The wide interests of Tom Kittredge have taken him from his boyhood home in Brewer to the ivy walls of Yale to the sunburnt sands of Egypt and back to Brewer.

Now, as the new executive director of the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC), Kittredge will help foster economic activity throughout the region.

Kittredge replaces Mark Scarano, the first PCEDC executive director whose seven-year stay ended last year.

"It's a great organization, a great board. There are a lot of helpful people to work with (around the county)" said Kittredge, who had his first day in the office on March 28. "It's going to be a challenge, I think, and I am looking forward to it."

Following a stellar academic career at Brewer High School, Kittredge went on to earn degrees at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., and John Hopkins University in Baltimore.

After receiving his masters in Near East studies from John Hopkins, Kittredge went to work on archaeological sites in Egypt, Tunisia and Isreal. "I don't have the travel bug like some people do, but I've seen some stuff," he said, laughing.

Most recently, he has worked on the Maine Senate staff in Augusta while also logging hours at Brewer's Economic Development Department, mostly on the city's small business assistance forum. That experience will help in Piscataquis County, where small business is king, he said. "That's been my primarily economic development experience," he said.

He also learned the principles he'll use to guide him in the new position. He is excited to get out and meet business owners and municipal officials around the county. "I want to be proactive," said Kittredge. "You can't just sit on your hands and wait for businesses to come to you."

Kittredge can be reached at 564-3638 or at the PCEDC offices at the Penquis Higher Education Center.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Tuesday, April 3, 2007 edition of the Moosehead Messenger and is used here with permission."