Alan Caron has been involved in work to make Maine a better place for most of his adult life. As a community volunteer, small business owner, consultant and campaign strategist, he has worked to strengthen local economies and working waterfronts, celebrate neighborhoods, produce affordable housing and protect the environment.

In 1987, Alan created Caron Communications (now called the Caron Strategies Group), a strategic communications consulting firm that supported companies, non-profit organizations, government agencies, elected officials and candidates to achieve their goals through better communications, building alliances and engaging the public. His clients ranged from some of the state’s largest companies to two of the its largest environmental organizations and to agencies of government.

Through his business and volunteer efforts, Alan has played a significant role in a wide range of initiatives that have helped to shape Maine, including:

• The founder and first President of GrowSmart Maine
• Bringing the Brookings Institution to Maine to produce its landmark study on Charting Maine's Future,
  
• The modernization of Bath Iron Works, which helped to preserve over 5,000 high-wage jobs in Maine,
• The removal of the Edwards Dam in the Kennebec River,
• The creation and writing of a Maine Telecommunications Plan that promoted bringing high-speed internet connections to all of Maine’s high schools and libraries.
• The creation of Trainriders Northeast, which led to the successful re-establishment of Maine’s only passenger rail service, from Boston to Maine,
• The creation of the Waterfront Alliance in Portland,
• The rehabilitation of the historic Merrill Auditorium in Portland.

In 2002, Alan put his business on hold to help create a new statewide organization, GrowSmart Maine, to help build bridges between advocates for a stronger economy and for the protection of the state’s natural and historic character. From 2003-2009, he served as President of GrowSmart Maine, which was then based in Yarmouth.

While at GrowSmart, Alan raised the funds to bring the Brookings Institution to Maine for a major study of the state's economy and environment, entitled Charting Maine’s Future: An Action Plan for Promoting Sustainable Prosperity and Quality Places. The report outlined how Maine is changing, the challenges and opportunities we face, and offered a ‘Blueprint for Action’ for growing Maine in the 21st century. Charting Maine’s Future is now widely regarded as a framework for current and future change in Maine, by political, business and civic leaders and citizens across the state. After the release of that report, Alan traveled to every corner of the state, speaking at over 120 public gatherings, and to over 15,000 people, to explain and promote the report.

Since leaving GrowSmart Maine in the spring of 2009, Alan has married his best friend, Kristina Egan, inherited a wonderful 5 year old, and launched Envision Maine. His 'day job' remains at the Caron Strategies Group.

A lifelong resident of Maine, Alan grew up in the central Maine city of Waterville, along the banks of the Kennebec River, and now lives in South Freeport. He holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy and Management from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he was the first high school dropout admitted to a mid-career Master’s degree program.

Alan’s interests include history, golf, gardening, canoeing, sailing and flying. As an incurable optimist, he fully expects the Red Sox to win the World Series next year and the Patriots to regain their old form.

You can contact Alan at AlanCaron@EnvisionMaine.org