One of my favorite songs this time of year is Perry Como’s rendition of “There’s no place like home for the holidays.” The well-known first stanza goes like this:
“Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays,
‘Cause no matter how far away you roam,
When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze,
For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home.”
‘Cause no matter how far away you roam,
When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze,
For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home.”
Without question, there is no place like our home, the State of Maine, for the holidays or, quite frankly, any time of year. 2015 was another reminder of just how fortunate we are to call this place home, from our terrific summer and fall weather to our unseasonably warm November and December.
Maine’s economy is also heating up. Our economy grew by 4.2% in the second quarter, according to the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis, outpacing the national average. Additionally, our most recent unemployment rate is down to 4.1%, our state’s lowest since 2002.
The Maine Technology Institute also had a banner year, investing just under $9 million through our suite of funding programs and another $4.85 million through Maine Technology Asset Fund investments. To highlight the incredible variety of products and companies within the MTI portfolio, MTI has developed the 2015 Winter Gift Guide. I encourage you to browse its pages as you finish-up your holiday gift buying adventures. You can find it on our website: mainetechnology.org
Again, I hope you feel as privileged as I do to call Maine home. Please enjoy your holiday and remember, as the song says, “If you want to be happy in a million ways, for the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home.”
Best,
Brian