MDF Presents Leadership Awards to Standout Alumni of Legacy Leadership Programs

Hallowell, Maine — June 11, 2024 — Maine Development Foundation (MDF), is thrilled to announce the winners of our 2024 ICL (Institute for Civic Leadership) Distinguished Alum Award and Kenneth M. Curtis Leadership Award, which is presented to an alum of our Leadership Maine program. Both programs are celebrating their 30th anniversary. 

“These awards recognize the efforts of alumni who have given selflessly of themselves and demonstrated exceptional leadership in achieving extraordinary things for Maine while furthering systemic change toward equity and inclusion,” says Jan Kearce, Senior Team Leader for Workforce & Leadership with MDF. “Both of our awardees are leading actionable and scalable efforts to build a diverse Maine economy and to ensure Maine continues to be a great place to live and work for all.” 

MDF proudly bestowed the awards during the May 17th 30th Anniversary Leadership Alumni Celebration at Ferry Beach Conference Center in Saco to two standout alumni: 

2024 Kenneth M. Curtis Leadership Award to LuAnn Ballesteros, 2007 Leadership Maine Xi Class and Vice President of External & Government Affairs with The Jackson Laboratory. LuAnn is a longtime member of MDF’s Maine Economic Growth Council and serves on numerous advisory & policy groups including the Maine Innovation Economy Board, The State Chamber of Commerce Board, and Maine State Workforce Board. She is a tireless advocate for career opportunity and accessible education for all Mainers. LuAnn holds a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from Husson College and an associate’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Maine, Farmington. 

2024 ICL Distinguished Alum Award to Carolyn Nishon, 2012 ICL Tau Class and Executive Director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra since 2015. She is a compassionate, dedicated advocate for the power of live orchestral music, and for inclusivity, equity, and diversity in the arts – making them affordable and accessible to all. Prior to that role, she led the PSO’s artistic operations department from 2008-2015. In 2007 – 2008, she served as one of five League of American Orchestras Fellows, working alongside the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, and the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra and the Aspen (Colorado) Music Festival and School. While at the University of Michigan, she served as an intern with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. Carolyn holds a B.A. in English and Psychology from the University of Michigan. 

“Throughout the Leadership Maine program I was introduced to and able to engage with, many of the State’s most prominent and effective leaders,” says LuAnn Ballesteros, winner of the Kenneth M. Curtis Leadership Award and Vice President of External & Government Affairs with The Jackson Laboratory. “As an alum, I’ve been able to leverage both the lessons learned and the relationships developed, to hone my own leadership skills and to share what I’ve learned with others.  And I’ve watched with admiration as my Xi classmates did the same…. that’s the power and the legacy of Leadership Maine. 

“I am deeply honored to receive the ICL Distinguished Alum Award. At ICL, we explored the power of facilitative leadership and the importance of agreeing upon shared ground rules to connect, listen, and learn from each other,” says Carolyn Nishon, winner of the 2024 ICL Distinguished Alum Award and Executive Director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. “These principles guide me each day, in and out of the PSO, in hopes of creating an environment where everyone is heard, valued, and we can collectively make the strongest and most thoughtful decisions possible.” 

To find out more about MDF’s Leadership Development programs and the broad range of other economic & community development programs, coalitions, and initiatives MDF leads, go to mdf.org. 

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Measures of Growth Indicator in Action: Mental & Behavioral Health

Mental & Behavioral Health is one of the 31 key economic indicators featured in the annual Measures of Growth Report. Each month this blog features a story that connects the data to real-life experience.

Mental and behavioral health is key to an individual’s ability to thrive and prosper, and thus to Maine’s economy. As we mark Mental Health Awareness Month, there is reason to hope amidst the sobering reality of what many medical professionals call a “crisis” in mental health and the accompanying “epidemic of loneliness.” 

The most recent edition of Measures of Growth highlighted the stark data: In 2021, 36% of Maine high schoolers – more than 1 in 3 – reported feeling sad or hopeless every day for two weeks or more. Many older Mainers are also experiencing challenges. In July-August 2023, approximately 27% of Maine adults had symptoms of anxiety or depression. By comparison, about 33% of adults nationwide reported these symptoms—up from just 11% in 2019.  

Fortunately, Maine also has an abundance of one of the most powerful tools to address and overcome this challenge: access to nature and free outdoor endeavors.  

Among the many organizations working to engage Mainers in nature is Teens to Trails. They work with middle and high schools around the state to start and sustain Outdoor Clubs, which are student-led and faculty-facilitated. The Clubs introduce teenagers to a variety of experiences, such as hiking, biking, camping, rafting, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, campfires, and beach trips. The goal is to try new things, see new places, and make new connections.  

Teens to Trails also runs programs that are independent of schools and offer a way for teens to connect with others from across the state in outdoor adventures. As the group emphasizes on its website, “Watching trees sway in the wind, breathing fresh air, and listening to bird calls – positively activates our senses, elevates our moods, and calms our nervous systems. Research shows spending time outside improves individual mental health outcomes later in life.” 

17-year-old Eva Dodge, a student at the Ecology Learning Center in Unity, spoke at MDF’s 2023 Annual Meeting & Champion Awards Celebration of the life-changing experiences she had during a 3-week Teens to Trails kayak trip in the summer of 2023. It included solo time for reflection. During one such session while fogged in on an island off the coast, Eva worked with the writing prompt “Who Am I Here?” She wrote a poem that reads, in part: 

“I came out here to detach / Just for a moment to be me / Without my friends / Without my family, my pets, my clothes, my phone, my world / Without all that the one thing I have left is me! / I came out here to find her / To cherish her / To figure out who she is and how to take care of her / Out here I am me / I found me / And I quite like her” – excerpt from poem by Eva Dodge, participant in Teens to Trails programming.

It is the epitome of what psychologists, behavioralists, educators, community leaders, and employers seek to foster daily in their efforts to support the mental and behavioral health of individuals, students, and employees. “There are so many ways to change a life through outdoor experiences and to offer hope along with a sense of belonging. We don’t always know it is happening in the moment, but the impact can be lifelong,” says Alicia Heyburn, Executive Director, Teens to Trails. 

The Need for Continued Diligence 

Mental & Behavioral Health is just one of the indicators the Maine Economic Growth Council, the nonpartisan, independent group that oversees the Measures of Growth report, uses to track factors that make Maine communities desirable, healthy, and supportive places to live, work, and play. This annual report offers a snapshot of how these factors intersect with Maine’s economy, and why the Council recommends continued diligence on these fronts.  

 We hope you will dig into the data behind these Indicators and how they interconnect with other critical elements of Maine’s economy. Visit the Measures of Growth section of our website where you can see all 31 indicators we featured in 2023, as well as past issues of the report dating back to 2010.  

Watch Eva and Alicia’s full Table Talk from Sept. 23, 2023 – including Eva’s reading of her poem – by clicking the video button below. Their remarks start at 1:27 in the video.

Measures of Growth Indicator in Action: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Greenhouse Gas Emissions is one of the 31 key economic indicators featured in the annual Measures of Growth Report. Each month this blog features a story that connects the data to real-life experience.

Did you know that Maine was the first state to enact a statutory target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions? We did so in 2003 and exceeded the original target ahead of schedule in 2012 when emissions fell to 10% below 1990 levels. In 2019, further legislation set the goal of reducing emissions 45% below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80% by 2050. We continue to make steady progress toward these goals.

As Maine and the entire nation honor Earth Day, and in hopes that Mainers will continue to work toward addressing the climate crisis and its impact on Maine’s economy every day of every month, we are highlighting Greenhouse Gas Emissions as the current Indicator in Action by highlighting the story of Nyle Systems, one of many, many Maine businesses who are becoming “green economy” leaders in creating new jobs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  

In March 2023, Brewer-based Nyle Systems announced the creation of a second factory, this one in Bangor, to manufacture energy-efficient heat pumps, creating about 200 jobs over time. With this news, Nyle joined the growing list of Maine companies leading the nation’s transition to clean energy while creating opportunities for Maine people.  

Nyle Systems’ roots go back to the 1970s when it built dehumidification systems for drying lumber. It still sells these, but today it also manufactures food drying systems and heat-pump water heaters for customers nationwide. The heat pumps replace gas boilers and reduce demand for fossil fuels when electrified from a renewable source. They are also cheaper to operate and can save consumers thousands of dollars every year.  

CEO Ton Mathissen explained to WABI TV5 the impact of rising demand for clean, energy-efficient solutions and the company’s growth: “That is really what is driving this.” Both Maine and the federal government offer incentives for households to install heat pumps.  

“We plan to keep this growth going for the long term to have a meaningful impact in transitioning our world onto a sustainable path for the next generations. Speed matters!” – Ton Mathissen, CEO, Nyle Systems. 

Nyle System’s new factory will significantly increase the company’s workforce, which was about 120 people prior to the expansion. The company has doubled in size every three to four years since 2010 and intends to keep going.  

The Need for Continued Diligence 

Greenhouse gas emissions is just one of the indicators the Maine Economic Growth Council, the nonpartisan, independent group that oversees the Measures of Growth Report, uses to track Maine’s environmental health, how it intersects with Maine’s economy, and why the Council recommends continued diligence on these fronts. 

We hope you will dig into the data behind these Indicators and how they intersect with other critical elements of Maine’s economy. Visit the Measures of Growth section of our website where you can see all 31 indicators we featured in 2023, as well as past issues of the report dating back to 2010. 

Measures of Growth Indicator in Action: Racial Income Equity

Racial Income Equity is one of the 31 key economic indicators featured in the annual Measures of Growth Report. Each month this blog features a story that connects the data to real-life experience.

As Maine and the entire nation honor Black History Month, and in hopes that Mainers will continue to work toward a truly equitable and inclusive Maine economy every day of every month we are highlighting Racial Income Equity as the current Indicator in Action. 

Maine history is rich with the economic and cultural contributions of our Black brothers and sisters, among them Macon Bolling Allen, who was admitted to the Maine Bar in 1844 making him the first licensed Black lawyer in the entire United States. 

Allen was born a free man in Indiana in 1816. At the time, in the pre-Civil War era, the only avenue open to Black Americans who wanted to become lawyers was to teach themselves law and gain legal skills by serving as an apprentice and/or law clerk to practicing white lawyers. For Allen, that involved a move to Maine where he apprenticed with General Samuel Fessenden. 

In a 2021 presentation, Bob Greene, a historian with Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at University of Southern Maine, shared the story of Allen’s experience in Maine. 

“[Allen] moved to Portland and studied law, working as an apprentice to Samuel Fessenden, a local abolitionist and attorney. The Portland District Court rejected Fessenden’s first motion to admit Allen to the bar in April 1844, concluding Allen did not meet the state’s citizenship requirement (being a resident of Massachusetts at the time). [Allen] tried again, pursuing admission by examination, a method that did not require citizenship. He faced a hostile examination committee, which Fessenden thought did not want Allen admitted. Nevertheless, Fessenden said, ‘his qualifications were not denied.’ Allen was granted his license to practice law in Maine on July 3, 1844, becoming the nation’s first African American lawyer.” – Bob Greene, Historian, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at USM. 

Imagine what Macon Bolling Allen and fellow Black Mainers could have achieved and contributed if they had been able to thrive and prosper in a truly equitable and inclusive Maine culture and economy?  

Efforts to build and sustain such a culture and economy continue to this day, and require ongoing broad, deep, and long-term systemic change. The independent, non-partisan Maine Economic Growth Council, which MDF staffs and works with to produce the annual Measures of Growth Report, strongly believes that Maine will need the contributions of every resident to achieve a vibrant, sustainable economy. Increasing prosperity is not true progress unless it is equitably shared.  

For example, as highlighted in the 2023 Measures of Growth Report, in 2017-2021, the average incomes of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and Latino or Hispanic Mainers rose 3% but remained 31% below those of White Mainers, dramatically short of full equity.  

This stark racial/ethnic income disparity is similar to that found in New England and the United States. To counter it, Maine must improve access to training and education for residents of color, better support their communities and businesses, and address cultural biases and systemic disadvantages.  

To dig into the data and how it intersects with Maine’s economy as a whole, click here for our Measures of Growth Report, and here for Racial Income Equity specifically.

Measures of Growth Indicator in Action: Internet Connectivity

Internet Connectivity is one of the 31 key economic indicators featured in the annual Measures of Growth Report. Each month this blog features a story that connects the data to real-life experience and the individuals, organizations, and communities who are helping Maine tackle longstanding issues and capitalize on opportunities.

When you visualize lightning-fast, reliable internet connectivity, you probably think of a hip, open-concept office space in a San Francisco skyscraper, right? Well picture this: as of June, 2023, the 830 internet customers in the rural Maine communities of Baileyville, Calais, Alexander, and Indian Township boast some of the fastest internet connections in the world.

By summer of 2024, 920 homes and businesses stand to join them from the tiny towns of Cooper and Princeton.

It’s a remarkable 21st Century accomplishment achieved with centuries old tried-and-true Maine ingenuity, innovation, and neighbors coming together in the form of the first municipality-owned broadband entity called Downeast Broadband Utility.

The Downeast Broadband Utility (DBU) emerged in 2018 in an effort to provide businesses who were interested in opening up shop in the towns with the necessary reliable fiber broadband, despite two established providers declining to extend their services to the communities.

The communities had an untapped fiber network in place as part of the state’s Three Ring Binder project, a 1,100-mile network of fiber laid throughout rural areas that was completed in 2012. In order to connect every household and enable providers to offer high-speed internet at no additional network expense, the two municipalities banded together and committed $2.5 million. Local service provider Pioneer Broadband joined the effort and construction began in Baileyville and Calais in 2018, and within 24 months every household had access to a fiber connection. In 2020, nearby Alexander voted to join the DBU, followed by Indian Township in 2021.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to make sure everyone in Maine who wants high-speed internet can have it, and forming a Broadband Utility District can give communities another choice in expanding internet access in a way that works best for them.”

Andrew Butcher, president of the Maine Connectivity Authority

By reconceiving internet as a public utility,  these municipalities are showing that innovation is as much about mentality as technology. Through creative collaboration, they have connected themselves to the internet, the world, and opportunity.

Municipalities across the state including Baring, Eastport, Pleasant Point, Perry, Charlotte, Meddybemps, Pembroke, Whiting and Lubec are exploring the model, as are some from as far away as Texas. Downeast Broadband Utility will provide the paperwork required to establish a similar municipal broadband utility for free.

You can watch Tim McAfee, CEO of Pinoeer Broadband, tell the story of how Downeast Broadband and it continued growth through community collaboration by clicking the video image to the right or clicking here.

To dig into the data and how it intersects with Maine’s economy as a whole, click here for our Measures of Growth Report, and here for Internet Connectivity specifically.

MDF’s Maine Downtown Center Receives Maine Office of Tourism Marketing and Development Recovery Grant 

Hallowell, MAINE — January 16, 2023  — The Maine Downtown Center, a program of Maine Development Foundation (MDF), has been awarded a $331,050 Maine Office of Tourism Marketing and Development Recovery Grant which was funded through the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation State Grant.  

 
The funds will support the development of tourism experiences in historic downtowns that in turn boost the larger community’s economic recovery and strengthen the resilience of these downtowns going forward.  

“Maine’s 10 nationally accredited Main Street organizations will benefit from this grant as they build place-based tourism enterprises that will support their communities. Our MainStreetMaine.org platform will be ready to share these experiences in the next year.” says Anne Ball, Senior Program Director, Maine Downtown Center. 

This innovative approach to community and economic development is developed and driven by community desire and customer demand and in line with the Maine Office of Tourism’s Destination Management Plan. The project will take place in collaboration with Maine’s Main Street organizations through Main Street Maine, an existing web and social media project. 

The funds will enable the Planeterra Foundation to conduct training, support for integrating community tourism enterprises into existing business models, stakeholder analysis, market analysis, and value chain analysis. Bonneville Consulting will also support the effort through web site updates and fresh marketing efforts.  

These efforts are expected to provide a significant boost to Maine downtowns which were hit hard by the Coronavirus Pandemic lockdown in 2020 and continue to feel economic challenges with workforce, adaptation to technology, the need for new business models, and supply chain issues. Research by Main Street America shows that small businesses located in a Main Street, or an Affiliate Community fared better than those in other communities. Downtown organizations are critical to efficient and effective application of this grant money and to keeping these downtowns vibrant and thriving. To learn more about Maine Downtown Center and how your community can get involved, visit our website. 

Registration Open for First-ever Course Aimed at Boosting Forest Product Sector Workforce 

Machias, Maine – November 6, 2023 FOR/Maine (Forest Opportunity Roadmap) coalition and Sunrise County Economic Council are pleased to announce registration is open for a new, free, online course called “The Business of Maine’s Forestry Products Sector”. The 10-week course is offered through Washington County Community College, is open to all working-age Mainers, and begins November 21st. It is a first-ever program to promote workforce opportunities and innovation across Maine’s Forest Products Sector and will leverage strong industry and workforce partnerships to link Mainers with job opportunities.

The asynchronous course will be delivered virtually, allowing learners to access the workshops live, as well as catch the weekly recordings at their convenience. Learners that complete the course will earn three college credits as well as Maine Forest Products Sector micro-credentials. Participants can also select individual workshops to attend/watch and forego college credit. Both options are completely free. The course is open to anyone with an interest in the field, students and entrepreneurs. Classes will be held weekly (except for holidays) on Tuesdays from 2-5 pm from November 21, 2023, to January 30, 2024.

This course will provide participants with an understanding of opportunities across the industry, access to direct contact with industry professionals and subject matter experts across the field, as well as the knowledge to begin their own career journey.  The course will commence with a virtual career fair where learners can meet employers in the sector.

Individuals are considered at a secondary level of employment after completing the 10-week course and achieving micro-credentials.

Financial assistance of up to $500 per learner is available to address barriers, such as internet access or childcare costs.

The course and associated materials will also be available in Spanish.

This course was developed through a partnership between Sunrise County Economic Council, Forest Opportunity Roadmap (FOR/Maine), Washington County Community College (WCCC), and Maine Development Foundation. The course is generously funded through a private trust grant. Barrier removal assistance is thoughtfully provided through a Maine Department of Labor and State Workforce Board Industry Partnership grant.

To register, please visit https://mainestreetbusiness.org/forestry-products/ or use your smartphone camera to scan the below QR Code:

MDF Presents Champion Awards to Six Individuals and Organizations for Exemplary Leadership in Helping Mainers Thrive and Prosper

Hallowell, Maine — September 28, 2023 — Maine Development Foundation (MDF), is thrilled to announce our 2023 Champion Award winners. These awards recognize exemplary leadership toward economic improvement and systemic change necessary for each and every Mainer to thrive and prosper.  

“These awards honor individuals, organizations, and businesses who are involved day in and day out in innovative and critical work that is helping Mainers, thrive, prosper, and realize all that they aspire to,” says Yellow Light Breen, MDF’s President and CEO. “Each of our awardees is leading actionable and scalable efforts that help drive systemic change toward a more equitable, inclusive Maine economy and ensure Maine continues to be a great place to live and work for all.” 

MDF proudly bestowed the following awards before an audience of 200 during “Aspire: Unlocking the Potential of Maine to Thrive and Prosper,” MDF’s 45th Annual Meeting & Champion Awards Celebration held yesterday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bangor: 

2023 William F. King, Jr., Downtown Champion Award to Phyllis Young, Ret. Board Chair, Heart of Ellsworth, for her tireless advocacy and strategic leadership that has helped diversify and grow both the culture and economy of her beloved hometown of Ellsworth. This includes countless hours of hands-on volunteering and mentoring dozens of community leaders and entrepreneurs.  

2023 Champion of Education and Workforce Development to Inclusion Maine and Exec. Dir. Humza Khan for creating a safe space in the form of their annual conference where Mainers can connect and explore how to be truly equitable and inclusive. Participants come away equipped to implement policies, procedures, and programs that instill a sense of belonging and are helping grow Maine’s workforce.  

2023 Champion of Rural Economic Development to LP Building Solutions and Ryan Bushey, Dir. of HR & Safety, for a steadfast commitment to growing Maine’s forest economy and the workforce it needs now and for decades to come. Ryan is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and is a member of the FOR/Maine Coalition Steering Committee, Aroostook Partnership, Houlton Rotary, as well as a steadfast supporter of the region’s career & technical education programs.   

2023 ICL Distinguished Alum Award to Tony Payne, V.P. of External Affairs with MEMIC, and a member of ICL’s Beta Class, for his career-long commitment to an equitable, inclusive Maine culture and economy. Tony serves on numerous boards, in mentoring roles, and volunteers in hands-on projects aimed at cross-cultural, multi-generational growth for Maine’s workforce and communities. 

2023 Kenneth M. Curtis Leadership Award to Claudette Ndayininahaze, Exec. Dir. of In Her Presence, a Portland-based nonprofit working to lift language barriers and support the career trajectory and financial stability of immigrant women and their families. Claudette is a member of Leadership Maine’s Allagash Class and serves on numerous boards and advisory councils for economic development organizations across the state. 

2023 President’s Award to the University of Maine System for its wholistic approach to making affordable, quality education and career training available to every Mainer, and for its systemic efforts to incubate and support Maine entrepreneurs, businesses, and industries. 

The event also featured a stirring and inspirational Keynote Speech by artist Charlie Hewitt of the Hopeful Project.  

 

MDF Featured in Newscenter Maine story “Pilot program to help boost forest product sector’s workforce”

MDF and FOR/Maine (Forest Opportunity Roadmap) Program Director Erica Watson are featured in this Newscenter Maine story on a new online course that will link working-age Mainers with good-paying jobs and career-boosting credentials and jobs in the forest products industry. FOR/Maine, MDF, Sunrise County Economic Council and Washington County Community College are partnering to implement the course.

Watch the story here.