Maine State Chamber Board Chair LuAnn Ballesteros, left, presented Laurie G. Lachance, center, with the Dirigo Award Oct. 30. At right is Maine State Chamber President and CEO Patrick Woodcock. Contributed photo

AUGUSTA — The Maine State Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting and dinner Oct. 30 at the Augusta Civic Center.

The chamber presented a leadership award to retiring Thomas College President Laurie G. Lachance and honored the Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce for its leadership and efforts following the October 2023 mass shooting tragedy in Lewiston.

Lachance received the chamber’s Dirigo Award for her visionary leadership and decades of contributions and service to Maine. Lachance served as president of Thomas College in Waterville from 2012-24 as its fifth president and the first female and alumna to lead the college.

From 2004-12, Lachance was president and CEO of the Maine Development Foundation. Prior to MDF, she served three governors as Maine state economist. Before joining state government, Lachance was the corporate economist at Central Maine Power. Lachance joins several Maine governors, U.S. senators, and Maine business leaders in receiving the Dirigo Award.

The chamber recognized the LA chamber as the 2024 Dana F. Connors Chamber of the Year for its leadership, resilience, and commitment to rebuilding and revitalizing the Lewiston-Auburn community in response to the mass shooting tragedy that took place on Oct. 25, 2023, claiming 18 lives and impacting hundreds of people and businesses in the Lewiston-Auburn region and beyond.

The chamber also debuted its 2024 edition of OneVoice Maine magazine, which pays tribute to Lachance with feature articles about her life, career, impact and legacy, and perspectives from her family, friends and colleagues, including Gov. Janet Mills and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.

For more information visit mainechamber.org.

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