When our chamber of commerce is at our most successful, we are bringing our businesses exactly what they need, whether that be interns through our Connecting to Tomorrow program that we partner on with the United Way of Mid Coast Maine, or giving them the policy updates on recently passed legislation and letting them know how it affects them; or directing relocating families to businesses they need to start relationships with, or two dozen other things. But what those things have in common is the specificity. These are actual tangible things you can touch and feel, and they make a direct impact on our businesses and communities.

This week, I want to be that intentional in talking about some local successes that have happened, are currently happening or will be happening in the not-too-distant future. Celebrating successes is important always, but perhaps more so during a critical election year in which so many stories and podcasts seem to thrive on division and separating us. We have much more in common than we don’t, and celebrating successes is an incredible way to overcome any perceived barriers.

Let’s start with the first success story, the ribbon-cutting at STARC up on Brunswick Landing, which I had the pleasure of attending with our brand-new chamber intern, as well as our incredible colleagues that are the staff of the Brunswick Downtown Association. For those that don’t know, STARC is a manufacturer of mobile wall systems that are quick and easy to install and extremely durable and reusable. The first product began as an answer to how to keep construction dust out of other parts of hospitals during renovation when drywall was impractical and hanging plastic wasn’t effective enough. The product is telescoping walls where a runner is mounted on the floor and ceiling, and these expandable wall panels slide up to the height you need and connect side by side to fill a space to keep construction debris in the area it needs to be. You have seen these in malls, airports and numerous construction sites.

STARC is also a key story in the success of Brunswick Landing’s business incubator TechPlace. They began with three people, one desk and a small manufacturing floor space. TechPlace helped provide the space and some equipment they could use through the joint workshops that TechPlace supports for the three dozen or so businesses that are growing there but might not have the capital for their own equipment, so they share. As they grew, they hired and expanded within TechPlace for more offices and manufacturing space. Eventually, they outgrew TechPlace, but with the majority of their employees here, they got some buildings on Brunswick Landing to expand. This year, they opened a new facility that brought the overwhelming majority of their production, administration and sales teams under one roof (which is the location on Katahdin Drive on Brunswick Landing where the ribbon-cutting was held).

I can’t give away much about their proprietary process of how they build their wall panels, but I have to say, even 20 years into being a chamber director, I am constantly amazed when I do these business tours. They have taken a concept and created their products through a series of production processes that they are constantly improving and perfecting. This may seem commonplace as all manufacturers do this, but for someone whose creations mostly come from writing, speaking and the occasional marketing piece, seeing how something is made still fascinates me.

Every process is tested and rechecked for quality, ergonomic viability, precision and timeliness. You can only achieve the beauty of an effective, lasting system by leaning into expertise. As a society, we have discounted expertise lately, in some circles besmirched it, favoring the wisdom of crowdsourcing or listening to nonexperts specifically because they are “outsiders” and have a “new perspective.” But we need expertise when we are building things — any common thinker can tear something down. However, to build something that innovates and maintains over time takes expertise in creating a system and the wisdom to know that all systems can be recalibrated and improved when new advice is presented. They don’t stick to what has worked just because it used to work; if they find a better way, they adapt — that is truly inspiring.

That expertise, growth and innovation was celebrated with the majority of their 137 employees this week, and it was wonderful to be a part of it.

Two other quick success stories to share that we will get into more in next week’s column, the first of which is our next ribbon-cutting train happening in Bath next Friday afternoon, May 29. This is a program we initiated this spring with Main Street Bath as the first ribbon-cutting train highlighted eight Bath businesses that have opened, expanded or reopened in new locations. It was a smashing success of joy and togetherness.

More details in next week’s column, but the fun starts with participants invited to get on the trolley at Bath City Hall at 2 p.m. From there, they’ll head off to the first of seven ribbon-cuttings every 20 minutes. The stops will include: The Parlor, Empire Nails & Spa, Frosty’s, Rice’s Drug Store, Cottage & Main, Riverside Hearing Care, and Zellie’s Ice Cream truck, with a happy hour get together at OystHERS to finish off the afternoon.

The final success story (and again, more on this next week) is our chamber’s annual awards event. It got moved this year from an indoor venue in early March to a glorious outdoor venue in Harpswell to kick off summer. The newly named BBTRC’s Community Leadership Awards will be held Thursday, June 18, at Live Well Farm in Harpswell. The eight award honorees will be detailed in this Friday’s BBTRC News & Notes weekly e-newsletter with three individuals, three businesses and two nonprofit organizations being recognized. We can’t wait to share their successes with all of you next week.

Cory King is executive director of Bath-Brunswick-Topsham Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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