MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: We’d like to again invite colleagues, friends and families to attend the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber Annual Meeting, “the Big Night Out.” The event is this Friday, Jan. 15, 5-8 p.m., and takes place at the new L.L. Bean Learning Commons on the campus of Southern Maine Community College’s Midcoast Campus, located at Brunswick Landing.

Register and pay online at www.midcoastmaine.com.

The evening is catered by Simply Susie’s Catering and includes entertainment, games, photo booth and exhibits by Southern Maine Community College, Mid Coast-Parkview Health, BEK, Inc., Brunswick Hotel & Tavern, Priority Group, Sweetser, Standard Distributors, Curtis Memorial Library, Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, Northeast Bank, The Pierce Studio, A++ Party Rentals, Atlantic Regional Federal Credit Union, Camden National Bank, Northeast Security Systems, Plant Memorial Home, U.S. Cellular, Maine Course Hospitality Group, Norton Insurance, Association for Consulting Expertise, TD Bank and Servpro of Bath-Brunswick.

The annual awards will be presented to:

Mark Waltz of Topsham is the recipient of the prestigious Citizen of the Year award. He is an attorney, business owner and captain in the Brunswick Police Department and is both a current and past volunteer in numerous organizations. This award was initiated in 1958 and recognizes an individual who, through his or her unselfish commitment to the community, embodies the best characteristics of community citizenship and serves as an example to all.

Joy Johnson is the recipient of the Joshua L. Chamberlain award. She is the visionary who created Embrace a Vet in 2011, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing direct and supportive services to Maine veterans and their families with PTSD and/or TBI. The award was imitated in 1976 and named for soldier, statesman, educator and businessman Joshua L. Chamberlain.

Earning Business of the Year honors is Bill Dodge Auto Group and for Small Business of the Year is Now You’re Cooking. Selection is based upon: business growth and improvement, good financial health, quality customer service, staying power, overall excellence in the marketplace, and community contributions.

New Business Venture of the Year recipient is Tech Place. It is located at Brunswick Landing and has demonstrated business growth, quality customer service and community contributions.

The Young Professional of the Year is an up and coming young chamber business professional in the region and it is awarded to Kelly Dorsey of Androscoggin Bank. Chamber Volunteer of the Year is awarded to Liz Wyman of Camden National Bank who has conscientiously led the Chamber’s Ambassadors group and served on the SMCC board of directors with endless enthusiasm. SMMC Chairman Matt Barbour chose Cathy Barter of Key Bank as the recipient of the Chairman’s Award in recognition of the many and varied contributions that she has made to the chamber.

Thanks to the sponsors of The Big Night Out: Southern Maine Community College, Mid Coast-Parkview Health, BEK, Inc., Brunswick Hotel & Tavern, Priority Real Estate Group LLC, Sweetser and Standard Distributors.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Attend the ribbon cutting of a new business, Kings and Queens Hair Salon, located at 50 Maine St. in downtown Brunswick on Jan. 21 at 10 a.m.

• The first Chamber After Hours networking event of the year is Wednesday, Jan. 27 at the new Residence Inn by Marriott located at 139 Richardson St. in Bath.

OUR MEMBERS: The new year starts out with another new member: the Knox Museum located in Thomaston. Find more chamber members at www.midcoastmaine.com. Our members are located in and around these communities: Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Edgecomb, Georgetown, Harpswell, Phippsburg, Richmond, Topsham, West Bath, Westport Island, Wiscasset and Woolwich.