Mainebiz Special Editions

V O L . X X X N O. X I X 22 Fact Book / Doing Business in Maine M any of the most significant and most prosperous New England-based and national companies have been started or are based in Maine. Some of these businesses are led by the brightest minds Maine has to offer. Growing up in a small town offers lessons you can't buy in an MBA pro- gram or gain in the boardroom. We asked three Maine leaders to describe in their own words what they learned growing up in small towns in Maine. Melissa Smith, CEO and chair of Portland-based WEX Inc.; Micheal Borque, president and CEO of Portland-based workers comp insurer MEMIC; and Yellow Light Breen, CEO of the Maine Development Foundation. In these three examples, Maine CEOs talk about grit, hard work and how they learned to communicate with people who weren't like them. Here are their stories in their own words. Lessons of 'grit' Melissa Smith, who is chair, CEO and president of the Portland-based finan- cial services firm WEX Inc., grew up in Winn, a town of 400 in Penobscot County. In her words: "While many assume that rural life is limiting, my upbringing in Winn provided a healthy dose of grit and a people-first leadership ethos, energized by being active and outdoors. "When my sisters and I would list reasons why we couldn't do certain things, our mother would inevitably ask 'Why not?' – and we'd eventually realize that our limited thinking was self-imposed. Her gentle guidance to reconsider perceived boundaries and take advantage of opportunities fostered a spirit of pushing through discom- fort — or grit. "Community is essential in life — especially in a small town where you cannot look behind you for someone else to do the work. My parents volunteered often and I saw others around me doing the same. Even now, I understand leader- ship as the ability to connect with others, prioritize relationships and raise my hand. "In order to give energy to oth- ers, you need to generate energy. In my early days, access to our working farm, nearby lakes and Baxter State Park helped me fill my bucket. [Even] today, getting outdoors and being active is how I am able to generate energy to give to others." Q UA L I T Y O F L I F E Rural lessons Maine CEOs talk about what they learned growing up in a small town B y B o d e n T e r r y , M a i n e b i z i n t e r n Purchase a group subscription for your team or entire organization. Get access to Mainebiz for your entire team EMAIL CIRCULATION@MAINEBIZ.BIZ FOR MORE INFORMATION My upbringing in Winn provided a healthy dose of grit and a people- first leadership ethos, energized by being active and outdoors. — Melissa Smith WEX Inc. F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Melissa Smith, chair and CEO of WEX Inc., grew up in Winn, in Penobscot County.

• Cover