Our dedicated team of professionals at the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce, from our skilled staff to our passionate Board of Directors, collaboratively strive to promote and enhance the vibrancy of Ellsworth, ensuring its appeal as a destination for visitors and residents alike. Through active engagement in local initiatives, networking opportunities, and community-building efforts, our staff and Board work tirelessly to foster an environment where Ellsworth shines as an attractive place to live, work, and explore, thereby advancing our mission and cultivating economic growth.
With a commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and proactive advocacy, the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce team continuously aligns its efforts to honor its mission to encourage, promote, and support the growth and development of commerce, thereby enhancing the quality of life in our communities.
Chamber Staff
Board of Directors
Jack has been a resident of Ellsworth, Maine for thirty years. He serves as Vice President, Director of Community Giving with Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. While serving in his previous position as Executive Director of Maine Coast Hospital Foundation, he aided leaders of the Hospital to successfully complete two significant capital campaigns for the construction of the F. Eugene Dixon, Jr. Emergency Center, and the Mary Dow Cancer Center. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and spending time with his family. With a deep commitment to community service, he is active in many organizations including, American Lung Association of Maine, Frenchman Bay Conservancy, Woodlawn Museum, Camp Beech Cliff, Maine Volunteer Foundation and Maine Community Foundation, The Rotary Club of Ellsworth and many more.
Michelle is a native of Ellsworth and a graduate of Ellsworth High School. She is currently the COO of Rudman Winchell a law firm with offices in both Bangor and Ellsworth. Michelle devotes much of her time to various non-profit organizations and is currently the Vice-President of the Ellsworth Area Chamber. Currently she also serves on the Ellsworth City Council. In her downtime, Michelle finds fulfillment in traveling and quality moments with her family.
Tom is the Sales Manager of Darling’s Automall. Over the last 37 years, Tom Wheeler has worked in virtually every aspect of car dealership, until becoming Sales Manager of Chevy in 1999. In 2017 moved from Chevy to Sales Manager at Darling’s Automall. Today he is on countless committees and local boards doing as much as he can to support the community. His involvement includes Past President of the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce, The Board of Acadia Fire, The Chef’s Gala Committee, and the Schoodic Scramble Committee which are both fundraisers for Maine Coast Memorial Hospital. He enjoys relaxing with fitness including running, tennis, skiing, and golf. The work he does helps family and neighbors alike, he is proud of his community and wants to see it flourish for generations.
Kathy Cook is the General Manager for The Ellsworth American and Mount Desert Islander in charge of business operations for the two newspapers. Before joining The Ellsworth American in September 2016, she worked in circulation at The Bangor Daily News and in marketing for advertising agencies in Boston. Kathy enjoys devoting time to serving her community and is a member of the Ellsworth Noontime Rotary Club and serves on the Board of Directors for Acadia Fire Football Club (AFFC). She resides in Ellsworth with her husband, two children and their dog.
Cindy grew up in Ellsworth. She lives in Lamoine with her husband John and their dog. She currently holds the position of Consumer Banking Relationship Manager with the title of VP. She has enjoyed working with customers for nearly 44 years learning about their business and their families. She works hard to find the right fit that helps them move to the next level. Her role at the bank includes retail branch management, business development, community relations, small business lending, consumer lending, and of course the most important customer service. She is committed to her customers and their communities. She is a Board Member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Ellsworth, Past President of the Ellsworth Kiwanis Club, and Past Board Member and Treasurer of Next Step Domestic Violence Project. She was on the committee to start the first MCMH golf tournament which she worked on for many years. She serves as the Treasurer of the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce.
Amy Boles has been CrossFitting since 2011. She started CrossFit to supplement and complement her marathon training. She was a competitive swimmer in college and was looking for something to scratch that itch as well. CrossFit was the perfect fit. In 2012, Amy began coaching and in 2017 opened CrossFit Breakwater. She currently lives in Ellsworth with her husband, Matthew, and sons, Landon and Greyson. In 2023, Amy decided to sell CrossFit Breakwater to be able to spend more time with her boys. She is so grateful to be able to still coach and be a part of CrossFit Breakwater. Amy’s favorite aspects of coaching are being able to watch others meet their goals and accomplish things they never thought they could do, as well as the relationships she has built with the members. Amy believes CrossFit Breakwater truly have an amazing community!
Patrick Maguire is a resident of Ellsworth, Maine, he owns and operates independent insurance agencies in Maine with his business partner. Brown, Holmes and Milliken Agency in Bucksport, Ellsworth, and Machias, Lynam Insurance Real Estate Agency in Bar Harbor, Schoodic Insurance Agency in Milbridge, Brogue Insurance Agency in Bangor, and Harrington Insurance Agency in Bath. He has over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry and is a Certified Insurance Councilor, he has served on the Maine Independent Insurance Agents Board of Directors, Down East YMCA Board of Directors, District One Little League Board of Directors, Acadian Post 207 American Legion Baseball, Acadia Chapter Ducks Unlimited, Ellsworth Elks Lodge, and Ellsworth Rotary Club. He enjoys Maine Outdoors, hiking, biking, golf, skiing, hunting and fishing.
Megan works directly with organizers of events, meetings, workshops, and retreats on campus, handling the nitty gritty of their visit. Megan graduated from Sumner Memorial High School and Western New England University in Springfield, MA and brings more than twenty-five years of experience in the hospitality industry to Schoodic Institute. In 2001, Megan moved back to her hometown of Winter Harbor and, with her husband, ran a small café for three years before, in 2004, opening her family-owned bed and breakfast, Elsa’s – which, under her management, won accolades by TripAdvisor and Yankee Magazine. Megan lives in Winter Harbor with her husband Glenn and their three sons. In her free time Megan enjoys travel, food, both cooking and eating and days on the beach with family and friends!
Nick Turner joined The Grand in the Spring of 2017 as the Executive Director. Turner has over 30 years of experience in multiple aspects of theater venue management and the performing arts, including education and outreach. He lives in Ellsworth with accomplished singer/actor wife Gina, accomplished musician/artist daughter Harper, and accomplished havoc makers dogs Boo Boo and Morse.
Linda Elliott, a mortgage loan officer at Maine Savings’ Ellsworth branch, recently was awarded the company’s Cecil C. Porter Extraordinary Service Award. Chosen by senior staff, the award is named for a longtime director and is given annually for superior service passion and performance excellence throughout the previous year while providing the highest quality service to Maine Savings members/employees.
In December 2019, Susan and her husband Scott bought Ruth Foster’s building on Main Street in Ellsworth and opened their store “Bliss”. She has a love of Historic Downtowns and recognized the momentum behind the potential of Ellsworth’s Main Street. She actively promotes downtown by organizing events that bring awareness to Ellsworth’s downtown. She graduated from Rutgers College with a BS in Accounting and holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from Brooklyn College. She has worked on many community projects including establishing cooperative inner-city day cares and the New York City AIDS Memorial Quilt. She has testified before Senator Susan Collins Committee on Aging in Washington DC to promote older workers in the workplace. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, pottery, and hiking in Acadia with her family.
Crystal enjoys outdoor activities, hiking, XC skiing, snowshoeing and “getting her steps in” When it’s really cold she is a big fan of her Peloton bike – hit her up at En_fuego314. She has worked in the Ellsworth community for the last 15 years. Crystal builds trusted relationships with people in her community and people she works with. She believes the key to continued success is to build genuine connections with people, and treat people as you would expect to be treated. She serves on the Rotary Club of Ellsworth (noontime) and volunteers with an organization called Laundry Love.
Laura currently serves as the Treasurer of the Mid-Coast Board of Realtors, is a past President of the Acadia Council of Realtors® and Mid-Coast Board of Realtors, past President of the Rotary Club of Ellsworth, a member of the Surry Community Improvement Association and a past member of the Surry School Committee. Her dedication to the local communities helps make Eastern Maine a great place to live, work and play. She enjoys spending time with her in the beautiful Maine outdoors, hiking and kayaking. She loves traveling with her husband, including trips to South Africa, Iceland, Switzerland and Germany.