I will be driving to Augusta on Monday (two days before this is published) for the annual Maine Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (MACCE) and the drive will give me a lot of time to reflect how many things have happened since I drove down a year ago all green and new on the job. I have much more confidence in what I am doing and where the Chamber is heading. We are on the right track and as long as the focus remains strong on the Chamber membership, we will make this work.
The conference is always a great opportunity to learn from your peers and to develop relationships that can be beneficial. It greatly helped me a year ago and I am looking forward to this year’s event as well.
The Annual Recognition Dinner will happen this year and we are busy planning the event that will take place this spring. We urgently want your participation in the recognition process. In the past, we had specific award designations and tried to fit nominations to those categories. We are going to do things a little differently this year. We do not want to presume who or what you want to recognize.
So here is the deal. Call me at 498-6156, or email me at cacc@cariboumaine.net and let me know who or what should be recognized and why. There is a form on the website at www.cariboumaine.net if you like filling out forms. It is located under the Popular Forms link. You can also leave me a message on the Facebook page. The deadline is April 17.
The things to consider are these: Who or what has made a difference in the past year for you and your family, business or organization? Who or what is a pillar of our community that makes us proud to call this home? Who or what have you cheered for and were happy to see succeed? Who is a volunteer that goes above and beyond? What business or organization makes you feel good about yourself when you enter its doors? All this is open-ended and up to you. These are suggestions only.
We want to have at least three final awards to hand out at the dinner and the more of you that would be kind enough to help us out with this, the better our final recognitions are of value and worthiness.
Despite the cold, harsh winter, Cathy at Progressive Realty reports that the housing market locally is still very strong. She has four closings this week and last and a dozen new listings. Progressive Realty also has a new Facebook page that is really well done. And to give an indication of the market according to Facebook, the realty recently posted a new house on the market and 124 people looked at the specs on the house in just a couple of days.
Speaking of housing, we really are blessed around here with the quality of landlords in our area. Landlords are a dirty word in most of the country, but not here. Members such as C.S. Management, R.L.W Management, Gagnon’s Rental Properties, Kate McCartney, C&L Apartments and other non-member landlords in the area offer quality housing and are good people. Just one more reason our area is so great!
The Chamber is very excited to procure a volunteer to staff the office starting tomorrow (Thursday). Lauren Griffeth will be here several days a week to help with office work and will allow me to get out in the field more frequently. This is going to be terrific and the public will really enjoy Lauren. Welcome and thank you!
I have about four dozen EZToUse phone books here at the office. If you need one, come on in and get one.
Executive Director William Tasker may be reached in the CACC office at 498-6156 or email him at cacc@cariboumaine.net.
