Sandy Blitz has been passionate about economic development and dedicated his career to this purpose. Now, by using a life insurance policy, Sandy will be carrying on this legacy by creating a permanent endowed fund to support fellowships for University of Maine students in programs that support economic development in Maine.

Sandy served in several high-level positions in the federal government.  President Barack Obama appointed Sandy to be the first-ever Federal Co-Chair of the newly created Northern Border Regional Commission. President George W. Bush appointed Sandy to be Region I Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration in New England. Before that, Sandy spent more than a decade as a regional representative for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration under presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. He also held several managerial positions at the U.S. General Services Administration. 

Sandy’s connection with UMaine has been a strong one. In 1992, he earned a Master’s in Public Administration at UMaine. In addition, he has worked closely with the University on a number of its economic development projects including as executive manager of the Bangor Target Area Development Corporation and adjunct assistant professor at the University of Maine’s Department of Public Administration. Through these experiences as well as running his own business, Emesbee Associates, a consulting firm that helped public and private entities find government grants and loans, Sandy has become highly sensitive to the challenges faced by, and opportunities offered by, small businesses in Maine.

When Sandy was considering his philanthropic goals, he decided to create a fund at the University of Maine Foundation to support fellowships for UMaine students in programs that support economic development in the State of Maine. This fund will help UMaine students develop entrepreneurship skills and boost economic development in Maine at the same time. 

When deciding how to fund his gift, Sandy considered several alternatives, and ultimately, decided to use life insurance. Specifically, Sandy took out a new life insurance policy and made an irrevocable gift to the University of Maine Foundation by naming it the owner and beneficiary of the policy. Each year, Sandy makes a gift to cover the annual premium. Sandy has said that, “By using life insurance to create my fellowship fund, I will be able to make a much larger gift than if I had simply donated the amount of the premiums during my lifetime. I consider it a win-win.”