PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: I recently attended a function in Brunswick where the keynote speaker stated, “Texas uses fourth grade reading scores to project the number of prison cells they’re going to need 10 years later. And not just Texas, but Mississippi and several other states as well.”

I wondered to myself, “Can — or does — Maine do the same thing?”

Over the last several years, there are two topics that continue to dominate in-depth conversations concerning Maine businesses and Maine’s ability to have our products compete nationally and globally. Resoundingly, these topics are around workforce and education. Specifically, businesses can’t recruit the workforce they need to do highly technical jobs and Maine’s K-12 and post-secondary school systems aren’t meeting the challenge.

While this article is not about supporting, defending or even justifying either of the latter two comments, I will say to you as loudly and clearly as possible that these charges are non-partisan — they are being echoed from all sizes and types of businesses and business sectors. And these claims are not going away; they are getting louder.

Many years ago, I use to assist accident investigation teams in compiling reports documenting the reasons why planes crashed. In these studies, investigators would go back days, weeks and even years looking for “causal factors.” Causal factors could be anything, such as how a plane was maintained, how aircrews were trained or if a pilot had a fight with his spouse before flying. A causal factor, when looked at independently, often seemed meaningless or irrelevant. When put together with all of the other pieces, casual factors often made the puzzle much clearer.

The lessons learned would be used to hopefully prevent other deadly mishaps from occurring.

When I hear businesses talking about their workforce problems, I think causal factor. When I hear students, teachers, professors and job creators alike talk about systematic gaps in our educational system, I think, sooner or later, something bad is going to happen. And when I hear law enforcement officials saying they can accurately predict the number of prison cells they’ll need in 10 years, I think, “How did we not see this accident coming?”

Sadly, we have seen the accident coming for years.

Twenty years ago, two doctors working in an inner-city hospital — what was then called Boston City Hospital and today is Boston Medical Center — had an “aha moment” that changed the prospects for all kids (not just at-risk kids, as some would like to report!). Drs. Robert Needleman and Barry Zuckerman proved that something as simple as parents and mentors reading to very young kids could make a profound impact.

Babies and toddlers who receive more verbal, visual and tactile stimulation have more brain stimulation than children who don’t. That there are long-term, positive impacts on cognitive abilities from this increased early stimulation is no surprise.

And it should be no surprise that study after study absolutely proves kids’ vocabulary, language and pre-reading skills are far ahead of their peers’ when they reach school — typically six months ahead — simply as a result of being read to regularly.

In a joint publication, “Making Maine Work: Investment in Young Children = Real Economic Development,” the Maine Development Foundation and Maine State Chamber make a strong case for the importance of early childhood development (to the tune of a 17-to-1 return on investment ratio!). I urge you to go out to either of their websites and download this free publication.

When asked about her success, Oprah Winfrey stated, “Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age 3, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.”

I cannot promise you if you teach your kids to read by the age of 3 they’ll grow up to be a celebrity billionaire. However, if basic skills such as reading are not learned prior to the age of 6, the data is chillingly more predictable: 85 percent of all juvenile offenders have reading problems and 60 percent of America’s prison inmates are illiterate.

We all need to take this subject seriously — kids, parents, mentors, teachers, colleges, politicians and the local business community. This accident must be stopped.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Bar Harbor Bank and Trust invites Chamber members and the community to the Grand Opening of their branch at 2 Main St., Topsham, on Friday, Oct. 5, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

— The Business Success Seminar (formerly Mid Day Chambers) is Thursday, Oct. 18, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Topsham Public Library, 25 Foreside Road. Presenter is Bob Bremm, AdviCoach, “5 Easy Steps to Business Freedom.” The seminars are free.

— Sunnybrook Village hosts the Oct. 24 Chamber After Hours in their “Village Square” from 5 to 7 p.m. Make use of the networking power of the SMMC. Enjoy delicious treats at a variety of tasty food stations, live music, door prize drawings and tours of Sunnybrook Village. This event is free to attend. Register online at www.midcoastmaine.com.

— Do you know a student who is the next Bill Gates? If so, Young Entrepreneurs Academy is for them. Students generate business ideas, develop business plans, pitch to an investor panel and sell their products and services at a trade show. For more information and an application form, contact yea@midcoastmaine.com.

—“The Psychology of Selling: How to Get People to Buy Without Selling” workshop is Nov. 15, 8 a.m. to noon at the Inn at Brunswick Station, 4 Noble St., Brunswick. You must register online at www.midcoastmaine.com (scrolling calendar on homepage). Continental breakfast and extensive manual is included in the fee. Bob LaBrie, Maximum Potential, is the workshop leader. You’ll learn how to combine an effective sales presentation, sales and product knowledge, an ability to discern and handle communication styles and rapport building skills in a way to create a winning combination.

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS: The chamber welcomes Susan Wilson as a “Friend of the Chamber.” Friends are those who choose to support the chamber’s mission. To discover more about these businesses go to www.midcoastmaine.com.

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