Collaboration focus of APP/LEAD
annual meeting in Presque Isle
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Collaborative efforts and teamwork were the focus of the Aroostook Partnership for Progress/LEADers Encouraging Aroostook Development annual meeting, held Oct. 1 at Northern Maine Community College.
About 50 business, education and economic development leaders attended the event, which featured Bangor Mayor Ben Sprague as the keynote speaker. Tim Crowley, NMCC’s president, welcomed those in attendance, then introduced APP Board Chair Larry Shaw, who briefly outlined how the partnership is pulling folks together to address economic issues in the region.
“Collaboration and truly working together is powerful,” said Shaw, noting colleges and universities are important factors in the economic development of the communities they serve.
“Mobilize Northern Maine continues to drive the focus on strengths and assets core to a region,” he said. “We need to focus on the future workforce and the Education to Industry initiative.”
APP President Bob Dorsey continued the theme with an overview of APP’s work over the past 12 months. He said he is particularly proud of the work done on the EI initiative. Dorsey stated more companies are providing paid internships. The Junior Achievement program has shown tremendous growth, with more students involved and APP held a second Education to Industry summit this past August.
A growing number of high schools are already on board with the goals of APP, according to Dorsey, who added, “our collaboration with the area colleges is second to none.”
Dorsey added work in the sectors identified in the Mobilize Northern Maine asset-based planning process — forestry, renewable energy, manufacturing and diversified education — continued. Dorsey and Shaw also pointed out that in the past year, more than $100 million in investment has come into The County, resulting in more than 300 new jobs — several of those jobs are in the forestry industry, as was announced at open house events held recently in Ashland at Ecoshel, ReEnergy and J.D. Irving’s Ashland Sawmill.
Jim Davis, LEAD president, noted membership continues to grow.
“LEAD has 135 members throughout Aroostook, from north of Allagash to south of Houlton and continues to grow,” Davis said.
Aroostook Day at the Legislature continues to be a success, noted Davis, with more than 14 lawmakers and 60 participants from Aroostook in attendance. Aroostook County’s delegation stays informed about the communities they serve through weekly legislative calls. These calls also serve to keep business leaders in the loop on the latest happenings at the Statehouse.
“This reflects the fundamental spirit of collaboration and partnership and a can-do attitude,” said Davis.
Davis said the new “Opportunities Aroostook” — which is a partnership between APP and LEAD, businesses and educators to grow the 18- to 44-year-old workforce in Aroostook County — will go well beyond the borders of Aroostook.
“There are many jobs in The County that are high-skilled and go wanting for many months. This social media campaign means pulling Aroostook County folks back up to join us,” said Davis.
The new job/resume posting website, www.opportunitiesaroostook.com, is now live in beta form to allow people to explore career opportunities in Aroostook County.
Job and resume postings are free and the site has some unique tools to market a business to potential employees. A social media component allows outreach to passive job seekers.
Mayor Sprague, who served as the featured speaker for the breakfast, continued the theme of working together for the greater good.
“Economic development is a team sport,” said Sprague, who praised the direction of APP and LEAD as an example for the rest of the state.
Sprague, whose hometown is Bangor, said what is good for Aroostook is good for the state.
“I don’t think the changes that we need will come from Augusta or Washington, D.C.,” he said. “It needs to happen at the municipal level and outside of government, from groups like yours, and entrepreneurs coming together.”
Sprague said he hopes the barriers between organizations, municipalities, nonprofits, education and businesses can be torn down.
He concluded his speech by saying there are tremendous opportunities for collaboration and to consider him an ally.
“Bangor needs you to grow, so that Bangor can grow,” he said. “We need to work together and these silos need to come down.”
