BELFAST – Chris Shrum of Eastern Maine Development Corp. has been appointed interim director of the Knox-Waldo Regional Economic Development Council.

Shrum’s appointment was announced Wednesday by Terry St. Peter, chairman of the council. Shrum will replace Alan Hinsey, who resigned last month to produce a statewide television talk show on business issues.

“When we received the word that Alan Hinsey would be resigning as director of KWRED, we immediately began discussions with the Eastern Maine Development Corporation executive staff to make necessary arrangements so that there would be no gap in economic development services for our area,” St. Peter said. “Considering the state of our economy these days, it is more important than ever that we work together as a region to retain and grow the businesses that are already here, while we also work to attract new employers to the area.”

Shrum serves as the community development division director for Eastern Maine Development Corp. in its Bangor office. Shrum will begin a transition period where he will work three days a week out of KWRED’s Camden office and two days a week in the Bangor office. It is anticipated that at the end of a six-month transition period, Shrum will begin serving as the full-time director of KWRED.

“I’m excited about this opportunity to work even more closely with the businesses and communities of the KWRED region,” Shrum said. “I already have worked on numerous economic development efforts in the region, and I am familiar with many of the key players in the Knox and Waldo business communities, so I can hit the ground running for KWRED.”

Shrum, a Rockport resident, has economic and community development experience in the midcoast area. St. Peter said his background as a business consultant, community planner and entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in public, private and nonprofit sectors, focused on health care, economic development and the arts, was tailor-made for the challenges that face the KWRED region.

St. Peter also announced that the KWRED board of directors voted to make Hinsey a full voting member of the board.

“As director of KWRED for the past two years, Alan was very successful in creating an effective regional effort for business retention and attraction. As a board member, Alan will now help us take KWRED to the next level. There is much more to do to bring more high-wage, year-round jobs to our region,” St. Peter said.

The Knox-Waldo Regional Economic Development Council is a program of Eastern Maine Development Corp., which is one of five federally designated nonprofit economic and community development agencies in Maine.

The council focuses exclusively on regional economic development strategies for Knox County and Waldo County, according to its Web site. It works to stimulate long-term, robust economic growth for the Knox and Waldo County region through job creation and retention, advocacy and regional collaboration. For information, visit kwred.org.

wgriffin@bangordailynews.net

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