MAINE STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
  • About Us
    • Connect with Us
    • Affiliates & Partners
    • Our Board
    • Meet the Team
    • President's Message
    • External Social Media Policy
  • Membership
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Join the Chamber
    • Return on Investment
    • Member Search
  • Public Policy
    • Public Hearings of Interest
    • Legislation of Interest
    • Public Policy Committees
    • Grassroot Resources
    • Find Your Legislator >
      • Representatives
      • Senators
  • Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • 2022 Annual Meeting
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Business Day at the Statehouse
    • Board Meetings & Board Events
    • DC Fly-In
    • Legislative Social
    • Policy Issues Workshops
    • Regional Breakfasts
    • Scramble for Scholars
    • Webinars by The Maine State Chamber of Commerce
  • Initiatives
    • Campus Career Connect
    • Dream It. Do It.
    • Education Foundation
    • Keep Maine Competitive
    • Maine Economic Research Institute (MERI)
    • This is ME Counting on You
    • Senior Leaders of Tomorrow Development Program
  • Newsroom
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Impact Newsletter
    • MSCC Blog
    • The Bottom Line
    • The Maine Take
    • Making Maine Work
    • MERI Roll Call
    • OneVoice Maine Magazine
    • Policy Brief Series with Educate Maine
    • Press Kit
  • Member Login

A message from the president... “Leadership Summit celebrates 21 years of building relationships and increasing understanding...”

2/13/2020

0 Comments

 
by Dana Connors
 
Last week, we hosted our 21st annual Leadership Summit, and despite some icy winter weather, it didn’t disappoint! You can read all about it starting on page 1 of the February 13 edition. Each year, once the dust settles a bit, I take some time to reflect on this event. And each year, I’m grateful for the willingness of legislators and business leaders to come together for frank, open dialog to the public policy issues facing our state. 
Since 2000, we have invited business leaders and Statehouse leaders to our annual Leadership Summit to begin and encourage ongoing conversations beyond the event. Hosting the Leadership Summit at Sunday River means that for more than 24 hours we are not going anywhere, and more significantly, it affords us the opportunity to focus on the reasons we are there – collaboration, education, information, and understanding.
       
The diverse group of attendees includes business owners and leaders from Portland to MDI to Madawaska, legislative leadership and key committee members, the chancellors and presidents from educational institutions, economic development leaders, and representatives from local/regional chambers of commerce.
       
Our primary intent is plain and simple – to build communication and encourage conversations. This year, we used the three goals within the state’s Strategic Economic Plan as the basis for our discussions, pulling from the themes of Innovation, Talent, and Critical Supports needed to meet those goals. The conversations were open, informative, and sometimes lively, as the business community shared their thoughts, insights and concerns with our representatives from both sides of the aisle who represent both large and small communities in Maine. This led to an understanding of the challenges faced by businesses and the challenges faced by those who represent us in Augusta.
       
As we move through this session, let us remember that there will often be differing opinions on some of these topics, agreement on others, and more questions than answers on others. But by the end of our Summit, we hope that increased understanding has begun. Understanding the impact of legislation is the first step to finding the answers, and that is why these conversations are so vital.
               
​On behalf of the board and staff of the Maine State Chamber, I’d also like to thank the 125 attendees and our generous sponsors of this very unique event – one envied by my peers across the nation. Without their willing participation and support, we would not have the opportunity to build statewide collaboration and understanding for the many issues affecting our employers, their employees, and their communities. We look forward to working together throughout the session, to continuing the conversations we began at the 21st Leadership Summit, and to providing a higher quality of life, place and people for this great state. 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    RSS Feed

Copyright Maine State Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved.
 128 State Street | Suite 101 | Augusta, ME 04330-5630
 Phone: (207) 623-4568
For media inquiries, please contact Jen Webber, (207) 939-0213
For membership inquiries, please contact Mark Ellis. (207) 623-4568
  • About Us
    • Connect with Us
    • Affiliates & Partners
    • Our Board
    • Meet the Team
    • President's Message
    • External Social Media Policy
  • Membership
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Join the Chamber
    • Return on Investment
    • Member Search
  • Public Policy
    • Public Hearings of Interest
    • Legislation of Interest
    • Public Policy Committees
    • Grassroot Resources
    • Find Your Legislator >
      • Representatives
      • Senators
  • Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • 2022 Annual Meeting
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Business Day at the Statehouse
    • Board Meetings & Board Events
    • DC Fly-In
    • Legislative Social
    • Policy Issues Workshops
    • Regional Breakfasts
    • Scramble for Scholars
    • Webinars by The Maine State Chamber of Commerce
  • Initiatives
    • Campus Career Connect
    • Dream It. Do It.
    • Education Foundation
    • Keep Maine Competitive
    • Maine Economic Research Institute (MERI)
    • This is ME Counting on You
    • Senior Leaders of Tomorrow Development Program
  • Newsroom
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Impact Newsletter
    • MSCC Blog
    • The Bottom Line
    • The Maine Take
    • Making Maine Work
    • MERI Roll Call
    • OneVoice Maine Magazine
    • Policy Brief Series with Educate Maine
    • Press Kit
  • Member Login