Jan. 23—AUGUSTA — When the members of the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce collect for chamber’s annual banquet Friday, they will be celebrating their friends for his or her enterprise accomplishments and influence on their neighborhood.
This 12 months, the Kenney Awards return to the Augusta Civic Middle with a stay black tie occasion to honor awardees. As has been the custom, three of the awards — Enterprise Particular person of the 12 months, Giant Enterprise of the 12 months and Small Enterprise of the 12 months — have been introduced prematurely. The winners of three different awards — President’s Circle, Neighborhood Service and Cynergy Skilled of the 12 months — will likely be decided through stay textual content voting at Friday’s occasion.
“You are nominated by your friends in the neighborhood,” Katie Doherty, chamber president and chief government officer, mentioned. “You are nominated, as a result of folks see your progress and the way wonderful your enterprise is doing.”
That recognition can be for a way a lot influence they’ve in the neighborhood, Doherty mentioned.
The annual Kenney Awards banquet is returning to the Augusta Civic Middle after three years. The 2021 celebration was held just about and 2022 occasion was held in July at Mill Park on Augusta’s waterfront.
BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR: INGRID STANCHFIELD
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Within the early Nineties, Ingrid Stanchfield was simply in search of a summer time job.
As a mom of two boys who was working for the college district in Gardiner, she was in search of a technique to earn some extra cash in the course of the summer time and provides her sons one thing to do. She utilized to work as town’s recreation coordinator. By way of that work, she discovered what dad and mom within the space wanted and wished for his or her kids.
“The solutions that got here had been: We’d like extra little one care. We’d like extra issues for the children to do after college. We wish to see coordinated rec applications,” Stanchfield mentioned earlier this month. “It was issues like that that basically began the ball rolling.”
Three a long time later, because the CEO of the Boys & Women Golf equipment of Kennebec Valley, Stanchfield, 60, has overseen the completion of a brand new $10 million facility that gives house for little one care, applications for earlier than and after college, and rooms for organizations and the neighborhood’s senior residents to collect.
The Boys & Women Golf equipment of Kennebec Valley acquired its begin in 1999, spending its early years on the former practice depot in Gardiner, then shifting into the previous Pray Avenue College. The brand new facility opened in time for the beginning of the 2022-23 college 12 months. And now Stanchfield and her workers are beginning to search for methods to develop their early little one care applications.
“That is the ability of individuals working collectively,” she mentioned, noting that 1000’s of individuals have contributed their time, expertise and cash to get the group to the place it’s right now. “I couldn’t have achieved any of this alone.”
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Stanchfield mentioned her recommendation to others is to dream up one thing large, after which get to work conducting it on daily basis.
“That is how we acquired right here. It has been a protracted means of constructing applications, sustaining applications and creating the imaginative and prescient, not just for the constructing however the entire property,” she mentioned. “When you dare to dream, you must perservere on daily basis towards the aim. So many good folks have helped us alongside the best way to work out the main points, the hurdles, to get us the place we’re right now.”
LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: KENNEBEC SAVINGS BANK
When Kennebec Financial savings Financial institution was based greater than 150 years in the past, due to laws signed into regulation by then-Gov. Joshua Chamberlain, its objective was clearly laid out.
“We had been placed on the face of the Earth for the frequent individual to economize and purchase a house,” Andrew Silsby, Kennebec Financial savings president and chief government officer mentioned just lately, “and we’re nonetheless doing it right now.”
And it is doing it with a rising buyer base.
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Within the final 5 years, Silsby mentioned, the financial institution has grown in dimension by 75% and is now the ninth-largest financial institution with headquarters in Maine. It has practically 200 workers working at its headquarters and department workplaces throughout the area and in southern Maine, the place financial institution officers are working to open a department in Portland.
The financial institution is a mutual group, with out particular person stockholders. With out stress to return worth to particular person shareholders, financial institution officers are in a position to make investments the financial institution’s earnings in initiatives that can make a distinction to the neighborhood.
“The truth is that if the neighborhood is wholesome, the financial institution goes to be wholesome,” Silsby mentioned. “We’re a mirrored image of the communities that we function in, and that is why we dedicate 10% of our earnings to return to the communities we serve. In 2022, that was $1.2 million in neighborhood giving that went to 300 completely different organizations in 35 completely different communities.”
Silsby mentioned the group is proud and humbled by the award.
“Our group is simply ecstatic to get the popularity,” Silsby mentioned. “I see what they do, day in and day trip.”
This isn’t the primary time the financial institution has been acknowledged for its neighborhood contributions. In 2000, the financial institution was honored as Enterprise of the 12 months.
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SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: PICKLE’S POTIONS AND LOTIONS
Kristin Mutchler, an admitted skincare merchandise fan, was already making balms and salves for family and friends a decade in the past when she developed a therapy for her new child daughter’s eczema that did not depend on steroids.
That’s when the enterprise that may ultimately turn into Pickle’s Potions & Lotions began to take root as she began to signal on for lessons in botany and herbalism and earned superior certification in natural beauty science.
Regardless that she now has a retail retailer in Winthrop, a digital Etsy store by way of which she has made tens of 1000’s of gross sales, a lab the place she crafts her clear skincare merchandise and a workers to assist out, she was shocked on the announcement of the chamber’s award.
“It makes me really feel like a legitimate enterprise,” Mutchler mentioned. “It is exhausting to see something when you’re in it. I am simply making an attempt to do on a regular basis the taxes, the paper work and the product making. The whole lot feels very remoted after which one thing like this occurs.”
Mutchler mentioned for a enterprise with no advertising and marketing division or promoting price range, the popularity and validation the award brings is a giant deal. And from it, she mentioned she hopes the publicity will draw extra clients, each retail and wholesale, to her enterprise.
At the same time as she’s studying and planning for her subsequent part of progress, she has recommendation for others who’re constructing their companies, Mutchler mentioned.
“Do not count on folks to only come to you. You need to additionally attain out and be there and provide issues,” she mentioned. “You need to be there.”
Associated Headlines
* Boys & Women Golf equipment of Kennebec Valley welcome neighborhood to new constructing
* Winthrop enterprise finds success in including retail to her on-line pure skincare enterprise
* Kennebec Financial savings Financial institution, Kennebec Federal Financial savings announce merger
