Staff writer
There aren’t too many people in central Aroostook County who don’t know Bob Buckley of Mapleton.
It could be that they know him from his many years in the grocery business. Perhaps they have watched him officiate their son or daughter’s ballgame. Or maybe he has introduced himself and launched into a conversation based on a mutual friend or important issue facing the city and region.
Bottom line, Buckley loves people and has a genuine interest in how his neighbors are doing. His engaging smile and knack for lending a sympathetic ear are his hallmarks and recently he has put them to work at his hometown newspaper.
These days Buckley can be found canvassing the business community from Bridgewater to Presque Isle, selling advertising for the Star-Herald and its sister publications. It’s a role, he says, fits well with his personality and he’s finding overwhelming acceptance and appreciation from his customers, big and small.
“The Star-Herald is a Presque Isle institution. Local businesses are so supportive of the paper and that’s because the paper is so supportive of the communities it serves. It has always been my philosophy to take care of the customer and it is very clear to me that my company and co-workers are also customer-driven,” said Buckley.
Buckley’s professional approach is simple and straightforward. He meets with a customer at a convenient time, listens closely to determine the need, and lays out various options to find and reach the target audience.
Knowing his customers and their unique strategies to succeed are important to Buckley. Much like the businesses he serves, he takes a long-term approach and leaves the hard sell and too-good-to-be-true sales pitch to others.
“My personal approach is very much like the newspaper’s — when the Star-Herald covers local news and events, it makes the reader feel as if they were actually there. I want to develop and maintain that same relationship with our advertisers — that they can count on me to be there for them,” he said.
A Westfield native, Buckley is a 1980 Presque Isle High School graduate and has an associate’s degree in business administration from Northern Maine Community College. He started a career in grocery retail right out of high school that saw him move up from stock boy, to manager, to owner in the store. When Smythe’s IGA closed its doors last year, Buckley oversaw 100 employees.
A life-long outdoorsman, Buckley is a registered Maine guide and member of Atlantic Salmon for Northern Maine. He belongs to several fraternal organizations including the Presque Isle Lodge of Elks, Trinity Lodge and Aroostook Shrine. He also belongs to Mapleton Lions and has worked with the PI Music Boosters, PI Athletic Boosters, PI Chamber of Commerce, PI Historical Society and the local FFA chapter.
He is an honorary member of the Presque Isle Fire Department and a recipient of the Maine Silver Collar Award.
Buckley and his wife Tammy will mark their 27th wedding anniversary this year. They have three daughters — Elizabeth, Jessica and Katie.
To make an appointment with Buckley or to schedule with him to drop by your business, call the Star-Herald at 768-5431 or e-mail starheraldsales@nepublish.com
Staff photo/Mark Putnam
A PERSONAL APPROACH is something Star-Herald sales representative Bob Buckley brings to the community and he has always recognized it as a secret for success in his hometown newspaper. Here Buckley proofs a recreation sponsorship page with graphic designer April Michaud at Northeast Publishing, where the Star-Herald is printed each week.
