LEWISTON – Brian Hodges of West Gardiner has been selected to represent Maine during a monthlong ambassadorial trip to Venezuela through Rotary International’s Group Study Exchange program.

The program is a cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business and professional men and women in the initial years of their careers. The program is designed to develop professional and leadership skills among young people to better prepare them to address the needs of their communities and an increasingly global workplace.

Hodges was selected through a competitive process that consisted of applications, references and interviews. Applicants cannot be existing Rotarians.

He will be part of a five-person team, which consists of a team leader and four members. The other four are residents of Quebec, Canada.

Hodges is being sponsored by the Lewiston-Auburn Rotary Club, part of Rotary District 7790, which includes clubs in Maine and Canada.

Hodges is employed with the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. As the business development specialist for central Maine, he makes sure that businesses, communities and economic development organizations take advantage of Maine’s business resources.

Hodges serves on the board of directors for the Community Little Theatre and Mid-Maine United Way. He is also a member of the Economic Development Council of Maine. He has served as president of the Auburn Community Band and can often be seen performing with various musical/theatrical productions.

The team departed April 22 and will return May 20. They will visit and tour four cities: Maracaibo, Coro, Barquisimeto and Valencia.

For details, visit http://www.rotary.org/en/ServiceAndFellowship/Fellowship/GroupStudy Exchange/Pages/ridefault.aspx.