WATERVILLE — Bruce Harrington has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce for more than 10 years, having served as chairman in 2017, and is a member at large on the executive board, chairman of the Business to Business Showcase Committee and active in the chamber’s Bass Fishing Subcommittee.

Over the last 10 years, Harrington, 39, has served on every chamber committee and been chairman of several. He also is active in the community, having volunteered for the former Waterville Main Street program, Gardiner Main Street, Somerset Economic Development Corp. and Kennebec Valley Council of Governments. He is incoming foundation chairman of Kennebec Valley Community College, past president and current treasurer of the Waterville Rotary Club, treasurer of Maine Rural Development Authority, finance committee member and real estate board treasurer for Kennebec Behavioral Health and chairman of the Fairfield Economic Development Committee, to name a few.

As vice president and commercial loan officer for Maine State Credit Union, Harrington established a formal commercial lending program and recently expanded the department.

Beyond that, Harrington is an adjunct professor at Thomas College where he teaches masters in business administration-level finance. He also teaches graduate finance and economics at Southern New Hampshire University and is working on his doctorate in business administration at Columbia Southern University.

For all his volunteerism, professional achievement and unselfish devotion to the community, the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce will honor Harrington April 25 with the Elias A. Joseph Award at the chamber’s 56th Annual Awards Ceremony, to be held at Enchanted Gables in Oakland.

The award is given annually to a person who has helped develop, coordinate and supervise programs and projects that have enhanced the community and who has exhibited the exceptional initiative Joseph showed during his 28 years of service to the chamber.

Kimberly Lindlof, the chamber’s president and chief executive officer, says Harrington is a tireless volunteer who many years ago started pitching in when Lucille Zelenkewich, then president of Merrill Merchant Bank, which now is People’s United Bank, asked Lindlof to speak to her bank employees about the chamber.

“Who could have known that when Lucille Zelenkewich invited me to do a Lunch & Learn about the Mid-Maine Chamber with a handful of her new employees that we would have gained two tireless volunteers, one of which is Bruce,” Lindlof said. “Bruce has served on nearly every chamber committee, chairing several, and plans to transition to treasurer in 2020. He’s the perfect example of the type of commitment that the Elias A. Joseph Award is designed to exemplify.”

Harrington said he feels very honored to have been chosen for the award and follow in the footsteps of Joseph.

“It’s definitely a long-time historical award. It’s named after somebody who put a lot of time and effort into the chamber,” Harrington said. “I think it’s a great honor.”

While time-consuming, Harrington said he enjoys volunteering and giving back to the community,

“I’ve got four kids, and I want to leave this place better than we found it so they have a place to stay and live and grow,” he said.

A Lawrence High School graduate, Harrington attended Maine Maritime Academy and then earned business and master’s in business administration degrees from University of Maine, Orono. He started working in banking at Merrill Bank in Bangor as a commercial credit analyst. When Merrill opened an office in Skowhegan in 2006, he moved to that office and became involved in the chamber and community activities.

He and his wife, Amy, have four children: Abigail, 9; Matthew, 7; Andrew, 4; and Camilla, 3.

In addition to being an avid bass fisherman, Harrington works with Benton Elementary School on its scholarship and aspirations program, is involved in his children’s dance and scouting activities and coaches PAL football teams.

Amy Calder — 861-9247
acalder@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @AmyCalder17

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