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UM professors team up to help build a vibrant Maine economy

By Jeffrey Hake

Posted on Thursday, January 29th, 2009, 12:00 am

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Citing Mainers’ poor perception of their state’s economy, and the need to discuss and develop a state economic policy, a new public-private partnership is taking a novel approach to address recession woes and, more importantly, to inspire confidence in Maine’s economy.

Monday marked the premier video presentation of the “Building a Vibrant Maine Economy” series which, along with a transcript of the video, was made available starting at 8 a.m. on the series’ Web site, umaine.edu/vme.

Todd Gabe, a School of Economics associate professor who also helped organize the series, was interviewed by Jim McConnon, professor of economics, to discuss his views on how to build a vibrant Maine economy. Each presentation begins with a recommendation based on the interviewee’s research that they believe could help this goal.

Gabe, who specializes in regional economic development, said, “I think this state really needs to focus on enhancing and bolstering its knowledge economy.” He went on to explain, with the aid of his research and references to the work of other economists, how Maine has to grow its “creative core” by “build[ing] the knowledge and skills that are needed to use the types of technology that can move the state forward.”

This sentiment reflects the larger objectives of the entire series. The idea was originally brought to John Mahon, Dean of the College of Business, Public Policy and Health, by three local businessmen who were “saddened about how often we speak about how poor things are going with the Maine economy,” according to Mahon.

In light of this, Mahon began assembling other professors on campus who could collaborate on the project. A standard conference was proposed, but with many similar conferences occurring around the state on a regular basis, the organizers saw an opportunity to take their own advice and “use some technology.”

This way, according to Gabe, “anyone with a computer and Internet access can be a part of a virtual conference . and this meets the goals of a land grant-university, to get information out. The audience becomes everyone.”

Even with the reduced costs of hosting a virtual conference, funding was still needed. It was then that George Criner, the then-director of the School of Economics, proposed asking Bangor Savings Bank to be a funding partner in the project.

According to Mahon, the executives of Bangor Savings Bank have “a genuine interest in economic revitalization, a genuine interest in community” and agreed to participate in and fund the endeavor. The idea continued to grow, and eventually came to be co-sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank, the School of Economics, the Maine Business School, the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture and Cooperative Extension.

With this multi-faceted support, the organizers were able to expand their plans beyond simply delivering online presentations and to move to other forms of media. The presenters are interviewed on 103.9 FM WVOM out of Howland, Maine on the day their video is posted online, and an editorial related to their presentation will appear in the Bangor Daily News. The series’ Web site also features a blog so the presenters can answer questions and interact with viewers. According to Mahon, “the term ‘media blitz’ would maybe apply here.”

The organizers hope for a large audience for the Vibrant Maine Economy series, and they aim to influence policy on the state level per the recommendations laid out in the presentations. DVD copies of the series will be sent to a variety of policymakers all over the state, and the series “may lead to more virtual presentations and maybe eventually an actual conference” if there is interest, according to Mahon.

On Monday, Feb. 2 Gary Hunt will present “Maine’s Brain Gain,” and video commentary will again be provided by Maine state economist Catherine Reilly and Peter Vigue, president and CEO of Cianbro Companies.