December 14, 2020 EditionEdition

Contributing experts advise a reader about resources to develop business leadership skills, including a peer group recently launched by the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs, Bangor Savings Bank and the University of Maine Graduate and Professional Center.

The Mainebiz roundup of businesses and businesspeople that have been making changes in recent weeks. Check out our compilation of new hires, promotions, accomplishments and more.

In 2018 the first-time entrepreneur helped launch HighByte, a Portland industrial software company, and now it expects to double headcount in the next year. She tells Mainebiz, "Most companies begin with an idea, but HighByte began with a team."

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics — the "STEM" fields — are more than the province of computer coders and lab researchers. The disciplines are transforming even the most traditional Maine industries. But the state may not be ready.

While Maine has a 95.5% white population, that doesn’t mean racism isn’t a problem, as a new study shows. More businesses are trying to recognize the importance of cultural differences in the workplace and in the economy.

As the pandemic continues, Maine's record-high unemployment rate is still high. But employers are hiring, and sectors with the biggest job losses last spring now have some of the most openings. Jobs in some sectors are even back at pre-COVID levels.

To say that 2020 has been a challenging year is probably an understatement. As an essential business,...