PRESQUE ISLE – A scholarship fund established recently through the Northern Maine Community College Foundation to honor the memory and legacy of well-known Aroostook County businessman Peter G. Hunt Sr. has been bolstered by a significant gift from an education foundation that Hunt himself was instrumental in creating.
The $30,000 contribution from the Patriot Education Foundation directed to the Peter G. Hunt Sr. Memorial Scholarship brings the total of the NMCC fund to $100,000.
“The Patriot Education Scholarship Fund was created by the Patriot Education Foundation with a capital contribution from Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance Co. The purpose of the scholarship fund is to provide financial assistance to Maine students who want to pursue a career in the insurance field,” said Robert Clark, chairman of the board of Patriot Education Foundation. “The foundation board recognizes Peter Hunt’s contribution to the insurance industry in Maine and his passion for helping young people attain their educational goals. We are pleased to make this contribution to the Peter G. Hunt Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund at Northern Maine Community College.”
In early January, officials with the Campaign for the County’s College announced the United Insurance Group (UIG) had donated just over $70,000 to set up the memorial scholarship fund. The contribution included a $60,000 gift from UIG and numerous donations given in memory of Hunt by family, friends and business associates since his unexpected death in late June 2007.
“Our family is extremely pleased that Patriot Mutual and Frankenmuth Financial are honoring my father with this contribution to his scholarship fund. It is a very fitting tribute to Dad, given his long career in the insurance business, his service on the Patriot Mutual Board, and his instrumental involvement in Patriot acquiring its personal lines book of business and then later merging with Frankenmuth Financial,” said Melony LeShane, Hunt’s daughter. “We look forward to seeing many NMCC students succeed in their pursuit of higher education with a little help from the Peter G. Hunt Sr. Scholarship Fund.”
Patriot Mutual Insurance Co. (PMIC) and Patriot Life Insurance Co. (PLIC) were formed in 1996 as a result of the sale of Maine Blue Cross/Blue Shield to Anthem. PMIC was primarily a dental insurance company and PLIC had limited life insurance policies in force. PMIC purchased the personal lines insurance business from Acadia Insurance Co. and began selling personal insurance products including homeowners, auto, and umbrella among others.
With both Clark and Hunt on the board of directors, Patriot Mutual entered into negotiations, about three years ago, with Frankenmuth Financial Group. As part of the transaction, Frankenmuth agreed to provide $1 million to establish the Patriot Education Foundation that would make scholarships available to Maine students majoring in insurance. Administration of the fund, which is now called the Patriot Education Scholarship Fund, is managed by the Maine Community Foundation.
“The students are the direct beneficiaries of this contribution from the Patriot Education Foundation,” said NMCC President Timothy Crowley. “As a result, we will be able to award scholarship assistance to more students than we initially expected through the Peter G. Hunt Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund. Peter Hunt’s lifework was devoted to providing opportunities for the people of this region. The scholarship fund in his memory will ensure that legacy lives on.”
One of the founders of the statewide United Insurance Group (UIG), Hunt established and successfully operated a number of businesses in the county and beyond, including acquiring, in recent years, the Harry’s family of businesses comprised of Top of Maine Insurance Co., Harry’s Honda and Harry’s Motor Sports in Presque Isle.
The Campaign for the County’s College is the first-ever major gifts campaign undertaken collaboratively by NMCC and the NMCC Foundation. It was publicly launched late last February with a goal of raising $2 million by the end of February 2008. At the beginning of the New Year, campaign leaders announced they had achieved goal two months early.
The campaign features three primary funds. The first, the Accessing Opportunity Fund, allows the College Foundation to provide financial assistance through endowed scholarships, such as the Hunt scholarship, and awards to deserving students. The Investing in Innovation Fund is a technology endowment fund that will ensure the College can keep pace with changing instructional technology. A third, the College and Community Advancement Fund, provides an immediate source of funding, allowing NMCC to launch new curricula and respond promptly to evolving community needs.
Contributed photo
THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE COUNTY’S COLLEGE recently accepted a $30,000 contribution from the Patriot Education Foundation directed to the Peter G. Hunt Sr. Memorial Scholarship. Accepting the lead gift are, from left: Brian Hamel, campaign tri-chair; Raynold Gauvin, NMCC Foundation board chair; and NMCC President Timothy Crowley. Presenting the gift was Robert Clark, who serves as chairman of the board of Patriot Education Foundation. Clark was joined by Melony LeShane and Peter Hunt Jr., two of the four children of the late Peter G. Hunt Sr.