Ron L. Phillips
Ron L. Phillips (CAS’65) of Waldoboro, Maine, the founder of Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI), received an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service from Saint Joseph’s College on May 13, 2017, in recognition of his public service in developing financial investment and legislative initiatives that have created economic opportunity for people and places at the margins of the economy. CEI helps create jobs, environmentally sustainable enterprises, and shared prosperity in Maine and in rural regions across the country by providing financing, business and industry expertise, and policy solutions. Ron, who founded CEI in 1977, stepped down from leadership in 2016. During his 38-year tenure, CEI invested in thousands of Maine businesses and housing projects, and helped to create or retain more than 30,000 jobs in industries vital to Maine’s underserved regions. CEI’s impact ranges from its first investment in rebuilding Boothbay Region Fish and Cold Storage to The Press Hotel and the Farnsworth Art Museum.
From the Fall 2017 issue.