Dana Eidsness, a former director of international business for the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, has been hired by the state to run the newly established Maine North Atlantic Development Office. The office, housed at the Maine International Trade Center in Portland, is expected to develop increased trade and investment opportunities for Maine with North Atlantic markets and will pursue Maine's involvement as an observer in the Arctic Economic Council.

Eidsness has previously worked for the Maine International Trade Center, the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership. She served as Vermont's director of international trade from 2004-2009.

Established in December by the Maine International Trade Center and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, the Maine North Atlantic Development Office seeks to capitalize on last year's decision by Iceland's largest shipping company, Eimskip, to move its U.S. logistics hub from Norfolk, Va., to Portland.

Eidsness leaves for Reykjavik, Iceland, on Thursday to complete advance work on a trade mission later this spring to Iceland and the United Kingdom, which is scheduled for June 8-13. Gov. Paul LePage will lead the trade mission involving pre-arranged meetings with qualified buyers, distributors and potential business partners.

Scheduled stops include a visit to Iceland's Ocean Cluster, a private entity that offers networking opportunities for ocean-related industries, including food products, boat builders and supply chain opportunities in Iceland's renewable energy sectors. In the United Kingdom, there will be a focus on developing trade and investment opportunities for Maine's life sciences, food, and offshore energy sectors, as well as other services and exports.

"The U.K. is a diverse, $57 million market for Maine with room to grow, and Iceland is a receptive market that imports almost everything," Eidsness said in a press release announcing her appointment. "Maine has excellent relationships with Iceland's government and business community and has already increased exports fourfold since Eimskip services began."