A longtime Bangor enterprise chief will head Maine’s chamber of commerce
Julia Munsey, who has been concerned in lots of the largest financial improvement efforts within the Bangor space previously 20 years, will take over as president of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce in March, succeeding its longtime president, Dana Connors.
Connors, who led the state chamber for 29 years, introduced final 12 months he would retire in 2023. A local of Aroostook County, Connors beforehand served as city supervisor for Presque Isle, in addition to transportation commissioner for the state underneath governors John McKernan and Joseph Brennan.
Munsey, who attended Orono Excessive College and graduated from the College of Maine in 2002, has been a fixture within the Bangor space financial improvement scene for greater than 20 years.
She involves the state chamber from the Maine Worldwide Commerce Middle, the place she was membership and company improvement director. Previous to that, she held positions with Dougherty Mission Administration in Bangor and with Oxford Networks, now referred to as FirstLight.
Munsey has lived and labored everywhere in the state, however has referred to as Bangor residence for many of her skilled profession. She stated the teachings she discovered from being concerned in organizations and group efforts in Bangor have given her the instruments she wanted to tackle a statewide management place.
“I needed to be in Bangor as a result of I needed to be a part of a group the place we may construct one thing and create alternatives,” she stated. “It’s a testomony to what occurs if you pull a group collectively and make one thing occur. Chambers play a task like that in cities throughout the state, as a result of they convene enterprise communities and work on their behalf.”
In Bangor, Munsey was a part of the committee that efficiently lobbied for the development of the Cross Insurance coverage Middle to interchange the growing older Bangor Auditorium and Civic Middle, a undertaking that voters accepted in 2011, with the world opening in 2013.
Munsey has additionally served on the boards of the Bangor Area Chamber of Commerce, the Maine Most cancers Basis and the American People Competition. She is chairperson of each the College of Maine Alumni Affiliation board and the Woman Scouts of Maine board.
In 2017, Munsey helped create the Maine Troop Greeters Museum at Bangor Worldwide Airport, honoring the Mainers who since 1991 have gathered to say whats up or goodbye to each flight filled with service members returning to or leaving the USA.
Munsey, who will start her new place on March 6, stated she is going to proceed to dwell in Bangor, whilst she travels everywhere in the state partaking with chambers in all areas of Maine.
“Maine is one huge small city in loads of methods, so I’m actually trying ahead to persevering with to work with the organizations I’ve already cast relationships with, and listening to and dealing for the state chamber and for a lot of new companions,” she stated. “On the finish of the day, I’m right here to advocate for Maine companies, and I’m extremely excited to get began.”
