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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 7 S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 2 0 S O U T H E R N With Outdoors Act funding, Acadia puts infrastructure at top of to-do list — With a $66 million maintenance backlog, the park needs all the help it can get Pandemic drives surge of hotel transactions — Maine's real estate boom continues Reality TV stars from Millinocket make national appeal for logging industry — Lending some star power to an industry that's struggling Corporate and philanthropic leaders donate $270K to launch racial justice fund — A good first step that will require diligent follow-up Chris Fogg, prominent chamber and tourism leader, dies unexpectedly at 54 — A tireless advocate for Maine's tourism industry. He will be missed Cellardoor Winery to close Portland tasting room, focus on Lincolnville vineyard — Big loss for Thompson's Point Bar Harbor considers cap on short-term rentals — But a related issue looms, MDI's lack of available housing, including affordable housing C R E D I T S & D E B I T S P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y N AT I O N A L PA R K S E R V I C E / L A U R A C O H E N Q: I'm a skilled professional about to become a member of the gig economy. But what is it? ACE advises: The gig economy is the sum of independent service contractors, the work they perform and the busi- nesses that pay them. Gig workers are entrepreneurs and essential contributors to the entrepreneur community. It is estimated that by 2027 more than half of U.S. work- ers will be self-employed. The COVID pandemic is accelerating the self-employment trend through 1) remote work and 2) an economic downturn. Ryan Wallace, Director of the Maine Center for Business and Economic Research, says remote work more than doubled between 2000 and 2016. COVID increased those numbers. Katie Shorey, director of engagement at Live + Work in Maine, says, "Highly skilled people now work remotely because of COVID. They can live where they want. Maine's quality of life naturally supports remote work." During an economic downturn, more skilled profession- als are looking for work. Remote technology allows them to find opportunities without moving. Every start-up is a potential client. Maine Impact When talent comes to Maine, it becomes known and avail- able to Maine employers; also, employees change jobs. This fluidity leads to "knowledge spillover" and new businesses. "Side hustles" are a hedge against economic downturn. They often evolve into full-time self-employment. For busi- nesses, contractors may make more sense than new hires. The Maine Center for Entrepreneurs relies on its mentor network to match start-ups with needed talent and advice. Experienced, independent mentors make up most of the network. Professional relationships often form after MCE's programs. A S K AC E A n s w e r e d B y T e r r y J o h n s o n o f P r a c t i c a l D e c i s i o n s The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a non-profit association of independent consultants who value "Success through Collaboration." The public is welcome to attend its regular meetings to share best practices and engage with industry experts. For more information go to www.consultexpertise.com. ACE President Terry Johnson of Practical Decisions provides practical professional support for established businesses and start-ups. He also manages MCE's Maine Mentor Network. He can be reached at terry@practicaldecisions.com. During an economic downturn, more skilled professionals are looking for work. Remote technology allows them to find opportunities without moving. C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N and Wellness, $250,000; Aroostook Mental Health Center, $200,000; and York Hospital, Healthy Acadia, city of Portland, Bangor School Department, Redington-Fairview General Hospital, Maine General Medical Center and Aroostook Micmac Council each re- ceived $125,000. Thompson Point venue closes Citing current restrictions on large gatherings, Cellardoor Winery said it planned to close its ompson's Point tasting room by the end of September. It will continue its vineyard operations in Lincolnville and distribute its wine at retail outlets throughout the state and online. e winery announced the closing on Sept. 11, with plans to close that chapter via a final, reservation- only tasting on Sept. 19. "e Point is conceived and designed to gather large numbers of people," the company said in a statement posted online. Cellardoor Winery is owned and oper- ated by Bettina Doulton, who bought the business in 2007 after 21 years at Fidelity Investments. N O T E W O R T H Y S O U T H E R N Cumberland County Federal Credit Union in Falmouth moved its Westbrook branch to 150 Main St. The Maine Fire Service Institute in Brunswick said it was awarded a $228,000 Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to purchase a new fire and safety training trailer and other equipment that will be used to train firefighters from across Maine in advanced firefighting techniques. Northern Light Mercy Hospital in Portland announced Northern Light Mercy Midwives. Formerly known as Back Cove Midwives, the practice in- cludes certified nurse midwives Eileen Grillo, Jennifer Gilbert and Elsa Heros. A prominent business, tourism leader dies suddenly Chris Fogg, former head of the Maine Tourism Association and of the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Sept. 12. He was 54. Fogg took the helm at the Maine Tourism Association in 2015, after eight years as executive director of the Bar Harbor chamber. During Fogg's tenure, the tourism asso- ciation created a staffing service for members, designed to recruit workers from other states as well as help seasonal businesses form partnerships to share workers. e service began in response to Maine's labor shortage. Last year, he was elected to the U.S. Travel Association's board of directors as an at-large director for 2019-21, with the goal of advocating for the importance of the Maine tour- ism industry and to continue to

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