In 1996, a group of business and professional leaders, most of them members of the Bangor Noontime Rotary club, began discussions concerning the region's needs for future leaders. They were concerned about such things as the limited number of people available to serve on community boards, and the degree to which there was a general lack of understanding in the area of the region's economy.

With help of the Maine Development Foundation, sponsor of the Leadership Maine program, the group formed itself into a steering committee, designed the components of a local leadership development program, and with the significant administrative support of Eastern Maine Technical College, the Bangor Region Leadership Institute was born.