hompson is committed to lifelong
learning and encourages training
and career advancement. She attends
nearly all city and local events and
makes herself accessible.
Mainebiz: What's your background?
Penny Thompson: I grew up in
Illinois, graduated from high school in
1988 and then worked for a Delaware
farm cooperative that bought and
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G OV E R N M E N T
Penny Thompson
City Manager
City of Caribou
Penny Thompson says key
attributes for a city manager
are transparency and honesty.
City of Caribou
25 High St., Caribou
City Management & Economic
Development
Founded: 1859 as a town,
established as a city in 1968
Employees: 70 full-time, 12
regular part-time plus seasonal
part -time
cariboumaine.org
Penny Thompson became
Caribou's city manager
in 2021. She previously
served as interim man-
ager for a few months
and assessor's agent
from 2013 to 2021.
Her accomplishments
include facilitating the
creation of a Visit Caribou
tourism campaign,
advancing community
and economic develop-
ment and strengthening
communication. In fiscal
years 2023 and 2024, she
and her team secured
over $8.5 million in grant
funding for connectivity,
brownfield mitigation,
transportation, riverfront
redevelopment and
sense-of-place projects.
T
P H O T O / F R E D F I E L D
A city manager with
a knack for economic
development and
communication
B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r
