PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — An eclectic mix of business people rose to the top of the 2017 Aroostook Partnership Entrepreneur of the Year competition, but a Fort Kent logging contractor topped them all.
Josh Rich, of JL Rich Timber Harvesting, was named the 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year at an awards banquet at Northern Maine Community College Thursday, May 18.
Bruce Sargent of Falcon Transportation in Presque Isle finished as the first runner up, and in a tie for second runner-up was Cameron Clark of Houlton of Cameron’s Lawncare and Chainsaw Carving and Peter Chase of Buildings Etcetera.
Aroostook Partnership President Bob Dorsey, who also served as one of eight judges in the competition, said the mix of small and large businesses shows just how diverse the economy of Aroostook County is and it doesn’t matter the size of the business if people have a drive to succeed.
Rich received a plaque, $1,000 award and a certificate for a free Employer U training at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Sargent received a $500 check, and Clark and Chase each received $250.
In his nomination letter, UMFK Professor David Hobbins wrote, “Josh Rich is a true entrepreneur. He identified a niche, full researched all forestry, equipment and business aspects of his idea, them built a business plan to create a business model and employment for two other individuals.”
In 2015, Rich started a first-of-its-kind harvesting operation which focuses on smaller merchantable timber stands.
Sargent has seen tremendous growth in Falcon Transportation LLC since it was established in 2015. The Presque Isle-based business employs 52 people and has 63 drivers. Sargent is also a generous donor, most notably for the new recreation center in Presque Isle.
“The second runners-up from Houlton, Peter Chase of Buildings Etcetera and Cameron Clark of Cam’s Lawncare and Chainsaw carving, could be more diverse, but both show a tremendous entrepreneurial spirit,” said Dorsey.
“Buildings Etcetera is a major construction firm now, but when it started Peter had an idea and his wife, an educator by trade, wound up being the bookkeeper. Cameron on the other hand started very young, at the age of twelve and has seen significant growth every year. He even announced he was making his first hire this week.”
Also at the awards ceremony, David Gordon of Katahdin Cedar Log Homes in Oakfield, was presented the inaugural Vanguard Award from the Partnership to honor a business with a proven track record of innovation, excellence and service to the economy of Aroostook County.
“What really stood out about Katahdin Cedar Log Homes is that they had been leading business growth for more than 44 years – so it seemed fitting to start a ‘Vanguard Award’ to recognize those businesses that have ‘led the way’ for a long time,” added Dorsey.
A panel of eight judges, one from each of the supporting organizations, Husson University, Northern Maine Community College, University of Maine at Fort Kent, University of Maine at Presque Isle and four business representatives selected the ten finalists and ultimate winner earlier this month for announcement at the awards banquet.
The other finalists were Gordon; Bradley Frank, Big Cheese Pizza; Douglas Lerman, Ken. L. Electric; Paul Morgan, Dodo’s Market; Jonathan and Tristan Noyes, Gromaine; and Kevin Pelletier and Scott Colton, K-Pel and Fort Steel.
Previous winners include David Harbison of Bison Pumps in Houlton, Matt Bell of Northeast Pellets in Ashland, Northern Maine Distilling’s Jessica Jewell and Scott Galbiati (formerly of Houlton), Troy Haney of Haney Building Specialties in Caribou, Corey LaPlante of Northern Prosthetics in Presque Isle, Josh McLaughlin of J. McLaughlin Construction in Houlton and last year’s winner, the Buck Family of Mapleton, for the Maine Malt House.
