Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 O C T O B E R 3 , 2 0 1 6 Adams made his fi rst executive hire in 2015, enlisting an IDEXX veteran, Michael Delahanty, to be controller. "One of the reasons he was attracted here was our fast growth," Adams says, adding that Delahanty is helping him to scale the business to ensure there's a proper balance between rev- enues, expenses and having suffi cient reserves to take advantage of growth opportunities when they arise. Refl ecting the commitment to marketing that he made from Day 1, Adams hired a marketing direc- tor, Annie Tselikis, who also serves as part-time executive director of the Maine Lobster Dealers Association. "Maine Coast and Tom aren't afraid to talk about their successes," Tselikis says. "I want to work for a company that is proud of being successful." "It's to promote Maine lobsters," Adams says, explaining that with suc- cess comes a social responsibility to the fi shermen he buys lobsters from, his employees and the state his family has called home for many generations. It's a team eff ort on every front, he says. "It's an iconic brand, an important part of the Maine culture," he says. " e money we spend on marketing, going to trade shows, meeting offi - cials in China on a trade mission with the governor of Maine, I try to do it on a professional level. We're a tiny company, but we're doing our best to shed a good light on Maine and lob- sters in general." Personal contact is the key to suc- cess in both the Asian and European markets, he says. e company recently sent a delegation to Hong Kong for a seafood exposition and this fall Adams will spend two weeks in Korea, Taiwan and China meet- ing with existing and prospective customers. "Face-to-face is incredibly impor- tant in Asian culture," he says. "It might not have an immediate return on investment but it's important for them to see us." Expanding to Boston In July, Adams made a strategic decision to open a live lobster facil- ity on the Boston Fish Pier. e 5,000-square-foot leased facility has the capacity to hold up to 30,000 pounds of lobsters as a complement to the 150,000 pounds of lobster stored in four holding tanks at Maine Coast's York headquarters. Surprisingly, he says, it's the fi rst venue on the pier dedicated to selling lobsters; at the other vendors, lobsters are just part of the mix of available seafood. "It's not very far away, but it puts us in the heart of Boston," he says. "It's a way for us to put our name out there in a vibrant city. It also puts Maine and the Maine lobster industry onto one of the most iconic fi sh piers in the world. It's a showcase for what we do here." Maine Coast has six full-time employees at its Boston facility. e expansion south is already paying dividends, he says, with Maine Coast picking up business with Boston restaurants that routinely buy seafood on the pier. It also enables Adams to respond to last-minute requests for orders in southern New England and other domestic markets, particularly on occasions when the last daily truck has left the York headquarters. "Now we can accept that order and do it out of Boston," noting that Logan Airport is a short distance away. But Adams' business focus isn't entirely outward. "It's become incredibly important to me to share our company's suc- cesses with the people who make it happen," he says, noting that Maine Coast provides health insurance, a 401K plan with a company match, and a quarterly incentive program that pays bonuses to every employee for banner days. He also sponsors quarterly off site staff events, where everyone can "have dinner and a cou- ple of b eers." ere's even a quarterly "Golden Claw Award" with a Visa gift card that's given to employees nominated by their peers. "I wouldn't be running a $50 mil- lion company if it weren't for the peo- ple I have working for me," he says. Ja m e s M c Ca rT h Y , M a i n e b i z s e n i o r writer, can be reached at Jmcc arThY @ mainebiZ.biZ and @ Jame sMainebiZ Maine Coast 15 Hannaford Drive, York Founded: 2011 Founder, owner and CEO: Tom Adams Services: Worldwide distributor of lobsters, clams, mussels, oysters and periwinkles Sales: More than $50 million in sales projected for 2016 Employees: 40 full-time in York and Boston Contact: 207-363-0876 www.mainecoastcompany.com

• Cover