Probus speaker
explains technological impact on local papers
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The PROBUS Club of Aroostook welcomed Mark Putnam as its guest speaker at its Feb. 19 meeting at Northern Maine Community College’s Reed Commons.
Putnam oversees the editorial department of Northeast Publishing Company’s four newspapers — the Aroostook Republican and News in Caribou, the Houlton Pioneer Times, The Star-Herald in Presque Isle and the Piscataquis Observer in Dover-Foxcroft.
He started as a news and sports reporter at The Star-Herald in 1983 following graduating from the University of Maine with a degree in advertising/journalism. Putnam also worked for Unicel in the 1990s as an account executive. A Houlton native with an interest in history and geography, his pioneer ancestor Aaron Putnam helped settle the Shiretown in the early 1800s.
He is a longtime member of the Presque Isle Rotary Club and serves on the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s board of visitors and on the Healthy Aroostook advisory board. He also enjoys singing as a member of the Aroostook River Voices ensemble.
Putnam talked about the importance of advertising to the newspaper business, as well as subscriptions, and said that the company has already gone through and will continue to go through many changes in this digital age.
Also during the meeting, it was reported that applications for scholarships will be delivered by club members to various high schools and that applications are due April 1.
Janet Snow gave some interesting statistics and information on the SAGE program, including some new courses such as The Maine Food System, Cooking with Medicinal Herbs, Let the Games Begin, AARP Smart Driver, Chess, Draw What You See and Simple Plumbing and Heating Repairs. Mary Lawrence is the contact for those classes at 768-9502.
The TAMC Healthy Aging Luncheon will be on Monday, March 30 from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and is co-sponsored by SAGE. Anthony Briscoe will talk about speech and language pathology and cognition.
The next PROBUS meeting will be held Thursday, March 19 at 10 a.m. at Reed Commons, NMCC.
