Staff Writer
FORT FAIRFIELD – After four rewarding years as the executive director of the Fort Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, Shawn Murchison said it’s time for a change.
Friday will be his last day serving the chamber and its members, and he will start his new job with Acadia Medical Supplies Monday, Oct. 22.
“I wasn’t necessarily looking for another job,” said Murchison, “but I have done quite a lot in the four years here, and it does gets very busy. I’ve got four children at home who are growing up around me and this job does fill up your summer. I was doing some thinking and this opportunity just happened to plop in my lap. I gave it some thought, talked to my family about it, and said ‘This is the right thing for me.’ I’m very, very blessed because I’ll still be working in my hometown.
“It wasn’t, ‘Ugh, I hate my job,’” he said, “it was just time for a change.”
Murchison said he will be doing some marketing for Acadia Medical Supplies throughout Aroostook County at doctors’ offices, hospitals and rehab centers, as well as serve as the company’s compliance officer.
“I’ll be working on all their policies and procedures and keeping them in compliance with federal and state regulations so they can become accredited,” he said. “I don’t have a title. One of the cool things about Acadia is that it’s not about a title. That’s not the way they are. Everyone has a specific task that they do … everyone works together and it’s a great atmosphere.”
Before accepting the chamber position, Murchison, 39, was working at The Aroostook Medical Center in the hospital’s budget/reimbursement program.
“My degree from Husson College is in accounting, so that’s what I had been doing for some time,” said Murchison. “I had been involved on the chamber board when the executive director position was opening up, and I knew that while I enjoyed accounting, I also enjoyed working with the public. As a member of the community, I’d often look at different projects and thought ‘I’d like to be involved in that,’ so I decided to give it a shot.”
Murchison said there are a lot of qualities that make a good chamber official.
“You’ve got to be able to deal with the public, and be able to deal with several different personalities. You’ve got to be a good problem solver, and think how best to promote the town … what do I do that makes people want to stop in Fort Fairfield when they drive through? What do I do to make the Potato Blossom Festival a success this year? You’ve got to be a forward-thinking person, and you’ve got to be able to take responsibility. You are given an event or a task, and it’s yours. It either lives or dies because of your effort.”
Looking back on this time with the chamber, Murchison said he’s most proud of being part of what the community has accomplished in four years.
“We’ve built a new swimming pool, the bandstand, are working on a new clock project, there’s the Maine Potato Blossom Festival, the Gospel Festival, building the park for the Bluegrass Festival … I’m proud to have made a difference in all those things and to be a part of it,” he said. “Anything like those projects is a team effort, but from a public standpoint … fund-raising for some of those projects or putting a report together that would convince someone that the Gospel Festival was a good thing to do, I guess I was instrumental, but there were other people involved who helped make those things happen.
“The last four years has been a lot of growth personally, and I’ve made a lot of great contacts and met a lot of nice people,” said Murchison. “I’ve gotten to know the insides and out of town government and the community a little better, which was a real positive experience; and I got to meet some people throughout the state who do the same sort of thing and see a lot of similarities in other communities. It’s been a very rewarding four years.”
Murchison said he anticipates staying active in the community, and may one day serve on the board of directors for the Fort Fairfield Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s my community and it’s my children’s community,” he said, “so it is important to stay involved.”
One project that Murchison plans to keep up with is the Friends Helping Friends food pantry that he and friend Steve Lewis started in April.
“That’s a really cool thing to work on,” said Murchison. “Steve and I saw a family who was in need and we helped them out. In the process of doing that, we were kind of moved and said, ‘We really need to do some research on this because there’s a need in the community.’ The big need that we found were the elderly shut-ins. We started with eight people, and now we have 123 clients.”
The Friends Helping Friends food pantry is located in the back of the Armstrong Engineering building.
“We deliver to those who can’t come to us,” said Murchison, “so that’s a big help to people. It’s more than just a food pantry. What we’ve done is open up an opportunity for community volunteerism … I’ve worked with a lot of youth in there, and I really enjoy that. It’s pretty cool.”
Murchison wishes to thank the Fort Fairfield residents for their community support.
“They’ve made the four years very, very enjoyable,” he said. “I believe in this community and there are a lot of other people here who do to, and I was proud to do this job, and I’m proud to still live here.”
