Renewable energy, IT services
key to area’s economic future
By Kathy McCarty
The results of a year-long Mobilize Northern Maine process that focused on identifying economic opportunities, that could potentially generate $200 million in additional business activity, were presented this fall to a group of community and business leaders at Northern Maine Community College.
Officials from Aroostook Partnership for Progress (APP) and the Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC) have been working since 2009 with consultants sponsored by FairPoint Communications’ Connect Northern New England program to implement Mobilize Northern Maine, an economic development initiative that builds on the strengths and unique assets of the region.
Walt Elish, president and CEO of APP, said over the past year leaders in various industries met to discuss ways to improve Aroostook’s economic climate and attract new businesses — with a focus on bio-energy and information technology services.
“This past year the Mobilize Northern Maine process brought together industry leaders to discuss and evaluate unique opportunities in the renewable energy and IT industry clusters. The results of this collaborative approach have led to the reports presented recently that identify niche market opportunities for the County,” said Elish. “It’s been an exciting process that has produced some very interesting results.”
Mike Eisensmith, economic development director of NMDC, noted the information gathered provides a better understanding of what direction the group needs to move in to achieve its goals.
“These reports give us clear guidance on what steps need to be taken to develop implementation strategies to develop these markets,” said Eisensmith.
Consultant Jim Haguewood of Vital Economy, who spoke at a similar meeting earlier this year, returned to the Star City to continue the discussion, presenting information on the opportunities identified in the information technology (IT) and renewable energy industry clusters. Haguewood explained that the renewable energy industry cluster has the resources in place to develop an entire biomass to heating industry that would retain and generate $19 million in new GDP impact in the County.
“The region’s higher education assets and programs lend themselves to establishing a ‘Renewable Energy Center of Excellence,’” said Haguewood.
“Both of these are exciting opportunities for the region and can be realized by community leaders taking charge of their economy,” said Haguewood.
He described a collaborative approach to “developing business opportunities within the business process outsourcing market” that would “assist individual specialists and small companies in Aroostook County compete together for significant projects.”
Through an “outsourcing broker collaborative,” he said the region can “aggregate the brokerage system to access these larger proposals, improving the region’s businesses tapping into this expanding market.”
“The Aroostook County work ethic is something special and proven performers that can be leveraged for additional economic opportunities,” said Haguewood.
He noted that the IT industry cluster team believes that northern Maine could become “the premier rural technology hub in the United States, where innovation and opportunity attract wealth and people to the region.”
While it will take a collaborative effort on the part of every IT company in the County, this is achievable, according to Haguewood.
APP Board of Directors Chair Chris Anderson approves of tracking the area’s assets to better promote economic development.
“I support the asset mapping process. The visions identified for each cluster sets the tone for the entire process of developing a robust economy for the region,” he said.
“Bringing private industry together to discuss their local and regional assets in conjunction with their respective industry is leading to opportunities for growth unimaginable prior to starting the Mobilize Maine process,” said Anderson.
Elish said Mobilize Northern Maine is taking charge of the economy by establishing working groups to identify and implement niche market strategies indicated in the reports; which, in turn, “will lead to enhanced economic opportunities in both industry clusters for northern Maine.”
For more details on Mobilize Northern Maine, contact Elish at 498-8731 or 800-509-2146, e-mail welish@appme.org or visit www.nmdc.org/development/mobilize_maine.html.
