Charles E. Prinn III, a member of the Class of 1961, described by his peers as the unofficial historian, comedian, and social director of his class, has served Bowdoin in many official capacities, as well. For his dedication to the College, which continues to this day, Prinn has been selected to receive the 2017 Alumni Service Award.
The highest honor bestowed by the Bowdoin Alumni Council, the award is presented each year in recognition of an individual’s record of volunteer service to the College.
Over 56 years, Prinn has served as the Reunion Chairman and on Leadership Gift committees. He also served on the Alumni Council. He was the class agent for 20 years, and continues to serve as an associate class agent.
Through the creation of the Early Chow Society with Ted Fuller ‘61 in 2007, Prinn has expanded his efforts to keep alumni from Bangor to Concord engaged with one another and the College. The group, now numbering 130, draws crowds of 55-60 to Cram Alumni House regularly for lunch and guest speaker presentations.
An economics major and member of Psi Upsilon, Prinn began his professional career at New England Telephone and later moved on to Investments at UNUM, where he remained for thirty years.
In 1995, Prinn retired from UNUM, and became president of J. B. Brown and Sons, an historic Portland real estate company, where he worked until retiring in 2005.
Prinn has donated his time to a number of local organizations, including Portland Provident Association, the Portland Boys and Girls Club, Community Counseling Center, 75 State Street, youth hockey, Little League, and the Finance Committee of the Catholic diocese of Maine. He was also a trustee of St. Joseph’s College for ten years, serving as board chair in 2001-2002.
Prinn has been at the heart of many activities and efforts involving his class and other alumni in Maine. He has been the recipient of the Robert Cross Award, the Polar Bear award, and in 2011, he was presented the Foot Soldier of Bowdoin Award, which recognized his critical role in keeping his class engaged with each other and with the College through the years. Charlie and his wife, Frances, live in Yarmouth, Maine.
The Alumni Service Award will be presented, along with others, Saturday, June 3, 2017, during Reunion Convocation.
