FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2014

Maine native Matthew Gagnon selected to lead organization

PORTLAND, Maine – After conducting an exhaustive nationwide search, The Maine Heritage Policy Center, Maine’s foremost free-market think tank, has selected Matthew Gagnon of Alexandria, Virginia as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Gagnon, who has been a well-known figure in Maine political circles for years, will formally assume his duties on September 1, 2014.

“We are thrilled that Matt will be returning to Maine to lead Maine Heritage forward into a new, exciting direction,” said MHPC Chairman Peter V. Anania. “He has an uncanny understanding of Maine and deep experience in activism, policy, and politics. He will provide excellent leadership for both our organization, and advocates for growth, opportunity and freedom across Maine.”

Gagnon, who originally hails from Hampden, Maine, has spent the last three years as Director of Digital Strategy for the Republican Governors Association, where he has been repeatedly recognized as one of the top Republican strategists in the country.

“I am honored by the trust that has been placed in me to lead this organization,” said Gagnon. “The Maine Heritage Policy Center is the single most influential and important policy organization in Maine. It has done incredible work pushing for positive change that has helped make the lives of Mainers better, and I look forward to being able to build upon that success to create a better, more prosperous future for Maine.”

Gagnon has been involved in Maine and national politics for more than a decade, and was recently recognized by Campaigns & Elections Magazine as one of the ten best communicators of either party in politics.

He previously served as a Senior Project Manager in the Public Affairs practice for Arlington based New Media Strategies, as well as Director of New Media Communications for Senator Susan Collins, and Deputy Director of Digital Strategy for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Readers of the Bangor Daily News will be familiar with his writings as the main featured conservative columnist in print and online for the past three years.

You may contact Matt Gagnon at mgagnon@mainepolicy.org. (Effective September 1, 2014)