New officers assume duties with Sebago Lakes Region Chamber

By Ed Pierce

It’s been said that leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality and if that’s the case, the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce is in great hands for the coming year.

During the chamber’s Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner at Camp Sunshine in Casco on Jan. 20, new board members, and a new executive committee were introduced to members.

Members of the new Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of
Commerce Executive Team includes, from left, Joe McLean
as Treasurer (Key Bank); Tricia Zwirner as Secretary (State
Farm Insurance); Deb McPhail (Citizens) as President; and 
Jennifer Arsenault as Vice President (Edward Jones).
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

Longtime Chamber member Deb McPhail of Citizens will lead the executive committee as president, while Jennifer Arsenault of Edward Jones will serve as Vice President. Joe McLean of Key Bank is the executive committee’s Treasurer/Clerk, and Tricia Zwirner of State Farm Insurance will serve as Secretary. Two new Board of Directors members were announced at the meeting including Max Bangs of Bangor Savings Bank and Ray Poulin of TD Bank in Gray.

Executive Director Robin Mullins said that she’s eager to work with the new officers and board members and is confident they will help the chamber continue to grow and prosper in the coming year.

“As Executive Director of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, I am excited about the new executive team. It is always good to recruit new leadership who can help bring innovative ideas and new energy to the board,” Mullins said. “I look forward to working with incoming President Deb McPhail, as she has been with our chamber for 43 years and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience.”

Mullins said that McPhail has experience in the role, having served as chamber president in 1990 and 1991.

“Although Deb has a great grasp on the history of the chamber, she also understands things have changed over time and our focus has had to evolve, especially in the last two years. “To stay afloat during COVID, business owners have had to be creative, decisive and very open to change. We as a chamber have also had to be creative in looking at different ways to support our members' needs, whether it be holding virtual events instead of live, providing valuable personal protective equipment during the height of the pandemic, or disseminating the plethora of information that came at them almost daily from local and state entities.”

According to Mullins, McPhail’s role as president will be to lead the Board of Directors in meeting their chamber mission to foster economic growth and prosperity throughout our region by using the board's strategic plan as a guide.

“It is a challenge Deb is up for and looks forward to, and I am happy to be there as her partner,” Mullins said.

McPhail said she wanted to serve as chamber president for a number of reasons.

“I am passionate about the Lakes Region community. I believe in giving back to the business community,” she said. “I've been in the chamber for 43 years and have that experience. I feel I'd be an asset and qualified.”

As far as what she hopes to accomplish as chamber president, McPhail said she would like to encourage more collaboration and a voice for the towns.

“I'm pro-business and can have a lot of influence,” McPhail said. “I believe in the chamber's ability. I look forward to working with the leaders of the community. Harmony is very important to me with the members and our community. I'm looking forward to growing our Chamber, even during COVID we grew. We have a great board, executive director, and office staff we work well with.  We raise a lot of money for the community and collaborate well with other organizations.”

During the chamber’s Annual Meeting, several awards also were presented.

Mullins presented the Community Service Leadership Award to the leaders of 11 food pantries in the chamber region including Casco; Gray; Naples; New Gloucester; Raymond; Sebago; Standish; and Windham to recognize them for the selfless work they have done, especially during the pandemic.

The chamber’s Business of the Year Award was given to Spring Meadows Golf Club in Gray, led by Dave Pollard.

The Frank Koenig Chamber Hall of Fame Award was presented to Zachary “Zack” Conley, the immediate Past President of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. Conley successfully led the chamber for the last three years. <