Islesboro man appointed manager of B&ML railroad

BELFAST — The board of directors of the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad have appointed David A. Noake of Islesboro as general manager. Noake was the unanimous choice of the board to fill the position, which has been vacant since last fall.

Raymond Geary, chairman of the selection committee, said Noake was one of three finalists. The committee received more than 60 applications from as far away as California, Illinois and other Central and Western states.

“I think he knows a lot about management; good, strong, concise management,” Geary said Wednesday. “He has a strong marketing background and will be able to coordinate the whole thing; finding new customers, good promotions and working closely with the City Council.”

For the past seven years, Noake was the owner-operator of an interstate trucking business in Vermont. The business was sold recently and Noake moved his family to Islesboro where he had planned to retire.

Railroad President Ernie Christensen said the B&ML’s advertisement for the general manager’s job “caught his eye and he decided to apply for the position, realizing the challenge that faces the railroad in the months ahead.”

A 22-year veteran of the U.S. Army, Noake is the recipient of numerous military awards.

Noake is a 1962 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and also spent three years teaching ROTC at the Virginia Military Institute, while still associated with the Army.

Since his retirement from the service, Noake has gained experience in plant management, quality control, sales traffic management, personnel, pay- roll, accounts payable and receivable and cash flow management.

“We are delighted that Mr. Noake accepted our offer of employment,” Christensen said. “We look forward to Mr. Noake solving some of the many problems facing the railroad in the months ahead.”