Governor Paul LePage has nominated Newcastle resident Robert A. “Bob” Martin as the next director of the Maine Technology Institute.
Newcastle residents might know Martin as a representative of the Newcastle Harbor House project and a candidate in 2011 for the Newcastle Board of Selectmen.
The Maine Technology Institute is a publicly funded non-profit organization that promotes the generation of high-quality jobs throughout Maine.
The institute provides commercialization assistance in the form of competitive grants, loans and equity investment for the research, development and application of technologies.
The institute’s headquarters are at Brunswick Landing, the former Brunswick Naval Air Station.
“Mr. Martin’s extensive background in all facets of the private sector, including technology development and marketing, will provide MTI with new and creative strategies to help Maine entrepreneurs successfully position themselves in the global marketplace,” LePage said in a press release.
The press release touts Martin’s experience as an executive with “businesses across the nation,” including as the managing partner of the consulting firm Strategic Equity Partners LLC.
According to the press release, “With more than 30 years of experience, Martin has developed the business sense to assist Maine companies to fully utilize MTI programs, as well as the political acumen to promote the innate values of the people and businesses of Maine.”
“I thank Governor LePage for nominating me,” Martin said in the release. “I am eager to work with the Governor and his administration to help Maine businesses take full advantage of the public resources available to them so that they may better compete in the global market.”
The Joint Standing Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development will review Martin’s appointment Thurs., Sept. 6. If the committee approves the nomination, he would need confirmation from the Maine Senate.
The former director of the Maine Technology Institute, Betsy Biemann, abruptly resigned June 18 after seven years in the position.
The previous month, LePage vetoed a $20 million research and development bond that, according to MaineBiz, would have gone to the institute.
Martin, in the 2011 election, finished third in a three-way race for two seats on the Newcastle Board of Selectmen. He received just 36 votes to incumbent Ellen Dickens’ 132 and Ben Frey’s 108.
A resident of Newcastle for about three years at that time, Martin touted his business experience and talked about the possibility for economic development in an interview with The Lincoln County News before the election.
As the chief operating officer of Mattson Development, he was the public face of the Newcastle Harbor House project at a series of meetings in 2010 and 2011, contentious at times, with town officials.
In 2010, the project became known as the “elevator to nowhere” because the lone concrete elevator shaft was the most prominent feature of the unfinished building.
The developers have yet to complete the condominium project at 75 Main St. The terms of the most recent building permit required them to complete exterior construction by May.