PORTLAND, Maine — Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC) Executive Director Matt Jacobson informed the organization’s board of directors that he will step down from his position effective Monday, February 25, 2019.
“On behalf of the entire board, we want to thank Matt for his dedicated service in this role over the past five years,” said Frank Gotwals, MLMC board chairman and fisherman based in Stonington, ME. “Maine’s lobster industry is not only an economic powerhouse that sustains so many local fishermen and families, but also a core piece of our state’s identity. We offer him our sincerest congratulations as he takes the next step in his career and we look forward to beginning the search for our new Executive Director.”
A formal search process will be launched for Jacobson’s replacement, led by the collaborative’s board of directors. More details on that process will be forthcoming.
Prior to his role with the MLMC, where he was the organization’s first executive director, Jacobson’s career spanned 20 years in sales, marketing and politics. He served as president and CEO of the nonprofit Maine & Company and helped build Canadian National Railway’s intermodal business into a $1 billion a year enterprise.
“Under Matt’s leadership, the collaborative established itself as a strategy-driven marketing force, spreading the Maine Lobster story across the globe and managing everything from consumer education, chef events and media relations to issues management and stakeholder support,” said Luke Holden, MLMC board member and owner of Luke’s Lobster and Luke’s Lobster Seafood Company. “As we look for the next executive director, the board is confident in its ability to continue to drive forward the MLMC’s 2019 marketing plan as we approach peak season, ensuring the continued growth of the industry.”
For further information, please visit the MLMC website at www.lobsterfrommaine.com.
About the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative
The Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC), founded in 2013, is funded by Maine Lobster harvesters, dealers and processors to grow demand, both for whole live lobster and a variety of value-added products. The MLMC supports that objective by promoting the core values of the Maine Lobster industry, which are sustainability and traceability that’s deeply rooted in tradition. Maine Lobster achieved the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification in 2013, allowing Maine Lobster to certify its long-standing sustainable practices. The industry has been self-regulating for more than 150 years.
