OCT 29, 2026

 

Join us for An Evening Built Around Connection on Thursday, November 19 at the 2026 Maine Family Business Awards. Hear the family story behind Louisville Slugger from special guests Kevin Zoeller and Andrew Clark and celebrate Maine's family businesses. Get excited by watching last year's highlight reel above!

Click here to save your spot now! Bring your friends and book a whole table!

Finalists Announced for the 2026 Maine Family Business Awards!


We have named 26 companies as finalists for the 26th annual Maine Family Business Awards. Seven award recipients will be announced live on Thursday, November 19, 2026. The finalists represent a wide range of industries and communities across Maine.

Partner with Us for the 2026 Maine Family Business Awards!


Showcase your organization while helping us celebrate Maine’s remarkable family-owned businesses. Sponsorship opportunities offer meaningful visibility, valuable connections with business and community leaders, and the chance to support a legacy that strengthens Maine’s economy for generations.


To learn more, contact Catherine Wygant Fossett, Executive Director at

catherine@fambusiness.org.

Ethan, IFOB's AI Assistant!

"How-To" Growth & Visibility: Building a Simple AI Assistant to Support Your Marketing


Wednesday, November 4 | 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Zoom


For many businesses, AI feels interesting—but also difficult to translate into practical day-to-day use. This session focuses on approachable ways AI can support your marketing efforts without adding unnecessary complexity. Rich Brooks will walk through how to build a simple AI assistant that understands your business, brand voice, and audience, helping reduce repetitive work while supporting clearer, more consistent communication. Designed for busy business leaders looking for practical tools rather than hype.


Thank you to our sponsors

26th Annual Maine Family Business Awards


Thursday, November 19 | 5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Thompson's Point Brick South, Portland ME & Zoom


Come together and recognize the family businesses that are showing up, year after year, and continuing to build something that lasts.

We'll be honoring a group of Maine family businesses—each with its own story of growth, challenge, and commitment across generations. These are businesses doing the work every day, often without much attention, but with a steady impact on their people, their communities, and the state. From this group, several award recipients will be announced live during the evening.


In a year that has invited reflection on the country’s history, it feels like a natural time to acknowledge the role family businesses have played in building—and sustaining—that story. We’ll be joined by Kevin Zoeller and Andrew Clark, whose work offers a window into that same kind of long-term stewardship.

"How-To" Growth & Visibility: How to Advocate for Your Business in a Changing Landscape


Wednesday, December 2 | 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Zoom


As the business landscape shifts, many family business leaders are trying to understand how to stay informed, speak up, and represent their businesses in meaningful ways. This conversation explores practical ways to engage in advocacy without feeling like you need to become a policy expert. We’ll talk through simple, effective ways to communicate with lawmakers, prepare for conversations around policy issues, and help make sure the perspective of family-owned businesses is part of the conversation.


Thank you to our sponsors

IFOB Members: Promote Your Company News With Us


For more information on how to submit your news, view our video or download this cheat sheet. If you need assistance please contact Brooke.


Hiring? You can also add job postings.


Member news, events, and jobs you submit in the member portal are always included in the Kindred Connector.

 

Catherine Wygant Fossett

Executive Director

catherine@fambusiness.org

207.798.2667

Brooke Stewart

Director of Communications

brooke@fambusiness.org

207.281.2414

 
 
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