Talk of the Towns 2/12/20: Union River Center for Innovation & the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

Producer/Host: Ron Beard
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Background on Ellsworth and its regional economy– historic and present day
Ellsworth’s overall economic development strategy
What led to the Union River Center for Innovation as part of that strategy?
How does the Center approach its work?
The several companies who are based at the Center seem to stem from innovation based in scientific research and technology… is that by chance or design?
What are some other common challenges for start-up enterprises?
Are there different challenges for what you refer to as next generation of growth companies?
Are there some characteristics that are either hard-wired into next gen entrepreneurs, or skills and traits that can be learned and fostered? What makes for a successful entrepreneur?

Guests:
Janna Richards, Economic Development Director, City of Ellsworth
Kat Taylor, Entrepreneur in Residence & co founder Genotyping Center for America
Aaron Cox, Katadyn (Steri-pen)
Chuck Carter, Eagre Games

About the host:
Ron Beard is producer and host of Talk of the Towns, which first aired on WERU in 1993 as part of his community building work as an Extension professor with University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant. He took all the journalism courses he could fit in while an undergraduate student in wildlife management and served as an intern with Maine Public Television nightly newscast in the early 1970s. Ron is an adjunct faculty member at College of the Atlantic, teaching courses on community development. Ron served on the Bar Harbor Town Council for six years and is currently board chair for the Jesup Memorial Library in Bar Harbor, where he has lived since 1975. Look for him on the Allagash River in June, and whenever he can get away, in the highlands of Scotland where he was fortunate to spend two sabbaticals.

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BoatTalk 2/11/20: loopers, anne bray fund

Producers/Hosts: Alan Sprague and Mike Joyce
Engineer: Joel Mann

Key Discussion Points:
a) woodenboat school scholarship for available for aspiring young woman.
b) talked with dave and stacy now in florida.
d) call-ins

guests:
Dave Rowe by phone doing the loop

About the hosts:

Alan Sprague a.k.a. Flounder of the Soul Show, has been a programmer at WERU since the glaciers receded. For thirty years at community radio he has worked his way from being an unpaid volunteer to being an unpaid volunteer today, and he says he’s worth every cent of it. In 2003 he and Mike Joyce started the monthly call-in show Boattalk which has become a boating related show without piers (pi). Mike and Alan met many years ago while both were working at the Hinckley Company. Alan was the head service carpenter at the Hinckley skunkworks called Bass Harbor Marine or sometimes Kibbee’s Kennels. He worked there for nearly thirty years and saw yachts of stories to tell yawl. As part of Boattalk they organize the annual WERU Boattalk Cruise in late June for a fun pot-luck trip up Somes Sound, America’s former fiord. Quite cunning Mike and Alan are to work a free scenic boat trip with fine food for themselves.

Mike Joyce bio to follow

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