|
|
|
|
|
Maine Connections
| June 2010
|
|
|
Greetings!
Greetings from DECD!
I recently attended the 30th Annual Maine Trade Day in Rockport on June 3. We heard that this year's exports are up 20 percent in the first quarter of 2010. The pulp and paper industries (up 200 percent and 72 percent, respectively) are doing especially well.
Maine has so
much to recommend itself to visitors and residents alike. From our
exports like our paper and wood products, and electric machinery,
to unsurpassed natural beauty - there are countless opportunities for us
to enjoy our state and share its wealth with the world.
Maine is poised to be a key player in the global economy and I look forward to sharing upcoming news on our progress. Summer has arrived in
Maine - I hope you enjoy all that the state has to offer you: from our beaches, lakes, rivers, to farmers markets, lobsters and more!
All the best,
Thaxter R. Trafton
|
|
Want to Subscribe to DECD's Connections?
 |
|
Mark's Business Tip of the Month:Mark Ouellette, Office of Business Development Director. |
Maine's Business Resource Guide: A cheat sheet for Maine's business resources. Did you know you can download DECD's Business Resource Guide? You can, right here. This pocket guide lists the possible business financing and assistance available to Maine companies, with contact information and clear, qualification guidelines.
You may be surprised at all the opportunities Mainers have to help grow their business - from marketing partnerships, to tax incentives like Employment Tax Increment Financing (ETIF). The Business Resource Guide is an excellent starting point if you're interested in learning more about what resources are available to business folks and how to access them easily.
|
|
The Office of Tourism Promotes Maine at Pow Wow
The Maine Office of Tourism recently attended the U.S.
Travel Association's International Pow Wow, which is the country's largest
international tourism marketplace with The Maine Office of Tourism booth at Pow Wow, 2010. | approximately 5000 attendees.
During
the marketplace, tourism staff and their PR representative participated in over
50 appointments with tour operators, commercial services representatives and
media from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Korea and
Japan. The travel trade reported that for the most part, international
travel to New England is increasing and advance bookings for 2010-2011
were ahead of last year at this point. Product offerings to New England,
with expansions into Maine, have increased slightly and requests for additional
itinerary, activity and Maine destination ideas were frequent during the
marketplace.
|
Maine Companies Attend WINDPOWER 2010 Conference
Maine's Exhibit at WINDPOWER 2010 |
The Maine
Wind Industry Initiative (MWII) organized a major presence for the State of
Maine at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) WindPower 2010 Conference in
Dallas, Texas, on May 23-26. WindPower is the world's largest wind energy
conference (and largest energy trade show in the US) with over 20,000
participants this year.
DECD's Dr. Cathy Renault, director of the Office of Innovation, attended the event. The
Maine Wind Industry Pavilion hosted 11 Maine companies and the AEWC at the
University of Maine. The
Maine Companies represented a cross section of the Maine wind supply chain and
included: Bath Iron Works, SGC engineering, Kenway Corporation, Sargent Corporation,
The Maine Composites Alliance (MCA), Larken Enterprises, The Maine Port
Authority, Cianbro, Sprague Energy, MAM/Utilities Service Group, Bangor Hydro
and the AEWC.
The
Maine Wind Industry Initiative was also represented by a number of additional member
companies that exhibited independently including: Reed & Reed, Sewall
Company, Delorme, TRC, TetraTech, Sterling Rope, Stantec and Normandeau
Associates. These companies worked in cooperation with MWII to promote the
state while highlighting these companies' capabilities.
MWII
has already reserved space for the AWEA WindPower 2011 conference which will be
in Anaheim, CA next May. Photos and a video from the WindPower 2010 conference will
be posted online next week at www.mainewindindustry.com.
|
| |
|
|
MTI and Maine Angels Host Networking Event for
MTI-funded Companies
On Friday, May 21, the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) and the Maine Angels Network convened a panel of early-stage companies, and their advisors and mentors who shared their experiences with the audience of over 60 MTI-funded entrepreneurs, Maine Angel investors and others. Their stories reinforced the value of drawing on experienced business advisors and mentors to help develop successful early stage businesses. MTI's Roger Brooks and Maine Angels' Chris Speh moderated the panel. Participants included David Murray, Dan Gagnon, Cindy Sweet and Kerem Durdag from Advance Electric Concepts, Portland; Penny Johnston, Terry Veysey and Kip Moore from The Maine Float Rope Company, Waldoboro; and William Sulinski from AccelGolf, Portland.
The networking event
is sponsored by MTI and the Maine Angel Network and serves to introduce MTI-funded companies to prospective angel investors and also educate attendees on approaches for strengthening management teams, engaging experienced advice needed to get results and better prepare for subsequent investment and growth.
"MTI's work with early-stage and emerging companies over the past ten years has underscored the importance of engaging experienced advisors and mentors as well as building strong management teams necessary for a start-up company to survive and thrive," noted Roger Brooks. "As we move through this climate of tighter investment capital, particularly for early-stage technology companies, our role at MTI needs to include this kind of targeted assistance. Educating companies how to develop advisor and core mentoring relationships is a vital component of such assistance."
Providing support to MTI-funded companies both directly and through partner collaborations is a key initiative in the new three-year MTI strategic plan and is aimed at assisting companies as they advance along the technology development, commercialization and growth continuum. |
|
How Companies May Benefit From Offering Employees Health Insurance
Small businesses may qualify for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. This tax credit provision encourages small business owners to either offer employees health insurance coverage for the first time or encourages them to maintain health insurance coverage if they already do so. The U.S. Congress has specifically targeted small business and tax exempt organizations that primarily employ low and moderate income workers.
To learn more about this, click here.
|
|
Maine International Trade Day DECD Commissioner Thaxter Trafton and other DECD staff attended the 30th Maine International Trade Day on June 3, 2010 at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. Maine International Trade Day is the state's premier international business event with more than 250 leading professionals from Maine, New England, and Canada discussing the latest experiences, opportunities, and challenges for international trade.
The focus of this year's Trade Day was Maine's manufacturing industry and our capacity to develop in international markets.
During an International Business Networking Reception, DECD staff had an informational booth and provided information about Maine's business resources to attendees.Attendees gather at the Networking Reception. |
At the International Trade and Investment Awards Luncheon, Governor John E. Baldacci and keynote speaker, Patricia Mears, remarked on the future of international trade in Maine and how exports will play a key role in our economic recovery.
During Governor Baldacci's address, he noted that trade missions last year were very successful. Maine companies participating in the European Energy Mission and Trade Shows in Vietnam, Dubai and Germany reported more than $23 million in export sales - an all-time record!Governor Baldacci also rolled out a new foreign direct investment initiative
Thursday at the Trade Day to
attract financial support for renewable energy, composites and advanced
materials. DECD has worked with the Governor's Office and MITC to coordinate this effort.
Trade Day Awards were presented to the following companies and business leaders:
President's Award: Ruth Greene, Unum Future Global Leader Award: Leah Swan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
