Next List 2017: We're looking at the future of Maine
With every issue, we strive to put the “Maine” in Mainebiz. Our mission is to cover businesses and business topics throughout the state, as we like to say, from Kittery to Fort Kent.
We think our annual Next honorees reflect that geographic diversity, but more on that in a minute.
As part of reporting the stories and getting pictures of the honorees, we dispatched reporters and photographers to points around the state.
Photographer Fred Field, who is based in Cumberland and routinely gets calls from the Boston Globe, drew the assignment to head to Millinocket and Mapleton, a solid four hours north of his home.
Fred logged 579 miles on his car, but the true test of his steely nerve came on Route 11 in Aroostook County.
He passed a “Moose Crossing” sign and thought nothing of it.
Minutes later, he slowed to a crawl, jaw agape, at the sight of a moose on the side of the highway. The puzzled moose seemed just as surprised to see him and started jogging alongside Fred's car.
“Holy cow,” I said, as I heard Fred's story. “Did you get a picture?”
Fred looked at me with an astonishment that told me 'no' and 1 ) That would be unsafe 2 ) You didn't send me to Aroostook County to shoot the wildlife.
If he'd been a writer, I never would have asked.
A Next class gettin' it done
Despite the near miss with the moose, we're excited to introduce this year's Next class — 13 people from seven companies or organizations.
As we indicated, some are based in southern Maine, while others are keeping the fires burning up north. Some are high-profile, while others are doing great work in a low-profile way. One or two might wear suits to work, but a few are definitely more likely to be seen in jeans.
Ultimately, Next is about who is moving Maine's economy forward. They might be a developer, designer, farmer, apparel maker, brewer, boat builder or nonprofit leader, but it's really about more than that. They're investing, they're hiring, they're spreading Maine's brand far beyond our borders, they're training people, they're teaching, they're advocating. They're helping Maine grow.
The profiles start on Page 18. Come join us Nov. 9, from 5-7 p.m., when we honor this year's Nexters at the O'Maine Studios in Portland.
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