Rockland resident Thomas Peaco  announced his candidacy for a two-year seat on the board of Regional School Unit 13. Peaco is seeking to fill the unexpired term of Jesse Butler, who recently resigned from the board. Peaco will appear on the November ballot, after successfully collecting and submitting the signatures of over 100 registered voters who reside in Rockland.

Peaco and his wife, Michelle, have been Rockland residents since 1998. They have three sons: Zachary, 19, is a 2015 graduate of Oceanside High School and is currently a sophomore at the University of Maine. Joshua, 16, is a junior at Oceanside High School. Andrew, 12, is a seventh grader at Oceanside Middle School.

A Maine native, Peaco is a graduate of Gray-New Gloucester High School, and holds a bachelor of science in business administration from the University of Maine. He has dedicated his 28-year career to leadership of nonprofits in Maine, and is currently the executive director of the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, a position he has held since May 2015.

Peaco is a long-term member of the Camden Rotary Club, and served as its president in 2009-2010. He has served as vice president of Oceanside Little League for six years, and has coached teams for the organization for more than 10 years. He has also volunteered as a coach for youth programs through the former Rockland Recreation Department, and as a leader of local Scouting programs. Peaco graduated from the Midcoast Leadership Academy in 2016.

"I enjoy being involved in the community, and my family has close ties to the schools and the people involved with RSU 13,” he said, in a news release. “I think my combination of professional and community experiences have prepared me with abilities and ideas that can be helpful as part of the school board. I'm excited to step up and express my interest in serving in this role. I am pleased with the progress made in changing the tone of the RSU 13 board recently, and I hope to have a chance to add my positive influence to the mix as we face the challenges and opportunities of continuing to improve our district."