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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 A R C H 6 , 2 0 1 7 Featured @ Mainebiz.biz Get Maine's business news daily at mainebiz.biz and on Twitter (@Mainebiz). Below is some of the best from our online-only offerings: For a daily digest of Maine's top business news, sign up for the Mainebiz Daily Report at mainebiz.biz/enews UNE names its new president James Herbert, executive vice provost and dean of the graduate college at Drexel University in Philadelphia, has been named the new president of University of New England, effective July 1. He replaces Danielle Ripich, whose 11-year tenure at UNE was marked by significant growth in the university's enrollment and programs. For more on the leadership change go to mainebiz.biz/herbert CMP ratepayers get a break The expiration of two large power purchase con- tracts signed in the 1980s and 1990s that were designed to promote greater use of domestic and renewable energy is good news for Central Maine Power ratepayers, who will see a reduction in their transmission and distribution portion of the electric bills on July 1. Find out what's caus- ing CMP's stranded cost rates to go down at mainebiz.biz/strandedcost Debt relief for STEM professionals who stay in Maine The Harold Alfond Foundation has created a new statewide student loan repayment program called Alfond Leaders, which will provide student loan debt relief of up to $60,000 each for up to 150 STEM professionals over the next three years. Find out how it will benefit Maine employers at mainebiz.biz/AlfondLeaders From the Editor T he Mainebiz staff had the good fortune of visit- ing the University of Maine at Farmington last year as part of our "On the Road" series of events. We were doubly fortunate to have Kathryn A. (Kate) Foster, president of the Farmington campus, take part in our round table discussion and then off er to show a couple of us the campus. We also talked a good deal about the programs the campus has set up to prepare students to join the workforce. It made a lasting impression. With this issue, our newest staff writer, Renee Cordes, was able to catch up with Foster. I'll let you read the story, but I was particularly struck by something the president said to our reporter: "We have a commitment to our students to prepare them and provide opportunities so they can go from curriculum to career," Foster told Mainebiz. "If your aspiration is to come out of school prepared for a job, in terms of knowledge, experience and skills, that's a commitment that Farmington makes. at's something that's really important to us." As a student, or in my case, as the parent of a college student, you couldn't ask for more than that. Heard on Main Street Nancy Marshall Communications, public relations shop based in Augusta, won a signifi cant PR account. It is now the PR agency of record for Orvis Outfi tters, the fl y fi shing brand based in Manchester, Vt. e fi rm joins a market- ing team that includes Orvis' creative agency, Hyperbolous in New York City, and its execution agency, Chong + Koster in Washington, D.C. Orvis seems to dovetail well with some of NMC's other cli- ents, including Friends of Acadia, the Maine Offi ce of Tourism, Maine Huts & Trails, Discover New England and the Nature Conservancy-Maine. Nancy Marshall is a frequent contributor to "How To" col- umns in Mainebiz … Royal River Conservation Trust has planned a corporate team event, the Run of the Royal canoe race, for May 13 … We've heard a lot in recent months about companies converting Employee Stock Ownership Plans. Now, Spinnaker Trust is responding to the trend by hiring an ESOP client advisor, Chris Whitney, who came to the Portland fi rm from TransAmerica Retirement Solutions. As the ESOP client advisor, Whitney will work with exist- ing ESOP clients, advise on plan design and monitor third-party relationships. Peter Van Allen pvanallen@mainebiz.biz UMaine Farmington offers more than mere matriculation Be smart. BE SHUR. bernsteinshur.com When you need a JD with an MBA's approach. 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out 'If your aspiration is to come out of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in of school prepared for a job, in terms of knowledge, experience and skills, that's a commitment Farmington makes. — Kathryn A. (Kate) Foster President of UMaine's Farmington campus

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