Executive Director

Jim Thompson - Jim brings a wealth of experience to the position of Executive Director. He has held numerous positions of leadership both in the private and public sectors including key positions at several agencies and American Airlines. He has edited and managed three newspapers, two in Maine and one in Vermont 's capital. After serving as the Director of Public Information for the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, he was hired as the Executive Director of the Maine Publicity Bureau. He went on to serve as the Director of Public Information for a division of the Department of Commerce in North Carolina . Since his "retirement" he served as the Executive Director of his local Chamber of Commerce before coming out of retirement to work with the Downeast Heritage Museum.

Jim is a past president of the Maine Press Association (MPA) and the New England Press Association. He served on the Legislative Affairs Committee for the National Newspaper Association, and has taught journalism at the University of Maine at Orono. He is a board member of the Maine Children's Alliance and a past president of the Independence Association of Retarded Citizens, and is also a past board chair for the United Way of MidCoast Maine.

Board of Directors

Clifford Alexander- "Butch" is a department leader and instructor at Washington County Community College.

Dennis Brown- Dennis is the president and CEO of Calais Federal Savings & Loan Association. He is a Washington County native who served four years in the Air Force Secret Service in Japan and Italy. Since graduating from the University of Maine at Machias in 1981, he has pursued an exemplary career in banking and finance. His civic presence in Washington County is especially notable, having been a Calais City Council member and having served on the boards of the Calais Regional Hospital (CRH), the CRH Capital Campaign, the University of Maine at Machias Board of Visitors, Washington County Community College, and the United Bikers of Maine, among others. He is a past president of Washington County Seed Money Foundation, the Calais International Lions Club, and the Calais High School Dollars for Scholars.

Arthur Carter- Art is a retired army major and senior intelligence manager with the Defense Department. He is the president and CEO of a multimillion-dollar, family-owned equipment corporation. He serves on the boards of three historical societies; is the president of two of them; is the treasurer and grant-writer of the Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department, as well as a volunteer fireman and emergency medical technician; and serves on the boards of several groups, including the Irene Chadburn Ecumenical Food Pantry, the Pembroke Library Association, and Downeast Hospice.

Harold Clossey- Harold is the Executive Director of Sunrise County Economic Council. A native of the region, Harold has dedicated himself to promoting this unique and treasured region of Maine. 

Dr. Suzanne Crawford- Sue has a Ph.D. in Higher Education as well as Masters Degrees in Science and in Guidance and Counseling. She has served as a Dean of Continuing Education at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and an "elearning" consultant to the World Bank, and as a member of the American Council on Education's National Identification Program for Women. She is also a board member of the Great Lakes Consortium, which is a three-university consortium working with developing countries on issues of business and marketing. She teaches Liberal Studies at Washington County Community College and at the Ohio Link through elearning.

Ronald Gardiner- Ron is a Vice President and the Calais Branch Manager of Machias Savings Bank.

P. Bernard McAdam- Bernie is the Chief Financial Officer for Calais Regional Hospital. He is an active member of the HIPAA compliance team, the Maine Heath Alliance Finance Committee, and the Maine Hospital Association Council on Economics and Finance. He is a former Town Councilor from Fort Fairfield, Maine, a past Rotary Club President, and a past member of the Loring A.F.B. Re-use Committee.

Charles McAlpin- Charlie is the Communication and Member Services Manager at a local electric utility. He is a past chairperson of Sunrise County Economic Council and a past president of the St. Croix Economic Alliance. He was the 2004-2005 president of the Calais Rotary Club and is a board member of the Council of Rural Electric Communicators in Washington, D.C. He recently received an M.B..A. Degree from Thomas College in Waterville, Maine.

Darin McGaw- Darin is the Dean for Student and Community Affairs at Washington County Community College. He has a Masters in Education and has served as a key member of the College's management since 1996. He is the vice president of St. Croix Economic Alliance, and serves in the Calais Rotary Club, the Maine Community Foundation Washington County Board, and the regional Workforce Investment Board. He has also served as the statewide vice president of the Maine Technical College Administrator's Association.

Duncan W. McGeachy- Duncan is a business owner and retired commissioner with the New Brunswick, Canada Language Commission. He is a founder and past chairperson of the Provincial Grading Authority, as well as an organizer and past manager of the Charlotte County Business Development Center. He is a past chairperson of the St. Stephen Development Board, was the founder of the St. Stephen Chocolate Festival, and was an organizer of the Chocolate Museum. He is a past Kiwanis District Lieutenant Governor. Duncan has won numerous honors, including the Centennial Medal for his military service, the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal, and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal.

John Mitchell- John is senior partner at Mitchell & Mitchell, Attorneys. He is active philanthropically, donating time and energy to numerous causes.

James Porter- Jim is the Community Development Director for the City of Calais, having also served as Interim City Manager on numerous occasions. He has served as the treasurer of the Washington County Ambulance Authority and has served on advisory councils for the Maine Department of Transportation. He is the president of the St. Croix Economic Alliance and a past president of the Calais Rotary Club. In 2004, the club voted unanimously to single him out for a special Paul Harris Fellowship for his outstanding service to the community.

Bonnie Smith- Bonnie is the vice president and Downeast Area Manager for Bangor Savings Bank. She serves on the boards of directors for the Board of Visitors for University of Maine at Machias, the Eastport Art Center, Eastport for Pride, and the St. Croix Area Chamber of Commerce. She has received the Ron Thompson Award from Bangor Savings Bank and is a past Chief of the Pythian Sisters Seaside Temple.

Dianne Tilton- Dianne is the Small Business Advisor for RHR Smith & Company. She was listed as one of MaineBiz magazine's "Next" list of people influencing Maine's economy in 2004. She is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Deborah Morton Award for Outstanding Maine Women, the Kenneth Curtis Leadership Award, the Maine Public Administrator of the Year, and Economic Developer of the Year from the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME). She serves on the Maine Economic Growth Council, the Maine Jobs Council, and the Editorial Board for Maine Policy Review.

Sidney Unobskey- Sidney is a well-established international real estate developer of retail and entertainment properties. He is the past president of the Planning Commission for the City and County of San Francisco. In his distinguished career, he has also served on numerous boards of directors, including for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Yale University Development Board, the Yale University Real Estate Committee, the Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center, the University Art Museum of U.C. Berkeley, and the Pacific Vascular Foundation. He is also a past chairperson of the Medical Research Institute in San Francisco.

Gail Wahl- Gail is a small business entrepreneur and past school board member who has been involved with the Downeast Heritage Museum since its inception. She has held board positions for numerous civic organizations, including the Tufts Alumni Admissions Program, the Maine State School Boards Association, the Calais Free Library Association and the Washington County Council of Governments.