judges, facilitated by Maureen Costello Wedge of Quad Group, selected the winners from among 25 finalists.
Courtesy / Brian Peterson
The Holiday Inn by the Bay First Generation Award went to Fontaine Family — The Real Estate Leader.
Courtesy / Brian Peterson
FHC Inc., located in Bowdoin, received the People’s United Bank Innovation and Technology Award.
Courtesy / Brian Peterson
The Shep Lee Community Service Award, named for a founder of the institute, was presented to W.S. Emerson of Brewer.
Courtesy / Brian Peterson
Day’s Jewelers, headquartered in Waterville, was recognized as the Renys Large Business Award winner.
Courtesy / Brian Peterson
SKORDO, based in Brunswick, with stores in Freeport and Portland, was recognized with the Maddy Corson Small Business Award.
Courtesy / Brian Peterson
Nonantum Resort of Kennebunkport received the Chalmers Insurance Group Customer Service Award
Courtesy / Brian Peterson
Cindy Williams, News Center Maine anchor, interviews keynote speaker Shawn Gorman, executive chairman of L.L.Bean, at the Institute for Family-Owned Business’s 20th annual Maine Family Business Awards event Wednesday night at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.
Courtesy / Brian Peterson
Maddy Corson receives Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to family-owned business across Maine.
Day’s Jewelers was recognized as the Renys Large Business Award winner Wednesday night, as the Institute for Family-Owned Business honored the best family-owned businesses at its 20th annual Maine Family Business Awards gala event.
A record crowd attended the event at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland, which was hosted by News Center Maine anchor Cindy Williams and featured Shawn Gorman, executive chairman of L.L.Bean, as keynote speaker.
Presented in partnership with MEMIC, the awards recognize exemplary Maine firms that demonstrate excellence in family involvement, business success, and commitment to employees, customers and community. From 157 nominations, 32 semi-finalists competed to receive seven awards. An independent panel of judges, facilitated by Maureen Costello Wedge of Quad Group, selected the winners from among 25 finalists.
And the winners are ...
Nonantum Resort of Kennebunkport received the Chalmers Insurance Group Customer Service Award for the ways in which they go above and beyond to take care of their employees, which in turn leads to a better experience for guests. Judges acknowledged Nonantum’s exemplary commitment to taking care of each and every customer, including first-time guests and those who come back year after year.
Geiger, the Lewiston-based promotional products company and producer of The Farmers’ Almanac, received the Cumberland Crossing by OceanView Environmental Leadership Award. The company is the only one in its industry to be 100% carbon neutral in shipping, and has for the last two years participated in the PrintReleaf program to offset its paper use through the planting of trees. As part of its $12 million renovation in 2017, Geiger incorporated many environmentally minded features, including the state’s largest single business array of solar panels, which generate 100% of the company’s annual electricity usage.
SKORDO, based in Brunswick, with stores in Freeport and Portland, was recognized with the Maddy Corson Small Business Award. The company, founded around the family dinner table, is devoted to empowering home cooks, from novice to foodie, with an array of proprietary spice rubs and blends created in-house, as well as a carefully curated selection of cookbooks and products to inspire cooks of all abilities.
Day’s Jewelers, headquartered in Waterville, was recognized as the Renys Large Business Award winner. During the 30 years the Corey family has owned the business, which was founded more than 100 years ago in Portland, Day’s has grown from a single store with 10 employees to eight locations across Maine and New Hampshire and a staff of 125. Through its online store, Day’s Jewelers serve customers across the United States and around the world.
The Shep Lee Community Service Award, named for a founder of the institute, was presented to W.S. Emerson of Brewer. This promotional products company has not only remained nimble and responsive to technology changes in its industry for more than 100 years of being in business, its leaders support countless community needs with their time and resources.
FHC Inc., located in Bowdoin, received the People’s United Bank Innovation and Technology Award in recognition of the company’s important and far-reaching contributions to the neuroscience industry while remaining committed to being Maine-based. The medical device solutions created by FHC are used all over the world to conduct research and treat neurological disorders that impact millions of people worldwide, including Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, dystonia and essential tremor.
The Holiday Inn by the Bay First Generation Award went to Fontaine Family — The Real Estate Leader. The agency, which started with one real estate agent, now involves eight members of the Fontaine family, representing three generations. It has grown from one office in Auburn to two locations, serving clients in seven Maine counties. The firm has received numerous industry awards, including being named among the top 1,000 real estate agencies in America.
Maddy Corson, the catalyst behind the Maine Family Business Awards getting their start 20 years ago, received the Institute’s first Lifetime Achievement Award. Corson was formerly chair of the board of Guy Gannett Communications and publisher of the company’s five newspapers. Granddaughter of company founder Guy P. Gannett, Corson represented the fourth and final generation of her family to head the Portland-based media company and led the successful transition of their family business to new ownership.
The Institute also announced that Justin Laughlin of Gorham was selected for the second annual Timothy B. Hussey Internship Program, dedicated to the leader of Hussey Seating Co. who was a longtime champion of family business and the institute’s work until his death in 2016. The internship program is designed for students interested in pursuing careers in family-owned businesses in Maine. Laughlin, the first generation in his family to attend college, received a $2,500 stipend to intern with Dogs at Work, owned by husband and wife Andy and Hannah Peabody in Brunswick.
Event sponsors included title sponsor MEMIC, Renys, Chalmers Insurance Group, Holiday Inn By the Bay, People’s United Bank, Machias Savings Bank, Verrill Dana, Norway Savings Bank, Lee Auto Malls, Bar Harbor Bank and Trust, Cumberland Crossing by OceanView, Katahdin Trust Co., Flyte New Media, Down Eastmagazine, Maine HR Convention, Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution, Oakhurst, Cross Insurance, Morong Falmouth, DMM, Mainebiz and Bangor Savings Bank.
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