MaineStream Finance Opens
Office in Knox County

Bangor, ME - January 19, 2011- Ken Greenleaf, a resident of Waldoboro, ME, has recently been hired as the Microenterprise Consultant for MaineStream Finance. His position was created to serve the residents and microbusiness community of Knox and Waldo counties.

"MaineStream Finance has provided services in these counties in the past but now it puts us on the ground in Knox and Waldo counties on a regular basis," said Jayne Crosby Giles, CEO of MaineStream Finance. "We believe this will increase entrepreneurship and new business for these counties."

MaineStream Finance, a subsidiary of Penquis, is a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), providing credit and financial education programs to reduce poverty and address economic and social needs for Maine residents with low or moderate income. MaineStream Finance offers a wide range of services including home buyer education, mortgage lending and technical assistance for small and micro business owners.

For the past several years Greenleaf was a sales and marketing manager where he worked with businesses ranging from the very small to large chains. Before that he managed an Internet development firm creating enterprise web sites for a wide variety of clients. He started and ran a small, high-end renovation company in New York City. Besides his background in sales and business, his experience includes working in a harpsichord shop and as a commercial fisherman. Greenleaf is also an artist and writer, and has written regular columns in the past for MaineBiz magazine, the Portland Newspapers and the Portland Phoenix. His work has been shown many times in galleries and in a number of museums."Ken's experience as a small business owner, and in sales and marketing as well as Internet marketing will make him a great resource," said Giles.

Greenleaf, a native of Maine, is eager to meet with individuals and provide that one-on-one assistance at whatever level they need. "There are always opportunities for new businesses. I see my role as finding out how a person's skills and background can fit into creating them," said Greenleaf. "I will be providing guidance for people as they develop their existing skill into a viable enterprise; it's economic development carried out one person at a time."

MaineStream Finance recently received funding from the USDA Rural Development, Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program to offer microbusiness loans for qualifying individuals up to $50,000. Greenleaf's work will include developing business plans and assisting individuals with applying for small business loans.

While MaineStream Finance offers a wide range of services, from Home Buyer Education, reverse mortgages to home loans, Greenleaf's primary role will be assisting with the Microbusiness Technical Assistance and Lending branch of MaineStream Finance.

In addition to the technical assistance, the U. S. Small Business Administration provides funding for two trainings offered through MaineStream Finance. Incubator Without Walls is 12-session training that teaches individuals how to start or expand a business with 5 or fewer employees. Business 101 provides an overview of the pros and cons of operating a microenterprise, developing a business plan and resources for business development.

The new MaineStream Finance office is located at 170 Pleasant St. Suite A, Rockland, ME. Those interested in talking with Ken about a new business start up or expanding an existing business can contact him at 207-974-2437 or 1-800-585-1605 or at kgreenleaf@penquis.org.

About MaineStream Finance

idiary of Penquis, MaineStream Finance provides Maine residents with training, counseling loans to help start or grow a business. We provide homebuyer education, home loans, and down payment assistance loans.