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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 29 M A R C H 2 0 , 2 0 2 3 I've had the opportunity to work with — the governors, city councils and others who were always so sup- portive. So, in that respect, boy have I been blessed. When I think about it, I really do appreciate the opportunity that's been given to me and the sup- port along the way. MB: How did you get your start, and what led you to a career in public service? DC: I grew up in a very small town, Easton, just east of Presque Isle. My dad worked for a farmer; my mom stayed at home and took care of myself and my sibling. We didn't have a lot of material things — which I never wanted — but we had an abun- dance of love, and they were wonder- ful parents. e bulk of my time at UMaine was spent studying what at the time was called 'town and city government' but later evolved into public management. I needed to earn money over the summers to pay for college, and because I couldn't go to a large city … I went to Presque Isle [to work as an intern], which proved to be extremely beneficial. ere was a city manager there who was very pro- gressive and kind of took me under his wing. He gave me my first job as assistant city manager, which I only did for a year before he moved on to Concord, N.H., and the city council offered me the role of city manager. I was 23 years old — I turned 24 a month later. MB: What led you to the role of MaineDOT commissioner? Was that a position you sought out? DC: I thought I'd be working in Presque Isle for the rest of my life, but in 1983 Gov. [ Joseph] Brennan (1979-87) called and asked me to take on the position at DOT. At first, I didn't feel that I could. e city's largest business, which hap- pened to be our largest taxpayer and employer, was closing down and sell- ing the plant to a competitor. I felt that after all Presque Isle had done for me, I just couldn't leave. And so the governor said to me, 'Well, what are you doing about it?' So four or five of us hopped on a plane, went to various processing plants and tried to sell them on coming to Presque Isle. I told Gov. Brennan, 'If we're not successful, I can't leave and walk away from this city that's been so good to me.' As it happened, we did find somebody, and in January of '84 I went to DOT. MB: Name one valuable lesson you've learned during your time in public service. DC: ere is no substitute for the value of relationships. Listening to people, respecting other opinions, but most of all … knowing that rela- tionships are extremely important. Especially when it comes to [matters of public policy], where your opposi- tion today can be your ally tomorrow on another issue. MB: How has Maine's economic landscape evolved during your time leading the chamber? Are you opti- mistic about the state's long-term economic future? DC: As has the nation, we've gone through periods of recession, and we've faced the challenges of our aging workforce. But what's extremely consistent about Mainers is their work ethic, can-do attitude and resilience. We have a strategic plan to address our long-term work- force challenges, which we'll need to adjust over time. Many of the jobs that will exist in 10 years don't exist today, and those that do will be transformed by way of technol- ogy. We need a culture of innova- tion, driven by technology. We should never give up on our heritage industries, but they may be done in different ways. J. Craig Anderson, a freelance writer, can be reached at editorial @ mainebiz.biz Maine's credit unions are here for you. mainecreditunions.org Maine credit unions focus on your success by providing the essential tools your business needs to thrive. • Checking & savings accounts • Better loan rates & lower fees • Digital banking & remote deposit • Personalized financial relationships Open an account today. Leading the way to your best financial future. There is no substitute for the value of relationships. Listening to people, respecting other opinions, but most of all … knowing that relationships are extremely important. Especially when it comes to (matters of public policy), where your opposition today can be your ally tomorrow on another issue.

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