Peter E. Chalke is the president and CEO of Central Maine Healthcare, the parent organization that oversees Central Maine Medical Center, Bridgton Hospital, Rumford Hospital, Central Maine Medical Group, and Maine College of Health Professions. Chalke explains that people are attracted to Maine life because of its rural communities and expansive geography, but those factors coupled with a diverse socio-economic population makes for unique and potentially problematic medical needs. “What is also unique, however, is that generally, Maine residents, employees, and clinicians possess a creative tenacity, an ability to think outside of the box and see things through for the greater good of their communities,” says Chalke. Chalke, along with others at Central Maine Healthcare, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, and physician leaders statewide, helped form LifeFlight of Maine, an emergency critical care helicopter transport service. Since its inception, LifeFlight has logged 18,500 safe flights and saved thousands of lives across the state.