Center for Generational Kinetics’ Alicia Rainwater Speaks

The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) celebrated thirty-five years of successful business and educational partnerships at its annual meeting and awards event, Showcase Maine, held this year on Thursday, November 15, 2018 at Portland’s Holiday Inn By The Bay. Showcase Maine is FAME’s annual celebration of its successful partnerships with Maine’s business, lending, governmental, and higher education communities. The evening featured a reception, including a showcase of exhibits by Maine businesses and educational organizations that partner with FAME; a dinner and awards presentation; and a keynote speech by the Center for Generational Kinetics’ Alicia Rainwater entitled “Crossing the Generational Divide.” Rainwater is a Millennial who has earned a reputation as a leader in her own generation. She has extensive experience working firsthand to bridge generations in a variety of organizations from hospitals to global non-profits. Her presentation combined The Center’s latest research and how-to with her unique experience working with clients and effectively demonstrating how to solve generational challenges people may be experiencing with employees and customers. “FAME enjoyed celebrating the successes of the past thirty-five years with our partners in Maine’s business, lending, governmental, and higher education communities,” said James “Jay” Violette, Jr., chair of FAME’s board of directors. “We were proud to showcase the progress we are making in educating our workforce and growing well-paying Maine jobs. We were pleased, as well, to honor our partners who help to make Maine’s economic and educational future brighter.” This year’s award recipients included:

• Business at Work for Maine Award: Front Street Shipyard: Front Street Shipyard, located on Penobscot Bay in Belfast, is an expansive, thriving marina and yard with deep-water frontage, state-of-the-art equipment and a growing workforce. Front Street provides services for various types of vessels ranging from small recreational boats to commercial vessels and superyachts. The yard’s team of more than 100 experienced boat service professionals uses both advanced composite construction and traditional boat building techniques. FAME assisted the company in March 2018 with commercial loan insurance in partnership with Androscoggin Bank to help construct a 23,000- square foot assembly and storage building.
• Education at Work for Maine Award: JMG: Previously known as Jobs for Maine’s Graduates, JMG is celebrating twenty-five years of partnering with Maine’s public middle and high schools, as well as community colleges and university system to help students reach their fullest potential. JMG serves more than 7,000 students in communities throughout each of Maine’s sixteen counties. JMG programs are hosted within Maine’s public schools, and classes and year-round activities are led by JMG Specialists who serve as mentors and educators. FAME recognized JMG’s efforts to increase high school graduation rates, college retention, and degree attainment. JMG also plays a critical role in strengthening financial capability in Maine by supporting statewide teacher training led by the Maine Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, and through its strong collaboration with FAME’s College Access and Financial Education Team.
• Lender at Work for Maine Award (over $1.5 billion in assets): Camden National Bank: This was the bank’s ninth time as an awardee. Over the past year, Camden National partnered with FAME on 57 loans totaling over approximately $18 million. This in turn helped to create 79 Maine jobs and retain an additional 566 jobs. In addition to being a top partner in bringing business to FAME, Camden National has grown remarkably in recent years and is actively committed to the communities in which it operates.
• Lender at Work for Maine Award (up to $1.5 billion in assets): Androscoggin Bank: Androscoggin Bank was recognized in the category for lenders with less than $1.5 billion in assets. Founded in 1870, Androscoggin Bank is an independent community bank that is committed to delivering smarter banking to all of the communities it serves. This past year, FAME partnered with Androscoggin Bank on 8 loans to Maine companies totaling over $5 million. This helped to create 45 Maine jobs and retain an additional 114 jobs.

FAME is a quasi-independent state agency that provides financial solutions that help Maine people achieve their business and higher education goals. FAME is celebrating its 35^th Anniversary and 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 fourth year in a row as one of the Best Places to Work in Maine. To learn more about FAME, please visit www.famemaine.com