LETTER FROM THE MANAGER letter from the president CLUB PEOPLE THE LECTURE

continued from front page Peter Mills hile February still brings us winter’s W Some of the committees currently exist within the Board but we Executive Director cold weather, it also brings us Valentine’s spent some time discussing which committees are valuable to the of the Turn- Day. Please join us for the most romantic of club and then developing the responsibilities for each committee. pike Authority holidays here at the Club. Executive Chef Each of the following committees will be chaired by a member of Thursday, Feb. 23. Joe Brennan has created a wonderful menu the Board and committee members will be from the membership. Cocktails and hors that is sure to please everyone. Please call the d’oeuvres at 5:00 PM, Club to make your reservation early for you The committees are: Governance Committee, Finance Committee, House Committee, Membership Committee, and Membership lecture at 5:30, Buffet and your sweetheart, as space will be limited. Experience Committee. Dinner to follow. Bring great friends along and share the expe- rience of fine wine, great food and friendly Also, this past year, our General Manager brought his years of Following the 2010 financial scandal that conversation. experience in the club industry to re-writing what used to be called led to a prison term for the head of the The House Rules. The new document is called The Rules of Con- Maine Turnpike Authority, Gov. LePage Please think of the Cumberland Club when duct. Basically, nearly all of the original house rules are part of the appointed Skowhegan Attorney Peter Mills planning all of your business needs. We have new document with the addition of new rules that pertain to our to take charge of the troubled agency. current environment. The Rules of Conduct are in booklet form several conference rooms that can accom- and are given to each new member when they join the club. modate many size groups. We have WIFI Mills, a former State Senator and Repub- available in every room and an extensive list Chef Joe Brennan: lican gubernatorial candidate, was born This is a short update on some of the Board’s work this past year. in Farmington in 1943 and grew up in of AV equipment. Today is a dark and snowy day in January and I wanted to be sure Gorham. If there is anything that I can do to make your you had something to read. “The Man With The Pan” club experience more enjoyable, please let me He graduated cum laude from Harvard Watch your schedule for Movie Night; more people are joining us know. in 1965, and served five years in the US for popcorn, movies and dinner. Polite and soft-spoken, Executive Chef Joe Brennan, 36, has We look forward to seeing you at the Club. worked at the Cumberland Club for almost nine years, starting as a Navy during the Vietnam War. In 1973, Steven Hayward Penny pastry chef, then a sous-chef, and taking over the kitchen staff of ten he graduated second in his class from the General Manager Penelope P. Carson, President in 2007. Law School and Now a Portland resident, Chef Joe grew up in Gray, attended Gray- spent thirty years practicing law. He also New Gloucester High School, and learned his culinary skills from founded two economic development projects legendary Chef Instructor Wil Beriau at Southern Maine Commu- nity College. Joe then took off for Colorado, where he cooked at in central Maine and served in the Maine a hotel and some restaurants in Breckenridge. “I took the ski bum Legislature for fifteen years. UPCOMING EVENTS trail,” he says, “but I had to get back to New England and all the fresh seafood here.” In 2006 and 2010, Mills made unsuccess- Mark your calendar now for these special events at the Cumberland Club Not surprisingly, Chef Joe says the most popular items on the Club ful bids for the Republican gubernatorial -- and be sure to make early reservations! menu are the crab cakes and lobster stew. “The crab cakes are my grandmother’s recipe,” he says. “She was from Maryland. But I use nomination, losing first to Chandler Wood- fresh Maine crabmeat in them.” As for the lobster stew, Joe says that cock and finally to Paul LePage. Tues. Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day Dinner. Reserve your table now for a romantic evening at recipe has been a Club tradition for decades, and he’s not about to the Club. tinker with it. Peter and his wife, Superior Court Justice Some things that have changed in the kitchen are its increasing use Nancy Mills, have three adult daughters Thurs. Feb. 16: Movie Night at the Club. “The Spanish Prisoner”, starring Steve of fresh, local ingredients and a shift to smaller, Tapas-style tast- Martin and Ben Gazzara, written and directed by David Mamet. 5:00 showtime, reserve ing plates. The move to buffet dinners at large gatherings has also and three grandchildren. They live on a for dinner to follow. brought more streamlined dining service. But even with those tree farm in Cornville with two English changes, Chef Joe remains loyal to the classical French cooking style Setters. Thurs. Feb. 23: Joshua Chamberlain Lecture. Peter Mills, Executive Director of he mastered at SMCC. the Maine Turnpike Authority. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 5:00 PM, lecture at Joe and his wife Kristin have a daughter, Lily, and another, Pearl, 5:30. Please make reservations, particularly if you plan to stay for dinner following the about to enter the world. When he heads home from the Club, Chef Please reserve early for this important lecture. Joe says he still loves to prepare meals. “I’ve been experimenting lecture. with Thai food at home,” he says, “but Lily still wants my mac and Be sure to visit our website at www.cumberlandclub.org! cheese.” 116 High Street • Portland, ME 04101

February, 2012 | Volume 16 | Issue 2 Message from the President

During 2011, the Cumberland Club Board of Directors worked through a Strategic Planning process. What is a Strategic Plan? A Strategic Plan is a management tool that helps an organization focus its energy, to assess and adjust the organization’s direction in response to a changing environment. In short, it is a focus on the future. The goal was not to make changes to what is good and historically suc- BENEFITS EVENTS cessful in the club but rather to look at what can improved in the club to & enhance the club experience for all members. The strategic process resulted in streamlining the responsibilities of the Board of Directors, agreeing on a Use your Club membership card to save at these local businesses: PRESIDENT mission statement and a vision statement and developing a strong commit- Harmon & Barton’s Florist, Portland: Penelope P. Carson tee structure with articulated responsibilities for each committee. 10% off local sales to Club Members. [email protected] Akari Salon & Spa, Portland: 5% discount on all services and retail. Mission Statement: VICE PRESIDENT Century Tire, Portland: “The mission of the Cumberland Club is to 10% off all tires and auto parts (not including labor). Brian Petrovek provide, in this unique urban setting a high [email protected] Custom Coach & Limousine, Portland: quality experience for social and business 10% off standard rates. engagement.” Emerald City, Portland: SECRETARY 10% off any purchase over $25. Matthew Goldfarb Joseph’s, Portland: [email protected] Vision Statement: 10% off suits, suit coats and dress pants. “Best in Portland for social and business Lovely Things, Portland: 5% discount. TREASURER engagement.” Portland Harbor Hotel, Portland: Richard Emerson Reserve an overnight stay in the Old Port at preferred rates. [email protected] Lest you think this was an easy task, eleven people working toward the goal Springer’s Jewelers, Portland: of developing a mission statement that has less than 20 words took time $100 off any purchase of $500 or more. and thought on the part of each individual. Each of us has our own rela- GENERAL MANAGER tionship with the club and each of us brought our experiences and hopes The Sudbury Inn, Bethel: 10% off published rates. Steven Hayward for the club’s future to the discussion with the goal of developing the state- [email protected] ment using twenty words of less. 116 High Street, Portland, ME 04101 | 207.773.6402 | www.cumberlandclub.org continued inside...