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MAINE INNKEEPERS ASSOCIATION
Representing Maine’s Bed & Breakfasts, Camps, Cottages, Hotels, Inns, Motels & Resorts
Volume 592
March 2013
Internet Marketing Boot Camp
The Maine Innkeepers Association
(MEIA) Education Committee is pleased
to announce another in a series of educational seminars, this one entitled, “Internet Marketing Boot Camp” Lisa Kolb of
Acorn Internet Services, Inc. will be the presenter. The focus of this seminar is to help
lodging owners, operators and managers to
understand and maximize free Google Local Search and Google Tools, Reputation
Management and, of course, Social Media.
This event will be held on Monday April 29,
2013 at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown
in Freeport. This is an all day seminar and
currently is scheduled to run from 10am until 3:00 pm and includes lunch. The cost for
the seminar is $69 per person. The Hilton
Garden Inn has extended a fabulous room
rate of $99 per night for Sunday evening!
Lisa will be covering Google and Local
Search. Do you know how Google personal-
Inside This Issue:
Internet Marketing Boot Camp........................... 1
2013 Legislative Update.................................... 1
Waterville Habitat Builds Energy Saving Home.... 2
Ninth Annual “Tees And
Textbooks” To Be Held In June........................... 4
Members in the News......................................... 5
Maine Restaurant and Lodging Expo................... 6
Kaplan University-South Portland’s New Tourism
and Hospitality Course....................................... 9
So Far, 2013 Has Been an Interesting Year....... 10
PORTopera Presents La Bohème July 2013....... 11
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izes results for your clientele and how those
results impact you making the sale? Do you
have a personal profile and business listing set up in Google? Has it been recently
claimed? Are you aware of the potential impact to your business once this information
makes its way out to the Mobile world? She
will cover the basics on all these topics and a
few more related to both Mobile and Traditional Google Search.
She will also cover Why Social Media is a
MUST HAVE. Social Media is no longer a
nice to have, it’s a must have for small businesses to compete online. She will review
the top Social Media Applications. She will
also review both their Traditional and Mobile formats, and how to use these tools to
grow your business and better support your
Online Search results and then she will explain Why Your Reputation Matters. Your
Business’s reputation has the power to deter-
mine if a new client chooses you over your
competition. Your Reviews must be managed, and some Reviews even contribute to
your Website’s Search Engine Placement.
1) The RIGHT way to grow good Reviews.
2) How to handle a bad Review.
3) What Reviews benefit your Google Placement?
Finally, Lisa will be Diving Deep into
Google Tools and you will learn about the
latest changes in both Google Local and
Google Organic. What do these changes
mean to your placement and ultimately
your bottom line? Google continues to update their Guidelines, Algorithms, and add
new features at such a rapid pace. Are you
keeping up? We will show you how to improve your online placement through growing your online website authority by using
Google provided and other FREE online
tools.
2013 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
The 126th Legislature started out with a
bang in January. The Association has been
watching several industry related bills and
has made several trips to Augusta to testify
either for or against and in one case, neither for nor against. LD 330 was one of
those bills and is titled “An Act to Require
All Lodging Places to be Licensed by the
State.” It was introduced by Senator John
Patrick of Oxford County at the request of
his constituent, a motel owner in the Bethel
area. The bill as it was written would remove
the exemptions from state licensing of lodging places, private homes and inns, requiring them all to be licensed by the State,
and repeals the authority of a municipality
to license lodging houses since it will now
be done by the State. Currently lodging
places with fewer than 6 rooms and where
the owner is living in the structure and any
lodging facility with fewer than 4 units (3
room motel, 3 cottages at the same address)
are exempt from licensing. If there is any
food served it always requires a license.
Kathy Thrall of the Inn at the Rostay in
Bethel area is our member and we supported
her throughout the process. Kathy’s specific
point is that she is competing against 6, 8,
and 10 bedroom houses that rent by the
night or the weekend and host weddings
and events and operate much like a hotel
or inn. Her goal was to make sure that anyone operating an establishment that competes directly with her abides by the same
licensing rules and laws. Licensed lodging
establishments collect and pay sales tax and
continued on page 3
1
Waterville Habitat Builds Energy
Saving Home
With Maine Innkeepers’ support,
Maine’s ten Habitat affiliates are now
ramping up their building schedules for
spring. There are ten affiliates in Maine,
with offices located in Bangor, Rockport,
Belfast, Ellsworth, Auburn, Waterville,
Augusta, Portland, Bath and Kennebunk.
Each affiliate serves a large region and all of
them build decent, affordable and energy
efficient homes for families in need.
This month’s featured affiliate is the
Waterville Area Habitat for Humanity
(WAHFH). This affiliate is in the middle
construction stages of a new home that is
highly energy efficient. From the project’s
outset, WAHFH’s Design and Construction Team realized that an affordable home
needs to not only be low cost to build and
to buy, but also low cost to operate. Following this line of thinking during the initial building design, they settled on solar
energy as a key part of their approach.
All of WAHFH’s homes are designed for
high levels of energy efficiency, with substantial insulation, tight windows/doors
and propane-driven radiant floor heating
systems. However, to go one step further
with their energy efficient, affordable concept, WAHFH has been guided by Maine
Solar Engineering of Palermo, Maine.
They’ve designed a system with a 4 KW PV
(electric) component that will provide over
90% of the home’s electrical demand and a
solar HW (hot water) component that will
provide over 75% of the domestic hot water
needs. Utilizing a southern orientation that
maximizes solar gain, and combined with
the benefits of reduced energy costs, volunteer labor, discounted equipment costs and
federal/state income tax credits, the system
will pay for itself in approximately 5 years.
The new home is part of the Mill Run
development on Jacques Lane in Oakland.
It offers a quiet, in-town location on a one
acre wooded lot which is close to amenities
and schools and is an ideal spot for a family home. The Waterville Housing Authority manages the development and has been
very supportive of Habitat’s project.
Maine’s Habitat affiliates want to thank
the Maine Innkeepers who have supported
them over the past ten years through the
Hospitality for Habitat program. Every
penny raised is put to good use. Funds
from the program leverage community
donations of building materials and many
hours of volunteer time to build decent, affordable homes for families who could not
otherwise afford them.
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Maine Innkeepers Association 2
2013 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
have to pay a licensing fee, but that is just
the beginning. With licensing comes regulation that requires water testing, pool lifts
for your pool and spa, certification as a pool
operator, inspections from the State Fire
Marshal potentially requiring fire escapes or
sprinklers and many, many more. The argument is that if you are operating like an inn
you should be licensed and if you truly are
a vacation rental, you should not. This is an
epidemic not only in the State of Maine, but
nationwide. Bethel is not the only area in
Maine with this problem. The Professional
Association of International Innkeepers
(PAII) advocates on this issue and has written a white paper on the problem and potential solutions.
sioner George Gervais on the wording and
he has been gracious enough to use most of
our recommendations to this point.
The public hearing for this bill was held on
Thursday February 28. It was well attended
by both lodging operators and vacation
rental managers alike. Both had very strong
opinions about the bill, but everyone agreed
that our member was at an unfair advantage
financially with her mandated compliance
to these rules and regulations. We asked the
committee to appoint a stakeholders group
to iron out the issues and maybe come up
with some definitions that the lodging community and the highly respected vacation
rental manager’s community could agree
on. The stakeholders met on March 5 and
found a fair amount of common ground.
We went to Health and Humans Services
committee for work session on March 14 to
ask for more time to complete our task and
were greeted with a unanimous committee
vote of ought not to pass with no discussion.
Next steps, Kathy and I are going to meet
with Lisa Roy at the Health Inspections Division at DHHS to see if there are any considerations they can give us to help alleviate
issues related to unlicensed properties acting
like licensed ones.
A biennial favorite, LD 483, simply
known as the sign bill, would have made
wholesale changes to the state’s signage laws.
An amended bill was presented to the com-
Other bills of interest include LD 265,
the repeal of the guns in trunks at the
workplace bill that was passed last session.
No public hearing has been scheduled yet.
LD 314 codifies the Office of Marketing in
statute. We have had some issues with the
wording of the legislation as it relates to its
effect on the Maine Office of Tourism. The
Maine Hospitality and Tourism Alliance has
been working with Department of Economic and Community Development Commis-
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mittee by the sponsor that removed almost
all of the language except the level of frequency for changeable digital signs. The
level of frequency would increase from every
20 minutes to every one minute. More bills
of interest would include LD 611, which
would increase the minimum wage to $8.50
per hour in 2013 and then adjust annually
based on CPI. LD 700 would require all
places of public accommodation to replace
their current elevators with stretcher accessible elevators, which would create unbelievable financial hardship to our larger member properties. Statutory adjournment date
is June 19, 2013 and we will be there right
up until the end. Meals and lodging tax increases will probably find themselves in part
of a Democratic biennial budget to counter
the one put forth by Governor LePage. Stay
tuned and more to follow in subsequent editions and via e-mail.
LD 427 would create a local options sales
tax of up to 5% that can be instituted after
a local vote. This bill was sponsored by a Republican legislator and another bill that has
yet to be printed, that is sponsored by an
innkeeper legislator, would raise the lodging tax to 10%. We will be opposing both
of these bills. We supported LD 431, which
would allow minors to get work permits
from the Department of Labor, when school
is out of session, rather than the superintendent of schools. They are often hard to access in the summer time.
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3
NINTH ANNUAL “TEES AND
TEXTBOOKS” TO BE HELD IN JUNE
Mark you calendars for the 9th Annual Tees & Textbooks on
June 3 and 4 of 2013. Tees & Textbooks will be held in the Portland
area and will consist of our gala scholarship dinner with entertainment at the Fireside Inn & Suites in Portland and will wrap up the
following day with the Hospitality Golf Classic at the Spring Meadows Golf Club in Gray. This year’s festivities begin with a social hour
from 5:30 until 6:30pm on Monday and then dinner sponsored by
Turner Barker Insurance and Sysco Food Services of Northern
New England at 6:30pm with scholarship recipients being honored
after dinner and entertainment provided by Maine music legend,
Tony Boffa. This is the eighth year in our effort to name and sponsor scholarships. Last year we sponsored 9 scholarships for a total
of $8,200. We would like to equal or exceed last year’s number of
awards, so please respond to the mailing sent earlier in March if you
have interest in sponsoring a scholarship. For $500, any innkeeper
or allied member can receive recognition and name and present
their sponsored scholarship at our event. We are still searching for
a social hour sponsor ($500). Tickets for this event will be $55 per
person and all proceeds will benefit the Maine Innkeepers Association Education Foundation, which is a 501c3 charity.
Maine Innkeepers Association The following day brings us the 19th Annual Maine Innkeepers
Association Hospitality Golf Classic which will be held at Spring
Meadows Golf Club. The MEIA Board of Directors has been working hard to put on a great tournament as part of Tees & Textbooks!
Sysco Food Services of Northern New England will sponsor the
Classic that will begin at 9:00am as a shotgun start. Cross Employee Benefits will once again be our beverage sponsor and Clark
Insurance will be our golf cart sponsor. Breakfast and lunch will be
served. Sponsorship Opportunity sign-ups will be sent out at the
end of March and registration forms will be sent shortly after that.
The day’s festivities will start on Tuesday morning in a shotgun,
scramble format and each player will receive a goody bag loaded
with great gifts and snacks. We are once again offering sponsorships
for golf carts, the putting contest, Par 3 Hole Sponsorships and tee
sponsors. If you are unable to field a foursome consider sponsoring
a tee for $175 or the Most Accurate Drive or Longest Drive for
$200.
If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Parlin at 8656100 or jennifer@maineinns.com.
4
Members in the news
Bar Harbor and the Atlantic Oceanside
Hotel and Bar Harbor Hotel- Bluenose
Inn were featured prominently in The Coast
News, a Southern California publication,
in their travel section. Below is an excerpt
from the article.
There are many hotels in the Bar Harbor area, but two of the top choices are the
Bluenose Inn and the Atlantic Oceanside.
The free shuttle stops right in front of the
Atlantic Oceanside Hotel, just a mile north
of downtown Bar Harbor on Highway 3.
Our spacious room in the new Atlantic
View Lodge building gave us a breathtaking view of Frenchman Bay and the hotel
boat dock, which sees a lot of action in the
summer. Also on the property is a stately
historic home that has been converted to
accommodate 13 bedrooms and a penthouse.
About a thousand feet south on Highway 3 is the Bluenose Inn, which sits atop
a hill. The outdoor pool and deck (there’s
an indoor pool, too) bids visitors to sit and
ponder the beautiful Maine landscape below. The purple-appointed Great Room
is features crystal sconces and an inviting
fireplace — the perfect setting for wine,
cocktails and light fare. Evening brings accomplished local talent to the grand piano.
A bit of a hike will take you even further
uphill to the hotel’s Looking Glass Restaurant, but the effort is worth it. (You also can
drive.) The airy dining room and large deck
afford expansive views of coastal topography and make you want to linger.
The year is starting out well for Berry
Manor Inn named among the top 25
B&Bs and Inns by TripAdvisor® in its Travelers’ Choice® 2013 Awards. This is the second time in five years that Berry Manor Inn
was named to this esteemed list. Now in its
11th year, the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice
awards honor the world’s best hotels, inns
and B&Bs earning their distinction from
those who know them best - real travelers.
While TripAdvisor keeps its algorithm for
determining the awards close to its chest,
each year the winners were determined by
a combination of the highest traveler ratings and the TripAdvisor Popularity Index,
a measurement of overall traveler satisfaction. In 2013, less than one percent of all
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accommodations listed on TripAdvisor received Travelers’ Choice awards.
“TripAdvisor is once again thrilled to recognize the world’s most outstanding hotels
with the help of more than 75 million reviews and opinions from travelers around
the globe,” said Christine Petersen, president, TripAdvisor for Business. “From the
best bargain hotels to top luxury properties,
outstanding service, value and quality are
the hallmarks of our Travelers’ Choice winners.” The first time Berry Manor Inn received the Traveler’s Choice Award in 2008.
At that time the list included the top ten
inns only. This year, the Travelers’ Choice
Award list is expanded to include 25 B&Bs
and inns. Berry Manor Inn is among only
four named in New England.
Camden (#5), Rockland (#16) and Lincolnville (#22) in mid-coast Maine have
each been cited (a total of 7 towns in Maine
were included) on the list of 25 Best Food
Towns in New England on golocalprov.
com. Bay Leaf Cottages & Bistro were included in the Lincolnville info along with
Cellardoor Winery, Salt Water Farm, and
Inn at Ocean’s Edge. Congratulations to
all!
The Historic Inns of Rockland, including
Berry Manor Inn, LimeRock Inn, Captain Lindsey House and Granite Inn, were
awarded the 2012 Champion Award at the
annual Innkeeping Conference & Trade
Show hosted by the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII),
January 28-31, 2011 in Las Vegas. The
continued on page 8
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FOG
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MA INE RESTAU RA N T
Wednesday, April 3, 2O13 · 1O:OO am - 4:OO pm Cumberland C
REGISTRATION:
Join us for Maine’s premier, comprehensive, business-to-business trade show for the foodservice and lodging industry!
Complimentary member badges* have been mailed. If you didn’t receive yours, or if you need a name correction,
email badges@mainerestaurant.com or just visit us at the Expo ofce when checking in at the show.
Register additional attendees at the door for only $15.
* Complimentary badges are available only to lodging property members, not allied members.
WORKSHOPS:
11:OO am
The Top Ten Human Resource Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them
presented by: Attorney Margaret “Meg” Coughlin LePage of Pierce Atwood LLP
12:OO pm
Seven Steps to a Prosperous Season: Your hospitality marketing checklist for 2O13
presented by: Rich Brooks of Flyte New Media
1:OO pm
Affordable Care Act: Prepare for 2O14’s implementation of the new healthcare law
presented by: Joel Allumbaugh of National Worksite Benet Group
2:OO pm
Strategies for Maximizing Your Bar Program Protability
presented by: Paula Truman of Bow Street Distributing, Sam Brown of Pine State Beverage Company
and Mike Dixon of The Great Lost Bear
EXPO SPONSORS:
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6
T & LODG ING EX PO
County Civic Center · Portland, Maine · www.mainerestaurant.com
EXHIBITOR LIST:
Ability Equipment Sales· Allagash Brewing Company· Annabelle’s Natural Ice Cream· Atlantic Pest Solutions· Averill’s Sharper Uniforms·
Baker Commodities· Bath Fitter· Bev-Tech· Birthday Coups· Blue Cold Distributors· Bow Street Distributing· Brady Risk Management of New
England· C. Caprara Food Service Equipment· CCR Data Systems· Central Maine Fire Pros & Commercial Cooking Equipment· Champoux
Insurance Agency Group· CIEE· Coca-Cola Bottling Company of NNE· Concord Foods· Cross Employee Benets· Cuddledown· Dead
River Company· Dennis Paper & Food Service· Digital Dining – HDSNE · Downeast Coffee Company· Downeast Food Distributors· Drum
Rock Products· Ducktrap River of Maine· Dunlap Cabling· Dyson B2B· Electricity Maine· FairPoint Communications· Finance Authority
of Maine· Fishbowl· Furniture Repair Services of Maine· G. J. Leighton’s· Garelick Farms· General Linen Service Co.· Gifford’s Famous
Ice Cream· Good Shepherd Food Bank· Gritty McDuff’s· Gulf Electricity· HT Berry Company· Harmon’s· Heartland Payment Systems·
Hoodz of Southern Maine· Horizon Beverage Company· HP Hood LLC· Hurricane’s Premium Soup & Chowder from Maine· Kettle Cuisine·
LePage Bakeries· LionWise· Maine Department of Labor Wage & Hour Division· Maine Health Inspection Program· Maine Innkeepers
Association· Maine Lobster Promotion Council· Maine Magazine· Maine Restaurant Association· Maine Shellsh Co.· Maine Standard
Biofuels· Maine Tourism Association· Matheson Valley Gases· Metromedia Energy· MICROS Systems· Micucci Wholesale Foods· Modern
Pest Services· Mr. Oil Saver· MRE Inc.· Nationwide Payment Solutions· Native Maine Produce & Specialty Foods· Nelson & Small· Nespresso
Business Solutions· New England Coffee Company· Nomad Pictures· Northeast Coffee Company· NuImage Awnings of Maine· Oakhurst
Dairy· O’Hare Associates, CPAs· Original Pizza of Boston· OTT Communications· P.J. Merrill Seafoods· Payroll Management· PepsiCo
Food Service· Performance Foodservice – NorthCenter· Perkins - A Gordon Food Service Company· Pine State Beverage Co.· Pine State
Trading Co.· Pine Tree Food Equipment· Poultry Products Northeast· ProStart· R. M. Flagg Foodservice Equipment· Retail Control Solutions
· Rooter-Man of Southern Maine· Sebago Brewing Co.· Share Our Strength Maine· Shipyard Brewing Co.· Sparrow Enterprises· Sprague
Energy· SYSCO Northern New England· T. F. Kinnealey & Co.· Take 2 Dough Productions / Panebelle· Target Marketing· TD Bank· The
Advertising Specialists of Maine· Time Warner Cable Business Class· TrakTec· U.S. Small Business Administration· UniFirst Corporation· US Foods
· Verizon Wireless· VOSS Water· Wicked Joe Coffee Roasting Co.· Winter People· Woodard & Associates, CPAs· Yankee Equipment Systems.
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7
Members in the news
continued from page 5
Maine vacation destination. This year their
marketing and PR efforts were recognized
by Grow Smart Maine. In recognition of
their efforts to champion the model of being “cooperatively competitive” as the ideal
way to create success for a region Grow
State Maine identified the Historic Inns of
Rockland as THE tourism success story for
the entire State of Maine. Awards chairwoman, Joyce Schulte of the Chambered
Nautilus Inn in Seattle, WA added that
Historic Inns of Rockland are an example
of what diligent, cooperative marketing can
achieve.
Champion Award is bestowed by PAII
upon individuals who or entities which
have succeeded in working on behalf of a
group of innkeepers – locally, regionally,
nationally or internationally – and have
garnered a significant victory for innkeepers. It is given to those who have made a
difference in their local communities and
states. Cheryl Michaelsen, co-owner of the
Berry Manor Inn, accepted the award on
behalf of the Historic Inns of Rockland.
In nominating Historic Inns of Rockland
for the award, nominators noted “Their
success has required a relentless pursuit of
a shared vision to get the traveling public to choose the Rockland area as their
Meadowmere Resort, Ogunquit’s First
Environmental Leader, announced that it
has awarded a $410 donation to the York
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County Shelter Programs. The donation
was made as part of the Meadowmere’s Appreciation Weekends and Gift of Service
program. The charity was selected by guests
and fans who voted online.
The Meadowmere Resort is pleased to
make this donation as part of its Gift of
Service program. Appreciation Weekends
recognize repeat returning guests and offer the opportunity to Meadowmere Resort
guests and fans to choose a charity in the
week leading up to the weekend. Appreciation Weekends occur throughout the year,
with the next weekend coming up April
5-7, 2013, and offer multiple charities the
opportunity for donations.
Migis Hotel Group, a family owned
and operated hotel management company based in Maine, announced that it has
added two hotels, the Colonial Inn and
The Sparhawk Oceanfront Resort, both
of Ogunquit, to its portfolio of Maine
properties.
The company will provide full-service
hotel management and operations to the
Colonial Inn, which is undergoing a $4
million historical restoration. The Colonial
Inn will re-open in May with completely
upgraded facilities and a contemporary
guest experience, while retaining the Victorian charm and Maine hospitality known
to its visitors for over 125 years.
Migis Hotel Group will also provide consulting services to The Sparhawk Oceanfront Resort, a family owned property that
has brought hospitality to Ogunquit for
over 100 years. The Sparhawk will re-open
for the 2013 season with 10 renovated
rooms, new bathrooms, and beautiful landscaping.
Migis Hotel Group is a family owned
and operated hotel management company
based in Maine. Their portfolio is comprised of Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake,
Black Point Inn in Prouts Neck, The Inn
at Ocean’s Edge in Lincolnville, and the
Colonial Inn and The Sparhawk Oceanfront Resort, both in Ogunquit.
8
Kaplan University-South Portland’s New
Tourism and Hospitality Course Gets
Students off to a Good START
Kaplan University’s South Portland campus has launched a new
innovative ten-week course called Skills, Task and Results Training
(START), providing professional development for those seeking careers in the tourism and hospitality industry.
With content approved by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI), the training arm of the American Hotel &
Lodging Association, the 180-hour classroom curriculum extends
technical knowledge in three key areas: hospitality orientation,
rooms division and food & beverage division. Students will also discover the wide range of lodging careers and what it takes to become
a professional in the world of hospitality.
“Hospitality and tourism are among Maine’s leading industries,
creating a demand for highly-skilled professionals who can accommodate the needs of some of the state’s largest employers,” said
Christopher Quinn, president of Kaplan University’s Maine campuses. “With Kaplan University’s START course, students will be
prepared for entry-level positions in the lodging industry.”
Beginning March 4 and continuing through May 7, START’s
workforce hospitality training course will include field trips, offering students a behind-the-scenes look at the daily operations of local
hotels and resorts. Students will also learn from guest speakers with
first-hand knowledge of various aspects of the hotel and tourism
industry.
Graduates of the START course will receive a certificate of completion from EI upon passing the final exam. In addition, once hired
at a lodging property, graduates qualify for a nationally recognized
professional industry certification related to their positions. The registration fees for the professional certifications are waived for students of the START program.
PAYROLL
MANAGEMENT, INC.
“The certification that students receive from the American Hotel
& Lodging Educational Institute after completing the START program creates a foundation for long-term hospitality career success,”
said Greg Dugal, executive director of the Maine Innkeepers Association. “This nationally-recognized, portable credential is the first
step in a profession that is noted for the diversity of its career opportunities and its preference for promoting skilled workers quickly
through the ranks to supervisory and management positions.”
About Kaplan University
Kaplan University offers a different school of thought for higher
education. It strives to help adult students unlock their talent by
providing a practical, student-centered education that prepares them
for careers in some of the fastest-growing industries. The University,
which has its main campus in Davenport, Iowa, and its headquarters in Chicago, is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission
(www.ncahlc.org) and is a member of the North Central Association
of Colleges and Schools. Kaplan University serves approximately
49,000 online and campus-based students. The University has 11
campuses in Iowa, Nebraska, Maryland and Maine, and Kaplan
University Learning Centers in Maryland, Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri and Florida.
Kaplan University is one of Kaplan, Inc.’s higher education institutions, which serve approximately 73,000 students online and
through approximately 70 campus-based schools across the United
States. Kaplan’s higher education schools offer a spectrum of academic opportunities, from certificates and diplomas to graduate and
professional degrees, including a juris doctor degree. Kaplan, Inc. is
a leading international provider of educational and career services for
individuals, schools and businesses. It is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO), and its largest division. For
more information, visit http://www.kaplanuniversity.edu today.
DIRIGO STITCHING, INC.
“Your Local Option”
• Web-based payroll Online Entry -Anytime, Anywhere
• Pay as you Go Workers Compensation
• Time and Attendance Solutions
• Instant Affordable Employee Screening
• Human Resources 3 Levels of employee management Options
(800) 734-6880 • www.payrollmgt.com
INNterviews
P.O. Box 447
40 Dane Avenue
Skowhegan, ME 04976
Manufacturer of:
Draperies
Bedspreads
Bed Skirts
Supplier of:
Vertical and Mini Blinds
Rods and Hardware
______________________
Tel: 207-474-3108
Fax: 207-474-3019
E-mail: ecowan@dirigostitching.com
9
So Far, 2013 Has Been
an Interesting Year
Even though we are only part way
through February, from an energy standpoint,2013 certainly has been a veryinteresting year.Some highlights from the first
two months of the year: Real time power
prices in New England have been as high
as $300 per MWh ($0.30 per KWh) and
daily natural gas prices have traded above
$35 per MMBtu.These are near record high
prices and have reached levels that we have
not seen in the past four or five years.
So why have prices been so high and what
is going on in the energy markets?There
are numerous responses to the questions,
which this article attempts to explain.
There are three basic reasons why natural gas and power prices have reached historic highs during 2013. First, natural
gas has become the primary fuel for New
England power generation facilities. This
ties the two commodities (natural gas and
power) together from a demand and a pricing standpoint. The second reasonis that
there still is notenough natural gas pipeline
capacity to meet daily peak requirements.
Finally, the supply of liquefied natural gas
(“LNG”) available to the market this winter has decreased significantly.
Natural gas is now the fuel of choice
for producing power. Many of the power
plants that ran on coal or oil have been
closed, and the few remaining plants are
not sufficiently flexible to meet the regional
power grid needs. In 2000, natural gas fueled roughly 18 percent of New England’s
power generation. In 2012, it was more
than three times higher: 60 percent. This
switch to natural gas has increased the
demand for natural gas, especially during
peak periods. Because natural gas is now
a major power generation fuel source,the
demand for natural gas has become directly
correlated with the demand for power.
The Northeast US is at the end of the
natural gas pipeline distribution system,
far from where most of the natural gas is
produced. Historically, many of the interstate pipelines delivering natural gas to the
Northeast reach maximum throughput during high demand periods. Because the demand for natural gas continues to increase,
but the pipeline construction has not kept
pace, interstate pipelines are increasingly
unable to meet all market demands. One
of the advantages that New England has
historically enjoyed is the ability to import
large quantities of LNG. LNG is important because it can offset supply constraints
in the event of pipeline bottlenecks.
However, during the first part of 2013
we are experiencing a “perfect storm.” The
demand for natural gas has increased while
the supply has decreased. The demand for
natural gas is up because of greater usage
in power generation, industrial applications and heating. While supply in the US
continues to expand, the lack of significant
pipeline expansion to the northeast US has
resulted in bottlenecks. The situation is further exacerbated given LNG deliveries that
are down approximately 50% from last
year. Because of this supply/demand imbalance, we are experiencing higher prices
this winter during high demand periods (a
peak period) and significantly higher price
volatility on a daily basis.
Based on what is happening in the energy market, there are five questions that you
should be asking. How is this affecting me
now? How long will it situation last? Will
this impact me in the future? How will this
affect me in the future? What should I be
doingto protect myself? If you are looking for answers to these questions, would
like to discuss your options, or would simply like more information, please contact
your Sprague Sales Representative, Michael
Bartlett at mbartlett@spragueenergy.com.
Serve your guests
good Maine coffee.
We’ve been roasting great coffees for Maine inns since 1997, providing
equipment and excellent service to properties with 2 to 200 rooms.
Call or email Tom Hildreth to set up and serve our great Maine coffee.
1-888-292-2326
www.carrabassettcoffee.com
CARRABASSETT
C FFEE C MPANY
Mountain View Road • Kingfield, Maine
Don’t get caught saying “I should have bought it when I saw it at Marden’s.”
Are you spending too much on bedding, furniture or flooring?
Proudly Offering:
•LowestPricesStatewide
•Maine’sLargestRetailerofFurniture&Flooring
•EverChangingStockofUniqueOfferings
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14ConvenientLocations.
Or sign up to receive our
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•MaineFamilyOwnedSince1964
emails at www.mardens.com
Contact Jon Martin For more information
about Furniture/Bedding
jmartin@mardens.com
207-460-2692
INNterviews
Contact Ken Clark For more information
about Flooring & Installation
kclark@mardens.com
207-944-3324
Inn Consultants and Brokers
Since 1993
Rick & Janet Wolf and Dana Moos
35 Western Avenue, Suite 5
Kennebunk, ME 04043
207.967.1995
www.bbteam.com
10
PORTopera presents La Bohème
July 2013
PORTopera, Maine’s only opera company, will present three performances of Puccini’s melodic masterpiece La Bohème on Wednesday, July 24, Friday, July 26, and Sunday, July 28 (matinee). Tickets
are available through PortTIX and may be purchased online at porttix.com or in person at 20 Myrtle St. Portland during box office
hours from noon-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Tickets start at
$41 (including handling fees).
La Bohème is one of the most beloved operas of all time. Set in
19th century Paris, La Bohème is a tale of struggling young artists interwoven with a beautiful love story. PORTopera’s production
features beautiful sets, lavish costumes, world-class singers and an
orchestra of over 50 musicians.
For more information about PORTopera and its Mainstage Performance, visit www.portopera.org.
About PORTopera:
PORTopera is Maine’s only opera company performing fully
staged operas with nationally and internationally acclaimed artists.
Founded in 1994, it continues to present Maine audiences with artistic excellence, creative productions, and inspiring opera performances.
Advertise with Boston Globe Media and reach
more than 2 million adults in the Boston DMA.
The 2013 Boston
Globe Travel Section
Target active, affluent travelers with New England,
the region’s best print & online trip-planning resource.
Appearing online at explorenewengland.com and every
Sunday in The Boston Globe and the Worcester Sunday
Telegram.
To view our 2013 Special
Sections Calendar visit
bostonglobe.com/travel
and click on Calendar
or Contact Dan Waxman
at 617-314-0016 or
dwaxman@globe.com for details.
Annual Boston Globe Travel Show Feb 7-9, 2014
Exhibitor & Sponsorship info at www.bostonglobetravelshow.com
Technology to Save You Time
Value Added From Cross
A tool that provides a wealth of solutions for
your daily challenges in managing benefits.
Internet based information center for you
and employees
Real time access to products and services
Customized Homepage for you
Useful links to industry-related websites
Cross is a full service brokerage committed
to responsive service. Understanding that
one size does not fit all, Cross is flexible to
meet your unique needs.
Put the power of the Internet at your fingertips, contact:
Mike Deschaine, President
T: 800.244.7717
C: 207.242.8586
mdeschaine@crossagency.com
Jane LeBrun,
Mgr. of Small Group Operations
T: 877.816.3411
jlebrun@crossagency.com
Make an Entrance. Welcome to Best Western.
Put the hospitality industry’s global powerhouse to work for you. With more than 4,000
hotels in over 100 countries worldwide,* Best Western® is the international lodging leader
that consistently delivers superior returns. We offer the most competitive fee structures and
favorable contract terms of all the major hoteliers.
bestwesterndevelopers.com
800.847.2429
*Numbers are approximate and may fluctuate. Each Best Western® branded hotel
is independently owned and operated. Best Western and Best Western marks
are service marks or registered service marks of Best Western International, Inc.
©2013 Best Western International, Inc. All rights reserved.
INNterviews
11
MaineInnkeepersAssoc2013 Ad 1-13.indd 1
1/21/13 10:00 AM
Member Benefits
2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman of the Board
Woody Woodward
Highland Lake Resort, Bridgton
President – Jim Ostrowski
Inns at Blackberry Common, Camden
First Vice President – Jeanne Carpentier
Emerald Hospitality, Freeport
Second Vice President – Jean Ginn Marvin
Nonantum Resort, Kennebunkport
Treasurer – Sue Ferrell
Down East Village, Yarmouth
At-Large Member – Alvion Kimball
Orland House B&B, Orland
At-Large Member – Jamey Kitchen
Hampton Inn & Suites, Thomaston
At-Large Member – Scott Cowger
Maple Hill Farm B&B Inn, Hallowell
Senior Advisor – Gus Tillman
Holiday Inn By The Bay, Portland
Legislative Chair – Peter Daigle
Lafayette Hotels, Bangor
AH&LA Representative – Bob Smith
Sebasco Harbor Resort, Sebasco Estates
Marian Burns, Mira Monte Inn & Suites, Bar
Harbor
Jeanne Carpentier, Emerald Hospitality,
Freeport
Ron Churchill, Bear Spring Camps, Rome
Scott Cowger, Maple Hill Farm Inn,
Hallowell
Peter Daigle, Lafayette Hotels, Bangor
Kim Dennis, Homewood Inn & Suites, Scarborough
Sarah Diment, Beachmere Inn, Ogunquit
David Dudley, Ocean Point Inn & Motel, East
Boothbay
Sue Ferrell, Down East Village, Yarmouth
Nancy Gray, Harraseeket Inn, Freeport
James Harmon, Moontide Motel, Old Orchard
Beach
Mark Heisler, Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel,
Portland
Laura Honey, Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, Boothbay
Harbor
Alvion Kimball, Orland House B&B, Orland
Jamey Kitchen, Hampton Inn, Thomaston
Jane Lebrun, Cross Employee Benefits, Portland
Brian Leclair, Waterville Grand Hotel,
Waterville
Jean Ginn Marvin, Nonantum Resort,
Kennebunkport
Matt Mattingly, Pine Crest B&B Inn, Gorham
Jim Ostrowski, Inns at Blackberry Common,
Camden
Connie Russell, Samoset Resort, Rockport
Bob Smith, Sebasco Harbor Resort, Sebasco
Estates
Gus Tillman, Holiday Inn By the Bay, Portland
Scott Thomas, Brewster House Bed and Breakfast, Freeport
Woody Woodward, Highland Lake Resort,
Bridgton
INNterviews
The Maine Innkeepers Association is always striving to bring you relevant, bottom-line benefits. Have you taken advantage of all of them?
◆Money-Saving Visa/MasterCard Processing
◆Real-time, Internet-based Maine Lodging Reservation Service in
conjunction with the Maine Office of Tourism
◆Money-Saving INNpower Energy Aggregation Program
◆Free Listing on Maine Innkeepers Association Web Site and Free Link to
Your Web Site
◆Discounted Natural Gas Program
◆Listing in the Official Maine Lodging Guide
◆Members-only Web Site Section With Online Laws and Regulations, a
Cyberlobby feature, Events Calendar and More
◆Annual Meeting & Conference With Exhibitors, Top Speakers & Seminars
◆ADA Suitcases Available For Members’ Use
◆Answers to Your Questions From Our Office or AH&LA’s Info Center
◆Free Maximum Rate Cards and Innkeeper Law Cards
◆ Scholarship Program That has Provided $100,000+ in Scholarships over
the Last 20 Years
◆Outstanding Networking Opportunity and Referral Network
◆Health, Dental, Life Insurance plus Short-Term Disability and LongTerm Care Coverage as well as Employment Practices Liability Insurance
◆Maine Innkeepers Education Foundation, training future
employees and elevating our industry through a two-year high school
curriculum in lodging management
~MISSION~
We are committed to improving, promoting and
protecting the welfare of the lodging
industry in Maine. Through communication,
education, promotion and government affairs,
we help our members achieve prosperity and
deliver a quality product to the consumer.
INNterviews is published regularly by the Maine Innkeepers Association
304 US Route 1, Freeport, ME 04032
Phone: (207) 865-6100 / Fax: (207) 865-6120
Email: info@maineinns.com / Web: www.maineinns.com
Executive Director, Greg Dugal
Director of Projects & Events, Jennifer Parlin
Administrative Assistant, Vicky Savoie
12