MAINE — Eric Venturini will begin as the new executive director for the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine on Monday February 10, 2020.

Venturini is an alumnus of the University of Maine, having earned both his undergraduate degree at the University in 2006 and his graduate degree, a Master’s of Science, in 2015. Most of his work for the past eight years has focused on wild blueberries and pollinators, as a student, assistant research scientist at the University of Maine, and most recently as a pollinator conservationist with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

For his work in this field, last fall Venturini was honored with the Abram W. Harris Award, presented by the University of Maine Foundation to celebrate his service and leadership.

The Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine was originally established in 1945 and is a public instrumentality that was created by statute to help promote the ongoing prosperity of Maine’s wild blueberry industry. It is comprised of 10 commissioners representing the diverse interests of the state’s 500 wild blueberry growers and processors.

The Commission is not membership based, but is funded by a state wild blueberry tax that is paid by growers and processors, according to the Commission, in a news release. The Commission manages and oversees the use of the tax funds, primarily in the areas of promotion, research and development, and policy advocacy.

The Executive Director is responsible for setting the strategic direction with the Commission, administering the wild blueberry tax fund, and overseeing the programs necessary to execute its goals.

Contact Eric Venturini 207-478-7612 eric.venturini@gmail.com if you have any questions.