GPCOG Forums/Workshops

GPCOG Sustainability Forum Series: "Toward a Sustainable Regional Economy"

GPCOG’s second sustainability forum held on March 27th was a great success with keynote speaker Michael Shuman keeping the audience spellbound.  He introduced the idea of economic development based on “LOIS” or “Locally owned, Import Substitution.” His presentation built an argument for pursuing and encouraging local businesses, offered examples of how local businesses can compete, and made suggestions about how local businesses can be nurtured.  Among other things, he  looked at the impacts of local spending, and demonstrated how non-local businesses are being subsidized to a much greater degree than local businesses. 

Mr. Shuman joined panelists Mary Allen Lindemann, Co-Owner of Coffee By Design; Mark McAuliffe, Owner of Apothecary by Design and PeRx-U-Up Café; and Marty Grohman, President of Correct Building Products for a very informative conversation about how and why these local business people started their businesses in Maine.  Professor Richard Barringer, Muskie School of Public Service, served as Moderator and provided an overview of the Governor’s Council on Maine’s Quality of Place. 

Michael Shuman, attorney and economist, is Vice President for Enterprise Development for the Training & Development Corporation (TDC).  He has authored many books about local economies including:

• The Small-Mart Revolution:  How Local Businesses are Beating the Global Competition (Berrett-Koehler, 2006).
• Going Local:  Creating Self-Reliant Communities in the Global Age (Free Press, 1998).

Shuman has also appeared on numerous television and radio shows, such as the Lehrer News Hour and NPR's "Talk of the Nation," and is a periodic commentator on NPR's "All Things Considered."

Click here for Michael Shuman’s PowerPoint slides.  His presentation will be available soon.

Click here for a printable flyer.

Click here for Program.

We also want to thank our sponsors for making this presentation possible.