Maine Historical Culture had its most significant and most successful Maine Heritage Maker Award celebration to day as the nonprofit honored Severin Beliveau, 84, and Harold Pachios, 85, co-founders of the regulation firm Preti Flaherty, May possibly 6 at the College of Southern Maine’s Hannaford Corridor.
“Our perform focuses on the profound strategies that historical past designs Maine these days,” stated Government Director Steve Bromage, introducing a system that highlighted the immigration stories of the two honorees’ family members and elevated $100,000 for the nonprofit. “Thanks to Severin’s and Harold’s competitive natures, we have damaged our fundraising record. We have in excess of 100 corporate and host committee sponsors.”
Maine Historical Modern society was founded just two decades just after Maine statehood and is celebrating 200 a long time while looking in advance to a third century. “Our Maine Record Maker award celebrates men and women who have experienced a authentic impact on the state and recognizes present-day record in the creating,” mentioned Deputy Director Jamie Rice.
The 3-hour fundraiser incorporated Franco-Americaine amusement by the Don Roy Ensemble and a panel discussion with Cambodian, Congolese and Burundian reps of New Mainer communities. Attendees included much more than a number of lawyers and judges, as properly as Gov. Janet Mills and former politicians from both sides of the aisle.
“I assume we can convene the Legislature here, practically,” joked Meredith Strang Burgess, a Maine Historic Culture trustee who served three terms as a condition consultant.
Honorees Beliveau and Pachios grew up in Franco and Greek Maine people at a time when discrimination against immigrants, Catholics and other ethnic teams was rampant. Pachios talked about the importance of today’s historical societies telling these tales so that individuals recognize that new waves of immigrants are no distinctive.
“My own family was not welcome,” explained Pachios, whose moms and dads ended up Greek immigrants. “One hundred a long time later on, no just one is asking us to go away.”
After increasing up in Cape Elizabeth, Pachios served two years in the U.S. Navy although attending Georgetown Law College in Washington, D.C., at night time. On graduation, he served as affiliate White Property press secretary underneath President Lyndon B. Johnson and later joined Sen. Edmund Muskie’s 1968 vice presidential marketing campaign as director of advance operations. Pachios returned to Maine in 1969, where his lots of civic roles have incorporated board chair of the College of Southern Maine School of Legislation, president of the Portland Symphony Orchestra and chair of the Cape Elizabeth University board. These days, Pachios serves on the board of the Very first Amendment Museum in Augusta and hosts the local tv plan “Pachios on the News,” speaking about present-day activities in authorities with visitors from throughout the political landscape.
“Harold has been a huge useful resource for the Initially Amendment Museum,” stated Christan Cotz, the museum’s main executive officer. “He’s a strategic thinker, and his experience and information are priceless.”
Continuing to work at their adjoining places of work at Preti Flaherty, which has grown to 100 attorneys and 5 regional workplaces, Beliveau and Pachios have expended a great number of hrs swapping stories – and laughing. (Beliveau’s reaction to acquiring the Maine Record Maker award was to quip with a wink, “Long overdue.”)
“I consider stories are genuinely important,” said Beliveau, launching into quite a few humorous ones about expanding up in Rumford in an Acadian household of trailblazing attorneys and judges. Immediately after graduating from Georgetown Law College, Beliveau served in the Maine House of Associates and afterwards the Maine Senate and was influential in the increase of the Maine Democratic Occasion just after a century of Republican dominance. He was also a winner of Maine’s Franco heritage, serving as an honorary French consular agent for Maine and educating Franco-American reports at the University of Southern Maine.
“Severin has completed so substantially for the French neighborhood in Maine,” mentioned Jacques Santucci of Portland. “He’s an icon.”
“And he knows the art of politics and how to compromise,” mentioned longtime good friend Paul Cote of Portland.
“These adult men are part of the fabric of the group and have extra immensely to it,” said Ned Muskie, son of the former Sen. Edmund Muskie.
Amy Paradysz is a freelance writer and photographer based in Scarborough. She can be achieved at [email protected]
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