Business Success Stories
A variety of stories about Maine businesses that hire and succeed with workers with disabilities have been collected and organized on this page. Most of the businesses listed below are members of Working Together: Expanding Maine's Workforce, Maine's business-to-business leadership network.
annie/catherine, Westbrook
annie/catherine is a company that creates and distributes stationery products and accessories, including cards, holiday and note card sets, limited edition prints, calendars and wrapping paper.Click here to read their full Working Together Partner Profile
Bangor Hydro Electric Company, Bangor
Bangor Hydro Electric Company (BHE) has successfully employed people with a disability for many years. "We believe that work is an important part of everyone's life," said Susan Faloon, BHE's communications officer. Employees with a disability, including those that require accommodation to perform their work, work in the same positions as non-disabled employees, such as in the call center and line operations. Click here to read their full Working Together Partner Profile
Custom Disability Solutions, South Portland
Custom Disability Solutions is a provider of comprehensive reinsurance solutions and services such as Underwriting, Actuarial, Claims, and Marketing to some of the country's most respected health and life insurance carriers. After implementing a workforce development strategy that included hiring and retaining people with disabilities, Custom Disability Solutions became an employer of choice and boosted their marketplace advantage. Click here to read their full Working Together Partner Profile. You can also read an article, Five Points on Making Reasonable Accomodations, written by Jennifer Simpson of Custom Disability Solutions in the October 2008 Working Togther e-News.
Dore’s Café & Market, Auburn
In a prior life, before opening up her own business, Dore Campbell patronized a bakery in Virginia Beach and was impressed by their hiring practices. “They always had individuals with a disability working the counter and baking,” said Campbell. “It was a great atmosphere for employees and customers; it’s great to have a diverse workforce.” Now that she has her own business — Dore’s Café & Market in Auburn — Campbell is fully committed to having a diverse workforce that includes employees with a disability. Click here to read the full story about Dore's Cafe and Market.
Four Seasons Restaurant, Jackman
For the past 11 years, Alan DuPlessis has owned the Four Seasons Restaurant at 417 Main Street in Jackman. The restaurant is open for three meals a day, hosts private functions, and provides off-site catering services. In addition to its dining services, the restaurant has been attracting attention for its diverse staff of 20 that includes youths with disabilities. Click here to read their full Working Together Partner Profile
Mad Gabs, Westbrook
Mad Gabs makes natural body care products. It is based in a 4500 square foot space in Westbrook's Dana Warp Mill, where we make, ship and sell our wonderful products. Click here to view a Working Together video on "Consumer Goodwill" that features Mad Gabs
Maine Oxy, Auburn
For three generations, the Albiston family has managed Maine Oxy, steadily growing the company to become not only a leading provider of welding products in New England, but also one that understands the value each of the 140 people who work there. Despite its low key approach, Maine Oxy has received significant attention for its efforts. Among many awards, in 2008 Working Together honored the company with a special award for its support of employees returning from active military duty.
Click here to read their full Working Together Partner Profile
Maine State Government
As one of the the state's largest employers, Maine's state government faces significant human resource challenges. These challenges have helped its leaders and managers to understand the need for and value of a diverse workforce, one that includes workers with disabilities. In addition, within its public service role the state government can serve as an example and a resource to other employers interested in hiring workers with disabilities. Click here to read their full Working Together Partner Profile
Manpower, Inc., Portland
Manpower, Inc. started in 1948 as a temporary staffing service - perhaps the first business of its kind. Today, in Maine and all around the world, it provides this service and so much more, including permanent placement, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Managed Service Programs, outplacement and human resources consulting.
Click here to read their full Working Together Partner Profile
MEMIC, Portland
Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC) is a private mutual insurer that serves as a guaranteed market for workers’ compensation insurance for all Maine employers. It is Maine’s largest and leading workers’ compensation insurer. Click here to view a Working Together video on "Consumer Goodwill" that features MEMIC
TD Bank
Romy Riddick vice president and diversity leader at TD Bank, was the keynote speaker at Working Together's 2010 Annual Business Conference. TB Bank is a Working Together business member and a sponsor of the 2010 conference. Romy leads strategic planning and implementation for the Bank’s diversity and inclusion effort at the national level. Click here to view a video of Romy describing TD Bank's Disability Practices