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Ames utilized the loan fund to open Sullivan House Bakery. She credits not only the Revolving Loan Fund, but Jensen and town ad- ministration for helping the whole process of opening a new business go smoothly. "Kevin was incredibly material as an individual, not just his job but who he is in general," says Ames, who formerly worked in insurance and as an inn owner. "Sure, I could navigate the town myself and find it all online, but having someone who knew the names of everyone in every department and help cut through what could have been red tape really enabled me to help set it up." Fostering Collaboration is collaborative culture is what Gorham is known for. e town has leveraged partnerships between its municipality, nonprofits, private sector, and educational institutions like the University of Southern Maine, for years to meet the needs of the business community. As Gorham enters an exciting new chapter in development and ex- pansion, the Gorham Economic Development Corporation, formed in 1991, continues to play a crucial role in promoting economic develop- ment and serving as stewards to the business community by fostering strong working relationships with business leaders, town officials and residents. GEDC recently welcomed a few notable names to its board of di- rectors, infusing even more talent into the resourceful nonprofit. New members include Erin Flett, Mark Curtis, vice president and gener- al manager at Gorham Sand & Gravel, and Ben Gilman, formerly general counsel for the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and now a government relations attorney with Drummond Woodsum. Gorham's collaborative backbone is further highlighted through its relationship with its educational institutions, including USM, the state's second largest college and host of the Gorham Business Ex- change Marketplace, held annually at USM's Costello Field House. e Gorham Business Roundtable is another uniquely Gorham asset, created over 10 years ago by leaders in business and education to expose students to career opportunities and pathways as a means to achieve the district's mission and vision of preparing and inspiring students for their future success. e forum, described by Heather Perry, superintendent of Gorham School District, as "a collaborative effort conducted in true partnership," has resulted in such innova- tive programs as the Aspire Gorham career exposure and experience program, as well as dual credit programs with USM for Gorham High School students. "is group has been an incredible incubator for ideas and initiatives that have helped strengthen the education of our students while also strengthening the future workforce of our community," says Perry. An Outdoor Recreation Hub With approximately 50 miles of multi-use trails, making Gorham one of the top mountain biking destinations in the state, the town is already a great place to work and play, but it's about to get even better. Gorham Bike and Ski, which opened in Gorham in 1995 and expanded to six locations across Maine and New Hampshire, is coming home again with a 6,000-square-foot year-round outdoor facility that will be known as GBS Outpost. e Outpost is founder Jamie Wright's vision for providing "a great place for friends and family to ride year- round on the Gorham trail network." Wright, who raised his family in Gorham, has played a pivotal role in developing and promoting the Gorham trail system. And the Outpost, set to break ground by year's end, will continue this work as a destination for people to discover a new community of friends that en- joy the outdoors, while offering classes to adults and kids in basic bike handling skills, bike service work, trail building and other programs. Jensen envisions GBS Outpost as a conduit for attracting more out- door recreation businesses to Gorham for both retail and production space. In addition, Gorham is gaining recognition as a local destination for recreation tourism and a day out in the Greater Portland area. Visitors accessing the year-round trail system via its 13 trailheads have plenty of options for their post-ride meal, including the café planned at GBS Outpost and Sebago Brewing Company, Maine's fifth largest brewery with two locations in Gorham. Businesses benefit from this recreational focus by attracting new tal- ent looking for a fun location that fosters a work-life balance. Employ- ees from locally based businesses like Jotul USA are frequent visitors to the trail system for group rides after work. Although Portland's many attractions are all a short drive away, Gorham residents are finding more and more reasons to play close to home. Junction Bowl, part of the Station Square mixed-use building recently developed by local Great Falls Construction, is a popular village hangout providing family-friendly entertainment. ere's even a public-private partnership in the works to build a 7,500-square-foot skatepark on Main Street. What makes Gorham so uniquely attractive is that this charming town of nearly 18,000 isn't pigeon-holed into just one thing. "We really do have it all – a booming industrial sector, vibrant village scene, college town, creative economy and world-class outdoor recreation at our doorstep," says Jensen. n GBS Outpost Photo/Linda Braley Designs/Jamie Wright

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