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Farmington economic developer succeeds with public/private partnership

Greater Franklin Development Corporation scores with several notable new businesses It may not be easy to attract new business to the relatively remote section of Maine in which towns like Farmington and Rumford are located, but it is not impossible.  Consider the example of the Greater Franklin Development Corporation, which, with its director Alison Hagerstrom, has attracted a Poland Spring bottling plant, a major call center, a national brand name hotel chain and a wood energy related manufacturer. All of this was done with an essentially one person staff from a modest office shared with several other non-profit agencies, and  a $140,000 yearly budget .

Alison Hagerstrom, executive director of the Greater Franklin Development Corporation

The Greater Franklin Development Corporation was founded in 1998 by local businesspeople. The purpose, according to its web site, is to:"work towards the creation and retention of quality employment opportunities in the greater Franklin County area through business attraction, fostering existing businesses, and encouraging new business start-ups."  It has survived since on a combination of business, government and grant-related money.  It is not a part of any local government but works as an independent non-profit agency with a board of directors. Nonetheless, Franklin County and its communities have come

to rely on it as the local economic development agency.  The private sector connection has given the GFDC flexibility that it might not have had as a government entity.  That flexibility came into play when the GFDC took over the building in which the call center of the national credit card company, MBNA,  had been located.  MBNA pulled back from most of its Maine call centers when it was taken over by Bank of America.  GFDC held onto the property long enough to find another call center, Notify MD.  It still owns the building and leases it to Notify MD. A government entity might have difficulty with that kind of property investment and

speculation. True, Farmington is attractive to new businesses in ways in which Rumford is not, especially in the fact that the University of Maine has a major campus there.  But the GFDC has been successful outside Farmington, playing a major role in bringing in a Poland Spring bottling plant to Kingfield, Maine.  The 200,000 square foot facility is expected to employ 60.  GFDC executive director Alison Hagerstrom began calling Poland Spring several years ago and used the technique known as the one most successful for economic development: constant and repeated contact with prospects.  "I told them I didn't want to be a pest but I

wanted to stay in touch," she says.  They agreed to let her contact them every few weeks, and eventually, she was able to get Poland Spring representatives to visit the area and inspect possible sites. Hagerstrom also uses the technique of assembling a team of prominent local people, including local selectmen, to meet with representatives of companies that are considering the area. Most recently, GFDC has played a role in attracting the Comfort Inn to the area, which is now building a new hotel on the Wilton/Farmington line and is looking forward to the opening of a wood energy related manufacturer in the near future. Website: http://www.greaterfranklin.com