MaineBusiness.com

October 26, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: BILL NORBERT
(207) 620-3540
(207) 242-1236 (cell)

FAME’S ANNUAL MEETING, “SHOWCASE MAINE,” TO BE HELD NOVEMBER 10th AT PORTLAND’S HOLIDAY INN BY THE BAY

AUGUSTA — The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) has announced that its annual meeting and awards event, Showcase Maine, will be held Tuesday, November 10, 2009, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. at Portland’s Holiday Inn By the Bay.

Showcase Maine is a celebration of the many successful partnerships FAME has forged over the past twenty-six years with Maine’s business and higher education communities.

The evening will feature a reception, including displays by Maine businesses and educational organizations that partner with FAME; a dinner and awards presentation; and a keynote speech entitled “Investing in Higher Education: The Future of Our Economy” by Sandy Baum, Ph.D, a senior policy analyst with the College Board. Dr. Baum is the co-author of the College Board publications Trends in Student Aid, Trends in College Pricing, and Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society. She has written extensively on issues relating to college access, college pricing, student aid policy, student debt, affordability, and other aspects of higher education finance.

“We look forward to celebrating FAME’s many partnerships that will help Maine endure this challenging economic time and come out stronger,” stated Beth Bordowitz, FAME’s CEO. “Crucial to FAME’s success in providing innovative financial solutions to Maine’s business and higher education communities are the relationships we’ve forged over the years. Together we make business and education work for Maine’s economy.”

In addition to the reception showcasing various Maine business and educational organizations, the evening will feature the presentation of a number of awards by FAME. This year’s award recipients include: Western Maine Charitable Foundation, also known as Maine Huts & Trails (Business at Work for Maine Award), a nonprofit entity working to build and operate a year-round, 180-mile recreational corridor in Western Maine; Maine College Transitions Program (Education at Work for Maine Award), a comprehensive program of adult education study, career planning and coaching to encourage enrollment in postsecondary institutions; John Burns, fund manager of the Small Enterprise Growth Fund (Dirigo Award), a state-sponsored venture capital fund; Carolyn Dorrity, former head of the Acadia Health Education Coalition (Dirigo Award), who introduced health careers to countless Maine students and worked tirelessly to create and support opportunities for clinical mentorships; and Camden National Bank (Financial Institution of the Year Award), which has worked closely with FAME to provide numerous insured loan products to Maine’s small businesses.

Anyone interested in attending Showcase Maine may register online at www.famemaine.com or may contact FAME at (800) 228-3734.

FAME is a quasi-independent state agency that provides innovative financial solutions to help Maine citizens pursue business and educational opportunities. To learn more about FAME, please visit www.famemaine.com.

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