Maine Venture Fund Board members are talented and experienced individuals who volunteer their time in service of the mission of the Fund – investing in dynamic businesses that have the potential for significant growth and impact in Maine. 

The Fund’s Board of Directors is made up of of eleven members, ten appointed by the Governor, and an ExOfficio seat for the Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development or designee.

We’d like to take this opportunity to announce two new board members and thank an outgoing board member for his service to the state.

John Murray departed the board in April, after serving on MVF’s board since 2014. He generously gave his time, talents, and energy, and served as Chair for two terms. When not spending time with MVF, John is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Progress Engineering in Manchester, Maine. John has also been a part of several start-ups and previously started his own company. 

Thank you, John.  Your invaluable dedication and service to the Fund and the State of Maine is greatly appreciated.

Looking ahead, we’d like to extend a warm welcome to our newest members:

Peter Handy, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Seafood, Portland.  

In addition to his role at Bristol, Peter serves on the boards of Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine, Maine Public Radio, the Maine Venture Fund, and the investment committee of the Portland Museum of Art. 

Malinda Gagnon, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Uprise Partners, Bethel.

Malinda has advised clients such as Procter and Gamble, General Electric, Volkswagen, BlackRock, and Walmart, as well as hundreds of startups. She’s also a mentor with Techstars, MassChallenge, and Maine Center for Entrepreneurs. 

Welcome Peter and Malinda!  We appreciate your willingness to serve on Maine Venture Fund’s Board and are excited about the experience and perspective you will bring to the group.  We look forward to working with you.