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V I E W P O I N T S W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 3 M AY 1 6 , 2 0 1 6 For a daily digest of Maine's top busi- ness news, sign up for the Mainebiz Daily Report at mainebiz.biz/enews Get Maine's business news daily at mainebiz.biz and on Twitter (@Mainebiz). Below is some of the best from our online-only offerings: Featured @ Mainebiz.biz Phthalates in your home A national report from the Portland- based Environmental Health Strategy Center called "What Stinks? Toxic Phthalates in Your House," found that the chemicals, which are linked to health issues, are present in more household products than previously thought. Find out more about the report's findings at mainebiz.biz/phthal UNE President to leave post in 2017 Less than a week after being honored as Mainebiz's 2016 nonprofit Business Leader of the Year, University of New England President Danielle Ripich announced that she will be leaving her post as head of the private university in June 2017. Find out about Ripich's legacy at UNE at mainebiz.biz/unepres Pingree looks to cut food waste At the Food Waste Summit in Washington D.C. on May 11, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree touted the Food Recovery Act, a food waste bill that she spearheaded that includes nearly two dozen provisions to cut food waste around the country. Find out more about Pingree's proposal at mainebiz.biz/foodwaste From the Editor D anielle Ripich has had quite a month. First the University of New England President was named to the UNE Varsity Club Hall of Fame. A day later, she was feted by Mainebiz as winner of the 2016 Business Leader of the Year in the nonprofi t category. Now she has announced that she will retire in June 2017, after leading the university for 11 years. Mainebiz recognized not only UNE's incredible growth in the past decade Ripich has been at the helm, but what's she's done recently. UNE is relatively young, as New England universities go (think Harvard, founded in 1636), but in the past decade Ripich has brought the school to international prominence through the addition of pharmacy and dental schools, a campus in Morocco, and by continually raising money and pushing expansion of the school's two Maine cam- puses. She has set the pace for other universities. She has increased the university's operating surplus to $127 million — how often do you hear about that at a university? As a business publication, this really caught our eye: Last year, UNE, working with Bangor Savings Bank, launched an online professional development program that addresses two of the Maine economy's challenges: Workforce development and skills building. Nice work. She will be missed. As Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year, Ripich was recognized alongside Rodney McCrum, president and chief operating offi cer of Pineland Farms Potato Co. (large business), whose sales grew by 38% last year to $50 million, and Joshua Davis, CEO of Gelato Fiasco (small business), which had sales last year of $10 million, double the previous year, and is now in 4,100 super- markets, up from 600 a year earlier. is year's Business Leaders of the Year represented a wider range of age and experience than recent years — with Ripich, 71, set to retire in 2017, McCrum, at 66, still charging hard and Davis, while a relative youngster at 33, perfecting gelato for nearly a decade. In every case, these are thinkers, these are doers. ey know how to raise money, how to sell a vision — and a product. And they have energy. I have spent enough time around each of them to know, you better put on comfortable shoes, because you're going to have to keep up. On the Road with Mainebiz Mainebiz has already had On the Road events in Portland and Kittery this year. Next up is Hallowell, on May 19. e event, to be held at Joyce's (192 Water St.), will include appetizers, a cash bar and, of course, networking. Fort Kent is right around the corner. We'll be at the Mill Bridge Restaurant, 271 Market St., on June 23, from 5–7 p.m. ese events are free but registration at Mainebiz.biz is encouraged. Also coming up this year will be stops in Farmington (Sept. 29) and Westbrook (Oct. 20). If your town's not on the list, don't despair. Get your vote in there for On the Road 2017. Peter Van Allen pvanallen@mainebiz.biz Inspired by BLOY winners bernsteinshur.com CELEBRATING 1OO YEARS Be selective. BE SHUR. When you need a partner who knows the law —and your industry. This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business This year's Mainebiz Business Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to Leaders of the Year know how to raise money, how to sell a vision and a product. And they have energy. I have spent enough time around each of them to know, you better put on comfortable shoes, because you're going to have to keep up.

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