Mainebiz

V O L . X X V N O. X I V J U LY 8 , 2 0 1 9 6 B U S I N E S S M A I N E Business news from around the state VARIETY! an evening of exceptional entertainment LET US PUT YOUR NAME IN LIGHTS! Be part of Waterville's vibrant arts scene. Sponsor one of our buzz-worthy VARIETY! acts, including Star the Dancing Horse! For more information on becoming an event sponsor: www.watervillecreates.org/variety or (207) 660-4937 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS www.miff.org JULY 12 - 21, 2019 WATERVILLE, MAINE 10 DAYS, 100 FILMS, 50 FILMMAKERS City of Waterville Central Maine Motors Colby College Colby College Center for the Arts + Humanities Colby College Museum of Art Jabar, LaLiberty & Dubord Jonathan Lee in Memory of Shepard Lee J.S. McCarthy Printers Kennebec Savings Bank Kennebec Valley Tourism Council Landry French Construction Lawry Family Foundation Louis M Rabinowitz Foundation Maine General Health Oak Institute for Human Rights Unity Foundation Waterville Creates! OCTOBER 19, 2019 | 7:30pm | Waterville Opera House Proceeds to benefit the programs of Maine Film Center, Waterville Opera House, and Waterville Creates! With Bangor Savings gift, Husson College of Business closes in on fundraising goal B y M a i n e b i z S t a f f B a n g o r — Bangor Savings Bank announced it will give $500,000 to Husson University to help fund construction of its planned building for the college of business. Husson estimates the new college of business building will cost $17.2 million. It will house the college of business and allow, the school has said, for "inter- disciplinary opportunities between schools and pro- grams," help attract talented students. In a news release, Bangor Savings said the dona- tion builds on a successful collaboration that has seen 24 Bangor Savings employees earning a master's degree from Husson, which has its main campus in the Bangor. About one in 10 Bangor Savings employ- ees have a Husson degree or have attended classes at the school. "Husson University has had a positive impact on the Bangor Savings Bank workforce, and they have an impressive track record of providing a quality busi- ness education," said bank President and CEO Bob Montgomery-Rice. "We are happy to support the College of Business building project, and look forward to seeing more bank employees become Husson graduates." The bank will disburse the money over a 5-year period. Robert A. Clark, Husson's president, said Bangor Savings' gift "will help the university provide our local business community with the educated workforce and business resources they need to grow our local economy." Groundbreaking for the building should occur in the spring of 2020, Eric Gordon, director of communica- tions at Husson, told Mainebiz. Bangor Savings' gift is one of several that have bol- stered the fundraising effort, but it's not the largest. The Harold Alfond Foundation pledged $8 million, with the university raising matching funds. "We still need to raise $1.3 million to meet the $8 million challenge from The Harold Alfond Foun- dation," Gordon said. Bangor Savings Bank, founded in 1852, has a total of 58 branches i n M a i n e a n d N e w Hampshire. On June 17, the bank said that it finished the fiscal year that ended March 31 with $4.44 billion in assets, 219,000 cus- tomers, and nearly 950 employees across northern New England. The bank also reported net income of close to $33.2 million, a 38% jump over a year earlier. Husson University, which has about 3,000 under- graduate and 800 graduate students, offers courses at its main Bangor campus, three satellite education cen- ters and online. In 2018, Husson's College of Business worked with Bangor Savings to customize a MBA pro- gram for bank employees. Bangor Savings paid for the program, and Husson faculty taught classes at bank locations. B R I E F Bob Montgomery-Rice, left, president and CEO of Bangor Savings Bank, presents a ceremonial $500,000 check to Robert A. Clark, president of Husson University. The gift will help fund construction of a new building for the college of business on Husson's Bangor campus. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F H U S S O N U N I V E R S I T Y One in 10 Bangor Savings employees have a Husson degree or have attended classes at the school. Watch a video about Husson University's proposed building for the college of business at youtu.be/7_IzdoUYSIU @

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