Meet the Commissioners event provides forum to share priorities and insights with Maine’s business leaders

On the morning of Wed., January 27, the Maine State Chamber hosted a webinar session featuring Maine’s commissioners and bureau directors to provide members with an increased understanding of the roles and responsibilities of each state department, as well as the critical collaboration that occurs in the delivery of its programs.

More than 100 participants had the opportunity to hear updates from eight commissioners and two directors, including:

• Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew of the Department of Health and Human Services, who provided an overview of the department’s role and function, before detailing the pandemic-related work of the department and the Maine CDC in collaboration with each state department;
• Commissioner Laura Fortman of the Department of Labor, who shared her department’s extensive emergency responses to workers and employers during the early days of the pandemic, as well as ongoing efforts and system upgrades;
• Commissioner Heather Johnson of the Department of Economic and Community Development, who reminded participants that at this time last year the department was just releasing its strategic economic plan, and although the intense work of the pandemic has taken a priority, the components of the plan will set Maine on a path out of the pandemic and into prosperity;
• Hannah Pingree, director of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, who discussed the work of the Governor’s Economic Recovery Committee and the Maine Climate Council;
• Commissioner Amanda Beal of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, who noted the increased needs of local food sourcing as well as needed supports for farmers and producers as they work to meet the state’s food sourcing needs;
• Commissioner Pender Makin of the Department of Education, who highlighted the change in the department’s culture to one that encourages innovation and fosters success across all aspects of Maine’s educational system, especially in the face of the pandemic;
• Major General Douglas Farnham, adjutant general and commissioner of the Maine Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, who noted the many events the Maine CDC and MEMA have responded to this year along – a pandemic, power outages, storm damage, a landslide, and even a shark attack – and commended employees and employers alike for their resiliency;
• Commissioner Anne Head of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, whose department focused its health insurance, consumer credit, and investment efforts on making sure Mainers were adequately protected;
• Commissioner Bruce Van Note of the Department of Transportation, who referenced the newly-released Three Year DOT Work Plan and provided his silver lining of the pandemic – closing lanes for construction projects is easier when there’s less traffic; and,
• John Rohde, executive director of the Workers’ Compensation Board, who shared the role and function of the comp board, as well as detailing pandemic-related changes, challenges, and solutions.
  

 
We invite you to listen to the beneficial information presented at the event through its recording posted here. The Maine State Chamber is proud to be able to provide this high level of access to its members. Our team is thankful to each member of the Governor’s Cabinet for taking the two hours to talk with us, share ideas and insights, and respond to questions and feedback.

Thank you to our Premier sponsor, Hammond Lumber Company; our Break sponsor, Brookfield Renewable Energy; and our Supporting sponsors – AmeriHealth Caritas, Canadian Pacific Railway Company, Enbridge, and Preti Flaherty, LLP.