Chamber announces business awards; recognizes community successes

By Lorraine Glowczak

Customarily it is an evening of networking between business owners, entrepreneurs and community members that includes an ideally prepared menu and a special guest speaker – all of which is located at a venue within one of the 10 towns the chamber represents. But, because of the required social distancing due to COVID, the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce’s (SLRCC) annual meeting was held this year via Zoom from 8 to 9 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 7. 

Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce 
President Zachary Conley personally delivered
the annual chamber awards to this year's award
winners at their annual meeting on Jan. 7. 
Congratulations to Conley, left, who was elected
chamber president for the third consecutive year
and to Community Service Leader, Richard 
'Richie' Vraux of Better Homes & Gardens
Real Estate - The Premier Team.
SUBMITTED PHOTO    

The challenges presented throughout 2020 did not prevent the Chamber from celebrating a successful, albeit a very challenging year and to announce the annual leadership award winners.

“I am proud of not only the chamber and board members who spent hours of time helping businesses and community members, I also want to congratulate the community itself for all we’ve done together throughout this crazy year we call 2020,” said SLRCC President, Zachary Conley of Modern Woodmen of America. “We’ve seen businesses help other businesses and we’ve seen grocery stores open earlier to accommodate the medically vulnerable and elderly.”

Before announcing the annual award winners, SLRCC Executive Director Robin Mullins presented her annual report. She shared the work the chamber has done for area business communities to support them throughout 2020. As a result of their efforts and support, there was an increase in chamber memberships this year, from 266 in 2019 to 285 today.

As always, one of the highlights of the annual meeting is the announcements of the Community Service Leader, Frank Koenig Chamber Hall of Fame, and the Business of the Year Awards.

The winners were presented their plaques in person by chamber members and are as follows:

Community Service Leader Award: Congratulation to Richard “Richie” Vraux.

Vraux, is a REALTOR® with Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate - The Premier Team and he was
nominated by Deb McPhail of Gorham Savings Bank. He volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, Consumer Affairs with the Greater Portland Board of Realtors, Preble Street Soup Kitchen, Windham and Raymond Food Pantries, Cystic Fibrosis of Northern Maine-Rockland, 911 Memorial Scholarship Fund-Gorham and Hands Around the Cove Committee – United Way.

“I am really happy to present this award to Richie, a dear friend,” McPhail said. “Whether it’s for the Chamber of Commerce, Sebago Lakes Rotary, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, the Windham Food Pantry, Windham Veterans Center or any other deserving non-profit or person in the community, Richie is silently helping out. He is not the face you see or the voice you hear. He is the quiet one behind the scenes giving back to his community in any way he can. He has a positive attitude and is always willing to help anyone in need.”

Frank Koenig Chamber Hall of Fame Award: Congratulations to Ruth York

Ruth York is a Group Sales and Special Events Director of Point Sebago Resort and she was nominated by Ed Getty of Getty Real Estate Services.

“Ruth has been with the Chamber for 15 years (give or take),” Getty said. “During that time, she has given of herself in both time and resources. She has been very active as a Board Director, committee member and committee chair. Her leadership and forward thinking have helped to take an idea (i.e., Sebago Spirits fundraiser) and turn it into a successful event that the Chamber will hopefully have for many years to come. And, although she is retiring from the SLRCC board, she has committed to staying on as the committee liaison for Point Sebago (and other future events, including Sebago Spirits). Her dedication to the SLRCC is to be commended and recognized.”

Business of the Year: Congratulations to Octagon Cleaning and Restoration

Rob and Kathy York, owners of Octagon Cleaning and Restoration, were nominated by Josh Fifield of Clark Insurance. This is the fourth year this business has been nominated.

“Robert started his business in 2002, then called Maine Cleaning Services. His office was his car and his cell phone, and he alone spent nights cleaning office buildings. In 2008 he took the business in a new direction and changed to Octagon Cleaning and Restoration - a business focused on air quality dealing with mold, water, and fire restoration and carpet cleaning. Robert grew the company every year since its inception providing additional jobs to the community and advancement opportunities for those team members that excel,” Fifield said. “Fast forward to 2020 and the company has grown to 30 employees, 22 vehicles and has added air duct cleaning, asbestos removal, and infection control to the list of services with offices in Maine and New Hampshire. In this year of COVID19, Octagon was utilized by government officials and facilities to combat influenza, coronavirus, and other types of contaminants that require aggressive sanitization in the indoor environment.

“At a time when many businesses have struggled, Octagon has flourished hiring nine new people to keep up with the demand. Another area of innovation for the company has been its use of solar energy,” Fifield said. “Solar panels have been installed in the Windham office (with plans to expand). The Octagon team realizes how blessed they have been, that is why they developed Octagon’s Give Back program. Each quarter they choose a deserving family (families are nominated by the community and chosen based on need) to receive up to ten thousand dollars in restoration services. They have also donated several thousand dollars to animal shelters, soup kitchens, and veteran charities during the pandemic.”

It is true that 2020 may go down in history as one of the most challenging times, but despite it all, it may also be remembered as one of the most transformative years of the 21st century.

It is really cool to see how fast people came together in the face of adversity,” Conley said, referring to the business and community members SLRCC represents. “That’s what we all did in 2020. We came together.” <

Welcome aboard! Local Chamber of Commerce votes in Maine’s youngest president

Zack Conley

By Lorraine Glowczak

It is true that small and local businesses have an edge today with social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Webinars and Facebook Live. There is little doubt that the internet has given some boost to individuals looking to grow their business in today’s society. But nothing can compare to the personal and face-to-face interactions that help a business and individual grow more profoundly to reach goals and to expand career options and aspirations.


That’s exactly the purpose and mission of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. And what better way to incorporate both social media and face-to-face interactions than having one of the youngest Chamber Presidents in Maine.

 Zachary “Zack” Conley, age 22, a Financial Representative with Modern Woodmen in Windham, was voted in by Chamber Board members to replace former President, Michelle Libby, on Thursday, October 4.

“My first goal is to discover all of our individual strengths,” stated Conley about all the board members. “From there, we can gather from our individual knowledge, experiences, expertise and talents to achieve the mission of the chamber, which is to help businesses grow and reach their goals through networking and educational events.”

Conley also stated that his chief focus is to invite more members to become actively involved with the intention to help them succeed in both business and in life, as he believes they go hand in hand. His second main goal is to introduce the chamber, whether it is the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce or beyond, to young professionals in the area seeking to become the best they can be.

To achieve this goal, Conley has spoken to classes at Windham High School about personal finance and is incorporating the importance of joining the local chamber, no matter where you live. “Now that I’m the President of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber, I will be reaching out to speak to other

high schools in the Lakes Region area, too.”

Conley believes that joining and being active in the Chamber is one of the best ways to meet successful business people. “The chamber is one way to meet all the shakers and movers in your community,” Conley stated from experience. “It was just a little over a year ago when I became a Financial Representative at Modern Woodman and I was advised to become a part of the chamber as a way to succeed in my business. I joined the Chamber, met many successful movers and shakers and not only has my business taken off, but so has my networking with others and meeting so many amazing people who have contributed to my success.”

And, now here he is, in one year’s time frame his business has blossomed and he is the youngest chamber president in Maine. But his path to success was not without a few bumps. “I was attending college in New Hampshire, but I had no clue where I was heading and was spending money on something that I felt like was not leading me anywhere,” Conley began. “So, when I dropped out of college and returned home, many people were disappointed in me and I was told I was going nowhere. When I accepted the position as Financial Representative, there were naysayers who stated I would fail. Instead of fulfilling their prophecy, I used their words of discouragement as a source of motivation.”

Lynn Mansfield, Executive Director of the Sebago Lakes Chamber of Commerce states that Conley’s strong network of peers and his business success makes him the perfect fit for his new role in the chamber. “His success attracts a new face to the Chamber—the young professional. My vision is to establish a young professionals network that will focus on career, community and connections--a vision that Zack also shares.  Together, we met with the Greater Portland Chamber about the success of their program, PROPEL. We are fortunate to have a rich resource in Saint Joseph’s College, so we’d like to strengthen that relationship in hopes that more young people will put down roots in the business community.  Zack already works to educate high school students on the importance of financial stability, so it will be a natural extension of his connection to the community.  He’s humble and looks forward to leading the Chamber in a positive new direction.  I knew we had the right man for the job when he shared that he read an extra chapter of “Robert’s Rules of Order” because he found parliamentary procedure to be interesting!”

No matter what industry you’re in, networking is always a good idea to build your business and lead it into a successful endeavor that helps others. The chamber is one way to make that happen. Conley promises to help businesses succeed. “I believe in giving 110% in whatever endeavor you choose to do – and I will give that in my role as President,” Conley stated. “Also, I want people to know that I’m always open to suggestions on ways to improve the organization and that my door is always open if anyone wants to learn more about the Chamber or has questions.”

A few of the following networking opportunities are available:

*Weekly Connecting For Growth referral group meetings that gather every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Windham Baptist Church, 973 River Road.

*Monthly evening Business Breaks that offer an opportunity to meet other business members in the surrounding area. The Breaks come with free food and fun networking. You do not have to be a member to attend.

*Quarterly Morning Momentums that provide an educational opportunity to improve business goals. It comes with breakfast and an opportunity to meet others. You do not have to be a member to attend, although there is a discounted cost to members.

*Ribbon Cutting Events to celebrate, welcome and highlight the new businesses in the Lakes Region. All are welcome to attend.

For more information about the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, call or text Conley at 207-838-0464 call or email at Zachary.J.Conley@mwarep.org or contact the Chamber office at 207-892-8265.