Board Membership
Maine Public Broadcasting Network
1450 Lisbon Street
Lewiston, ME 04240
P. James Dowe, Jr. graduated from Leavitt Institute. He attended the University of Vermont and earned a BA degree from the University of Maine in 1972. Jim began his tenure as President of Maine Public Broadcasting in April of 2006. Prior to joining MPBN, Jim served as President, CEO and Trustee for ten years at Bangor Savings Bank. Prior to Bangor Savings Bank, he held the position of President and CEO at Bath Savings Institution for nine years. He has served the banking industry in many capacities, having served as chairman of the Maine Association of Community Banks and as a director of America’s Community Bankers. Active in community affairs, he serves as director for Action Committee of 50, and is a Trustee of The Nature Conservancy and the Maine Public Broadcasting Network. He further serves as a Trustee of the University of Maine System and is a member of the Creative Economy Council. Mainebiz recognized Jim as the 2003 Business Leader of the Year. He and wife Susan live in Turner. They have two married daughters, Caitlin and Erika and a son, PJ who attends Husson College.
Appointment effective: 9/12/00
Appointment expires: 5/26/10
Photo credit: Monty Rand, Photographer, Courtesy of the Department
of Marketing
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Jean
Flahive
32 Lowell Farm Road
Falmouth, ME 04105
Ms. Flahive’s career includes higher education experience as a college dean and instructor. She received her B.A. from the University of New Hampshire and her Masters in Public Administration from Pepperdine University. Ms. Flahive left higher education to pursue her interests in economic development and writing, and has for the past several years, worked with the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the rural communities of Downeast Maine on a variety of economic development and fundraising activities. She was the project developer for the new Downeast Heritage Center in Calais, a multimillion-dollar educational and interpretive facility. Ms. Flahive recently authored her first novel, a story based on a Maine soldier in the Civil War.
Appointment effective: 5/26/03
Appointment expires: 5/26/08
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Norman L. Fournier
2002 Aroostook Road
Wallagrass, ME 04781
Norman L. Fournier, a life-long resident of Wallagrass, Maine, is a graduate of the University of Maine at Fort Kent with a B.S. in Education. He completed forty-five hours of a Doctoral Program in US history at the University of Maine in Orono before being drafted into the army. He is a Vietnam Veteran.
Norman is currently Executive Director of Fish River Rural Health (FRRH), a non-profit health care corporation with a $2 million budget and two federally qualified health centers in Eagle Lake and Fort Kent. Prior to joining FRRH in 1999, he was Associate Administrator of Northern Maine Medical Center, the local hospital located in Fort Kent. His career in the health field was preceded by 14 years as Executive Director of the Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP), a $9 million, multiservice non-profit corporation operating twenty-two different anti-poverty and community development programs. Previous to that he was Director of Children’s services and Director of the Head Start Program in Aroostook County. Norman has held an elected position as an Aroostook County Commissioner since 1988. Throughout his career he has been on many boards, councils, and committees spanning local, county and state. He has served on the Maine Human Rights Commission, Aroostook County Manpower Planning Board, State Manpower Planning Council, Maine Human Service Council, Private Industry Council of Maine, Maine Commission on Higher Education Governance, SAD#27 School Board and the United Way of Aroostook Board of Directors. He has been involved with the University of Maine at Fort Kent by being a member of its Strategic Planning Committee, Board of Visitors, Foundation Board, and Alumni Association. Currently, he serves on the Executive Committee for Northern Maine Development Commission, Local Workforce Investment Board, Maine Primary Care Association, Wallagrass Board of Appeals, Ambulance Services and St. John Vianney Pastoral Council. He is also a trustee for both Northern Maine Medical Center and Northern Maine General.
Norman has been a recipient of several awards including an Honorary PHD from the University of Maine System, Community Action Partner Award from ACAP, Community Recognition Award from Aroostook Mental Health, Outstanding Alumni from University of Maine at Fort Kent, and the Community Service Award from the University of Maine at Fort Kent.
Norman and his wife, Anne, have two children, Randy and Lynn, and two grandchildren.
Appointment effective: 9/20/07
Appointment expires: 5/26/12
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Commissioner of Education
State House Station #23
Augusta, ME 04333
Susan A. Gendron is the Commissioner of Education for the State of Maine, sworn into office by Governor John Elias Baldacci, on March 13, 2003 after review by the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and confirmation by the Maine Senate. Gendron hails from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, where she attended the public schools before heading to Gorham, Maine and the University of Southern Maine, graduating in 1973.
Commissioner Gendron's professional career in education spans 30 years, including her prior, long-standing position as Superintendent of Schools for the Windham School Department, a suburb of Portland, Maine. As an educator, Gendron has served in a variety of other roles including Kindergarten Teacher, Teaching Assistant Principal, Primary School Principal, and Acting Superintendent. In addition to her service in the Windham School Department, she was a Coordinator of Instruction, Director of Learning, and Assistant Superintendent in the Scarborough Public Schools in Scarborough, Maine.
Commissioner Gendron received a baccalaureate degree (B.S.) from the University of Southern Maine, completing a double major in Elementary and Secondary Education. Her graduate study at the University of Southern Maine included a master's in Educational Administration.
Commissioner Gendron holds several appointments and has been active in giving service to numerous boards and commissions at the local, state, and national levels. Over the years, Gendron has received many honors including the Maine School Superintendents' Distinguished Educator Award, 2001 and the Superintendent of the Year Award, 2002. Commissioner Gendron has been active with the Maine School Superintendents' Association, holding various positions including president-elect.
Personal interests include gardening, quilting, skiing, and boating. Commissioner Gendron and her husband, Mark, reside in Raymond, Maine on Raymond Pond in the Lakes Region. They have two grown children, Stacey and Matthew, of Raymond and Portland, respectively and two grandsons, Joshua and Lonnie.
Appointment effective: 03/12/03
Appointment expires: ex officio
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Tamera L. Grieshaber
100 Stony Ridge
Auburn, Maine 04210
Tamera Grieshaber grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, graduating from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with a BS in Business Administration and University of Southern Maine with an MA in Public Policy and Management. Her primary interest has been education policy. She has worked for the Maine Department of Education, Maine Development Foundation and the Auburn School Department. The focus of most of her energy has been as a community activist for education. She served on the Auburn School Committee, St. Dominic Regional High School Board of Directors, Auburn Public Library Board of Trustees, Head Start Board of Directors and United Way Board of Directors.
Ms. Grieshaber is currently the Curator of L/A Arts Gallery 5 in Lewiston. The gallery features contemporary Maine artists and presents educational programming for the visual arts. She and her husband, Robert, have made Maine their home for 35 years. They have two grown children who currently work and reside in the Boston area. Her hope is that Maine will continue to invest in research and the arts to attract the strong creative economic base that will provide the jobs to lure her children back to Maine.
Appointment effective: 9/20/07
Appointment expires: 5/26/12
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109 Lake Avenue, Apt. 1
Farmington, Maine 04938
Biography coming soon.
Appointment effective: 9/20/07
Appointment expires: 5/26/09
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Kennebec Tool & Die, Inc.
150 Church Hill Road
Augusta, ME 04330
Mr. Johnson is the President and owner of Kennebec Tool & Die, Inc. in Augusta. He graduated from Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, with a B.A. degree in History. Mr. Johnson's early career was spent as an educator in the elementary schools of Bethel, Andover, and West Paris teaching the 6th grade. He was Founder and President of Heritage Builders in Turner before becoming President and owner of Kennebec Tool & Die. He is a long-term member of the Maine Metal Products Association Board of Directors and Past President of the Augusta Board of Trade. Mr. Johnson was a first chair of the Maine Science and Technology Foundation and was a founding member of the UMA Board of Visitors. He also was a member of the task force set up by the Legislature in 1999 to refine the Laptop Initiative. In 2002 the Small Business Administration named him Maine Small Businessperson of the Year.
Appointment effective: 8/18/98
Appointment expires: 5/26/08
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William
D. Johnson
76 Simpson Road
Saco, ME 04072
Mr. Johnson retired from Mobil Oil in 1992 after 35 years of service. Following his career at Mobil Oil he served as Mayor of the City of Saco. He has been actively involved in community activities such as a Trustee of the Portland Symphony Orchestra, Corporator of Southern Maine Medical Center, and Corporator of Saco-Biddeford Savings Bank. In Massachusetts, he served on the Masconomet Regional School Board in Boxford and the Board of Selectmen in Topsfield. He served three terms on the Saco, Maine, City Council where he was Saco Representative on the Shuttle Bus Transit Committee, Chair of the Budget Committee, and Chair of the School Liaison Committee. Mr. Johnson received his B.A. degree in Business and Economics from the University of Maine. He served twelve years on the Alumni Council Board of the University of Maine, was National Alumni Fund Chair, President of the General Alumni Association, and is currently an honorary member of the President’s Development Board.
Appointment Date: 10/31/01
Expiration Date: 05/26/11
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Barry
D. McCrum
Vice Chair
P.O. Box 503
Mars Hill, ME 04758
A native of Mars Hill, Mr. McCrum is a graduate of the University of Maine at Presque Isle with degrees in Political Science and Business Management. He is the owner of McCrum & Company, a business solutions and advocacy firm. He has co-chaired Governor King's One Maine Advisory Committee and recently served on Governor Baldacci's Economic Development Task Force to streamline the economic development delivery system in Maine. He serves on the Board of Maine Public Broadcasting and is Chair of the Workforce Investment Board for Aroostook and Washington Counties. He serves on other numerous boards representing Aroostook County and the State of Maine.
Appointment effective: 5/26/99
Appointment expires: 5/26/09
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Marjorie
Murray Medd
PO Box 126
Norway, ME 04268
Marjorie Medd, a resident of Norway holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Tufts University and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University. She has been a committed community and state leader in education, children's issues and economic development. She has chaired the MSAD #17 Board of Directors (3 years), the Maine State Board of Education (3 years) and the Learning Results Task Force. Marge represented Maine on the New England Association for Schools and Colleges as well as the Regional Lab at Brown. She has served on the executive committees for Jobs for Maine Graduates and Maine Coalition for Education for many years. After graduating from Harvard in 1999, she chaired the Maine Children's Alliance. As chair of EnterpriseMaine (a regional economic development organization) she helped lead her community in its effort to secure the Western Maine University and Community College Center. Her roles in advocacy for education and economic development included trade missions to Japan, British Isles and Brazil and Argentina. Trustee Medd was chosen as one of 25 US educational leaders who joined with many international government, education leaders and students, to lead the 50th anniversary March of the Living walk from Auschwitz to Birkenau.
Appointment Effective: 5/25/05
Appointment Expires: 5/26/10
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Paul
J. Mitchell
GHM Insurance Agency
51 Main Street
Waterville, ME 04901
A native of Waterville, Mr. Mitchell is a graduate of the University of Maine with a B.S. degree and an M.A. from Columbia University. He is President and owner of the GHM Agency of Waterville, a full service insurance agency. Mr. Mitchell has long been active in municipal affairs having served as Chairman of the Waterville Board of Aldermen, as Executive Director of the Waterville Urban Renewal Authority undertaking and completing the largest redevelopment activities in the City’s history, as Chairman and member of the City’s Planning Board, the Waterville Sewerage District, the Waterville Housing Authority, and the Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District. He served as a member of the Foundation Board of the Kennebec Valley Vocational Technical Institute, now the Kennebec Valley Community College. He was a member of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment officials. He is presently a member of the Board of Directors of the Maine Independent Insurance Agents Association, having served as its President. He is a member of Rotary International. Mr. Mitchell served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946.
Appointment effective: 5/26/04
Appointment expires: 5/26/09
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Victoria
M. Murphy
Pan Atlantic Consultants
5 Milk Street, 1st Floor
Portland, ME 04101
Ms. Murphy has extensive experience in the arenas of public and private sectors working in government, education, politics, and business. She served in the administrations of President Lyndon B. Johnson and President Jimmy Carter. Ms. Murphy, and her husband Patrick, currently own the firm Pan Atlantic Consultants, the parent company for Strategic Marketing Services and Pan Atlantic International Training. The client base is diverse in the fields of international business and education, consumer research, business planning, and educational training in both the private and non-profit sectors. Ms. Murphy recently completed three terms as a member and Vice Chair of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. Ms. Murphy is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine. She is a mother of three children and a new grandmother.
Appointment effective: 5/26/04
Appointment expires: 5/26/09
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P.O. Box 271
Princeton, ME 04668
Wayne was born at Sipayik (Pleasant Point) Reservation in eastern Maine as a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe. He speaks the Passamaquoddy language fluently and utilizes English as his second language. Educated at the local schools, he eventually went on to earn his Masters degree in the field of education from Harvard University.
Wayne’s first love is the preservation of the Passamaquoddy language. In 1971, he directed the first bilingual/bicultural education program for the Passamaquoddy Tribe. This program included the introduction of a writing system for the Passamaquoddy language which continues to be spoken by tribal members. He authored and co-authored over forty reading books written in the Passamaquoddy/Maliseet language.
Wayne has also been active in his Tribe’s continuing struggles for justice for Native people. He has served on many of the Tribe’s leadership positions, Currently he serves on the Passamaquoddy Tribal Council, former Representative of the Maine Legislature, the Maine Human Rights Commission, local Housing Authority and the Maine/Indian Tribal State Commission, a legislative body created to monitor the Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act of 1980. Wayne was also appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the National Indian Education Advisory Committee. For 26 years, Wayne has served as President of Northeastern Blueberry Co., a tribally owned business which grows wild blueberries and cranberries.
Wayne has had an extensive relationship with the University of Maine System. He has served on various Boards and Commissions. He was part of the original formation of UMaine’s Native Studies Program which created the Native Studies Program and the Wabanaki Center. He received a Distinguished Achievement award from the University of Maine at Machias in 1990s. Mr. Newell continues to work in Maine Indian Education for the creation of an indigenous model for a culturally integrated school curriculum for Native children. Wayne’s most recent appointment is from the US Secretary of Interior, to work on rule making related to the passage of the educational reform law, “No Child Left Behind.”
Wayne’s most prized position in life is being married to Sandy for 40 years, a father to 4 children and “grandpa” to 11 wonderful grandchildren.
Wayne is a story teller, singer of Passamaquoddy and other Native music. He serves as emcee during the Tribe’s annual Native Day celebrations which are always held on the second weekend in August at Sipayik (Pleasant Point) near Eastport in eastern Maine.
Appointment effective: 3/23/07
Appointment expires: 5/26/11
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279 Main Street
Orono, ME 04473
Charles O'Leary is best known for his twenty years of service to the working people of Maine as the President of the Maine AFL-CIO, which he served from1979-1999. Upon his retirement O'Leary's colleagues praised him for advocating on behalf of all working people in Maine. During his tenure as head of the AFL-CIO for the state, O'Leary fought the rollback of worker protections and massive job losses in Maine. He worked to open doors for women in trade unions, successfully advocated for increases to the minimum wage, and worked to increase the health and safety standards for Maine workers. O'Leary began his work in the labor movement first as the Director of Manpower Affairs with the Maine AFL-CIO and then served as the Director of the University of Maine, Bureau of Labor Education from 1972 until his election to the helm of the Maine AFL-CIO in 1979.
O'Leary has been dedicated to improving education for Maine residents for many years. He started his own career as a history teacher at Winslow High School and Thomas College in Waterville. While at the AFL-CIO, O'Leary served on the Maine State Board of Education and numerous state advisory committees addressing the need for improvements in higher education and job training. In 1977, O'Leary's work in the area was recognized nationally when President Carter appointed him to the National Advisory Committee on Continuing Education. O'Leary continues to work on behalf of improving education and the well-being of Maine children through his membership on the Board of the Maine Children's Alliance.
O'Leary is a graduate of the University of Maine (BA, 1961, History and Government; MA, 1970, History.). In addition, O'Leary received a Fulbright Grant in 1964 to study at the American University in Beirut, Lebanon. A native of Bangor, O'Leary has made his home in Orono for more than thirty-five years with his wife, Pamela Braley. O'Leary has two daughters, Kate and Ann. Currently, O'Leary's full time job is raising his two granddaughters, Alicia and Meagan O'Leary.
Appointment Effective: 5/25/05
Appointment Expires: 5/26/10
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Margaret
A. Weston
106 Tidewater Lane
Yarmouth, ME 04096
Ms. Weston is currently the principal of Weston Associates, an independent consulting firm. She has over 25 years experience in business, with over seven years as President & CEO of US photo finishing operations for Konica Corporation. Ms. Weston was most recently Worldwide CEO of Printlife.com, a start-up digital imaging company with operations in the U.S., Israel and Japan. Prior to that, Ms. Weston was President of The Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram. Ms. Weston is actively involved in community and civic organizations and has served as Chair of the Institute for Civic Leadership, Chair of the USM Council of Visitors and Chair of the Commission for Higher Education Governance in 1995-96.
Appointment effective: 8/19/98
Appointment Expires: 5/26/08
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Lyndel
J. Wishcamper
Chair
Wishcamper Companies, Inc.
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 501
Portland, Maine 04101
Lyndel J. Wishcamper, 65, of Freeport, Maine is Manager and President of The Wishcamper Companies, Inc., and a number of affiliated real estate development and management companies based in Portland, Maine. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, he has been engaged in real estate development for the past thirty-five years. He owns interests in about 7,400 assisted housing units located in thirteen southeastern, midwestern and northeastern states, and a number of commercial buildings in Maine. He is a director of Marical, Inc. a marine biotechnology company. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System, Board of Trustees of the Maine Medical Center, Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy (Maine Chapter), and Maine Public Broadcasting Network. He founded and served as the first President for the Maine Real Estate Development Association, and has served on the boards of the Susan Curtis Foundation, Portland Stage Company, Portland Concert Association, Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, Maine State Housing Authority Advisory Board, Freeport Economic Development Corporation, and Cumberland County Civic Center. He is a former Commissioner of the Loring Development Authority (formerly Loring AFB). He is a past Director of CMP Group, Inc., and Central Maine Power Company. In 2000, he became the 32nd member of the Junior Achievement Maine Business Hall of Fame, and in 2004 was honored, along with his wife, as the Spurwink Institute Humanitarians of the Year. He and his wife, Carol, have been married for 42 years and have two grown sons, Henry and Rick.
Appointment effective: 5/27/02
Appointment expires: 5/26/12