Welcome to the 14th edition of “A Month @ MOB,” a roundup of news and events in Maine’s outdoor industry each month:
Commissioner Johnson Names New Director of Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation
Maine Economic & Community Development Commissioner Heather Johnson today announced that Jeff McCabe will be the Director of Maine’s Office of Outdoor Recreation (MOOR). McCabe replaces Carolann Ouellette, who assumed leadership of the Maine Office of Tourism and its subsidiary offices as Director of Tourism, Outdoor Recreation, and Film in June. McCabe has served as Deputy Director under Ouellette since November 2023.
LLBean inks wholesale deal with Von Maur, retailer with stores in 15 states
Starting this fall, L.L. Bean merchandise will be offered in Von Maur stores across the country and through its online channels. Both L.L.Bean and Von Maur are family-owned retailers that have been in business for over a century.
Maine Island Trail Association Names Ben Dougherty as Executive Director
“I am extremely honored to become MITA’s next executive director,” said Dougherty. “I believe in the transformative power of the outdoors to enhance the lives of all people, and the Maine Island Trail is an outdoor resource like no other. I look forward to leading and building on MITA’s continuous work in stewarding and celebrating the Trail and ensuring its accessibility for everyone along the Maine coast.”
Roux Institute’s new business incubator aims to take on climate change
The new ClimateTech Incubator houses 12 startups focused on the environment to help boost the state’s clean energy workforce.
Switchback welcomes Outdoor Industry Association as official event partner.
Outdoor sector’s premier trade group joins forces with twice-a-year gathering to build a comprehensive foundation for industry growth, connection, and learning.
$3.3M workforce housing development opens at Acadia National Park
The units will allow Acadia National Park to hire more seasonal staff, using federal funds that are already appropriated for the purpose. Last year, due to lack of affordable housing, Acadia was only able to hire 114 seasonal staffers, compared with the 175 authorized.
Maine Outdoor Brands appoints McNeill as new board president and announces new board members.
“As we continue to grow Maine’s outdoor recreation economy, we’re thrilled to have Devin, Charlie, Sokunthy, and our new board members bring their vision and expertise to the table,” said Jenny Kordick, Executive Director of Maine Outdoor Brands. “We’re also deeply grateful to Jim Hauptman for his leadership and founding vision, which helped position MOB as a key driver of Maine’s thriving outdoor economy.”
Tourism office awards $1M in marketing grants to 8 groups across Maine
Recipients demonstrated their projects’ potential for long-term impact; campaigns that reach underrepresented, new and diverse communities of visitors; and the creation or improvement of tourism assets that will live on beyond the life of the grant term. Maine Adaptive was awarded $94,500.
Eoin Comerford, a titian within the Outdoor Industry, has joined StokedPlastics as an advisor
Eoin’s addition comes at a critical point in StokedPlastics’ journey. His expertise, industry connections, and knack for guiding emerging brands will be instrumental in maintaining our momentum within the outdoor industry.
Outdoor Newsletter “The Send” to be Relaunched on Substack
“The Send is a weekly newsletter that aims to bridge the gap between Maine’s thriving outdoor community and the industry by being an information hub for lovers of human-powered adventure. It creates a space to celebrate our outdoor economy by showcasing Maine’s innovative outdoor brands and local shops, spreading the word of outdoor-focused events and one-of-a-kind experiences, and even galvanizing readers to be conservationists, so we can all learn to recreate responsibly.” says founder Katherine Englishman