AUGUSTA — Matt Jacobson, president and chief executive officer of Maine & Company, has formed an exploratory committee to look at a run for governor on the Republican ticket.

It's still early in the gubernatorial season – Gov. John Baldacci's second four-year term will end at the close of 2010 – but Jacobson is one of several potential contenders eyeing the Blaine House.

Former Attorney General Steven Rowe has said he plans to run as a Democrat. Lynne A. Williams of Bar Harbor, formerly the state director for the Maine Green Independent Party, said Wednesday that she has officially registered her campaign for governor with the state.

Williams added that the Greens might have a primary in the race for governor.

Jacobson, 38, said he hopes to see whether he can run a viable campaign for governor and then make a decision within a month or two.

"Clearly for me, if we're going to do this, let's decide and do this as quickly as we can with reasonable due diligence," Jacobson said.

Jacobson has been at Maine & Company, a business attraction group, for just more than three years. He previously was an executive with Canadian National Railways in Chicago and was president and chief operating officer of the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad in Auburn.

He is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate.

Jacobson has never held elected office, but he has put together a high-powered exploratory committee. Each of the members is working as a private citizen, he said. Among the names are: Larry Wold, president of TD Banknorth in Maine; Ford Reiche, president of Safe Handling in Auburn; Eileen Skinner, president and chief executive officer of Mercy Hospital; Lisa Martin, executive director of the Manufacturing Association of Maine; and Roger Katz, mayor of Augusta.

Staff Writer Matt Wickenheiser can be contacted at 791-6316 or at:

mwickenheiser@pressherald.com