Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 7 J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 2 2 organization serving low-income Mainers, has named Tom Fritzsche as its new executive director. He will start Sept. 6. He succeeds Nan Heald, who led the organization for more than 30 years and died of cancer in January. Fritzsche will oversee a staff of 75, including 47 attorneys and 15 paralegals, in six locations throughout the state. Pine Tree Legal assists Mainers with a wide range of legal issues, including matters related to housing, domestic violence, farm workers, veterans and Indigenous people. Fritzsche cur- rently serves as the executive director of Milk with Dignity Standards Council in Vermont Portland IT firm continues acquisition spree Logically, a technology outsourc- ing and consulting firm based in Portland, has acquired Cornerstone IT, of Mentor, Ohio, for an undis- closed price.e acquisition, announced June 29, is the 11th since 2019 for private equity-backed Logically, with more to come, according to Michelle Accardi, the firm's Sarasota, Fla.-based CEO. She said while Logically serves nearly every industry, Cornerstone IT contributes an "even deeper regional coverage for cloud transformation and Microsoft." Excluding the latest additions, Logically has about 500 employees. e latest acquisition comes less than eight months after Logically acquired Halski Systems, an IT managed services provider based in Gainesville Ga. N O T E W O R T H Y S O U T H E R N Tandem Mobility, a micromobility operator, said it will launch Portland Bikeshare at the end of July. The ser- vice will offer 150 traditional geared cruiser bikes and 50 electric-assist bikes to rent at dedicated parking hubs across Portland. HealthInfoNet, an independent nonprofit health information ser- vices organization in New Gloucester, announced a partnership with the Rhode Island Quality Institute and Vermont Information Technology Leaders Inc. to form a New England region Health Information Exchange collaboration. Southern Maine Community College in South Portland said that the Roger K Williams Foundation donated $170,000 to create a scholarship in the name of the Foundation's founder. The scholarship will provide financial assistance over numerous years to students in applied technol- ogy, health sciences and public safety degree programs. Aroma Joe's opened a location at 1256 Roosevelt Trail in Raymond. Evergreen Yard Care opened an office 26 Gately St. in South Portland. Gorham Bike & Ski moved to 2128 Post Road in Wells. Full Plates Full Potential in Brunswick announced that it awarded $374,488 in funding through its Summer Meals Grant program to 53 school districts and community orga- nizations across Maine. United Way of Southern Maine and the Cumberland County Board for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program received notice from the Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board that it will receive a second special funding award of $1.7 mil- lion to distribute to six organizations C R E D I T S & D E B I T S Auburn, 'America's YIMBYest city,' sees new high in construction permits — As other Maine towns say no, Auburn says 'Yes' Students team with Hebert Construction for a hard day's work on their own school grounds — A good recruitment technique The architecture of cannabis: New industry inspires new approaches to design — Not your parents' "head shop" Moving costs in Maine have spiked this year more than in any other state — That doesn't even touch on the cost of housing or rising interest rates 35-year-old Portland boat show canceled this year, but not because of COVID — Supply chain issues blamed this time Racist office sign in Millinocket provokes sharp rebuke on social media — Not the kind of national attention Maine is looking for P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY A S K AC E A n s w e r e d b y C a r r i e G r e e n Y a r d l e y , A C E b o a r d m e m b e r 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. Q: I want my business to be profitable, but one of the reasons I work for myself is that I have greater input into how my business contributes to my community. How do I develop a strategy? ACE Advises: You are not alone; many businesses want a social purpose beyond profit. You may not realize that many investors also want to contribute capital to businesses with a demon- strated ability to turn aspirations into objective performance. You need understand two interrelated, but distinct con- cepts: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the Envi- ronmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework. Corporate Social Responsibility is often confused with charitable giving. Practically speaking, a small business's charitable contributions are limited by economic reality. In fact, philanthropy is just one of several elements that make up CSR, which encompasses the relationships an organization has with all its stakeholders: employ- ees, contractors, clients, part- ners, community members, inves- tors, and vendors. In addition to philanthropy and volunteerism, it includes nurturing a diverse and inclusive workforce and assuring environmentally sustainable operations. The Environmental, Social and Governance framework is a tool developed by the investment community. ESG is the measurement and management framework for a compa- ny's CSR activities. In order for impact investors to select companies in their portfolio, they consider ESG ratings to determine if they're a fit with their values and if they have a shareholder advocacy position. Together CSR and ESG marry corporate purpose to com- pliance to allow management to set measurable goals and communicate performance to stakeholders, including inves- tors. From whistleblower rules to waste disposal, the land- scape of CSR is vast. Choosing a path across that land- scape requires a map of specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound steps defining how you will get to your chosen destination. Communicating the map and your progress to your community is key to attracting the stake- holders you want and need. Carrie Yardley is an ACE board member, Mainebiz contributing writer and an attorney and founder of Yardley Esq. PLLC. She advises small business clients from formation through succession. She can be reached at carrie@yardleyesq.com For more on this topic check out ACE's July 15 program, "Guiding Companies to do the Right Thing," featuring Christen Graham, founder of Giving Strong, a social impact consulting firm based in North Yarmouth. consultexpertise.com/event-4851358 @ A Target store will move into an Auburn site where Kmart once stood.

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