Our monthly newsletter is sponsored by:

Cross Insurance

THE LATEST INSIDE SCOOP

Kennebec River Brewfest is happening TOMORROW 2-6PM!

Join us on August 2nd for unlimited craft brews, live music, food from local food trucks and vendors, lawn games & more!

Tickets are on sale for $35 until 5PM TODAY. Tickets will be sold at the door for $45.

Thank you to our Kennebec River Brewfest Sponsors!

Major Sponsor

Brewmaster Sponsor

Glass Sponsor

Last Call Sponsor

Ticket Sponsor

Game Sponsor

Community Sponsor

Food Truck Sponsors

Hydration Sponsor

HYDRAPURE INFUSIONS MEDSPA

Beer Sponsors

GONETSPEED

SPRAGUE & CURTIS REAL ESTATE

WIPFLI, LLP

Brewer Sponsors

CAPITAL AREA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS

LAJOIE BROTHERS CORPORATION

ROCKY'S STOVE SHOPPE & CHIMNEY SERVICE

You're Invited to our Chamber Connection featuring Amanda Rector!

Join Amanda Rector, Maine State Economist at the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, on Thursday, August 7th from 8-9:30AM for an engaging look at the latest demographic shifts, workforce trends, and economic forces shaping Maine’s future.

Hot breakfast and Aroma Joe's coffee and pastries included.

Chamber Connection is sponsored by:

Kennebec Savings Bank

OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED

2026 Kenney Award Nominations Now Open

DO YOU KNOW A BUSINESS OR INDIVIDUAL WHO SHOULD BE NOMINATED FOR A KENNEY AWARD?

Recognizing the Kennebec Valley's Leaders and Organizations in the Following Categories:

Business Person of the Year

CYNERGY Emerging Professional

Large Business of the Year

Small Business of the Year

Non-Profit of the Year

Heartbeat of the Community

Beacon of the Valley

Nominations are due August 29th, 2025

Thank you IRONMAN 70.3 Maine Volunteers!

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every volunteer who helped make IRONMAN 70.3 Maine such a success. Your dedication, energy, and enthusiasm made a lasting impression — not just on us, but on every athlete and visitor who came through Augusta!

Thank you for showing the world what Maine hospitality looks like. We truly couldn’t have done it without you! If you loved being part of this incredible weekend, don’t miss your chance to do it again — join our interest list to volunteer for IRONMAN 70.3 Maine 2026!

The Kennebec Valley Chamber is going on tour - sign up to be a stop!

The 7th Up Business Tour is heading to Cony Middle School October 7th and Gardiner Middle School October 21st.

Every fall, the KV Chamber team transports over one hundred 7th graders from their respective schools on a day-long tour of different Chamber member businesses to expose the students to all the great businesses that are right HERE in the Kennebec Valley.

Interested in being part of the fun? Fill out the interest form below if you'd like us to visit your business!

CYNERGY NEWS & EVENTS

Join us August 7th for a night of trivia brought to you by Capitol City Improv!

Gather your team and challenge yourself with questions on sports, music, history, and more—all while supporting a great cause. Plus, enjoy food and drinks from The White Duck Brew Pub!

Entry is just $10 per person, with all proceeds going towards the Kennebec Land Trust!

Cynergy 2025 is sponsored by:

Kennebec Savings Bank and Modern Woodmen

YOUR ADS

MEMBER NEWS

Forbes Features Nancy Marshall, CEO of Marshall Communications

Recently, Forbes featured Marshall Communications CEO Nancy Marshall’s column on artificial intelligence and Google Search as its “Editor's Choice” — a top recognition for Forbes columnists. The world-renowned business publication highlighted Nancy’s ability to explain how earned media, thought leadership, and website content come together in the age of AI (see for yourself).

As Nancy points out to public relations professionals everywhere:

“You need to educate yourself — and quickly — about the role of AI in search results. If AI-generated content is now trumping organic search results and even ads, you can’t just focus on traditional PR strategies and tactics aiming for old-school search results; you need to take AI search outputs into account."

You can read the Forbes column here. Nancy writes a monthly column for Forbes Agency Council, so be sure to check out her next one very soon.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

Beacon Insurance Solutions

Nichole Kindelan (207) 249-4218

nichole@insurewithbis.com

Gardiner

E&E Transportation

Ely Keysar (207) 295-9999

info@eetransport.com

Augusta

Eagle Rise Media

Nichole Kindelan (207) 249-4218

eaglerisemedia@gmail.com

Gardiner

Junior Achievement of Maine

Michelle Prejean (207) 347-4333

info@jamaine.org

Portland

MaineStay Skin Care

Shannon Allen (207) 873-2158

contactus@mainestayskincare.com

Augusta

River Road Variety

Carla Brann (207) 588-6340

river.road.variety@outlook.com

South Gardiner

Theory Wellness

Jennibeth Gomez (207) 223-7113

marketing@theorywellness.com

Augusta

Thank you to our New Member Sponsors!

Augusta Civic Center and Central Maine Power Company

MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES

40 YEARS

O'Connor Auto Park, Townsquare Media

30 YEARS

Kennebec Pharmacy & Home Care, Kennebec Valley Humane Society

20 YEARS

American Lung Association in Maine, Kennebec Behavioral Health, O'Connor Volkswagen, Riverfront Barbeque & Grille

10 YEARS

Cape Air, Grossman Marketing Group, MIKA's Awesome After School & Summer Camp Program, Mix Maine Media, The Gardiner Center for Stress Management

5 YEARS

FAME, Gateway Retirement Solutions, Management Plus, Inc., Oliver & Friends Bookshop, Pouliot Real Estate, Inc., The Meadows Golf Club & Doolin's Pub

RENEW

CMA Consulting Pro, Discovery Coaching Group, Forza Physical Therapy, Machias Savings Bank, Maple Leaf Title, Netabin Cybersecurity, Pine Tree Veterinary Hospital, STEVE SMITH Trial Lawyers, Wicked Board Charcuterie

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

KVCC Board of Directors

Andrew Silsby, Chair*

Kennebec Savings Bank

Lori Dube, Chair Elect*

Sprague & Curtis Real Estate

Matthew Tardiff, Treasurer*

J.S. McCarthy Packaging and Print

Michele Pelletier, Past Chair

PERFORMANCE Foodservice NorthCenter

Cathy DeMerchant, Human Resources*

Capital Area Staffing Solutions, Inc.

Katie Doherty, President & CEO*^

Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce

* Executive Committee  ^ Full-Time Executive

Randall Anderson

The Meadows Golf Club

Karen Boston

Lipman Katz & Boston, P.A

Dr. Jenifer Cushman

University of Maine at Augusta

David Farago

Fourteen Forty Financial - A Financial Advisory Practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Sue Grenier

G&E Roofing Co., Inc.

Robbi Lockhart

Team EJP

Steven Marson

Central Maine Pyrotechnics

Nicole McSweeney

MaineGeneral Health

Stacey Morrison

Ganneston Construction Corp.

Rebecca Pushard

MIKA

Lynn Quirion

Macomber, Farr & Whitten

Alec Rogers

Maine Evergreen Hotel & Maine Gallery of Art

Jessika Williams

Cross Insurance

Kathryn Yates

Central Maine Power Company

Stay up to date by joining our mailing list KV Chamber Insider Newsletter

Sincerely,

KVCC Staff

Katie Doherty, President & CEO

Lindsay Corbett, Chief Operating Officer & Events

Melissa Walden, Membership & Development Director

Lauren Turcotte, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Megan Bachelder, Office Administrator