Mainebiz

V O L . X X I V N O. V M A R C H 5 , 2 0 1 8 10 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 will be some of the fastest internet connectivity in the state. e new fi ber optic cable network will go live May 1. Brewer-based Premium Choice Broadband said the net- work will provide access speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. By year's end, it should reach speeds of 1 gigabits per second. By comparison, cable internet speeds off ered in more urban parts of Maine are typically up to 60Mbps. Libra Foundation, a private foundation based in Portland, played a key role as an early adopter and helped to fi nance the fi ber connection in Monson, where it has made other investment in economic development. A second CLT company to locate in Maine SmartLam, a Montana company that is the fi rst manufacturer of Cross-Laminated Timber in the United States, announced plans to open a manufacturing facility in Maine. Maine Technology Institute awarded SmartLam $3 million toward a $23.5 million project to build the CLT manufacturing facility. It expects to create 100 jobs. It expects to choose a site in the next two months. Earlier, a North Carolina company, Ligna Terra Global, said it plans to build a 300,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Millinocket. It will produce Glulam, a wood product for columns and beams that is also made with lay- ers of dimensioned lumber bonded with moisture-resistant adhesives. 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 Don and Michelle Roy, owners of Jeff's Pizza and Subs in Madawaska, recently purchased a variety store at 276 Main St. in Saint Agatha and re- named it Roy's Variety LLC. NEBrewSummit.com The New England Craft Brew Summit is the premier craft beer industry conference on the East Coast. This year's Summit will draw brewers from across the country and focus on how breweries can grow their business while maintaining the local brand that put them on the map, with sessions covering: • Technical Brewing • Business Operations • Tasting Room/Brewpub Operations * NEW * Keynote Speaker Natalie King Executive Vice President, Stonewall Kitchen March 29, 8am - 4pm Holiday Inn By the Bay, Portland, ME The Big Market for Local Beer Register Today, Space is limited Register at NEBrewSummit.com. Limited sponsorships still available. Contact info@mainebrewersguild.org. Connect on Facebook & Twitter /NEBrewSummit @NEBrewSummit /NEBrewSummit @NEBrewSummit Q: How can I attract, hire and retain talented young millennials for our insurance agency? ACE advises: Millennials, who range from 20 to 36 years old, have been called "lazy, entitled narcissists who still live with their parents" by Time magazine. Leaders often fi nd millennials challenging to work with due to their sense of entitlement, impatience and inattention to authority. Yet millennials are technologically savvy and purpose-driven and could rep- resent 75% of the U.S. work force by 2025. Here are fi ve ways you can engage the millennials who already work for you and attract talented new millennials to your organization: 1. Share your why: Millennials want their work to have meaning. Growing up in a world of instant gratifi cation leads to impatience if they feel disconnected from the mission. Senior leaders need to communicate company values that resonate with them. 2. Discuss growth opportunities: It is important to millennials that you provide many opportunities for them to grow and advance in their careers. Schedule frequent one-on-one meetings to provide feedback and discuss goals for per- sonal development. 3. Leverage technology to promote teamwork: Millennials aren't used to being restricted by an IT department and are frustrated by poor systems. They want to collaborate, so knowledge must fl ow seamlessly throughout. 4. Focus on results: Corporations must focus more on setting clear project goals and productivity metrics. Meet one on one to review performance and reinforce how meeting or exceeding goals will impact the team. 5. Involve in improvements: How should you deal with a group of employees who are easily frustrated with ineffi ciencies and poor culture? Ask them for their improvement ideas. A S K AC E A n s w e r e d b y S t e v e M u s i c a , p r e s i d e n t o f L e a n E a s t The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a non-profit 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. Steve Musica, president of Lean East, specializes in improving and transforming organizations and teams. Contact him at steve@leaneast.com

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