Annual Chamber Awards

The 2020 Annual Chamber Awards were presented on location on November 23rd and 24th with each award winner at their respective businesses. Due to COVID-19, we decided not to hold a larger in-person awards event this year. Winners were announced daily at 4pm beginning December 1st and concluded with the full video presentation at 7pm on December 7th. A very special thank you to our Celebration Sponsors this year:
Camden National Bank, Changing Seasons Federal Credit Union, and Hannaford.

• Business Growth Award – BELFAST SOUP KITCHEN sponsored by Front Street Shipyard
  

  A Chamber Member business that has successfully expanded, renovated, created an innovative new line, or increased employees in the past year (Click here for the video presentation)
  
  L to R: Cherie Merrill, BSK Executive Director; Karen Foxwell, BSK Board Treasurer; Jerry Brand, BSK Building Committee Advisor; Mary Brand, BSK Board President; Steve Ryan, Belfast Area Chamber Executive Director

• New Business Award – THE ONLY DOUGHNUT sponsored by Maine Chevy Dealers & Stanley Chevrolet
  

  A new Chamber Member business that has been around for three years or less and holds the promise of being here for many years to come. The new business may be creative, innovative, unique and/or fills a need in the community (Click here for the video presentation)
  
  L to R: Sandy Patrick, Belfast Area Chamber Member Rep; Sherian Swindell & Nina Richard, Co-Owners of The Only Doughnut; Neil Harriman, General Manager, Stanley Chevrolet Buick; Greg Dutch, Comptroller, Stanley Chevrolet Buick

• Hometown Heritage Award – COLONIAL THEATRE sponsored by LCI Fiber Optic Network
  

  A Chamber Member business that has been around for more years than we can remember and is a bedrock in the community. They contribute experience, knowledge, and wisdom to other businesses (Click here for the video presentation)
  
  L to R: Mike Hurley, Co-Owner; Steve Ryan, Belfast Area Chamber Executive Director

• Waldo County Business Award – PAWS ANIMAL ADOPTION CENTER sponsored by First National Bank
  

  This award recognizes a Chamber Member from Waldo County, or somewhere outside of greater Belfast, that has demonstrated sound business development, civic involvement, and support for our overall business community (Click here for the video presentation)
  
  L to R: Sandy Patrick, Belfast Area Chamber Member Rep; Shelly Butler, PAWS Executive Director; Tabitha Lowe, PAWS Development Director; Nichole Quinn and Necole Dabrio Janzcura, First National Bank Business Development Officers

• Innovation & Adaptation Award (NEW) – BELL THE CAT sponsored by Nordic Aquafarms, Inc.
  

  A Chamber Member business that has fundamentally and creatively innovated and adapted to the unique challenges of the recent pandemic and its economic fallout in order to continue to serve our community (Click here for the video presentation)

  L to R: Jojo Oliphant, Owner; Jackie Cassida, Nordic Aquafarms Inc. Community Liaison; Steve Ryan, Belfast Area Chamber Executive Director

• Chamber Appreciation Award – NED LIGHTNER, Insight Productions chosen by the Board of Directors
  
  This award is in recognition of someone who has worked with our Chamber to advance what makes Waldo County special and unique (Click here for the video presentation)
  
  L to R: Chamber Board President Alex Hawthorne, Ned Lightner, Belfast Area Chamber Executive Director Steve Ryan
  
  
• Citizen of the Year Award – DOROTHEE & ROB NEWCOMBE, Whale’s Tooth Pub & Beach Cottage Inn sponsored by Mathews Brothers
  

  This award recognizes a person who has made an outstanding positive impact in Waldo County during the past year or so, either through a single event or on a continuous basis. Nominees can be from any occupation, including business, education, services, medical, government, a charitable organization, or they can be a resident (Click here for the video presentation)
  
  

  L to R: Mathews Brothers Executive Vice President Alex Hawthorne, Dorothee & Rob Newcombe, Belfast Area Chamber Executive Director Steve Ryan
  
  ~*~ CLICK HERE to enjoy our entire virtual 2020 Annual Chamber Awards presentation ~*~

As a bonus, with nearly 1,100 people voting this year, and several of our awards being very close between the winner and the runner up, we decided it would be great to also honor those who had the second most votes this year! Congratulations to our 2020 Runner-Up Winners!

New Business Award – North Star Adventures LLC
L to R: Owner Nancy Zane and Belfast Area Chamber Member Rep Sandy Patrick

Business Growth Award – Among Friends Salon
L to R: Owner Jamie Thompson and Belfast Area Chamber Executive Director Steve Ryan

Waldo County Business Award – Maine Alpaca Experience
L to R – Front: Bailey Heller, Jillian McKenzie Back: Belfast Area Chamber Member Rep Sandy Patrick, Co-Owner Robin Fowler Pratt, Janis Piper, Tammy Allen

Hometown Heritage Award – Young’s Lobster Pound
L to R: Belfast Area Chamber Executive Director Steve Ryan and Owner Raymond Young

Innovation & Adaptation Award – Colburn Shoe Store
L to R: Owner Colby Horne & Belfast Area Chamber Executive Director Steve Ryan

2019 Awards

The 2019 Annual Chamber Awards were presented on Saturday, November 16^th at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast. The reception began at 5 pm, featuring a band, cash bar and a range of catered hearty appetizers. Brief welcoming remarks and the Annual Award presentations followed at 6:30 pm, with dessert at 7:30 pm. Camden National Bank was the generous Major Sponsor for the event.

• Business Growth Award – TODDY POND FARM sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank

• Waldo County Business Award – SEARSPORT SHORES OCEAN CAMPGROUND sponsored by Damariscotta Bank & Trust

• New Business Award – MAINE OCEAN SCHOOL sponsored by Bangor Federal Credit Union

• Hometown Heritage Award – BELFAST CO-OP sponsored by Nordic Aquafarms, Inc.

• Chamber Appreciation Award – RYAN OTIS, Rollie’s Bar & Grill sponsored by Maine Chevy Dealers & Dutch Chevrolet

• Citizen of the Year Award – MARY WEAVER, The Playhouse

2018 Awards

• Business Growth Award – BELL THE CAT sponsored by Maine Chevy Dealers / Dutch Chevrolet
• New Business Award – LINCOLNVILLE GENERAL STORE sponsored by Elm Street Marketing Essentials powered by ProForma 
• Hometown Heritage Award – COLBURN SHOE STORE sponsored by Rollie’s Bar & Grill   
• Waldo County Business Award – BELMONT BOATWORKS sponsored by DownEast Credit Union
• Chamber Appreciation Award – JIM LeCLAIR of Smart DataMap Services sponsored by Courier Publications & The Republican Journal
• Citizen of the Year – LEE WOODWARD, JR. sponsored by Damariscotta Bank & Trust

2018 Awards Photos:

2017 Citizen of the Year Award

2015 Citizen of the Year Award

2013 Citizen of the Year Award

2008 Citizen of the Year Award