Downtown Portland Corporation honors UNE with Economic Achievement Award

The Downtown Portland Corporation honored the University of New England on Nov. 12 with the 2009 Economic Achievement Award. 

UNE was recognized by Mayor Jill Duson for its contributions to the City of Portland's economic vitality with the opening of its new College of Pharmacy on Stevens Avenue.

The newly constructed College of Pharmacy welcomed its inaugural class in September, joining the Westbrook College of Health Professions on UNE's Portland Campus which employs more than 200 faculty and staff, 118 of which are residents of the City of Portland. 

The number of students on the Portland Campus totals 853. With a full cohort of 400 students and 47 faculty and staff in four years, the combined payroll and operating expenses for the College of Pharmacy will be $7M.  The total economic impact to the community will be $120M.

The 48,000 sq. ft. building was built by LEED sustainability standards. 

The research orientation of UNE's College of Pharmacy distinguishes it from most other pharmacy schools in the country and any other pharmacy school in northern New England with research labs designed to facilitate drug discovery and development, funded by a $4 million grant from the Maine Technology Asset Fund.  

Other awards presented by the Corporation for 2009 were: the 2009 Business of the Year award to Kepware Technologies and the 2009 Small Business of the Year award to BioProcessing Inc.

The Downtown Portland Corporation was created by the Portland City Council in 1990 to create and foster economic development within the city.