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V O L . X X I X N O. X X I I I 26 N E X T U P | 4 0 U N D E R 4 0 F O C U S A Portland developer and hospitality pro Casey Prentice, 37 CEO of Prentice Organization and managing partner of Foreside Development Co. Significant professional accomplishment: Being an entrepreneur, my most significant accomplishment is the development of an amazing team of professionals that have allowed the company to grow and develop into what it is today — a dynamic holding company with a range of locally celebrated businesses. Passion project: My work on the University of South- ern Maine Foundation Board and on the Portland Parks Conservancy Board speak to my dual passion projects: One, working to transform USM's Portland campus to help attract and retain students by making it a com- plete residential campus instead of just a computer campus; and, two, working with stakeholders and the city to think about urban parks as revenue centers that can support themselves. Audacious goal: To build a world-renowned hospital- ity school in Portland that seeks to educate and train hospitality workers with an emphasis on how hospital- ity training relates to a multitude of industries. Favorite quote: "Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men." — Harry Day Influential book: "Tuesdays with Morrie," by Mitch Albom Favorite Movie: "The Big Lebowski" How do you recharge: Quiet early mornings, summer days on Casco Bay and winter powder days. An advocate for affordable housing Laura Reading, 38 Director of affordable housing, Developers Collaborative Significant professional accomplish- ment: Creating 615 new units of affordable housing in Maine, with another 234 in predevelopment. More than just these numbers, my hope is that these units are providing a stable foundation for residents to thrive. Passion project: Running all six World Marathon Majors [Tokyo, Bos- ton, London, Chicago, Berlin and New York City]. Two completed, two entries and two to go! In the process of train- ing for these marathons, I became a Road Runners Club of America certi- fied run coach so I could train more efficiently and work to improve my PR within an already busy schedule. Audacious goal: To ensure that ever y family in Maine has a safe and healthy home they can afford. Favorite quote: "Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth." — Henry David Thoreau Influential book: "A Pattern Language," by Christopher Alexander Favorite movies/TV shows: "Parks and Recreation," "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Ted Lasso" How do you recharge: A long run and a good meal. Propelling entrepreneurs in rural Maine Nick Rimsa, 32 Owner, Snail Studio, and chief of sales and marketing, the Good Crust Significant professional accomplishment: Together with Sarah Guerette and Anna Ackerman from the CEI Women's Business Center, I co-founded Propeller, a startup incubator dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs in Maine. One of its notable successes is the Good Crust, founded by Heather Kerner, a com- pany I'm proud to be a part of today. While I've since stepped back from leading Propeller, it thrives in its fourth year, guiding founders toward establishing prof- itable and sustainable ventures. Propeller continues to be a reliable resource and guide, especially for rural founders, ensuring they have the tools and support to turn their visions into profitable, sus- tainable businesses Audacious goal: Over the past decade, I've had the opportunity to chart my own course, selecting projects that gen- uinely excite me and collaborating with some remarkable individuals. My auda- cious goal? To maintain this momentum and flexibil- ity for another 10 years. As I look to the future, I'm eager to pursue work with the people who inspire me and discover where the next decade will lead. Passion project: I enjoy building a few microSaaS (software as a ser- vice) apps each year that address niche customers' needs. It's particu- larly rewarding to know I'm solving real problems for people, especially when it helps customers move away from labori- ous or manual solutions. Last year, I sold two apps to teams that can scale them, and I hope to sell another one this year. Favorite quote: "Time is luck." — Michael Mann Influential book: "Just Enough Research," by Erika Hall Favorite movie: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" How do you recharge: I love to play pickup basketball (especially three- on-three games). » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E Casey Prentice is a Portland developer who has also given back to the University of Southern Maine community. Nick Rimsa has been active in the startup community in central Maine. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Laura Reading has helped create 615 new units of much-needed affordable housing in Maine. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY

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