Eighteen Maine firms with shiny resumes will vie for honors on May 19 when the Maine Family Business Awards’ red carpet is rolled out to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the event.

The awards, presented by the Maine Institute for Family-Owned Business in partnership with the law firm Verrill Dana, takes place at the Sable Oaks Marriott, South Portland, beginning with 5:30 p.m. networking, then winding  its way to recognizing, in seven categories, some of Maine’s  most successful companies.

Awards categories and last year’s winners were:

• Maddy Corson Award (fewer than 25 employees), D. Cole Jewelers, Portland;
• Morong Falmouth (25-plus employees), Agren Appliance & Television, Auburn;
• Shep Lee (community service), The Wolak Group, Falmouth;
• Customer Service, Hannan’s Electric, South Portland;
• First Generation, Central Street Farmhouse, Bangor;
• Innovation, Close Buy Catalog, Portland.

A new category, technology, was added this year.

Finalists, nominated from within or outside their firms, complete a three-step application before their submissions go to a panel of judges. Those independent jurors select winners based upon business success, positive business and family linkages, contributions to the community and industry, family participation, work environment, communication, innovative business practices or strategies.

The Institute’s executive director, Gina Weathersby, is announcing a new awards feature, a discussion moderated by awards’ host Gregg Lagerquist, news co-anchor at WGME-TV 13. Weathersby said the discussion breaks with the tradition of a speaker, but promises “an insightful, sometimes touching, and entertaining discussion.” Panelists are being asked to share the ways they have learned to navigate what Weathersby describes as “the family element.”

Panelists are Tim Hussey of Hussey Seating, Berwick, a 2003 Awards’ winner; Adam Lee, Lee Auto, whose father Shep Lee was a founder of the Institute; Masey Kaplan, Close Buy Catalog, Portland, 2013 winner; and Derek Volk, Volk Packaging of Biddeford, winner in 2000.

For tickets or more information, go to www.fambusiness.org or contact the Institute office at 207-798-2667.