Reopening of Bangor SCORE

BANGOR – Little more than a year ago, Bangor SCORE re-opened to do small business counseling in new offices in the Federal Office Building downtown after a multi-year hiatus.

The Bangor SCORE chapter, one of seven in Maine, had been an active source of counseling and entrepreneurial assistance, but saw membership dwindle and its office space lost a few years back. Now with seven counselors, the chapter is back and ready for business.

SCORE is a national business counseling organization staffed by 10,000 volunteers nationwide, many who have been in business for a lifetime and are eager to share experience and knowledge.

“When I finally found new office space, I convinced a counselor from Ellsworth SCORE to join me and we brought dusty documents and army surplus furniture out of storage and got started,” said Richard Hewitt of Orrington, who spent more than a year knocking on doors at Husson University, the Small Business Administration and the Congressional delegation before receiving office space in the Federal Building on Harlow Street. He began recruiting at Bangor Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club and among friends to build the chapter.

“I was successful and by May we had with us a CPA, an MBA, an IRS practitioner, a mechanical engineer and an international business training consultant, and we have been busy ever since,” Hewitt said.

“Strangely, there we were, ourselves a start-up business that had to write a mission statement, set goals and do a business plan – which we did,” he added. “We are working on our marketing and outreach right now and we are eagerly recruiting. We need a lawyer, a real estate person, a graphics adviser, Web site builder – the list is endless,” said Gunilla Kettis, who became chapter chairwoman a year ago.

During the first 11/2 years of operation, the Bangor chapter counseled 30 clients in the office or at the site of the business seeking the advice.

Bangor SCORE counselors, with a bit of notice, are willing to travel to make onsite visits. The agency’s service area is Greater Bangor and Penobscot County, and nearby portions of Hancock and Aroostook Counties.

For more information, call Bangor SCORE at 942-0103 and or e-mail scorebangor@verizon.net.

Fusion:Bangor FLAVA III

BANGOR – Fusion:Bangor, a network of young professionals dedicated to serving the community and creating the next generation of leaders, will honor three individuals with Fusion Leadership and Vision Awards at FLAVA III, the group’s third annual gala on Oct. 18 at Bangor International Airport.

Hillary Roberts of Bangor will receive the Horizon Award, which recognizes an individual in the Fusion demographic who demonstrates commitment to leadership and civic involvement in the region. Roberts is director of emergency services for the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross, where she coordinates disaster response, works with volunteers, media and state and local government on emergency and disaster preparedness.

Roberts also is involved with the March of Dimes, the Bangor Humane Society and Hardy Girls Healthy Women. This fall Roberts researched and designed a workshop called “Women Facing War: Examining the Impact of Armed Conflict on Women Worldwide.”

The Maine Edge will be recognized with the Fusion Partnership Award, which honors an organization that is instrumental in making the Bangor region a better place to live, work and play.

Andrew Hamilton will be presented the Fusion Leadership and Vision Award for championing initiatives that better our region and engaging in cross-generational support by encouraging young leaders.

Hamilton is a shareholder of Eaton Peabody, where he practices environmental, land use and municipal law. With strong interests in the community and the region, he has been extensively involved with the Bangor YMCA and Bangor Y, the board of trustees for John Bapst Memorial High School, United Way of Eastern Maine and the Governor’s Board on Executive Clemency.

The speaker will be Col. Jack Mosher, chief of operations for the Maine National Guard, a noted and decorated veteran and inspirational speaker. Craig Gunderson, president of Oxford Networks, the presenting sponsor, also will speak.

Tickets to Fusion:Bangor’s annual gala may be purchased at fusionbangor.com or by calling the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce at 947-0307.

Support for FLAVA III comes from Oxford Networks, Premium Choice Broadband, Bangor Savings Bank, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, the Bangor Daily News, the City of Brewer, Epstein Commercial Real Estate, Hollywood Slots, the University of Maine System, Webber Energy, Maine Center for the Arts, MaineBiz, Sutherland Weston, Wachovia Securities, Z107.3, Eaton Peabody and Husson University.

Financial planning for seniors

BUCKSPORT – Eastern Area Agency on Aging, Senior Resource Committee of the Bucksport Bay Healthy Communities Coalition, Bucksport Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and Elm Street Congregational Church will hold a financial planning workshop 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Oct. 18, at Elm Street Congregational Church.

The workshop is designed to help seniors and concerned citizens in the community prepare for the financial challenges of the upcoming winter. Presenters will include experts on fuel assistance, managing money and food budgeting, and information about benefits and programs for which seniors may be eligible.

The workshop is free, but registration is required. Call Mary Jane Bush at 469-6682.

News at mapping company

BANGOR – KAPPA Mapping Inc. announced that Vice President Stevenson W. Sheppard has obtained the professional land surveyor license in Pennsylvania. Sheppard is a graduate of the University of Maine Survey Engineering Program and has been licensed as a professional land surveyor in Maine for nearly 20 years.

KAPPA Mapping Inc. also announced that Sean Gambrel, a part-time employee, has been promoted to the full-time staff at the company.

Gambrel has worked part-time as a mapping analyst since October 2006. He is a graduate of the Michigan State University Urban and Regional Planning Program, where he completed coursework in geographic information systems and performed mapping assignments for the Michigan Department of Transportation.

NALS meeting

BANGOR – NALS of Northeast Maine, a nonprofit association providing networking and continued legal education to the legal community, will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the Sea Dog Restaurant. The guest speaker, Angela Farrell of Farrell, Rosenblatt and Russell, will speak on “Collaborative Divorce” at 7 p.m. For more information, call Janet Miller at 992-4313.

Small Business Conference

DOVER-FOXCROFT – The third annual Rural Maine Small Business Conference and Business to Business Show will be held 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29, at the Penquis Higher Education Center, 50 Mayo St. The purpose of the conference is to help foster the success of micro-enterprises doing business in rural Maine by providing access to a variety of educational and networking opportunities.

Registration is $35 by Oct. 20 and $45 at the door. Lunch is included. For information, visit www.ruralmainebiz.org or call James Macomber at MaineStream Finance, 564-7116 or 800-215-4942, or e-mail jmacomber@penquis.org.