[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 65 (Thursday, May 12, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S2925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING MAINE COMMERCIAL TIRE, INC.

 Ms SNOWE. Mr. President, next week marks the 48th annual 
celebration of National Small Business Week, a tradition started in 
1963 under President Kennedy to highlight the critical role small 
businesses play in our society. This year, despite a difficult economy 
struggling to rebound, we can be proud of our Nation's nearly 30 
million small firms that are working to move our Nation forward.
  In light of this, today I commend and recognize Maine Commercial 
Tire, MCT, a commercial tire servicer and supplier in my home State of 
Maine. Recently, MCT's owners James McCurdy and James Lynch were named 
Maine's 2011 Small Business Persons of the year by the U.S. Small 
Business Administration. This is a highly deserved honor as both 
individuals' leadership has allowed MCT to prosper in a struggling and 
tumultuous economy.
  Maine Commercial Tire began in 1990 in the town of Hermon, roughly 15 
minutes from Bangor. Their goal was to supply new tires and retreaded 
tires while providing outstanding service to the many trucking 
businesses in Maine and portions of New Hampshire. Since that time MCT 
has grown substantially from 18 employees to 59 employees, and expanded 
by opening three additional locations across the State, in Augusta, 
Scarborough, and Lewiston. The company now retreads roughly 35,000 
tires each year.
  MCT is recognized both locally and globally for its commitment to 
excellence. The International Organization for Standardization, ISO, 
develops and sets high global standards that a variety of international 
companies strive to achieve in order to become certified in their 
field. In 2000, MCT became the first--and thus far, only--ISO 9002 
certified tire dealer and independently owned retread shop in the 
United States. In addition to demonstrating MCT's commitment to 
excellence, this certification shows that American small businesses can 
truly compete in a global marketplace with hard work and perseverance.
  As a result of their accomplishments at MCT, Mr. McCurdy and Mr. 
Lynch are receiving the prestigious Small Business Person of the Year 
award. This award takes into account a variety of criteria including: 
staying power as an established business, growth in number of 
employees, increase in sales and/or unit volume, current and past 
financial performance, innovativeness of product or service offered, 
response to adversity, and contributions to community-oriented 
projects. This is truly a deserved honor for Mr. Lynch and Mr. McCurdy. 
Their hard work and dedication has resulted in MCT being regarded as a 
nationwide leader in both the supply and servicing of truck tires and 
retreaded truck tires. Mssrs. McCurdy and Lynch were honored at a 
luncheon in Maine on May 5, and will also be recognized next week 
during National Small Business Week here in Washington.
  It will take small businesses to lead us out of our economic morass. 
That is why I am thankful for companies such as Maine Commercial Tire, 
which have persevered and made great strides over the past 21 years. I 
thank Mr. McCurdy and Mr. Lynch for their leadership and everyone at 
MCT for their dedication to excellence, and offer my best wishes for 
success in their future endeavors.

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