FAME to hold annual meeting

AUGUSTA — The Finance Authority of Maine will hold its annual meeting and awards event, Showcase Maine, Nov. 10 from 4:30 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 26 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 titled "Investing in Higher Education: The Future of Our Economy" by Sandy Baum, Ph.D, a senior policy analyst with the College Board.

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.

The evening will also 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.

• 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.