Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I I N O. X V I I I A U G U S T 2 4 , 2 0 2 6 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 Woodfords Family Services, a nonprofit organization based in Westbrook that provides educational, clinical, behavioral health, family, and community support services to individuals with disabilities and their families, announced the com- pletion of its Central Maine Community Service Hub located at 40 Granite Hill Road in Manchester. The Maine Sports Commission in Portland said it awarded a total of $26,138 through its Spring 2026 Event Support Grant Program to nine sporting events taking place across six regions of the state. Onion Foundation awards $664,000 in Maine grants e Onion Foundation, a private phil- anthropic foundation in Auburn, said its Environment Program awarded a total of $664,000 in grants to 21 nature-learning organizations across the state of Maine. Holy Donut to close Brunswick store e Holy Donut will close its Brunswick shop on Aug. 23, ending the Portland- based doughnut maker's two-year run in the Cumberland County town. e company, led by CEO Jeff Buckwalter, announced the closure on Aug. 12. N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N Loon Room, a live music, amateur com- edy and special events venue, opened at 252 Main St. in Waterville. The Hidden Circle Residents Cooperative in Jay purchased its manufactured home community for $1 million, ensuring the land beneath 31 homes can remain locally owned and affordable for years to come. Financing was provided by the Brunswick- based Genesis Community Loan Fund, the Mobile Home Park Preservation Fund administered by MaineHousing and Maine Community Foundation donors. Central Maine Power in Augusta, a sub- sidiary of Avangrid Inc., hosted its fourth annual Nonprofit Networking Day at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. The event brought together 50 leaders from nonprofit organizations across Maine to build relationships, share best practices, explore volunteer opportunities, and strengthen partnerships that support Maine communities. Volunteer Maine, the Maine Commission for Community Service in Augusta, an- nounced that it received a three-year grant with an annual award amount of $308,436 from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. United Way of Kennebec Valley in Augusta announced that it raised $27,621 to support community-impact initiatives at its 56th Annual Golf Scramble. MaineHealth to close Damariscotta labor unit MaineHealth said it would close inpatient labor and delivery ser- vices at the organization's Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta. At its Aug. 6 meeting, the MaineHealth board of trustees voted to expand gynecologic services and transition inpatient labor and delivery services from Lincoln to MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, 26 miles west, effective Dec. 18. 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 Midcoast Recreation Center, a non- profit sports facility at 535 West St. in Rockport, completed an expansion project with the recent ribbon-cutting of new outdoor tennis courts. Madawaska downtown makeover takes shape e first stage of construction is under- way to upgrade a downtown business plaza in the Aroostook County town of Madawaska. e project is designed to strengthen the downtown district while creating new opportunities for economic development, recreation and public gathering. Hannaford to buy Presque Isle supermarket Scarborough-based Hannaford said it plans to acquire the Graves' Shop 'n Save location in Presque Isle, with the deal expected to close in late fall. e deal will bring Hannaford's Maine store count to 69, with 189 overall. 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 U.S. Sen. Susan Collins announced that Bangor International Airport will receive a total of $5.5 million through the Federal Aviation Administration's Fiscal Year 2026 Airport Infrastructure Grant Program to support infrastructure improvements. Rudman Winchell, a law firm in Bangor, announced that the attorneys and staff of Gross, Minsky & Mogul, a law firm in Bangor, will join Rudman Winchell ef- fective Oct. 1. U.S. Sen. Susan Collins announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation selected JetBlue to continue providing Essential Air Service to Presque Isle. Under the agreement, which covers a two-year term from Sept. 1, 2026, through Aug. 31, 2028, the airline will provide seven round trips per week from Presque Isle International Airport to Boston Logan International Airport using a 140-pas- senger Airbus A220-300. A S K AC E A n s w e r e d b y D o n n a B r a s s a r d , S t r a t e g i 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: Are in-person sales calls a thing of the past? ACE advises: Your sales team is in the office or working from home — but they're not out on the road calling on clients. Most interaction with clients and prospects is by email or text, and rarely even by phone. "No one wants to see me," they tell you. The business community increasingly avoids the personal interactions that were once central to developing and keeping customers. While three-martini business lunch have long been out of style, emails and PDF presentations have now replaced what might have previously been face-to-face meetings. Sometimes it's a challenge just to get someone to agree to a Zoom call. But sales teams still need to build trust and loyalty with customers — even customers they may never meet one- on-one. Without that connection, customers may begin to see your products and services as commodities rather than valued, customized solutions. So how do you cultivate personal relationships when no one wants a sales call? Meet them somewhere else. If clients and prospects don't want to see you one-on- one, connect with them in a social setting. Invest in sports, theater or concert tickets. Invite them to gallery openings, awards events or charity fundraisers. Include cus- tomers and prospects — and per- haps their colleagues or families. No sales pitch. No pressure. Just an opportunity to make a personal connection. A relaxed social setting can break down the walls buyers put up when they feel they're being "sold." Customers and prospects can meet people from your company beyond the sales team. They get to see how your people interact, what they're like and whether they're people they can trust. Positive group experiences built around common interests can turn a business contact into a genuine relationship. People still like to do business with people they know. That hasn't changed. If they don't want a sales call, give them another way to get to know you. Donna Brassard, former publisher of Mainebiz, is owner of Strategies+, a consulting firm helping businesses maximize their potential by developing dynamic sales and business strategies. Learn more at strategiesplus.biz. You can reach Donna directly at db55me@gmail.com M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N

• Cover