At their annual meeting held on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at Portland’s Holiday Inn By The Bay, members of the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) Board of Directors elected new officers for 2022-2023.

This year’s officers, whose terms will run from November 2022 through November 2023, are:  

• Chair: Hon. Richard L. Trafton, Esq. A resident of Brunswick, Dick is a partner with the law firm of Trafton, Matzen, Belleau & Frenette in Auburn, where he lived from childhood. He was educated at Phillips Academy, Dartmouth College, and the University of Maine School of Law. Dick served in the Maine Senate from 1982 through 1986, chairing the Joint Standing Committees on Judiciary and Legal Affairs. He also served as Mayor of the City of Auburn from 1989 through 1994. Dick served as President of the Auburn Public Library Board of Trustees for six years and on two Charter Commissions for the City of Auburn, re-writing its Charter. Married with three adult children, Dick is an outdoor enthusiast and has served as Chairman of the Outdoor Sports Institute’s Board of Trustees. Dick previously served as Vice Chair of the FAME Board.
• Vice Chair: Dustin Brooks. Dustin is the Vice President of Market Strategy at Unum Group, where he leads market research and growth initiatives. He holds an MBA from Stanford University and, prior to multiple roles at Unum, worked in marketing and public relations at the law firm Preti Flaherty. Originally from Island Falls in Aroostook County, he now resides in Portland with his wife Jessica, a small business owner and Oxford County native, and their two daughters. He earned his undergraduate degree at Bowdoin College and is a George J. Mitchell Scholar Alumnus. Dustin most recently served as Treasurer of the FAME Board.
• Treasurer: Rebecca Asen, Esq. Becca is Director of Attorney Recruiting & Professional Development at Bernstein Shur. After growing up in Casco, she graduated with honors from Barnard College and Georgetown University Law School. Becca previously worked at IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. as Associate General Counsel and in the capital markets group at Sidley Austin LLP, where she represented a broad array of clients that ranged from the large financial institutions to regional real estate companies in registered deals and private placements. Becca also serves on the Board of Directors at Preble Street. She lives in Falmouth with her husband, Taylor, and their two daughters and son. Becca also serves as chair of FAME’s Risk Management and Audit Committee.

“FAME serves an important role in Maine’s economic development and higher education landscapes, and I look forward to leading the board as we continue to develop and administer important programs to keep Maine’s economy and workforce moving forward,” stated Board Chair Richard L. Trafton, Esq. “I want to thank outgoing chair Dave Daigler for his many contributions over the past two years and for his steadfast devotion to the board and agency as a whole.”

Maine Community College System President Daigler, who served as board chair for the past two years, will remain on the board and continue as a member of FAME’s Executive Committee in his capacity as Immediate Past Chair.

FAME is a quasi-independent state agency that provides financial solutions that help Maine people achieve their business and higher education goals. FAME helps to create a Maine workforce that with good-paying jobs by focusing on the nexus of economic and educational development. FAME recently was recognized for the eighth year in a row as one of the Best Places to Work in Maine. To learn more about FAME, please visit www.famemaine.com.