“Who is SADC?”

    Most know that SADC is a local organization and many know that its main charge is to market the region to businesses from away that are looking to expand their operations and/or to relocate.  An organization is made up of people. Many don’t know, however, the players who make up SADC.
  This is the fifth in a series of articles featuring the board members of SADC who are crucial to its success.
       SADC was formed in the late ‘90’s by a group of forward thinking businessmen and women. One such business person was Gerard (Jerry) York, Jr.
    Jerry, born in Houlton, has been a life long resident of Houlton. He graduated from Houlton High School in the Class of 1970 and went to the University of Maine at Orono and graduated in 1975 with a BS in Business Administration.
    Upon his graduation, he returned to Houlton and started work in the family business, at that time located on Bangor Street and called York Ford.  Also in 1975, his brother Dick came into the business and in 1978, it moved to its present location on North Street. A perfect team was formed with Jerry as General Manager and Dick as Sales Manager. Under their leadership, the dealership has flourished. As General Manager, Jerry oversees the operations side of the business which was renamed York’s of Houlton.
    Jerry and his wife, Jane (Hogan) York reside in Houlton and have three grown children; Ellen, David and  Collin who just graduated from Bates this May.
    According to Jerry, everyone has one vice and his is golf. He is a self-described golf nut and is an exceptionally good golfer. Winter or summer, can find him on a golf course some where in the U.S.
    Despite his busy workload and active hobby, Jerry finds time to give back to his community. He is on the Houlton Golf Course board, is presently president of the Houlton Regional Hospital Board of Directors, a member and co-chair of the fund-raising committee of the Houlton High School Alumni Association and president of the Maine Auto Dealers Association.
    “I want to help the local economy expand in whatever way I can. SADC furnishes me an outlet that allows me to do so.”
    SADC continues to push forward with its mission to attract and guide new businesses to Southern Aroostook for the betterment of our area.  SADC is a private/public-funded partnership and if interested in contributing to our efforts or attending one of our board meetings as a guest please contact the office at 521-0157.