MDF’s Maine Downtown Center and our REvitalizeME grant program is featured in this Portland Press Herald article. The piece gives details on how one of the grants will be used to rehabilitate Bath’s historic Chocolate Church.

Click here for the April 2020 newsletter

HALLOWELL, ME – April 8, 2020 – MDF’s Maine Downtown Center (MDC) is pleased to award more than $640,000 through the REvitalizeME National Park Service Sub-grant program for six historic preservation projects involving historic downtown buildings in Maine. These projects all support economic development in rural downtowns during this critical time.

“We  are pleased to distribute these awards for what we believe will be catalytic projects in Maine downtowns,” says Anne Ball, Program Director, Maine Downtown Center. “The program set out to drive the connection between economic development and historic preservation. The grant projects will clearly illustrate this. This was a very competitive grant program – more than 2.2 million dollars were requested by applicants and this speaks to the need for this type of funding in Maine.”

Four awards for were made to support the preparation of architectural and engineering specifications and plans for the: Norway Opera House, Norway; 7 Island Avenue, Skowhegan; Chocolate Church, Bath; and Center Theatre, Dover-Foxcroft. One award was made to the Peavey Memorial Library in Eastport for exterior repair of the masonry, roof and gutters surrounding the defining entry arch and another to Johnson Hall in Gardiner for repair of exterior masonry, windows and cornice. 

MDF’s partner in this effort was the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. Kirk Mohney, Director of the Commission, says, “We are pleased to be able to support bricks and mortar preservation work on several historically significant buildings. The variety of buildings that received awards underscores the rich architectural heritage of Maine’s downtowns.”

The REvitalizeME sub-grant program was funded by the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program of the National Park Service, Department of Interior. The objective of the program is to support the rehabilitation of historic properties in order to rehabilitate, protect, and foster economic development in rural communities.

“One of the MDF’s strategic priorities is improving the economic vitality of the state’s downtowns,” said Yellow Light Breen, president and CEO. “Even in difficult economic times, rehabbing our historic properties boosts the long-term prospects for sustaining businesses and jobs in our downtowns. These grants enable downtown historic building owners to be good stewards of their buildings and drive economic development.”

In celebration of Maine’s Bicentennial and 200 years of leadership that paved the way to make Maine “the way life should be,” members from MDF’s Leadership Maine Baskahegan Class interviewed leaders from around the state.  With diverse backgrounds, industries and geographies, they each share deep interest and commitment to the state of Maine and its people.  This is the story of Dr. Glenn Cummings, President, University of Southern Maine , and his leadership journey. Glenn was interviewed by Kristen Vaillancourt.

How he got here from there.

Dr. Glenn Cummings began his academic career in Gorham, ME as a high school history teacher and department head. He served as a faculty member at the Southern Maine Community College and was a long-serving member of the USM faculty, most recently as an assistant professor of Educational Leadership, teaching in the masters and doctoral degree programs. Prior to becoming President of USM, Dr. Cummings served President Obama as Deputy Assistant Secretary within the U.S. Department of Education, President and Executive Director of Good Will-Hinckley organization, and as Interim President of the University of Maine at Augusta. Dr. Cummings is a former Speaker of the House in the Maine House of Representatives, Majority Leader, and Chairman of the state’s Joint Committee of Education and Cultural Affairs.

His advice for young leaders in Maine and outlook for the future.

A great leader is someone who is positive, inspiring, believes in a vision, can tell the story of the organization, is authentic, can see the vision and paint a picture of where you want to go.

Maine needs to look around the next corner and find opportunities.  You need to have a group of leaders who can see the vision.  We need to work together to mobilize the work and get it done.  It is exciting to think about where Maine will be in the next 25-50 years.  We have the opportunity to lead the nation in areas like clean water, open land, technology and sustainability.  But, in order to get there, we have to have the right leaders in the right place.

His inspiration from the past.

There are so many leaders who have inspired me, but the one that stands out to me is George Mitchell.  George was able to overcome personal obstacles to mediate complex situations.  He learned how to be respectful of different opinions and bring people together.  He was a leader who had a vision and was able to tell his own narrative.

Glenn’s advice is to “Think Big!  Get good people around you.  Create a pathway to move forward towards the vision.  Don’t be afraid of the small size of Maine – we’ve had some great leaders lead the way!”

In celebration of Maine’s Bicentennial and 200 years of leadership that paved the way to make Maine “the way life should be,” members from MDF’s Leadership Maine Baskahegan Class interviewed leaders from around the state.  With diverse backgrounds, industries and geographies, they each share deep interest and commitment to the state of Maine and its people. This is the story of Bob Montgomery-Rice, President & CEO, Bangor Savings Bank, and his leadership journey. Bob was interviewed by Theresa Cody.

How he got here from there.

Bob Montgomery-Rice started his career path with participation in a management trainee program in the retail world and learned quickly that changing paths and acquiring diverse skills would lead to success.  He ran several retail stores where he implemented process improvements and fine-tuned his management skills.  He was recruited into the banking industry on a bag phone while driving down Interstate 495 in Massachusetts.  The bankers were looking for individuals who had “real” retail skills and Bob accepted a role in Human Resources.  He believes that leaders today are most successful when their careers have given them diverse experiences in roles and industries.  The following years took him from one bank to another until a relationship he had formed along the way brought him to Maine and Bangor Savings Bank.

Bob lives primarily in Hampden, Maine but splits his time there and in Cumberland Foreside, Maine in order to meet the demands required with being the CEO of a Bank with presence statewide and beyond.  When challenged by others about not being born and raised in Maine, Bob has two responses: “I married a Maine girl and we CHOoSE to be here!”  It’s quite clear from his expression and his body language, he is proud of both.

His advice for young leaders in Maine and outlook for the future.

“Volunteer for the project.  Put yourself out there and don’t wait for it to come to you.  It’s in the extra effort that you will gain both exposure and experience,” says Bob. He was part of several banks in the early part of his banking career that were acquired by others.  He always offered to be on the project team and credits his skills and depth of experience with participating on those teams.  He learned how to work with others, what was important, and gained valuable experience that he has recently put to use from the successes and failures.  It’s during those days that he fell in love with Community Banking.  Many of those foundational lessons are what guide him today.

For Bob, the defining characteristics of leadership include being humble, empowering others and having a true curiosity and willingness to listen to all levels throughout a group or organization.

Bob was a member of MDF’s Leadership Maine Rho Class.  He feels the biggest impact was his ability to develop awareness, appreciation and understanding through the program for all of the amazing grass roots efforts that are taking place around the state of Maine.  He also recognizes and appreciates the opportunity to have met and maintained relationships with great people in the program. 

He feels it is critical to the success of Maine that leaders of all types; Civic, Government, Business and beyond have a positive and forward looking vision for Maine.  We are in a far better place than we were in the not too distant past.  His challenge to others around the state; Why not here? We deserve success, we can achieve it and we certainly have the talent.

His inspiration from the past.

As a historian, Bob is most excited to look out into the Penobscot River in Bangor at the ships of the past that will be featured there as well as other locations around the state as part of Maine’s bicentennial celebration. 

He is most inspired by Elijah Hamlin and the other founders of Bangor Savings Bank because of their drive to change the plight of the working person in Bangor.  River workers had no way to save their money and improve their living conditions.  The basic premise of founding the Bank was a wish to give people the opportunity to change the course of their lives for the better.  It’s still fundamental in the message of Bangor Savings as a community bank and will always be. 

MDF President & CEO, Yellow Light Breen, featured in Bangor Daily News story with long-term economic perspective for Bangor-area businesses as they cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bangor-area businesses have short-term concerns — and no idea what the long term holds