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V O L . X X I X N O. X I V J U N E 2 6 , 2 0 2 3 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E The Finance Authority of Maine approved the selection of the following program management service providers to help manage the NextGen 529 plan going forward: Vestwell State Savings LLC as program manager; BlackRock Advi- sors LLC as investment manager; Black- Rock Investments LLC as primary distrib- utor of the Client Select Series; and Bank of New York Mellon as custodian. JMG, an organization in Augusta com- mitted to empowering Maine students, was awarded a $10,000 State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship Company Grant to support its operations. The Skowhegan Center for Early Learning raised $20,000 with a fundraiser at Bigelow Brewing in Skowhegan. Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farming- ton announced its intent to apply for Critical Access Hospital status, mark- ing a significant step towards ensuring future financial sustainability and the ability to provide high-quality care to its rural community. The Maine Connectivity Authority in Augusta said it received a $30 million federal grant from the National Tele- communications Information Adminis- tration's Enabling Middle Mile Broad- band Infrastructure Program to improve broadband infrastructure in Maine. The competitive grant will be used to fund 530 miles of "middle mile" infrastruc- ture, which are regional fiber optic lines that are able to carry large amounts of data at high speeds over long dis- tances to provide internet connectivity to homes and businesses. LifeFlight of Maine in Augusta launched its critical care ground trans- port program and the expansion of its fleet to include three specialized, criti- cal care ground ambulances. This pro- gram represents a $1.9 million invest- ment in EMS infrastructure in Maine. Midcoast Youth Center in Bath launched the Career Opportunities and Advancing Skills Together work- force development program to con- nect 16-24 year old students and young adults to meaningful and engag- ing career and community learning opportunities. Aroma Joe's, a handcrafted beverage chain headquartered in South Portland, opened at 268 Depot St. in Unity. UScellular donated 100 wireless hotspots and two years of service, val- ued at $112,600, to the to The Ban- gor Region YMCA as part of the com- pany's After School Access Project. Aerus, a healthy home and business company, relocated to 434 Wilson St., Unit C, in Brewer. A S K AC E A n s w e r e d b y F r a n c i s E b e r l e o f P r i c e A s s o c i a t e s The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a nonprofit 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 have heard other business leaders talk about using a coach. What would be the value to my business if we did so? ACE Advises: Executive coaching is gaining favor. But does working with a coach really add business value? Coaches once were only hired to "fix" someone. Today anywhere from 25% to 40% of executives in Fortune 500 companies work with a coach. Coaching is now known as more than simply fixing people. When evaluating the potential value to your business, consider four areas: 1. Time: If a leader spends more time on tactics and problem solv- ing than working on strategic pro- cesses and talent, a coach will see it and help a leader make wise decisions about their time on strategy work. 2. Money: A team increasing its effectiveness by 10% can have a big impact on revenue in a business. A coach can help a leader navigate and build an improved team and culture. Conflicts and turnover can cost companies in wasted time, demoralized teams, and hidden agendas. A coach can help a leader think about improving recruitment and engagement, likely saving money and increasing revenue. 3. Decision making: If decisions seem to be made more "in the moment" than with an intentional process, a coach can help a leader with confidence, thinking through consequences, and how decisions are made so there is more clarity. 4. Culture: If a leader is happy, their employees will be happy. Coaching can help a leader increase their effective- ness by just being happier. This may sound too good to be true but a good coach can prepare a leader to build effective processes and people, and that is an investment that will last. ACE board member Francis Eberle, of Price Associates, is a leadership and organizational advisor, speaker and author who believes that people development is business development. He can be reached at francis@price-associates.com ROUX CENTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BOWDOIN COLLEGE We meet every project with a passion for quality, creativity and an emphasis on sustainability. WARRENCONSTRUCTIONGROUP.COM 207.865.3522 N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N N O T E W O R T H Y M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T N O T E W O R T H Y N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N

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