For the sixth consecutive year, the Chamber will present the Cool Chamber Award to an entity which has made a significant difference in reducing energy usage and preserving resources. eWaste Recycling Solutions, of Auburn, partners with businesses, municipalities, transfer stations, and other non profits and organizations to ensure the safe recycling of electronics, including destruction of discarded hard drives.

eWaste Solutions designs efficient, inexpensive and convenient options while preparing electronic waste for re-use in manufacturing, protecting customers’ private interests while serving the interests of the environment.

Almost no one can remember a time when Bob Thompson, executive director of Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments and recipient of this year’s prestigious Ken Additon Business Advocate Award was not among the most prominent individuals engaged in economic development in central Maine. Created in 2004, this award is presented to those who best embody Additon’s unique spirit and dedication to his clients.

Additon was a great friend to The Chamber and the small business community, and all past recipients of this award have cited Additon’s inspiration as the source of their own motivation, and no one personifies that spirit, dedication and impact more than Thompson. AVCOG’S impact on both public and private sector enterprises, on transportation, tourism, environmental protection, business development, technical assistance and financing has been immeasurable, and Thompson’s stewardship of AVCOG and impact on its clients has been an engine of prosperity in the region for decades.

“Maybe the perk of this job I will miss most,” said Chip Morrison, Chamber president retiring in June, “is the opportunity to select the winners of the annual President’s Award. So I’m exercising that privilege to choose two recipients this year.”

The first award will be presented to Jim Marston and Uncle Andy’s Digest, described by Morrison as “a local treasure.” Uncle Andy’s is a local economy all by itself, a venue that invites participation by buyers and sellers of virtually any kind of goods imaginable, and it does so with an unfailing sense of humor that engages its readers and lubricates the wheels of commerce. Since 2001, Uncle Andy’s has been providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities from John F. Murphy Homes.

The second President’s Award will be presented to Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers, one of the most widely recognized companies in the community. With a well-deserved worldwide reputation for unparalleled craftsmanship, Thos. Moser has grown from the vision of one individual some 40 years ago to now employing nearly 70 cabinetmakers, evenly divided between men and women.

The company continues to be guided by its vision to: “Build furniture that celebrates the natural beauty of wood; is of simple, unadorned, graceful lines; and is crafted for a long, useful life.” In addition to a widely distributed catalog, the company operates showrooms in Auburn and Freeport, Maine, as well as in Boston, New York, Greenwich, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.

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