Last night we attended the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce annual award dinner. There were about 300 people in attendence and it is the one time of year I will put a suit on. Well…..we won an award! The Beacon Award recognizes a business or organization that has attracted significant positive regional or national attention to the Penobscot Bay region that results in a rise in economic activity for the local business community.
P.J. Walter, left, and Frank Isganitis, center, accept the chamber's Beacon Award on behalf of The LimeRock Inn Saturday night at the Samoset Resort. The resort's General Manager Connie Russell, right, presents the award. (Photo by: Daniel Dunkle)
The presentation is as follows:
After relocating to the Penobscot Bay region from New Jersey, these partners purchased an existing business that was already successful. Together, they represent the principle that individuals working together can achieve results greater than the sum of the parts. This idea is paramount in the way they run their business, interact with their colleagues and reflected in the industry brand that they have helped create.
One of these individuals is a bit more low key choosing to stay behind and “man the fort” in order to allow the other the opportunity to be more overtly community minded. However, he works tirelessly using social media and other online outlets like when Rockland was nominated by Captain Brenda Thomas of the schooner, Issac Evans, as one of the Coolest Small Towns In America last year. Through his efforts, Rockland came in second in the online voting and received the “Editor’s Choice” designation in the October issue of Budget Travel magazine.
The other individual is likely better known in the community. Despite being “from away”, Rockland has embraced them with open arms allowing this individual to become a founding member of Rockland Main Street, Chairman of Rockland’s Economic Development Advisory Committee AND Rockland’s Comprehensive Planning Commission. He is also a member-at-large of Rockland’s Board of Assessment Review and an Executive Committee member of the Chamber.
Through their efforts, the region has hosted celebrities like Bobby Flay, Samantha Brown, and Rachel Ray. In addition, the region has received television recognition on the Food Network, HGTV, Wheel of Fortune, CBS Good Morning, The Today Show, and at least four appearances on WCSH6-NBC Portland as well as countless local, regional and national print publications.
They use all of these opportunities to shine a light on and promote the Penobscot Bay region, and I never get the impression the attention is about them or their business. They always make their efforts about the region and local community and why it’s so great to come here. They are tremendous ambassadors of the Penobscot Bay region. For all these reasons, we offer the Beacon Award to The LimeRock Inn owners, PJ Walter and Frank Isganitis.
We are so incredibly honored and humbled by receving this award. The way we operate is reflected in a quote from the Community Person of the Year Winner, “If you see something that needs to get done, do it. If you don’t know how to do it, learn.” These are words to live by!
