Producer/Host: Jane Haskell
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne
Topic: Community’s Develop with Small Businesses
How can a group of citizens or town officials get a clear direction from citizens with regard to which industry and biz they want to create wealth in their community and that they are willing to support? How does a community intersect with the State who is trying to attract businesses and find a match? How does it not just get a business forced on it to fill a hole?
How do chambers of commerce play in this game? How do/can they think about how they are serving the development of the region? How do regions go about attracting the small businesses as well as the LLBean’s, Fairchild Semiconductor, LNGs etc? How does the region create the image, of its current and future business climate? How does it convince its citizenry that this IS the direction?
Guests:
Brian S Hodges, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Economic & Community Development, 59 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0059 (207) 624-9804 Brian.Hodges@maine.gov
Jeff Ackerman, Small Business Coordinator, Washington Hancock Community Agency, P.O. Box 299, 248 Bucksport Road, Ellsworth, ME 04605; 207-664-2424 Ext #4470; jackerman@whcacap.org