Carl W. Flora, the President & CEO of the Loring Development Authority (LDA), performs the chief executive functions of the organization that owns, manages, and oversees the redevelopment of Loring Commerce Centre. Carl began his service to the LDA in 1995 as the LDA's Vice President & General Counsel. A native of nearby Presque Isle, Maine, Carl understood the economic significance of Loring Air Force Base while he was a practicing attorney in the 1980’s and while subsequently serving the State of Maine as Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture.
As Vice President & General Counsel, Carl was closely involved in the initial stages of the evolution and development of the Loring Commerce Centre, including the lease and sale of property at Loring, day-to-day operation of the Loring facilities, and marketing of the facilities for civilian reuse. In addition to his many daily management responsibilities, Carl worked within the complex base closure process to develop agreements with the Air Force that allowed the LDA to obtain title to approximately 3800 acres of real property at Loring as well as a 185-mile underground pipeline and corridor.
Carl co-chaired Grow DFAS, the group that participated in the successful challenge of a Department of Defense recommendation to close Loring’s Defense Finance & Accounting Services Center and convinced the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission instead to expand the facility, nearly doubling its size. He serves on the boards of directors for Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) and The Aroostook Medical Center, of which he is a past Chair. He also serves on the boards of Leaders Encouraging Aroostook Development, the United Way of Aroostook, Northern Maine Community College Foundation, and the Board of Visitors for the University of Maine Presque Isle. Carl is an alumnus of Leadership Maine.