Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I I N O. X I M AY 1 5 , 2 0 1 7 14 M y day in Biddeford began at the Palace Diner, a cute-as- a-button eatery in a 1927 dining car. Maine's oldest diner was abuzz with activity that brisk March morning, but counter stools were wiped clean as soon as they were cleared. Breakfast was hearty, with eggs and to-die-for potatoes crispy on the outside and fl uff y on the inside — the next- best thing to Belgian frites from the country I had called home for many years. An older couple had come from Vermont for the fried chicken, tempt- ing but not my breakfast preference. Next stop was City Hall for an interview with Mayor Alan M. Casavant, a former high school teacher, and City Manager James A. Bennett, who had actually inspired the idea for a 'Biddesance' story at a MEREDA conference on park- ing. Afterwards, the mayor didn't mind being photographed outside in the cold, and even joined me on a tour of the Pepperell Mill complex with developer Scott Joslin. Before the tour we stopped in to say hello to fashion entrepreneur Roxi Suger, an Oklahoma native who likened Biddeford to Brooklyn, N.Y., of yes- teryear with its "creative, gritty vibe." My fi rst few months at Mainebiz have been all about getting out and meeting interesting people, mainly in Portland so far but other places as well, and feeling welcome in a state I visited for the fi rst time in 2015, and only twice before moving here last October with my spouse and budgies Duke, Sparky and Shiloh. Before joining the staff I went on assignment to Hallowell and Gardiner, for a piece on economic development. ough they get little mention in guidebooks, both charmed this Chicago native used to bigger cities. Between scheduled interviews with Hallowell City Manager Nate Rudy and with Patrick Wright, execu- tive director of Gardiner Main Street, I chatted with shopkeepers on the main drag, including John Callinan at Gardiner's Craft Beer Cellar. In Portland, I've sat down with a coff ee-shop owner who runs a small investment fi rm upstairs, a retired female combat pilot helping veterans return to civilian life and employ- ment, the former con artist portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in "Catch Me if You Can," and immigration lawyers representing rural hospitals coping with foreign doctors' visa applica- tion delays. I also got a tour of the International Marine Terminal — and site of the proposed cold-storage facility — from John Henshaw, the Maine Port Authority's executive director. He and others have been generous with their time, not mind- ing all the questions from a newcomer reporting in her native country for the fi rst time in decades. After covering deals, markets and earnings in real time, it's great being a beat reporter again, harkening back to my time at the Budapest Business Journal. Here there's no danger of being stood up for interviews, and, for the fi rst time in my professional career, I've gotten thank-you notes from interviewees. ere are also no lan- guage barriers, save town names like Vienna, Berlin and Calais. And when Mainers correct my pronunciation, it's always in a good-natured way. From Belgium to Biddeford I N S I D E T H E N OT E B O O K R C, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at @ . and @. LOEB-SULLIVAN SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS & LOGISTICS REACH NEW HEIGHTS WITH OUR MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE OPTIONS 207-326-2212 info.ls@mma.edu mainemaritime.edu/academics/graduate-programs Now with IAMPE Certification: Students receive the Professional Marine Port Manager (MPM) Certification upon completing designated academic programs at MMA at no additional cost. Global Logistics & Maritime Management On Campus MS - finish in 10 months International Logistics Management Online MS - from 18 months up to 4 years Master's & Commander Online MS plus USCG core courses on campus for Mate 200-ton License, Near Coastal - two years Advance your business career in the global economy. P H O T O / R E N E E C O R D E S The name game: A tower of signs between Oxford and Poland. TRAINING • • • • • • Developer Server Database Desktop Creative Business Security Don't just keep up with technology MASTER IT. In the age of increased competition students are seeking credentials that recognize knowledge and experience. www.vtec.org 207-775-0244 Use code MEBIZ17 For 15% of your next class! |

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