Business counseling office

BANGOR – A SCORE office has opened in Room 217 of the Federal Building on Harlow Street.

SCORE is a nonprofit association of 390 offices across the country offering free business counseling. It is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration. More than 11,000 working and retired business professionals nationwide have volunteered to support the success of small businesses. The agency’s business counseling is free and confidential.

SCORE’s experienced business counselors provide general advice on every aspect of business planning, start up planning, management and growth. SCORE provides both in-person and online counseling to entrepreneurs and ongoing concerns in need of a seasoned professional as a sounding board for an existing business.

To request a counseling appointment, call 942-0103.

Hardware expansion

BANGOR and BREWER – Aubuchon Hardware announced the opening of its newest location at Penobscot Plaza, 21 Washington St. The grand opening coincides with a reopening of its recently expanded and remerchandised store at 484 Wilson St. in Brewer.

Family owned since its founding in 1908, Aubuchon Hardware operates stores in 20 other locations around the state. Each one, as Aubuchon CEO William Aubuchon III said, is dedicated to serving the hometown customers on whom its business depends.

The Bangor store’s grand opening was March 7 and was marked by a chain-cutting ceremony for which Aubuchon Hardware is known. That ceremony was followed by a similar event on the same day at the Brewer store.

As part of the ceremonies at each location, Aubuchon earmarked proceeds generated by the store’s opening week specials for the Bangor YMCA.

For more information, visit www.HardwareStore.com.

20 years on the job

BREWER – UPS employee Lawrence Roberts of Bangor was honored recently for completing 20 years of service with the company. Roberts, a service provider driver in Brewer, was recognized for loyal service. He began his career in 1986 as a service provider driver with UPS.

Small businesses to be honored

PORTLAND – Thirty Maine small businesses will be honored this month as “outstanding role models of entrepreneurship,” according to John Massaua, state director of the Maine Small Business Development Centers.

The award, created to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Maine SBDC, will be presented to honorees by Gov. John Baldacci at a luncheon today at the University of Southern Maine.

“The Maine SBDC ’30’ Awards recognize and celebrate not only 30 small businesses chosen as models of entrepreneurship,” said Massaua, “they also call to attention the instrumental part played by small entrepreneurial companies in building and maintaining the economy of Maine.”

Certified business counselors from Maine SBDC and its tech-focused group, Maine Small Business & Technology Development Centers, nominated the small businesses for the honor. Criteria required that the business had generated measurable impact on its community through job creation, capital formation, technology commercialization or the like to build the business.

Maine’s economy is based on small business. Maine has an estimated total of 151,000 businesses, based on the most recent SBA published data. Firms with employees numbered 41,026 in 2005, of which an estimated 97.5 percent or 40,000 were small firms, fewer than 500 employees; and of those, approximately 33,250 have fewer than 20 employees.

The final list of the Maine SBDC “30” Award honorees was selected by a screening committee at the Maine SBDC/SBTDC Statewide Administrative Offices, headquartered at USM’s School of Business.

Area businesses are:

. Artful Wares, Tamra Philbrook, Old Town.

. Woodman’s Bar & Grill, Abe Furth, Orono.

Fusion:Bangor

BANGOR – Gov. John E. Baldacci met with the Fusion:Bangor steering committee recently to discuss its involvement in community events and issues. The group met with the governor at Thistle’s Restaurant in Bangor.

“I am proud to see so many young people meeting, networking and discussing issues,” Baldacci said. “Bangor and the state of Maine have a lot to offer, as do all of you. We are lucky to have such intelligent, motivated people in this state.”

Fusion:Bangor used the opportunity to tell the governor about its “We’ve Got Issues” campaign. In the campaign, the group will pick an issue each month to highlight through print, radio and television ads. Each issue will have a designated spokesperson from the group who will present his or her case to an audience throughout the region.

“This is a great program that can call attention to issues that face our young people on a daily basis,” said the governor. “With groups like Fusion throughout the state, I am positive that Maine is on the right track with tomorrow’s leaders working today.”

The Fusion:Bangor steering committee spoke with Baldacci about a variety of issues, ranging from education reform to health care.

Fusion:Bangor’s mission is to forge a young professional’s network of those who are interested in making a positive impact on the growth and development of the Bangor region.