Nominations

2026 Outstanding Women in Business – OPEN NOW

Formerly known as Women to Watch, the 2026 Mainebiz Outstanding Women in Business award recognition program brings attention to top-notch women executives, women whose daily work strengthens their organizations and by extension, Maine’s economy.

Criteria:
  • The nominee must be the president, CEO, executive director, or a senior leader of
    their company or organization.
  • The nominee should have an established track record of business success.
  • The nominee must have made outstanding contributions to their company,
    industry, and community.

Nominations close at 9:00 AM on Monday, July 13, 2026.

Review nomination questions in advance of submission. 

Sponsored by: Baker Newman Noyes, Drummond Woodsum, Machias Savings Bank, and Northeast Delta Dental

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2026 40 Under 40 – OPEN NOW

The Mainebiz 40 Under 40 award recognizes outstanding young leaders who share a commitment to business success and a passion for strengthening the communities in which they live and work.

Criteria:

  • The individual must live and work in Maine.
  • The nominee must be 39 or younger up until November 5, 2026

Persons who do not meet these requirements will not be included in the pool of nominees submitted to our panel of judges.

Nominations may be submitted by a colleague, business associate, friend, or family member, or people can self-nominate. We recommend letting the nominee know you plan to submit their name in order to collect details you may need for a strong nomination. Please ensure your nomination is thorough and detailed as it is the main factor the judges weigh when scoring all the nominees.

Judges will review nominations based on the following areas:

  • Early career success – How does this person stand out from their peers?
  • Entire career potential – What has this person demonstrated so far that indicates they will be a significant contributor to the Maine business community for years to come?
  • Commitment to the community.

Nominations close at 9 AM on Monday, August 3, 2026.

Review nomination questions in advance of submission.

Sponsored by: Cross Insurance, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, KeyBank, MEMIC, and Pierce Atwood LLP

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2026 Business Leader of the Year – CLOSED

Nominations for the 2026 Mainebiz Business Leaders of the Year are now closed. The 2027 nominations will open on November 30, 2026.

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2026 Community Impact Awards – CLOSED

Nominations for the Mainebiz Community Impact Awards are now closed. The 2027 nominations will open in January.