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Brewing and was an early partner in Kennebunkport Brewing Co. and Federal Jack's restaurant. He also owns Sea Dog Brewing Co., and has developed a number of real estate projects. Not surprisingly, when we asked about his early jobs, he had a list. At the age of nine, Forsley was in charge of mowing the lawn at his family's boarding house for veterans, Gray Manor. He raked blueberries during sum- mers, starting at age 12. Pickers were paid by the pound, and Forsley recalls speed was critical, in every aspect of the job. "You had to run off the bus as fast as you could to get the best rake." Forsley lasted just three nights at his next and least favorite job, "pulling chickens" at Hall's Egg Farm in New Gloucester. "It was the toughest, most disgust- ing job ever," he says. By age 14 he was washing dishes at Cole Farms, where he learned that working hard — and working hard at having fun with the rest of the staff — made the labor far more enjoyable. Forsley says he learned through all of his early work experiences that "the more energy you put in, the more benefit you get out." University president's start on a shrimping boat James Herbert has served as president of the University of New England since 2017. Prior to that, he held several senior administra- tive positions at Drexel University in Philadelphia. His very first job was far less suit and tie. "Growing up in a working-class community on the Gulf Coast of Texas, my first job was as a deckhand on a commercial shrimping boat," Herbert says. "ose fishermen taught me two things that have never left me: the value of hard work and the impor- tance of being genuine. "I had no idea then that my career would eventually bring me to Maine, but looking back, it makes perfect sense. e people here are unpreten- tious and hardworking, and this is the kind of place where those values thrive. I'm sure that's part of the rea- son I feel so at home in Maine." From selling shoes to economic development Anne Krieg is Bangor's commu- nity and economic development director, with a background in city planning. Her first job, which she held onto for five years during high school and college, was selling shoes at Shoppingtown Mall in Dewitt, N.Y., where she grew up. "While it may seem far removed W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 J U N E 2 9 , 2 0 2 6 F O C U S H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N / P RO F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » Make new connections with the Rumford business community! PRESEN T ING SP ONSOR REGIONAL SP ONSORS HORS D'OEUVRES / CASH BAR / NETWORKING WITH AREA BUSINESS EXECUTIVES S PACE IS S PACE IS L IMITED L IMITED, BE S URE TO , BE S URE TO R EG IS TER! R EG IS TER! Please register ahead at mainebiz.biz/event/otr-rumford WEDNE SDAY JULY 22 / 4–6PM / BL ACK MOUN TAIN OF MAINE RUMFORD CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GRADUATING MEMBERS OF MDF'S LEADERSHIP MAINE GULF OF MAINE CLASS. MDF is now accepting applications for the 2027–2028 Leadership Maine class. For more info and to apply: mdf.org/ leadership-development/application GRADS Victoria Abbott: Bread of Life Diana Beaudoin: Finance Authority of Maine James Beaupre: University of Maine Joanna Benoit: FocusMaine DeCarlo Brown: Town of South Berwick John Carr: Hannaford Supermarkets Denise Cilley: Sunrise County Economic Council Twila Fisher: City of Ellsworth Cecilia Flatley: Independent contractor Ashley Fuller: MEMIC Kari Garrity: MaineGeneral Medical Center Tripp Harrison: Goodwill Northern New England Beth Hayward: Machias Savings Bank Shawn Herr: Good Shepherd Food Bank Katie Houser: ElleVet Sciences Hope Jacobson: Deer Brook Consulting Paul Johnson: Greater Portland Council of Governments Dayana Krawchuk: The Jackson Laboratory Natalie Labbe: United Way of Kennebec Valley Alicia LaFosse: New Ventures Maine Michael McKernan: The Jackson Laboratory Kara Morrison: Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative John Muzzy: Hancock Lumber Samuel Nahimana: Dirigo Support Professionals Mikele Neal: Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center Jolene Nickerson: Bath Iron Works Jeff Noblin: MaineHealth Jude Pearse: University of Maine Leila Percy: Self employed Alex Price: Pierce Atwood Stephanie Roper: Central Maine Power Aleta Rupert: MaineHealth Naomi Schucker: MaineHealth Amber Seaney: UMaine Advanced Structures & Composites Angie Snow: Androscoggin Bank Kassie Strout: Maine Community Foundation Kelly Thayer: Unum Curt Thompson: Maine Department of Transportation Kyle Wentworth: Cianbro Corporation Katie Wise: L.L.Bean The more energy you put in, the more benefit you get out. — Fred Forsley James Herbert P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY

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