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Maine PTAC Maine DBE

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

EMDC’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) identifies goals and objectives for the Eastern Maine region that guide economic growth and regional resiliency. EMDC is designated by the U.S. Economic Development Agency to update the plan every 5 years. The result is a living document that is data-rich, and thoughtfully created with diverse public and private stakeholder input.

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Appendix 1
Appendix 2


  • Scott Adkins – County Administrator, Hancock County, EMDC Board Member
  • Sven Bartholomew – Senior Vice President, Camden National Bank, EMDC Board Member
  • Edmond Bearor – Attorney, Rudman Winchell & EMDC Board Member
  • John Belding – Director, University of Maine Advanced Manufacturing Center
  • Martha Bentley – Director, Economic Development Coordination & Small Business Ombudsman, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Rob Brown – Director, Business Ownership Solutions Program, Cooperative Development Institute
  • Rich Campbell – President, Campbell Environmental Group, EMDC Board Member
  • David Cole – David Cole Consulting. Former Maine DOT Commissioner
  • Denice Conary – Chief Financial Officer, Penquis
  • Dr. Steven Cunningham – Professor of Management and Economics, Husson University, EMDC Board Member
  • Kelly Cotiaux – Staff, U.S. Senator Susan Collins
  • Dr. Andrew Crawley – Assistant Professor of Economics, University of Maine
  • Sara Devlin – Director, Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System
  • Michael Donahue – President, Northern Light Beacon Health, EMDC Board Member
  • David Dunning – Vice President of Marketing & Human Resources, S.W. Cole Engineering, Inc.
  • Judith East – Executive Director, Land Use Planning Commission
  • Michael Elliott – Manager of Finance & Business Development, Northern Light Beacon Health
  • Tanya Emery – Director of Community and Economic Development, City of Bangor
  • Wayne Erkkinen – County Commissioner, Piscataquis County, EMDC Board Member
  • James Gillway – Town Manager, Town of Searsport, EMDC Board Member
  • Molly Ginn – Center Director, Career Systems Development Corporation
  • Jill Goldthwait – Government Relations, The Jackson Laboratory
  • Jon Gulliver – Director of Investor & Community Relations, NMDC
  • Susan Hammond – Executive Director, Four Directions Development Corporation, EMDC Board Member
  • Jay Hardy – Economic Development Director, Town of Lincoln
  • Barbara Hayslett – District Director, U.S. Congressman Jared Golden
  • Lisa Larson – President, Eastern Maine Community College, EMDC Board Member
  • Jeff Letourneau – Executive Director, Networkmaine
  • D’arcy Main-Boyington – Director of Economic Development, City of Brewer
  • Charlotte Mace – Director, Maine Office of Business Development, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Susan Mackey Andrews – Co-Facilitator, Maine Resilience Building Network
  • Jessica Masse – Partner, Designlab
  • Ann McAlhany – Business Advisor, Maine Small Business Development Center
  • Susanne Miller – Director, Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management, Maine Department of Environmental Protection
  • Donna Moreland – Destination Development Specialist, Maine Office of Tourism, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Robert Nadeau – Community Programs Director, USDA Rural Development, Maine State Office
  • Deb Neuman – President & CEO, Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce
  • Carolann Ouellette – Director, Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Niles Parker – Executive Director, Maine Discovery Museum
  • Ryan Pelletier – County Administrator, Aroostook County
  • Jim Pineau – Senior Area Manager, U.S. Small Business Administration
  • Jonathan Poole – Large Business Development Manager, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Janna Richards – Economic Development Director, City of Ellsworth
  • EJ Roach – Director of Community and Economic Development, City of Old Town
  • Richard Rotella – Community & Economic Development Director, Town of Bucksport
  • Debora Rountree – Associate Academic Dean, Eastern Maine Community College
  • Joanna Russell – Executive Director, Northeastern Workforce Development Board
  • Amy Ryder – Economic Development Director, Town of Hampden
  • Laura Sanborn – County Commissioner, Penobscot County, EMDC Board Member
  • John Shea – Executive Director, Piscataquis County Economic Development Council
  • William Shorey – County Commissioner, Waldo County
  • Linda Silka – Senior Fellow, Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions
  • Edie Smith – Political Consultant and State Director, U.S. Senator Angus King
  • Aimee Thibodeau – Marketing & Business Development Manager, Bangor International Airport
  • Beverly Uhlenhake – Broker, Epstein Commercial Real Estate
  • Lucy Van Hook – Director of Community Development, Our Katahdin
  • Tony Vail – General Manager, Cross Center Insurance
  • Brian Wilson – Business and Cooperative Programs Director, USDA Rural Development, Maine State Office
  • Carol Woodcock – State Office Representative, U.S. Senator Susan Collins
  • Lawson Wulsin – Executive Director, A Climate to Thrive
  • Rich Campbell – President, Campbell Environmental Group
  • David Cole – David Cole Consulting, Former Maine DOT Commissioner
  • Dr. Steven Cunningham – Professor of Management and Economics, Husson University
  • Sara Devlin – Director, Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System
  • Susan Hammond – Executive Director, Four Directions Development Corporation, EMDC Board Member
  • Jay Hardy – Economic Development Director, Town of Lincoln
  • D’arcy Main-Boyington – Director of Economic Development, City of Brewer
  • Susan Mackey Andrews – Co-Facilitator, Maine Resilience Building Network
  • Susanne Miller – Director, Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management, Maine Department of Environmental Protection
  • Carolann Ouellette – Director, Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Niles Parker – Executive Director, Maine Discovery Museum
  • Jim Pineau – Senior Area Manager, U.S. Small Business Administration
  • Richard Rotella – Community & Economic Development Director, Town of Bucksport
  • Lucy Van Hook – Director of Community Development, Our Katahdin
  • Heather Johnson – Commissioner, Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Hannah Pingree – Director, Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future
  • The Honorable Angus S. King – U.S. Senator
  • Samantha Bullard – Fine Artist, “A Year in Maine” 2019
  • George Danby – Editorial Cartoonist, Bangor Daily News
  • Patty Griffin – Grammy Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter, “Where I Come From” 2019
  • Jeff Kirlin – Photographer, Thing of the Moment
  • Kristin Harmon – Photographs contributed by EMDC
  • Rich Campbell – President, Campbell Environmental Group
  • Tony Caruso – Airport Director, Bangor International Airport
  • David Cole – David Cole Consulting, Former Maine DOT Commissioner
  • Dr. Habib Dagher – Executive Director, Bath Iron Works Professor of Structural Engineering, University of Maine Advanced Structures & Composites Center
  • Claire Eaton – Director, Natural Resource Markets & Economic Development, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
  • James Gillway – Town Manager, Town of Searsport, EMDC Board Member
  • Carolann Ouellette – Director, Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Amanda Rector – State Economist, Department of Administrative and Financial Services
  • Richard Rotella – Community & Economic Development Director, Town of Bucksport
  • Lucas St. Clair – Board Member, Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters, Executive Director, Elliotsville Foundation, Inc.
  • Aimee Thibodeau – Marketing & Business Development Manager, Bangor International Airport
  • Emma Wendt – Community Development Officer – Climate Specialist, Island Institute
  • Lee Umphrey – President & CEO
  • Jon Farley – Vice President of Operations
  • Kristin Harmon – Communications Coordinator
  • Dr. Vicki Rusbult – Director of Community & Business Services
  • Peter Jamieson – Katahdin Region Economic Development Director
  • Tom Fernands – Manager of I.T. and Data
  • Ryan Grindle – Regional Development Coordinator
  • Cody Gilks – DBE Supportive Services Specialist
  • Anna Stockman – Planner
  • Thomas Noonan – Intern, University of Maine Senior

The strength of this report comes from the participation of key stakeholders in our region.  Special kudos to EMDC’s Planner Anna Stockman for leading the coordination of meetings and framing the agenda and content to encourage interactive and thoughtful discussions.  Also extra thanks to EMDC’s Communications Coordinator Kristin Harmon for her writing, design and promotional expertise to ensure the relevancy of the report. Because of the Pandemic, this endeavor was especially important to recognize our collective resilience while carving a promising path forward. -Lee Umphrey, President and CEO, EMDC

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