Josh Tardy, House Republican Leader and part of the new ownership group of Moosehead Furniture in Monson, was the keynote speaker. Drawing on both his experience as a small business owner and as a policymaker, he discussed Moosehead’s plans for the future and the State of Maine’s business climate.

Attendees were also treated to an update on the work of the Piscataquis Tourism Task Force, courtesy of Roger Merchant. He highlighted the $42,000 in funding that the PCEDC received from the State of Maine in 2007 to support the signage component of its Nature Tourism Itinerary (NTI) project, as well as a $10,000 Community Planning Grant to assess tourism infrastructure countywide. Gerry Whiting of Appalachian Mountain Club gave a detailed update on the progress of the NTI, and had examples of signage on display. The Maine Highlands also debuted the "Maine Woods and Water Tour" portion of its website at the meeting.

Ken Woodbury, the PCEDC’s new Community Development Specialist, was formally introduced. He spoke about an upcoming Wellington-Parkman-Medford collaboration on an affordable housing grant, his work with the Eastern Piscataquis Industrial Park, and the funding recently obtained to support the Monson AT trailhead project. Tracy Michaud Stutzman presented an update on The Maine Highlands Guild-Maine Crafts Association merger, which included a discussion of the Center for Maine Craft that will be part of the new West Gardiner I-95/I-295 toll plaza.

In addition, the Board of Directors elected the following Officers and Executive Committee members for 2008: Erik Stumpfel, Attorney for Eaton Peabody and a resident of Sangerville, was elected President. Roger Merchant, Extension Educator for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Dover-Foxcroft and a resident of Guilford, was re-elected Vice President. Jason Brochu, Vice President of Pleasant River Lumber and a resident of Dover-Foxcroft, was elected Secretary. Linda Gilbert, Vice President of Camden National Bank and a resident of Sangerville, was re-elected Treasurer and Finance Chair.

Other Executive Committee members that were re-elected included: Jack Clukey, Town Manager of Dover-Foxcroft; Robert Darling, Consultant for the Dover-Foxcroft CareerCenter; Ralph Gabarro, CEO of Mayo Regional Hospital; Scott Hersey, General Manager of Greenville Steam; Jane Jones, former Town Manager of Milo; Gordon MacKinney; former owner of ACE Webber Hardware in Dover-Foxcroft; Steven Pound, Director of Training, Northern New England for Cianbro; Merlene Sanborn, Director of the Penquis Higher Education Center; John Simko, Town Manager of Greenville; Paul Stearns, Superintendent of Schools for MSAD 4; and Sophia Wilson, Town Manager of Brownville.

Jack Clukey was also recognized for his leadership as the 2007 PCEDC President, and Linda Gilbert and Erik Stumpfel were recognized for having served on the Executive Committee for 5 or more years. Tracy Michaud Stutzman, Executive Director of The Maine Highlands Guild and a resident of Dover-Foxcroft, was presented with the 5th annual Warren "Pete" Myrick Community Service Award.

Erik Stumpfel closed the ceremonies by thanking the PCEDC’s financial supporters and presenting his vision for 2008. Stumpfel stressed the need to continue to build on the successful foundation that the PCEDC has laid over the past decade, but with some new additions, such as "New Directions for Piscataquis County," a conference focused on new areas of economic development that are currently occurring in rural Maine, but that may not yet have a presence in Piscataquis County, such as wind farm development, water bottling, wood pellets, hotel/conference center projects, telecommuting and telebusiness, new manufacturing, and health care. The information from this conference could be potentially utilized in the updating of the County’s economic development plan.