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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 D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 2 4 Featured @ Mainebiz.biz For a daily digest of Maine's top business news, sign up for the Mainebiz Daily Report at mainebiz.biz/enews F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY 1 Mainebiz is Maine's leading source of business news. Be sure to subscribe to the Daily Report and Real Estate Insider newsletters. Here is the top content from Nov. 11–25: 1. Avesta Housing CEO resigns, will take leadership role at Hancock Lumber 2. After 7 months in business, a Saco coffee shop with Colorado roots closes its doors 3. Northern Light Health looks to turn around steep operating losses 4. Who's up, who's down in new Maine law firm rankings 5. Presque Isle's planned $53M airport terminal is preparing for take-off 6. Are you worried how the higher U.S. tariffs proposed by President-elect Trump could affect your business? (poll question) 7. Luxury condo project breaks ground in Portland's West End 8. At last, $25M Portland Harbor dredging project gets underway next month 9. Biddeford-based Fiber Materials Inc. to be sold for $165M to NC defense contractor 10. Portland woman convicted in million- dollar investment fraud scheme Meet Casey. A thoughtful, level-headed real estate attorney, Casey focuses on all types of real estate, financing, construction and development matters. Casey has extensive experience in complex finance and debt structures. We're attorneys. But we're people first. Casey McCullen, Attorney bernsteinshur.com From the Editor M aine businesses have always been attentive to the demands of customers and clients. As this issue demonstrates, the financial services industry knows how to go the extra mile to meet the demands of the market. Our cover story delves into the need for "frac- tional" executives, particularly chief financial officers. As Senior Writer Renee Cordes writes, in a state with 150,000 small businesses, part-time CFOs make for an affordable alternative. "We don't need a full-time hire to manage the finances, so this is a way to get really skilled financial advice at a reasonable price," says a CEO of a company with 20 employees. See "CFOs on call," which starts on Page 12. Banks have gone through tremendous change in the past decade. Yet, even with depositor conveniences like bank apps and online banking, banks remain com- mitted to brick-and-mortar locations. Staff Writer Alexis Wells talks to several banking execs about why the physical branches still matter. See "More than digital banking," which starts on Page 22. is issue also takes a look at a couple of pressing issues in the insurance industry. Senior Writer Laurie Schreiber looks at how some working waterfront businesses are tackling the increasingly expensive task of protecting assets. See "Insurance and climate change," which starts on Page 16. In a guest column, Unum SVP Liz Rickett tackles "3 questions to ask when selecting your benefits provider," on Page 25. Finally, the list ranks the largest Maine-based credit unions. See Page 30. Peter Van Allen pvanallen@mainebiz.biz Maine's financial services industry knows how to go the extra mile to meet the demands of the market. Maine businesses put the 'service' in financial services industry

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