Golden receives Advocate for American Business award from US Chamber of Commerce
Golden joined Maine, US Chamber officials for tour of TimberHP’s mill in Madison
Congressman Golden (third from left) with officials from the U.S., Maine, and local Chambers of Commerce.
MADISON, Maine — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) joined leaders from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce today at TimberHP, the first wood fiber insulation manufacturing plant in North America. After a tour of the revitalized Madison mill, Golden received the U.S. Chamber’s “Advocate for American Business” award.
“Mainers are driven, hardworking, self-starters. They are also no-nonsense, and expect elected officials to put partisanship aside and do what needs to be done to support Maine’s industries and jobs,” Golden said. “While the real credit for any business’s success goes to the entrepreneurs and workers who put their shoulder to the wheel every day, it’s been my honor to work across the aisle to support them in Washington — whether that was investing in infrastructure all businesses need, creating incentives for American manufacturing or funding programs that help small-business owners succeed. I’m grateful to the Chamber for this recognition, and will continue doing my part for Maine’s economy.”
The Advocate for American Business award is given to honor those who work on a bipartisan basis to support pro-growth and pro-business legislation aimed to strengthen businesses across the country.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Eastern Region Vice President Stephen McAllister presented the award to Golden, lauding the Congressman for his bipartisan dedication to supporting Maine businesses.
“At the U.S. Chamber, we put a premium on working with and recognizing champions of business. Champions are those who advocate and fight for pro-business public policy, while recognizing the need for durable, lasting solutions,” McAllister said. “Those solutions are achieved when legislation is crafted in the spirit of bipartisanship. Congressman Golden exemplifies what this award means, to honor strong leadership and bipartisanship as well as building strong working relationships with the small business community and the local chambers across Maine.”
Congressman Golden has worked to promote Maine manufacturing and jobs, including those at TimberHP, during his time serving in the House of Representatives. TimberHP is the first wood fiber insulation manufacturer in North America, with its Madison facility creating a new market for Maine’s wood basket. Wood fiber insulation is an effective, renewable, carbon-negative insulation that has been produced in Europe for two decades.
“The capital markets and investors are just not incentivized to support manufacturing and the creation of viable jobs in rural communities,” said Josh Henry, co-founder of TimberHP. “We are tremendously blessed in the 2nd District in particular to have Congressional representation that is focused on business development that makes sense for Maine. From the beginning, TimberHP has benefitted from tremendous support from Congressman Golden and his team in navigating federal programs that have made our success in Madison possible, and we are thrilled to have played a small role in their receiving this much deserved recognition.”
More than half of Maine workers are employed at the roughly 15,000 small businesses that are the backbone of the state’s economy, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Roughly 98 percent of those have fewer than 20 employees.
As a member of the House Small Business Committee, Golden has championed the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program. In July, Golden introduced a bipartisan amendment to increase SBCDC funding, and in 2022 the House passed Golden’s bipartisan legislation to help more small businesses across the country launch, grow and retain workers through SBDCs.
Golden has also successfully advocated for the inclusion of funds for Maine manufacturers and industries in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act and pressed for disaster relief funding for small businesses after extreme weather events.
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