At a party attended by 250 guests Tuesday night to announce the call for nominations for this year’s Entreverge awards, Sen. Susan Collins delivered the headlining speech. The event was put on by PROPEL, the young professional branch of the Portland Regional Chamber, and took place at the University of Southern Maine’s Abromson Community Education Center in Portland.
“During her time in office, Senator Collins has been a steadfast supporter of Maine’s business community,” said PROPEL board president April Ylvisaker of Merrill Lynch before welcoming the senator to the stage.
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In her remarks, Collins touched on a number of subjects, but spent the most time talking about the dysfunctional political atmosphere pervading Congress and the need for cybersecurity legislation.
Collins has introduced legislation to address ongoing threats to our country’s critical infrastructure posed by other nations, terrorists, criminals and hackers.
“In 2010, 3 billion cyber attacks were recorded by the computer security firm Symantec alone,” Collins said.
She cited a report by Norton that found the annual cost to businesses from such crimes is $114 billion.
“The FBI director told me recently that the cyber threat soon will equal or surpass the threat from terrorism,” Collins told the crowd assembled in Hannaford Hall.
Collins also discussed her disappointment over the recent retirement announcement by her colleague Sen. Olympia Snowe, who cited the growing polarization and partisanship of Congress as the reason she wouldn’t seek re-election.
“With a $15 trillion debt, nearly 13 million people unemployed, oil above $100 per barrel and turmoil throughout the Middle East, there is an urgent need for leaders from the sensible center who realize that neither party has a monopoly on good ideas,” Collins said. “The challenges we face will not be met by those who believe compromise is a dirty word.”
She said she’s witnessed the growing dysfunction herself and attributes it to a “perpetual campaign” culture that fuels “hyperpartisan attacks” and makes it difficult to work across party lines.
“The increasing polarization that has prompted centrists in both parties to depart has convinced me that the center will hold only if we put the same effort into unity that partisans put into division,” Collins said.
When asked during the question and answer period after her talk what can be done to combat the “perpetual campaign” atmosphere, Collins replied that the lack of accountability of Super PACs is part of the problem. Collins also said ugly rhetoric in Congress reflects similar problems in society at large, and she urged us to demand higher levels of civility and bipartisanship from all elected officials.
On a lighter note, Collins praised PROPEL’s work to support young entrepreneurs, both through the Entreverge awards and its ongoing programs and events.
Prior to her speech, PROPEL showed a video highlighting the Entreverge awards and the organization’s networking opportunities. Collins referenced this when she said, “I really regret that I’m too old to join PROPEL. It’s clear from that video that networking is a lot of fun.”
USM President Selma Botman, who serves on the chamber’s board, agreed that PROPEL is a valuable organization.
“USM is a proud sponsor of PROPEL because we believe in the next generation,” Botman told the crowd.
Each year PROPEL hands out five awards to business owners who exemplify entrepreneurship, innovation and contribution to community. Nominations can be submitted online at www.propelportland.org until May 15. The awards will be handed out June 13 at a party at Grace Restaurant in Portland.
PROPEL board member Russell Voss, who heads Voss Consulting Group, told me this year’s awards party is “going to be much bigger than last year.”
Voss attributed the senator’s appearance and the event’s turnout to “what we’re accomplishing.”
“Our unspoken mission is to keep people here in Maine, especially young people,” Voss said.
When I arrived at the party, the first person I ran into at the check-in desk was chamber board member Michael Bourque, a senior vice president at MEMIC. Since I didn’t yet have my notebook in hand, I couldn’t catch what he said verbatim, but his remark spoke volumes about the value PROPEL adds to the Greater Portland community. It went something like this: “Most organizations would be thrilled to have 250 people at their event. But PROPEL gets 250 at their pre-party and a senator.”
Just imagine what the awards party will be like.
Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at:
akamila@pressherald.com
Twitter: AveryYaleKamila
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