In December 1994, the first issue of BIZ, the predecessor to Mainebiz, hits the streets published by BIZ Publications in Portland. Jonathan Whitney and Eric Obery are the company principals, and Shirley Jacks is editor.
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1994: In December, the first issue of BIZ, the predecessor to Mainebiz, hits the streets published by BIZ Publications in Portland. Jonathan Whitney and Eric Obery are the company principals, and Shirley Jacks is editor. Started in Whitney’s house, the publication’s first formal office was in the former Maine Bank and Trust Building at 465 Congress St.
1998: BIZ changes its name to Mainebiz, adds four-color covers.
1999: Donna Brassard takes over as publisher in January. Jonathan Whitney becomes associate publisher. Mainebiz, with sales of about $400,000, is sold for $250,000 and becomes a division of Worcester Publishing Ltd. First editorial and sales staff hired. Publication expands focus statewide.
2001: Business Leaders of the Year awards begin recognizing outstanding executives. Eight pages of color introduced. Mainebiz goes biweekly. Scott Sutherland takes over as editor in January 2000 until the spring of 2004. Company moves to 413 Congress St.
2001: First website launched.
2002: Mainebiz breaks even financially, moves to 30 Milk St.
2003: Next List starts naming entrepreneurs to watch.
2004: Michaela Cavallaro takes over as editor in mid-2004 until the end of 2005.
2005: Sean Donohue becomes editor at end of 2005 until end of 2006.
2006: Print edition redesign. The Daily online newsletter introduced in September with 500 subscribers, which have grown to 10,000 in 2014.
2007: Worcester Publishing sells Mainebiz to New England Business Media, comprised of former Worcester Publishing managers Peter Stanton (now CEO) and Joe Zwiebel (now president, group publisher). Mainebiz moves to 2 Cotton St. Taylor Smith becomes editor until fall of 2008.
2008: Website relaunched. Carol Coultas takes helm as editor in the fall of 2008 until April 2014.
2009: Mainebiz Sunday TV business news show starts with NBC affiliates WCSH6 in Portland and WLBZ2 in Bangor, and lasts until 2011. Mainebiz also starts recognizing promising businesswomen with the Women to Watch awards.
2010: Momentum Convention starts. On the Road events around the state begin.
2013: Print edition redesign, size reduced from tab to newspaper magazine format. Color available on every page. Black and white rate card disappears. Company moves to 48 Free St.
2014: Peter Van Allen becomes editor in May 2014. Mainebiz staff reaches 12, revenue is $2 million, print circulation is 9,000 subscribers with 30,000 pass-along readers, and website has 30,000 unique visitors monthly. The Daily has 10,000 subscribers.
2015: Launch of a Tuesday Real Estate Insider email newsletter, which eventually garners 9,500 subscribers.
2016: Second and last Fastest-Growing Companies awards. The awards were done for two years but were discontinued because of the small pool of nominees, who were vetted through an extensive audit, and the recurrence of the same winners.
2017: James McCarthy, who had been a senior writer, takes over as the digital editor, and Mainebiz online readership numbers go up.
2018: Addition of a second Real Estate Insider newsletter, this one on Thursday. The Tuesday Real Estate Insider, written by Senior Writer Laurie Schreiber, focuses on a deal, while the Thursday newsletter, written by Senior Editor Maureen Milliken, is about development. Mainebiz celebrates 10th anniversary of Women to Watch awards.
2019: Introduction of a new website and subscriber “paywall.”