Governor Mills Meets with Business and Economic Leaders in Piscataquis County

Governor also visits major local employers in Dover-Foxcroft and Guilford

Dover-Foxcroft, MAINE -- Governor Mills today met with small businessowners, representatives of major Piscataquis County employers, and local elected officials during a meeting organized by the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council at the Mill Inn and Café in Dover-Foxcroft.

During the meeting, Governor Mills heard firsthand about economic development initiatives in Piscataquis County, the effects of Administration workforce and community investments, and impacts from Federal trade policy on employers and heritage industries.

"Like many people across our state, rural Maine is my home. It is where I was born and largely raised, and it is where my heart is, which is why it is so important to me that we continue to fight for the success of rural Maine in Augusta. I'm proud of my Administration's work to build new opportunities for rural businesses, to invest in rural workforce training and equipment for heritage industries, and to ensure that rural Maine is a great place for people to live, work, and raise a family," said Governor Mills. "From the success of employers in our heritage industries, like Pleasant River Lumber, to Guilford becoming the 'swab capital of the world' through the work of Puritan Medical Products, to the countless small businesses that serve communities throughout Piscataquis County, Maine's rural economy remains a cornerstone of our state. Under my Administration, we will continue to make rural Maine a priority for investment and opportunity today and into the future."

Earlier in the day, Governor Mills toured Pleasant River Lumber, one of Maine's top lumber producers. Based in Dover-Foxcroft, Pleasant River Lumber owns and operates five lumber production plants, two sawmills, and trucking company in Maine.

She also visited Puritan Medical Products in Guilford, which became North America's top producer of COVID-19 testing swabs during the pandemic. In 2024, Puritan received a $250,000 grant through the state's Domestic Trade Program, an initiative of the Governor's Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, to support its efforts to build new market opportunities for its products in the United States.

Today's visits were the latest by Governor Mills around the state to hear from local business and civic leaders. Last week, the Governor visited Waterville and Gardiner in Kennebec County, Bangor in Penobscot County, and Sanford and Arundel in York County.