Maine DOE Federal Reporting Coordinator, Rick Bergeron is being highlighted this week as the Maine DOE’s Employee of the Week! Learn a little more about Rick in this brief question and answer:
What are your roles with DOE?
My title at the department is Data Reporting Coordinator. I am responsible to report education data to the USDOE through their reporting collection systems. In addition, I also assist with other internal and external data requests as needed.
What do you like best about your job?
I have been called a data geek in the past. I enjoy working with data and reporting it out for policy makers to make decisions on education.
How or why did you decide on this career?
Before coming to work for the State, I have 25 years in the restaurant industry. Working with computers was always a hobby. As I got older I realized that the physical demands of restaurant work was not something I could see myself doing all my life so one day I took the plunge and took a job with a company in Lewiston as their Microsoft Office trainer. I took classes on the side and started developing Microsoft Access and SQL server databases. My first position with the State of Maine was with the Bureau of Insurance in 2003. I came to work with the Dept of Education in 2007 as a Statistician and have worked my way through a few different positions.
What do you like to do outside of work for fun?
I have been married 38 years to my wonderful wife Tamra. Together we have two grown children. My daughter is a teacher in Milwaukee with two daughters of her own and my son is in the Air Force stationed at Patrick AFB in Cape Canaveral, FL. In addition to being “papa” whenever I can visit my grandkids, my wife and I like to travel whenever we can. We recently moved to Chelsea about a year ago. Previous to that we lived in Poland Springs for 35 years. I also serve my community by being an active Freemason and Shriner.