ROYAL RIVER REVIEW

“coming together

is a beginning;

keeping together

is progress;

working together

is success.

- Henry Ford

In This Issue

Special Edition

Annual Meeting

Treasurer’s Report

Membership Drive

Board of Directors

2015 Award Winners

News That Matters

The Local Pulse

Member Roundup

PM Connections

Meet. Connect. Grow.

S pecial Edition - Annual Meeting Announcements

Did anyone else feel that? One day we are celebrating at the Boast & Toast event, enjoying the warmth of Yarmouth Hometown Holidays, and watching Steamer drop from the belfry

at First Universalist Church to signal the new year, then….BANG. Work is happening. Seems to me that we all turned the page and got down to business in the new year rather quickly. Certainly part of this may be how cruddy 2015 was in the realm of global events. Let’s be honest - 2015 presented its fair share of emotional, political and cultural challenges. But I believe a good part of the quick return to focus comes from a more positive place. The new year presents great opportunity to those who go out and grab it, and folks are grabbing already. You are certainly an industrious group!

In this climate where everyone seems to be down to business, forgive us on taking a quick pause in this issue to look back on 2015 and reflect a bit on where we have been before turning to where we are going.

This January edition of the Royal River Review is a reflection and amplification of the information shared at the Yarmouth Chamber’s Annual Meeting. Inside you will find details on major Chamber of Commerce activity in 2015, and a celebration of the people, projects and events that defined us as an organization. We will also discuss actions and activities for the coming months you should be aware of. I hope you take the time to read through it, share it, comment on it, and in general feel good about how much we were all able to accomplish in partnership.

There are two quick items wish to highlight here:

1. I was pleased to see that all four individuals who were up for re-election were universally supported for a second term by our members. To Brian Bartlett of Edward Jones, Pam DiPietro Hale of People’s United Bank, Pat Thompson of the Maine Real Estate Network, and Jean Libby of Bath Savings Institution - congratulations on your re-election to the Board of Directors. I have enjoyed getting to know you better these first four months on the job, and I am excited our relationship will continue. I am also excited to welcome Neal Davis, Executive Director of Bay Square at Yarmouth to the Board. Neal has graciously agreed to fulfill the seat held admirably by Mary Willson while she heads off to a new and exciting stage of her career. We wish everyone great success in 2016 and beyond.

2. Cutting to the chase -- we do need members to step up and pay their 2016 dues at this time, mainly because we have a directory to publish and distribute. It would be nice to send it out early full of your listings, instead of pushing too far into 2016. Please call the office at (207) 846-3984 or go online to renew your membership for the year.

So since everyone is clearly in business mode and hitting the ground running in 2016, the Chamber of Commerce will be running right there with you. Steamer has spoken, and on to 2016. Let’s get to it.

Cheers,

Andrew T. Smaha | Executive Director

I mean, how fun is this?

Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce Newsletter Volume 16. Issue 01 | January 13, 2016

T he Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce is proud to celebrate over 50 years of serving the Yarmouth business

community. We are an independent, non-profit organization made up of area businesses and individuals that are

interested in the development of the commercial, financial, civic, and economic environment of the Yarmouth

business community. Our mission is to promote and support business development and community welfare, to provide a

voice for business, and to encourage the exchange of ideas and information. All businesses and individuals are welcome to

be involved in the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce. The success of the Chamber depends upon its members and the

commitment they make to improve the quality of life in our unique town.

Our office is centrally located at 162 Main Street and we welcome residents and visitors alike to stop by to obtain

information about our town, businesses and area events.

In case you missed our Annual Meeting, the following pages replicate a few slides presented live at the Log Cabin.

Please take a moment with the information, and don’t hesitate to contact Andrew at the Chamber with questions.

Treasurer’s Report

Pam DiPietro-Hale, People’s United Bank

Please note that any member may contact the

Chamber of Commerce Office at any time should you

wish to learn more about the budget, processes,

internal control efforts, etc. that lead to decisions. The

2015 December profit & loss statement and balance

sheet were shared with members at the Annual

Meeting, but we do not universally broadcast this

information electronically. The highlights of note:

2015 Income Highlights

Dues income met budget

We raised more funds from merchandise sales than anticipated

We budgeted growth for Golf Tournament and Boast & Toast, yet

revenues remained flat

Clam Festival revenue shortfall attributed to a high sponsorship budget

for the 50th that only partially realized. Event was a great success.

2015 Expense Highlights

Spent $9,000 less than budgeted

Higher Chamber and related lower Clam Festival expense attributed to a

more accurate reflection of salary distribution

Bottom Line

Some December accounting to do

Off budget by $20,000: attributed to shortfall in sponsorship revenue +

salary overlap – cost control

2015 Balance Sheet Highlights

Investment Account a snapshot in time, and subject to change

$5,081 in Accounts Receivable

Liabilities account for 2016 business done in 2015

Some December accounting to do alongside tax preparation and year-

end financial audits

Are You All In?

Time to renew your

Chamber

Membership, and

encourage new

businesses to join in

our collective efforts.

1. Check out our

Brochure

2. Select your

Membership Level

3. Sign up Online, via

email, or with a call to

the office at 846-3984

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

News That Matters — Key business developments you need to know

1. The Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce is pleased to recognize Neal Davis of Bay

Square at Yarmouth as our newest Board Member. Neal was unanimously

appointed by the existing Board as per the Chamber Bylaws for positions vacated

mid-term, and will fulfil the spot vacated by longtime friend Mary Willson through the

end of 2016. Please join us in welcoming Neal, and do not hesitate to reach out to

him with your ideas. Click here for Board information.

2. Patriot Insurance has announced its plans to expand and create a

permanent home in Yarmouth. Lincoln “Linc” Merrill, President, stated in a

meeting with town of Yarmouth staff that “Patriot Insurance is under contract

with the owners of the Down-East Village Motel property, and we are looking

forward to making Yarmouth our home town”.

Merrill further commented in a letter to Town officials, “We are very excited to

be working on this project with, and within, the Town of Yarmouth. As I mentioned in our previous meetings, both

my parents owned small businesses on Main Street during the 1960's and 1970's. My mother was on the

Committee that started the Clam Festival 50 years ago and was active with Ed's father and many others in that

endeavor. She was active on the Committee for several years so I was working parades and Miss Clam Festival

Beauty Pageants from a very young age. I'm the 11th generation of my Merrill family in America after they moved

here from England just after 1630. My grandfather seven generations back was Samuel Merrill. He moved to

current day Yarmouth (then North Yarmouth) in 1737, belonged to the Congregational Church, and apparently

owned a great deal of land on Main Street. He later moved to New Gloucester.

I graduated from NYA in 1975 and had 2 daughters and a niece do the same in 2004, 2006, and 2009

respectively. I spent many days as a younger person in the village- at the library, skating on the pond, buying

candy at Andy's, getting Charlie and Moxie to cut my hair, and attending class. I believe I can say with more actual

experience than many folks that the "community feeling" makes Yarmouth a special place to live and work. Our

employees are delighted to be putting down roots here.

I'm thrilled to be working on our Home Office building in a town that holds so much personal attachment for me

and we look forward to Patriot Insurance becoming a valuable addition to the community.” Click HERE to read

additional coverage in MaineBiz.

3. Tuesday night, Yarmouth resident Tabin Tangila mesu Kamba sat in the gallery of the U.S. House of Representatives as a guest of Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, to watch President Obama deliver his last State of the Union address. “Tabin is a great example of the immigrants who come to this country and come to Maine to escape persecution and to make a life for themselves and their families,” Pingree said in a written statement. Here is his story, as covered by Leslie Bridgers of the Portland Press Herald. Photograph by PPH staff photographer Joel Page.

News That Matters — Key business developments you

need to know

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Cartoonist to Discuss Free

Speech at Lectures in Yarmouth and Portland

Library Wins Grant to Support Pulitzer Programming

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 12, 2015 CONTACT: Heidi Grimm, (207) 846-4763 Patricia Ramsay, (207) 846-6002 or 632-9411 YARMOUTH – The Trustees of the Merrill Memorial Library have been awarded a grant from the Maine Humanities Council’s Pulitzer Prize Centennial Campfires Initiative Fund to host Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Adam Zyglis. Drawing for the Buffalo News in New York, Zyglis works on the cusp of free speech in American democracy. Zyglis will present two lectures on the topic “Editorial Cartoons: Insight or Insult?” He will also visit Yarmouth High School to talk with students about the issues in editorial cartooning. A display of his editorial cartoons will be available in the library’s art gallery for two weeks surrounding the event. The events is co-sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, Maine Humanities Council, Yarmouth Public Schools, and Portland Public Library. WHO: Adam Zyglis, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for the Buffalo News www.adamzyglis.com WHAT: Two lectures by Zyglis on the issue of free speech and editorial cartoons WHEN/WHERE: Monday, March 14, 7:00 – 8:30 PM Merrill Memorial Library Lewis Hall 215 Main St., Yarmouth

What’s the Local Pulse?

The Yarmouth Chamber has established an enhanced listing in The Forecaster's "Local Pulse" online advertising platform, and we wish to pass along the free advertising opportunity to you! Here’s how it works: 1. Send us your news brief or

ad. 2. We will promote it at no cost in

our newsletter, via social media, and on The Forecaster’s Local Pulse.

Actually, that’s it. Two steps. Please contact Chelsie via email or call 846-3984 for more information.

MEMBER ROUNDUP

Peter and Susan McVety opened the Bangor and Augusta locations in June, 2010, followed by the Yarmouth location in May of 2011. The owners are focused on quality products at competitive prices while maintaining 100% customer satisfaction. Pete and Susan are both Mainers, Pete from Southwest Harbor and Susan from York. Susan graduated from USM and taught school in Maine before marrying Pete. Pete graduated from Maine Maritime Academy, joined the Navy, and he and Susan spent the next 24 years trying to figure out how to get back to Maine! McVety’s Hearth & Home is now Maine's largest retail stove shop. Click HERE to take a virtual tour of McVety’s Hearth & Home!

Celebrate the New Year with our first After Hours of 2016

with the

Falmouth/Cumberland

Chamber

Great Food sponsored by Ricetta’s , Networking with over

100 Attendees, Door Prizes, and Live Music by Jazz with

Jason G

With a wide range of offerings, staffers at the Casco Bay branch of the YMCA thought for the most part that members’ needs were being met. But member Dick Webster saw people who needed help. With his guidance, the branch’s first class for people with

Parkinson’s disease was created. Kate Gardiner at The Forecaster has the full story HERE.

With winter weather finally coming, it’s time to check in with our friends at Cunningham Security Systems. For instance, if you lose power, your system does have a back up battery. If that battery goes low in less

than 4 hours or is over 5 years old, please contact them for replacement information. Also please make sure that you adjust your thermostat temperature up a couple of degrees to offset the bitter cold. Or maybe it is time to talk about remote control thermostats??

The recent renovations over at Maine Optometry P.A. have really brought their business forward, and it’s a great time to celebrate one of our members. Did you know that Maine Optometry offers free eye exams to all 3 year olds who haven't had one before? Contact them HERE and make your appointment.

One of Casco Bay Ford’s AWESOME technicians, Steve Veilleux, was recently invited to Ford Motor Company after having earned a

prestigious award for being the Boston Regions top technician in regards to customer satisfaction, product knowledge, and the highest scores of "fixing it right the first time". Steve toured the Henry Ford Museum, toured the f-150 assembly line and was even able to drive future Ford vehicles in Ford's proving grounds. Congratulations Steve!

Lola Studios will be hosting Express Head Shots in Yarmouth on Wednesday, February 10th from 9:00am - 12:30pm. It’s a great

concept - call or email Lauren to sign up for a 30-minute spot, then meet her in a temporary studio at the Town Hall Community Room. Need to update the head shots of your team, or looking to refresh your own look for your web site and social media? It’s comfortable, efficient and provided to Chamber Members at a reduced rate.

Calling all Yarmouth Non-Profits! Join us at Carpe Diem on Wednesday, January 27th at 4:30pm to get to know one another a bit better, learn about our various initiatives, and discuss ways we can all partner and collaborate on

events, fundraisers and programs in 2016. A big thank you to Leslie at YCAN for really latching onto this idea!

Contact Us

Yarmouth Chamber 162 Main Street

Yarmouth, ME 04096

(207) 846-3984

Visit us on the web at www.yarmouthmaine.org

Andrew T. Smaha

Executive Director

asmaha@yarmouthmaine.org

Mark Primeau

Clam Festival Director

mark@clamfestival.com

Chelsie DiConzo

Administrative Assistant

info@yarmouthmaine.org

Meet. Connect. Grow.

Tuesday, January 19th, 2016

Yarmouth Community Blood Drive

First Parish Congregational Church

1:00pm - 6:00pm

Call 1-800-RED CROSS to make an appointment

Wednesday, January 20th, 2016

January After Hours

w/ Falmouth/Cumberland Chamber Members

McVety’s Hearth & Home

Co-hosted with Ricetta’s Brick Oven Ristorante

5:00pm - 7:00pm | Register Here

Monday, February 1st, 2016

METRO North Express Service Public Discussion

Portland - Falmouth - Yarmouth - Freeport

Nordica Theatre, Freeport Village Station

8:30am - 10:00am | Register For Free Here

Sunday, February 7th, 2016

Father/Daughter Valentine's Dance

3:00pm - 5:00pm (in time for Super Bowl)

Call YCS at (207) 846-2406 to register

Wednesday, February 10th, 2016

Express Head Shots

Provided by Lauren Lear at Lola Studios

Town Hall Community Room

9:00am - 12:30pm

Call or email to sign up for a 30-minute slot

Friday, February 12th, 2016

Kids Night Out – Valentine’s Day Dinner

Casco Bay Regional YMCA

5:00pm - 8:30pm | Register Here

Wednesday, February 17th, 2016

February After Hours

Yarmouth Frame and Gallery

5:00pm—7:00pm | Register Here