Policy and Performance at the Farnsworth: April 3

Nothing happens until somebody sells… and I’m not talking about widgets. I’m talking about lifestyle. Midcoast Maine is home to some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, talented artists and innovative entrepreneurs. Midcoast Magnet wants to keep it that way, which means protecting our resources and growing our talent pool.

Featured Business:
So who’s performing? Start with David Berez, of Post Office Editorial and Spatial Robotics Solutions. This event will feature short demonstrations of both facets of David’s work, both in film and technology. David will present footage from his recent tour of Iraq on behalf of the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons. His partner, Stuart Rich, from Pen Bay Media, will demonstrate their spatial robotic technology. Pen Bay Media is a Pine Tree Zone company, and that’s just the start. http://www.penbaymedia.com/

Panel Discussion: Bringing Business to the Coast
Businesses thrive in clusters. Sustainable growth implies momentum, and a balancing act to protect and use resources. Financial resources, human resources, natural resources are all essential to vitality. Do we have what we need? How can we bring businesses and people to the midcoast?

John Richardson, Commissioner of Economic Development
Commissioner Richardson was recently appointed by Governor Baldacci. He is the former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. The DECD serves as the umbrella organization for the offices of Tourism, Business Development, International Trade Center, Community Development, Film and Innovation and Science. http://www.econdevmaine.com/

Matt Jacobsen, CEO of Maine & Company
Maine & Company is a private, non-profit corporation whose staff provides free and confidential services to business locating to or growing in Maine. Services include real estate site searches, data collection and analysis, incentives identification, site visit coordination and financing coordination. Maine & Co. also hosts the Maine Investment Exchange, a forum for providers of risk capital and qualified entrepreneurs seeking investment capital. http://www.maineco.org/

Jonathan Daniels, President of Eastern Maine Development Corporation
EMDC is dedicated to helping businesses and communities in Eastern Maine develop and grow. EMDC helps businesses with marketing, manufacturing, government contracting, financing and international trade. EMDC also offers site location assistance for businesses expanding or relocating to Eastern Maine. http://www.emdc.org/

Event Details: Our April 3 event will take place at the Farnsworth Art Museum, starting at 5:00. Drinks and appetizers will be served in the library. Come early and check out the works of Maine artists including printmaker Jonathan Fisher, portrait artist Alex Katz and the Wyeth collections. Donations accepted by the robot. http://www.farnsworthmuseum.org/

Call Skip Bates, Bangor Savings Bank, 236-0180 for more information. www.bangor.com

Wiki This...

If Wikipedia is the new dictionary/encyclopedia/jumping off point of our times...then what a perfect place to get a definition for the, often vague - often elusive, "creative class".

Well, it's great place to start anyways.

Maine's Creative Economy Council Report

Lots of folks have asked us for a copy of Maine's Creative Economy Council's report that was released last June. They have run out of hard copies, but a PDF can be downloaded from the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) website:

http://www.econdevmaine.com/resources/default.asp

The DECD website is a great resource in general, and Midcoast Magnet is thankful for the support Commissioner John Richardson and his staff have shown for the creative economy and for our organization.

Midcoast Magnet hosts lounge events

It was great to see lots of familiar faces at the Quarterdeck last week. I think these events are great for two reasons. First, it is good to have an excuse to get out of the office on time and grab a drink with a great group of people. But beyond the chance to chat with some interesting folks, there is something really important happening at these events.

MidMag Board Member Skip Bates has expressed it really well. Skip said that the creative, innovative people that are driving this "creative economy" are not drawn to the more established business leader organizations, such as Kiwanis, Rotary or Lion's club. Those are all great service organizations and they have long served as strong opportunities for business leaders to interact and network. Well, the creative entrepreneur, the innovative software engineer, the imaginative artist and even the young professional are not joining these organizations in large numbers.

These "creative workers" need opportunities to network and interact with their peers and other professionals, artists, freelancers, geeks and techies in the Midcoast, but they needs those opportunities to be simple and commitment free. Low key social events seem to provide that mix.

These events are intended to build on Richard Florida's idea of "third-spaces" [see the Midcoast Magnet "Report to the Community"]. We are trying to create "third space opportunities" within our community here. There is a tremendous business and economic development impact of simply providing social opportunities for "creative workers" to network.

The sharing of ideas, expertise, contacts and even work opportunities has been great to witness. Lots of business gets done at the bar, maybe not as much as on the golf course, but it's remarkable. So, come join us and expand your own network.

Plus, it's winter ... what else do you have to do?


We roll in around 5:00 PM and roll out whenever ...

April 5th Inn at Ocean’s Edge in Lincolnville
May 3rd 3 Tides in Belfast
June 7th Waterfront in Camden
July 5th Waterworks in Rockland


Join us, we love seeing those familiar faces, but we'd also like to see more new faces.

Questions: Drop us an email at info@midcoastmagnet.com