Importance of Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprise Development
CEI believes that providing support for small and medium-sized businesses is key to keeping Maine's
economy healthy. We have several
programs that help us achieve this goal.
Predatory Mortgages in Maine Recent Trends and the Persistence of Abusive Lending Practices. A joint report issued by Coastal Enterprises, Inc. and the Center for Responsible Lending, 2006.
BLUETARP - Building a Business in the Building Industry
When Brian Rigney worked on construction jobs during summer vacations while a student at Colby College in Waterville, he saw the inefficiency in the piles of receipts and invoices that accompanied every purchase. As he pursued an MBA, this problem stayed with him, and in 1998 BlueTarp, Inc. was born.
As a growing company, BlueTarp needed capital. CEI Ventures, Inc., one of CEI's two socially responsible venture capital subsidiaries, invested in BlueTarp, because of its potential to generate above average financial returns while meeting social goals, including job creation for low-income people. BlueTarp expects to employ 50 people within the next four years.
36 Water Street, PO Box 268, Wiscasset, ME 04578; Telephone: 207/882-7552; FAX: 207/882-7308; E-mail: cei@ceimaine.org