LEWISTON – An audience of business leaders heard stories of success and optimism Thursday night as economic achievement awards were presented at the 28th annual dinner and business forum of the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council.

Alan Hahnel, LAEGC chairman, told the audience of several hundred that the local economic development organization is currently working on about $100 million worth of developable projects.

He said community partnerships have been the key to recent successes and he listed a number of L-A projects that have reached fruition.

Among the business additions are a 60,000-square-foot Kellogg’s Snacks distribution center at the Auburn Industrial Park.

“They are looking to expand,” he said, adding that recent trends are toward “transforming L-A into a transportation and distribution hub.”

Hahnel said he uses three words to summarize the keys to economic success capacity, tenacity and audacity.

Among the leading Twin Cities developments in recent months are Auburn Business Development Corp. plans for expansion of spec buildings to “at least an additional four sites,” progress toward a Foreign Trade Zone, opening of Merrill Lynch in space on the third floor of the Business Service Center at KeyBank Plaza; and a possible new spec building at industrial park space in Lewiston.

The keynote speaker for the evening was Emmett Beliveau, director of advance for President Barack Obama.

Beliveau, 32, is a native of Maine. As executive director and CEO of the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee, he helped orchestrate the event which drew an estimated 1 million or more people to the National Mall. He is now in charge of planning for just about any event that takes the president outside the 18 acres of the White House area.

In his introduction of Beliveau, Maine Gov. John E. Baldacci said, “He has taken his talent and drive to make a difference for all America.”

Beliveau’s remarks include a look at the whirlwind events leading up to Obama’s election. Beliveau recalled coordinating many town meeting appearances for the campaign in Iowa and across the nation. He said the campaign included 200,000 miles of air travel on 416 flights.

Beliveau told how plans were made to accommodate a crowd of 200,000 at Chicago’s Grant Park on Election Night. He said an effort was made not to let people into the park until after polls had closed so as not to influence the election.

He called it “a magical night.”

There was one other element of stress just before the election. Emmett and Catherine Beliveau’s first child, Maeve Louise, was born just hours earlier.

The inauguration held even greater challenges. Beliveau told how much of the National Mall was being used for staging the inaugural parade. He said he and his staff worked to get that activity moved so that all of the National Mall space could be available to the public.

In recent weeks, Beliveau’s advance duties for the president have included trips to 12 states, nine countries and four major international gatherings.

Thursday night’s event took place at the Ramada Conference Center.