Maine State Chamber elects JAX executive to lead board

LuAnn Ballesteros, vice president of external and government affairs for Jackson Laboratory, has been elected board chair of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce.

Maine State Chamber of Commerce

LuAnn Ballesteros

Ballesteros' two-year term will begin Jan. 1.

"With sincere thanks to current Board Chair Clif Greim and Maine State Chamber President Dana Connors for their outstanding leadership, it is a great honor to be selected to chair the Maine State Chamber's board of directors," said Ballesteros. "The Chamber will continue to look at Maine's future with optimism, a focus on the positives, and a commitment to the success and betterment of our state and all Maine people. We have significant challenges before us, and they require collaboration among the business community, lawmakers, government, and policy leaders. Working together, we can further advance Maine as a great place to live, work, and do business."

Ballesteros joined Jackson Lab in 2005, and in 2011 was promoted to director of government affairs, where she helped grow the government relations program.

Before JAX, Ballesteros held an executive position at Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. She is a member of the Maine Innovation Economy advisory board and the Machias Savings Bank board and was recently appointed to the Maine Workforce Investment board. She previously served two terms on the Maine Economic Growth Council.

Maine State Chamber of Commerce

Clif Greim

Greim, who is president of Frosty Hill Consulting, will serve as past board chair upon completing his two-year term Dec. 31.

"It has been a privilege to serve as the Maine State Chamber's board chair over the last two years and to see the remarkable work the chamber does and will continue to do, even in the most difficult of times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic," said Greim. "I look forward to working with new chamber leadership to continue growing the chamber, addressing Maine's current business challenges, and helping Maine prepare for an even brighter economic future."

Greim founded Frosty Hill Consulting after retiring in 2020 as president and CEO of Harriman, a Maine architectural engineering firm he joined in 1981. Greim is a dean's advisory council member at the University of Maine, serves on the University of Southern Maine's board of visitors and is chair of the board at Educate Maine.

Maine State Chamber of Commerce

Bob Montgomery-Rice

Bob Montgomery-Rice, president and CEO of Bangor Savings Bank, will serve as the first vice chair. Montgomery-Rice became president, CEO and director of Bangor Savings Bank in 2015 after holding various executive leadership roles since joining the bank in 2004. He previously held executive management positions at BankBoston, Cambridgeport Bank and Fidelity Investments.

Maine State Chamber of Commerce

Ann Robinson

Ann Robinson, partner and chair of Pierce Atwood's government relations and lobbying practice group, has been elected second vice chair. Robinson is an attorney and lobbyist who, before joining Pierce Atwood in 2017, was general counsel and director of Government Affairs for Spectrum Healthcare Partners, a physician-owned multi-specialty practice. Robinson previously was a partner and chair of the government affairs practice group at a large Maine law firm, where she had an active legislative and regulatory practice, focusing primarily on health care, insurance, and professional regulation.

Robinson is one of Maine's three commissioners on the Uniform Laws Commission, a national nonprofit association of the 50 states and two U.S. territories. She also recently completed her service as a member of the board of the Maine Turnpike Authority.

According to the release, the incoming Maine State Chamber board officers will lead Maine's largest business association at a crucial time as the first regular session of the 131st Maine State Legislature convenes and as Maine continues to experience the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising inflation, increasing energy and housing costs and workforce shortages. Maine also is experiencing higher in-migration and increased investments in areas supporting economic growth, such as education, workforce development, broadband expansion and increased access to child care.

"The chamber is fortunate and grateful to have had the strong and steady leadership of Clif Greim over the last two years and to have the leadership, vision and energy of LuAnn Ballesteros for the next two years," said outgoing Maine State Chamber President Dana Connors. "As my retirement from the chamber nears, I am confident that with LuAnn at the helm and a dedicated executive committee and board with deep experience and expertise, the chamber is well-positioned heading into 2023 to continue its mission of advancing a strong business climate and economy."

Maine State Chamber of Commerce

Maine State Chamber President Dana Connors

The Maine State Chamber has yet to name a successor to Connors, who announced in April 2022 that he will retire as president of the organization, effective in the coming weeks.

Connors has been president of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce since 1994. He began his career in 1968 as the city manager of Presque Isle. He later served as commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation under two governors. Prior to joining the Maine State Chamber, he led Gov.-elect Angus King's transition team.