FARMINGTON — University of Maine at Farmington President Kathryn A. Foster has announced that Alison Hagerstrom and Gerald Cayer have been elected as the chair and vice chair of the UMF board of visitors.

“UMF is honored to welcome both of these dedicated and accomplished individuals—and UMF alumni—to their new leadership positions on our board of visitors,” said Foster. “The board of visitors plays an essential role in guiding UMF in its mission to educate and enrich the lives of Maine citizens. We are grateful to Alison and Jerry for their continued service to UMF and their leadership of our wonderful board of advisers, advocates and ambassadors.”

Hagerstrom is executive director of the Greater Franklin Development Corporation. She is a former Farmington business owner with more than 20 years of manufacturing and management experience. The Maine Development Foundation recognized the Greater Franklin Development Corporation for its extraordinary commitment to Maine with the 2007 Champion of Economic Development Award.

Hagerstrom served on the Plus 1 Small Business Committee created by former Gov. Angus King, and in 1991 received the UMF Alumni Association’s Alumni Achievement Award. In 2011, she was honored with the Florence Hewey Archibald ’27 Alumni Service Award. She is a graduate of UMF and is the president of the board of directors for the Economic Development Council of Maine.

Cayer is executive vice president of Franklin Community Health Network, a comprehensive health care system serving areas of central and western Maine. He has served as chief operating officer of Franklin Memorial Hospital, an affiliate of the FCHN, since 2005.

A native of Lewiston, Cayer previously served as director of the Department of Health and Human Services for the city of Portland. He received his bachelor’s degree in community health education from UMF, later earning a master’s degree in public health from Boston University. Cayer resides in Waterville with his wife, Tami, and their children, Chelsea, Ethan and Annie.

The University of Maine System mandates that each of its seven universities has a board of visitors of up to 20 members who are recommended by the campus presidents and confirmed by the board of trustees. These regional leaders serve as advocates and advisers for each institution, review final recommendations on tuition increases and new academic programs and raise private funds for the university.

On May 21, by University of Maine System board of trustee approval, Peter Addicott, Betty-Jane Meader and Jane Mickeriz were elected to serve a first three-year term on UMF’s board of visitors. They will join Hagerstrom, Cayer, Dana Bullen, Sharon Cullenberg, Chris DeMerchant, Edward Fox, Ray Glass, Sandra Goodwin, Bruce Hazard, Lisa Park Laflin, Nancy Marshall, Janet Mills and Tanya Swain serving the university.