PORTLAND, Maine — Maine businesses are about to have a new voice in Augusta.
Julia Munsey is set to take over as president of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, the state’s most prominent business organization.
It’s a job that has been held for nearly 30 years by Dana Connors, who is set to retire in a few weeks. Munsey was selected after a lengthy search.
“I was a little taken back, because it’s a big position and big shoes to fill with Dana leaving," Munsey, who also said she was asked to apply for the job, said. "But I was also really excited. “
Munsey is currently head of membership and corporate development for the Maine International Trade Center. Previously she held positions with several businesses and has had board leadership positions with several organizations, including the Cross Center in Bangor, the Girl Scouts of Maine, and the University of Maine Alumni Association.
In the new job, she will be the most prominent advocate for Maine businesses and will need to be involved with a range of issues between business and state government.
Connors praised her appointment to the position.
“There’s no question I’m handing the baton off to someone very competent and who will take it to the next stage," he said.
The biggest issue for business right now, Munsey said, is a familiar one.
“I think the answer is workforce. Anybody talking about business in Maine is talking about that," she said. "What is amazing about entrepreneurs and business owners is they have that drive and that passion to work hard and make a difference and be successful. And we need to find people who will come and help them do that."
The Maine State Chamber has been involved in discussions about the workforce for several years already, and Munsey said she wants to help expand that work, which may include new kinds of messaging to people, not in the workforce.
“Work is a wonderful thing. It’s the thing that brings life and joy in many ways. It's important employers think about their culture and what their employees need. And I think that’s something for us as a state to look at," she added. "How do we talk about work in Maine? How do we promote the idea of getting a job and having a career.”
Munsey will start the new job on March 8.
For Connors it will mark the apparent close of a long career that began as Presque Isle City Manager, then served for 11 years under two governors as Maine’s Commissioner of Transportation. Then he joined the Maine State Chamber nearly 30 years ago.
“I’ve been one of the luckiest guys in the world. I’ve had only three jobs over 56 years and have had the good fortune to love everyone,” Connors said.
Now, Julia Munsey will step into that same job and begin building her own legacy.