Mainebiz

V I E W P O I N T S W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 3 JA N UA R Y 1 1 , 2 0 2 1 Every year Mainebiz recognizes three business leaders for outstanding performance. Business Leaders of the Year honorees are considered under three categories: Large Company (100+ employees), Entrepreneur/Small Company, and Nonprofit. Do you know a leader that would be a candidate for the 2021 Business Leader of the Year Awards? NOMINATIONS CLOSE JAN. 31! PLE ASE SUBMIT A NOMINATION TODAY! mainebiz.biz/nominations S I L H O U E T T E S B Y R AW P I X E L .C O M / F R E E P I K B A C KG R O U N D B Y D G I M - S T U D I O / F R E E P I K SP ONSORED BY FOLLOW US @MBEVENTS #MBBLOY21 From the Editor W hile last year was a year we'll never forget, no one seems quite certain what this year will look like. But we know that whatever 2021 brings, Maine business leaders will be better prepared to deal with it. After a year marked by the pandemic, economic shutdowns, high unemployment, protests over cases of police brutality and a contentious presidential election, people have honed their adaptation skills. In this issue, we went back to some of the people we talked to last year, before the pandemic. What happened? How were things different. While some sectors were hammered by the shutdown, others saw their businesses grow. See "No one saw it com- ing, and yet…" on Page 12. Looking this year, we look at 12 industries and how they might respond and perform. See "Challenges and expectations for 2021" on Page 14. Economist Jeff Fuhrer, who recently left the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, has been a long- running keynote speaker at the annual Mainebiz "Five on the Future" panel — and is on deck to again deliver the keynote at next month's event. In a Q&A with Mainebiz, he warns that a long recovery is still ahead of us. See more in "On the Record" on Page 21. Intermed tops the list of largest PPP loans in Maine, through the first round. See Page 10 for more. Finally, I want to make sure our readers see the "From the Publisher" note from Donna Brassard. After more than two decades of leading Mainebiz, Donna plans to step down at the end of March. We will all miss her, but I personally will miss her guid- ance, strong leadership and infectious spirit. She's never been one to sugarcoat the truth, which can be hard to hear sometimes. But over the years I began to appreciate and trust her candor and integrity. She will be missed! See Page 11 for her farewell column. Peter Van Allen pvanallen@mainebiz.biz Featured @ Mainebiz.biz For a daily digest of Maine's top business news, sign up for the Mainebiz Daily Report at mainebiz.biz/enews Get Maine's business news daily at mainebiz.biz and on Twitter (@Mainebiz). Below is our most popular content for the four weeks from Dec. 7, 2020, to Jan. 3, 2021. 1. Bezos' ex-wife donates millions to 3 Maine nonprofits 2. Battle of the roof bars? Historic Portland hotel may expand its lofty lounge 3. Bolstered by tenant Abbott Labs, Westbrook property's sales value soars 4. The Downs moving 'at full speed' despite setbacks, Scarborough developer says 5. JPMorgan Chase readies retail bank expansion into Maine 6. Gorham manufacturing plant to close, ending nearly 100 jobs 7. 5 rural Maine hospitals named tops in the US, more than in any other state 8. In off-market deal, new duplex development sets sales record for Windham 9. Predictable revenue from national tenant drives quick $6.6M sale 10. Will you encourage your employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine? P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y U S D H S 1 In the Mainebiz 2021 Book of Lists, the list of Maine's largest engineering firms had an error: the listing for Sebago Technics included an incorrect revenue figure. It should have been recorded as $10 million to $12 million. Correction After last year's turbulent ride, what's ahead for 2021? After a year marked by the pandemic, shutdowns and major social change, businesspeople have honed their adaptation skills.

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