“As in life, everything is a work in progress,” says Des FitzGerald. “We are all ultimately both expendable and precious, and how we choose to challenge ourselves with continuously improving is what makes a difference between the excellent and the mundane.” FitzGerald is the entrepreneur-inresidence at Maine Venture Fund. FitzGerald has founded companies of his own, including Ducktrap River of Maine and BlueMarvel Inc. He was the CEO of ContiSea and vice president of development for Principle Power Inc. He was also an adjunct professor at the University of Maine Business School. FitzGerald uses his experience in business to assist local nonprofits. “Nonprofits suffer or soar from the same issues as for-profit companies. Being able to occasionally help mission-driven organizations do better has been very rewarding,” he says. He has served on numerous boards, including the Natural Resources Council of Maine and the Camden International Film Festival. “Like many of us here in Maine, I worry that our state does not yet offer enough opportunities for young people to stay in our state or to move here with positive prospects. We have to collectively change this,” says FitzGerald.