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Fact Book: Doing Business in Maine 2025

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B U S I N E S S P RO F I L E S 60 B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E S S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N O ver 125 years ago, a group of like-minded business owners in Lebanon, N.H. had the idea to establish a bank that put people first. ey created a financial institution that existed for stakeholders, not shareholders – a bank that would generate capital and wealth as tools to support and protect the local community. Lebanon was a thriving mill town on the Connecticut River, midway up the state and directly bordering Vermont. Banks existed that served the business sector, but they didn't focus on the people who lived and worked in what is now known as the Upper Valley. As a mutually owned bank, Mascoma was founded on the principle that capital can be used in a community to create prosperity while also helping people meet challenges. e bank could help people better their lives in simple ways and solve problems before they arose. Now, as the world adapts to rapidly evolving technologies and business moves at an unprecedented pace, Mascoma Bank's com- mitment to customers and community is stronger than ever. Over the decades, Mascoma has widened its reach into Vermont and Maine and now employs more than 400 people across 25 locations in northern New England, providing a wide array of financial services. ose include personal and commercial banking, wealth management, municipal banking, treasury services, and more. As a mutually owned bank and a Benefit Corporation com- mitted to values-based banking, Mascoma Bank is lifting people, businesses, and communities throughout northern New England. Breaking New Ground in Maine Having been active in the banking and business community in Maine for three decades, Todd Bachelder, Mascoma Bank Senior Vice President, knew Mascoma Bank had something different to offer from other banks in the state. "I joined Mascoma Bank in 2018 to open our Portland office," said Bachelder. "At that point, Mascoma was the first Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corporation® bank in the state. ey had worked on major projects here through Mascoma Community Development – including the Press Hotel – and they had a nimble, entrepreneurial spirit that I knew would set them apart." Mascoma Community Development (MCD) was established in 2013 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mascoma Bank, with the primary mission of community development utilizing the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program. e NMTC program allows MCD to direct capital to underserved commu- nities through the financing of high-impact, mission-focused projects nationwide. Mascoma Bank already had extensive experience supporting major development projects in Maine and the Portland area when its Portland office opened in 2018. Since opening the office, the team has provided financing that has created hundreds of units of housing, provided solar power financing to meet growing electric- ity needs of companies and municipalities, and also been active in historic tax-credit financing to help preserve Maine's history. e team in Maine consists of Mainers born and raised, who look to utilize Mascoma Bank as a force for good here in the state. What is Values-Based Banking? When Mascoma Bank team members talk about values-based banking, they are describing an approach to business that involves first identifying a personal or community need and then figuring out how to meet that need in a sustainable way. Clay Adams, President and CEO at Mascoma Bank, thinks of it this way: "We consider how the decisions we make for the bank affect the communities around us. As a mutually owned bank, we recognize profit as the fuel needed to create prosperity for all stakeholders, including customers, employees, the com- munity, and the larger world." ese considerations shape Mascoma Bank's priorities every day. Take housing as an example. e greater Cumberland County area is 80,000 housing units short of what the populace needs. Lack of housing affects individuals, families, school systems, businesses, and nonprofit groups. e bank recognizes that a key foundation of public life is the premise that people can live affordably near their places of employment. When we fail to make that premise a reality, everyone suffers, both individuals and organizations. Mascoma Bank has funded a variety of projects to fix the challenge of housing in the Portland region. By making hous- ing more abundant and affordable, Mascoma Bank is using its resources to remove barriers so people have a place to live, companies have a larger pool of potential employees, and neighborhoods are designed in ways that diminish negative transportation and environmental impacts. One such project is the Sandpiper Residences in Brunswick. In 2025, Mascoma Bank celebrated with David Holman of Holman Holmes the opening of a 63-apartment development in a walk- able neighborhood, featuring a fitness center, rooftop lounge and deck, and office space. Plus, the project incorporates LED lighting, high-efficiency appliances, and a state-of-the-art VRF heating and cooling system to reduce the building's environmental impact. A crucial part of the project was the 13 affordable units made possible through tax increment financing, which means part of the taxes paid on the property gets allocated back into the project to make these units affordable. Mascoma Bank 48 Free St., Suite 200, Portland, ME 04101 Sector: Financial institution President and CEO: Clay Adams Maine Market Manager: Andrew Cook Founded: 1899 Maine employees: 10 mascoma.bank/maine Mascoma Bank Steadfastly Committed to Benefitting the Community Above: Consistency and stability — Clay Adams, Mascoma Bank President & CEO since 2017, with his predecessor, Stephen Christy, President & CEO 1990 to 2017. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F M A S C O M A B A N K

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