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V O L . X X I V N O. X V I 42 FA C T BO O K / D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N M A I N E B U S I N E S S R E S O U R C E S L ike most New England bankers, many at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust have lived and worked in several New England states at some point in our careers. ese travels have deepened our appreciation of what northern New England has to off er. At the same time, we have developed great pride in our ability to not only survive — but rather thrive — in the face of consolidation in many industries, including frequent centralization to larger markets. When I returned to my home state of Maine with Bar Harbor Bank & Trust fi ve years ago, I was quickly reminded of this great pride in the state. In fact, it's more prevalent than ever. While terms like "from away" continue to exist, we have realized the need to grow in order to attract additional talent. Many of us have experienced bigger markets and now want to build businesses and reverse the more challenging growth trends in much of northern New England. is has become a visible driver of our culture. When we expanded into New Hampshire and Vermont, similar foundations in culture were appar- ent. Respecting and appreciating the places we call home in northern New England has become a unifi er in our company. e result is rewarding: a loyal workforce that knows these are the mar- kets in which we want to live, work and raise families. is is due in part because of the geography itself, but also due to the opportunity to be aligned with col- leagues who think similarly. With the culture solidifi ed, we have achieved our success through the devel- opment of meaningful relationships with our customers and the communities in which we operate. e relationships must be sincere and include accountabil- ity. We have been able to build these by focusing on four priorities: 1. Developing and providing the right products and services our customers need 2. Building the tools and locations to allow our customers to bank where and how they want 3. Adhering to a stringent risk-based operation model that is sold as valuable not cumbersome 4. Developing and hiring the best possible people to deliver the fi rst three items. With 500-plus employees, the cul- ture's existence and our effi ciency rely on information fl owing throughout the entire organization. While similar, each of the northern New England states has its own characteristics, market dynam- ics, competitors and, in some cases, regulations. Having team members who understand how to respectfully communicate the right information to the right people in a timely manner are table stakes. Otherwise, breakdowns in communication begin to defi ne the culture. Northern New Englanders sim- ply like dealing with those who value their ideals and will not accept a lack of transparency, let alone pay for it. e communication aligns view- points, gives everyone a role in owner- ship and provides the team the ability to be clear and decisive. e dreaded "long maybe" might have become accepted by many standards, but can never be toler- ated where the trust in people's word is the very foundation of the authentic relationship. Our leadership takes great responsibility in working collaboratively with our teams to develop a distinct cul- ture, one that fosters a passion for team- work and accountability to our goals. Technology has bridged the geo- graphic distance between employees in diff erent states. However, we believe that you cannot replace the insights gained when meeting people in person. It's simply what we do and believe it's the only way to be a truly active participant in northern New England markets. C S is president and CEO of Bar Harbor Bankshares and its subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. e bank has $3.7 billion in assets and 50 branches in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. He can be reached at @ . A constant supply of power is crucial for any business or industry. So you want the expertise of true generator specialists when choosing your source of automatic standby power. As Maine's exclusive, statewide distributor of Generac industrial generators, Electrical Systems of Maine is the only resource you need. MATT@ELECTRICALSYSTEMSOFMAINE.COM WWW.ELECTRICALSYSTEMSOFMAINE.COM 207-783-7126 CAN YOUR BUSINESS OPERATE WITHOUT POWER? • GENERATOR SALES • SERVICE • INSTALLATION INSTALLATION • DESIGN • BUDGETING BUDGETING C O M M E N TA RY B Y C U R T I S S I M A R D Communication key to bank's culture in northern New England Each of the northern Each of the northern Each of the northern Each of the northern Each of the northern Each of the northern Each of the northern Each of the northern Each of the northern New England states has New England states has New England states has New England states has New England states has New England states has New England states has New England states has New England states has New England states has New England states has New England states has New England states has its own characteristics, market dynamics, competitors and, in some cases, regulations. YOU'VE GOT JOBS. 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