Since the Harbor Theater became a nonprofit enterprise in 2017, Hamilton and Helen Meserve have led the organization’s development into one of our community’s most beloved venues for entertainment, education, and inspiration. Ham’s leadership as board president helped the fledgling cinema become self-sustaining through his encouragement of strong community support.

Since 2019, Jeff Long has served as Harbor Theater’s treasurer and a board member. Now, eight years into the organization’s growth and evolution it is time for the transition of leadership that marks all truly successful nonprofits, as Ham retires from the board of directors, and Jeff moves from treasurer to board president. Replacing Jeff Long as treasurer is Roger Matthews, owner of Pedego Electric Bicycles of Boothbay Harbor.

Ham has been a well-known figure in the Boothbay area since the early 1960s, not only as the son of actress Margaret Hamilton whose summer cottage on Cape Island is a landmark, but as a longtime, Lincoln County Commissioner, chair of the Board of the Two Bridges Jail, treasurer of the Boothbay Region Land Trust, president of the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund, and president of the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club, his fourth Rotary after belonging to clubs in Taipei, Seoul, and Millbrook, New York. His background in Asia, and his varied careers in international banking and newspaper publishing have contributed to his lively and broad interests. Ham’s community spirit, humor, and vast connections made him an invaluable leader for the Harbor Theater.

The theater’s new president, Jeff Long, is likewise a guy with an international background and great community commitment. Jeff has lived and worked in Korea, Australia, and the New York area with a career spanning commercial banking and investment management. Since his “retirement” to Maine in 2016, Jeff has served on several boards, including for the Boothbay Region Land Trust and Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. He is a member of the Planning Board for the Town of Southport and is currently commodore of the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club. Jeff is also an enthusiastic Rotarian. He can be spotted around the peninsula making pick-ups of donated items for the Rotary Barn, and like Ham, loves to be part of the Barn activities every Saturday morning in season.

The Harbor Theater is fortunate in the quality and dedication of its volunteer leadership. That is one of the things that makes it “the best little movie house in Maine!”