Jim Cohen Receives Neal W. Allen Award
September 25, 2009
On Thursday, September 24, Verrill Dana partner James I. Cohen was honored with the Neal W. Allen Award for Leadership in the Public Sector by the Portland Regional Chamber at its 155th Annual Dinner and Community Leadership Awards. City Councilman Neal Allen, for whom the award is named, began his career of public service in 1923 and was revered among both elected officials and municipal managers. The award honors elected or appointed officials who have made significant contributions to the future of greater Portland.
Jim Cohen is a former City Councilor and Mayor of Portland. During his tenure, Mr. Cohen successfully spearheaded numerous initiatives, including expanding Portland’s creative economy; helping form and then chairing a six-community partnership called the Metro Regional Coalition; helping form a Joint Task Force to address renovation of the Cumberland County Civic Center; hosting two regional bus transit summits in collaboration with MaineDOT and the Governor; and organizing the Sustainable Portland Task Force, the Mayor’s Healthy Portland Task Force, and the Volunteer Portland program. Jim was instrumental in bringing together eight area municipalities and Cumberland County to establish a regional crime lab, which is named partly in Jim’s honor. Jim also helped bring the Portland Regional Chamber together with the Metro Regional Coalition to explore formation of a regional economic development authority, an effort he currently chairs on behalf of the Portland Regional Chamber. Jim retired from the Portland City Council in December of 2008, but six months later was elected to the Portland Charter Commission, which is tasked with considering changes to Portland’s form of government. Jim was the leading vote-getter and is currently serving as vice-chair of the Commission.
Jim is a partner in Verrill Dana’s Energy and Telecommunications practices, and he was recently named chair of the firm’s Banking and Financial Services Group. In addition, Jim is a director of Maine Street Solutions, Verrill Dana’s Government and Public Relations arm.
Thursday’s event was attended by hundreds of leaders in the greater Portland business community, and keynote remarks were made by former Maine governor, Angus King.
