FEATURED PROGRAM
26th Annual Maine Family Business Awards
November 19, 2026
Join us!
Our annual awards evening is a chance to come together and recognize the family businesses that are showing up, year after year, and continuing to build something that lasts.
Throughout the evening, we’ll be honoring a group of Maine family businesses—each with its own story of growth, challenge, and commitment across generations. These are businesses doing the work every day, often without much attention, but with a steady impact on their people, their communities, and the state.
From this group, several award recipients will be announced live during the evening.
In a year that has invited reflection on the country’s history, it feels like a natural time to acknowledge the role family businesses have played in building—and sustaining—that story.
We’ll be joined by Kevin Zoeller and Andrew Clark, whose work offers a window into that same kind of long-term stewardship.
The gala attracts family businesses large and small with an audience of over 500 (hybrid). The Maine Family Business Awards is a celebration that pays more than just recognition; it serves as a vehicle for networking and opening up all shades of possibilities for families seeking to grow their business.
Exciting sponsorship opportunities available including tables with a “showcase” space during networking. Inquire at Catherine@fambusiness.org.
Parking onsite is available. The Thompson’s Point campus is pay to park. Parking is $2 per an hour and can be paid via kiosk or the passport app by selecting zone 1213.
Our 2026 Guest Speakers:
Kevin Zoeller
Kevin has spent decades helping shape some of America’s most iconic brands, including Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, Louisville Slugger, and Pappy Van Winkle. What sets him apart is not just the brands he’s touched, but his ability to strengthen the businesses, and families, behind them. His passion for family business began early, walking the manufacturing floor with his grandfather at Zoeller Company. He started his career in public accounting, including Ernst & Young, before spending more than 20 years at Brown-Forman, where he rose to Director. There, his work spanned “bark to bottle,” leading global supply chain strategy, finance, acquisitions, and operations.
Today, Kevin is Chief Operating Officer of VW Ventures, the Van Winkle family office, where he oversees strategy, operations, and family governance. Beyond his executive role, Kevin is deeply committed to advancing family businesses. He serves on the boards of Zoeller Company, Hillerich & Bradsby, and Pekin Insurance, and is a former Chairman of the University of Louisville Family Business Center, supporting the next generation of family business leaders. His relationship with the Center creates a meaningful point of alignment with our own work here in Maine.
Andrew Clark
Andrew is a sixth-generation member of the Hillerich family, owners of Hillerich & Bradsby, makers of the Louisville Slugger baseball bat. He has served on the company’s board since 2020, working closely with leadership, fellow board members, and the family to help guide the business as it continues to evolve toward its next generation.
Professionally, Andrew is a financial services executive with Nationwide Financial, where he leads strategic initiatives across retirement, wealth management, and investment businesses. His perspective is shaped by both his role inside the family system and his experience working within a large, complex organization—bringing a practical understanding of how family and business priorities intersect over time.
Our 2026 Host:
Amanda Hill, Weeknight Anchor, NEWS CENTER Maine
The award-winning journalist grew up in Maine, and works hard to share the stories of Maine people. She studied Broadcast Television from both ends of the camera at Northern Vermont University, where she developed a background as a photographer, reporter, and anchor.
Unable to sit still for too long, Amanda also works in real estate, helping friends and family sell and buy their dream homes. She enjoys coffee, craft beer, dogs, time with her husband and young son and Vacationland.
About the MFBA:
The awards celebrate the accomplishments of small and large businesses that exemplify the following criteria:
· Business success
· Positive business and family linkages
· Contributions to the community and industry
· Family participation
· Work environment
· Communication
· Innovative business practices or strategies
Awards are presented in seven categories and will be announced LIVE at the gala:
· Renys Large Business Award (25 or more employees)
· Chalmers Insurance Group Customer Service Award
· Geiger Environmental Leadership Award
· Androscoggin Bank First Generation Award
· Shep Lee Community Service Award
· M&T Bank Innovation & Technology Award
· Maddy Corson Small Business Award (fewer than 25 employees)
*We do not issue printed tickets. Please check-in at the registration desk upon arrival to receive your name tag(s). Institute for Family-Owned Business (IFOB) is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 26-2428220. For tax purposes, we value the ticket as follows: $175 (ticket price) – $75 (Fair Market Value of dinner & entertainment) = $100 (tax-deductible amount).
Let’s Do Business Together!
Get in touch with us via phone, email, or online contact form, and we’ll be in touch to discuss the ways in which we can work together.
P.O. Box 3364
Portland, Maine 04104 USA