Fitzpatrick seeks House seat in District 8

    HOULTON  – Joyce A. Fitzpatrick, CPIW, of Houlton has announced her candidacy  for the District 8 seat in the Maine State House of Representatives. District 8 is comprised of the five towns of Houlton, Hodgdon, Cary, Amity and Orient.
Joyce Fitzpatrick
    She states her reason for seeking election is to offer her business and leadership experience through a common sense approach and fiscally sound principles.
    Since retiring from the F.A. Peabody Company in 2008 she has remained active in the community serving as vice president of the board of directors for Southern Aroostook Cultural Arts Project, a local arts organization with a storefront and gallery at Visions on Main Street; as president of Houlton Community Chorus; as president of the Friends and Needles Quilt Guild; and an active member of the Houlton Rotary Club. She has been a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary since 2003 and is currently serving on the local committee to choose the recipients for 2010.
    Fitzpatrick graduated as valedictorian of her class of 1960 at Ricker Classical Institute and is currently organizing their 50th reunion to be held later this year. She attended Ricker College and has continued her education through many adult education courses. She is a graduate of the Leadership Aroostook Program and Community Trusteeship Program. Both are leadership programs sponsored by the University of Maine in Presque Isle. She has also been a Maine Notary Public for over 30 years.
    During her 32 years of employment at F.A. Peabody Company she furthered her education in the field of Insurance. In 1978 she obtained her Maine property and casualty license and in 1983 her Maine life and health agent’s license. Through continuing education courses she still maintains these licenses. In 1983, she participated in a five-part course of study and examinations to earn a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation. Through her active membership in the National Association of Insurance Women (NAIW) she earned her Certified Professional Insurance Woman (CPIW) and was named Insurance Woman of the Year in 1986 by NAIW of Aroostook and again in 1997 by the Insurance Association of Greater Houlton. The IWOY award recognizes members who have shown a high degree of education, fellowship and loyalty to the organization.
    Fitzpatrick has served on the Houlton Budget Committee, including one year as chairman.  She also served four years on the Houlton Town Council where she served on the finance committee, was council secretary, and represented the council at all Southern Aroostook Solid Waste District Meetings. In 2008 she received the Community Spirit Award from Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce in recognition of her achievements and for her leadership as chairman of the Houlton Bicentennial Celebration.
    Other organizations in which she has held past leadership positions are the Girl Scouts of America, Houlton Business and Professional Women (BPW), Maine BPW, BPW USA, Maine AMS Users Group, Houlton Area Affiliate of the Literacy Volunteers of America, Houlton Chamber of Commerce, Drews Lake Property Owners Association, and United Way of Aroostook.
    She is married to Peter J. Fitzpatrick, and they have four children and six grandchildren. She is a member of St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church where she has been a choir member, cantor for the music ministry, and lector for the worship and spirituality ministry.