IN SHORT

New hires

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust hired Jason Simsay as vice president, information security officer. Simsay has nearly 20 years of experience working with information technology in the financial services industry.

Diversified Communications, an international media company in Portland, hired Michael Cohen as an advertising sales representative and Joanna Rousey as a managing editor, online. Cohen was previously with National Distributers in Portland while Rousey was with NH Bragg in Bangor.

United Way of York County in Kennebunk hired Thomas Barclay as resource development director. Most recently Barclay served as director of philanthropy for Massachusetts and Rhode Island at the Trust for Public Land.

Murray Plumb & Murray, a law firm in Portland, hired Sage Friedman as an attorney. Previously, Friedman was a principal at Fire Lane 17, a Maine company that offered long-term consulting services to select entrepreneurs, investors and established small businesses.

Eastland Management, property managers and developers of the Pepperell Mill Campus in Biddeford, hired Megan Higgins as leasing director and marketing and social media director.

HistoryIT, a digital history company in Portland, hired Donny Lowe as chief technology officer. Lowe was previously director of digital strategy at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Spectrum Healthcare Partners, a physician-owned, multispecialty practice in South Portland, hired Norman Belair as CFO. Belair has previously served as CFO and vice president for organizations in the health care sector, including Southern Maine Health Care, Eastern Maine Medical Center and MaineGeneral Health.

Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice in Lewiston hired Shauna McElrath as medical director for palliative care and Elizabeth White as a hospice physician. McElrath is certified in hospice and palliative care by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Medicine while White previously served the organization as its medical director.

James W. Sewall Co., a natural resources, energy and infrastructure consulting firm in Old Town, hired Brian Schneider as a member of its forestry and natural resources consulting team. Schneider has 14 years of experience in forestry planning, management, consulting and education.

BerryDunn, an accounting and consulting firm in Portland, announced several new hires. In the firm's government consulting group, Divyakumar Arulsamy, Christopher Covey, Jodie Earney, Benjamin Roper and Dawn Webb were hired as senior consultants; Chris Davis, Erica Rice and Meghann Slaven as consultants; and Emily Hendrickson as editor/proofreader. In its assurance group, Daniel Bednarski, Meaghan Cavanaugh, Jacob Melvin, Devan Pelletier and Blake Speed were hired as staff auditors; Kenneth Glanton and Sarah Lawlor as tax specialists; and Catherine Jackson as tax manager.

The Maine Podiatric Medical Association in Manchester hired Gary Degen as executive director. Degen, a board-certified and fellowship-trained podiatrist, provides medical and surgical podiatric care for patients at MaineGeneral Orthopaedics in Augusta and Waterville.

OTT Communications, a wireline telecommunications services company in New Gloucester, hired Paul Yearwood as financial analyst.

Gorham Savings Bank hired Maria Poulin as assistant vice president Bank Secrecy Act officer and Neil Ottoson as cash management development officer.

U.S. Department of Agriculture named Tim Hobbs as Maine state director of USDA Rural Development and Dave Lavway as Maine state executive director of the USDA Farm Service Agency. Hobbs has served as the director of development and grower relations for the Maine Potato Board for the past 15 years while Lavway was most recently deputy commissioner of operations of the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services.

Promotions

Maine Financial Group in Scarborough promoted Jim Amabile and Sue McCarthy to vice president. Each previously served as assistant vice president.

Macpage LLC, an accounting firm in South Portland, promoted Kady Wiles to senior audit associate and Alexandra Douston to senior tax associate.

Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice in Lewiston promoted Elizabeth Hart to director of medical services. Hart was previously a hospice physician.

Gorham Savings Bank promoted Jane Stack to controller. Previously, Stack was finance and accounting manager.

Sebago Technics, an employee-owned, multi-discipline, consulting engineering company in South Portland, announced several promotions. Owens McCullough was promoted to senior vice president of strategy and client development, Shawn Frank to senior vice president for commercial development, Will Conway to senior vice president of landscape architecture, Keith McAlary to CFO, Dan Riley to vice president of engineering and Kylie Mason to vice president of project delivery.

Appointments

The Salvation Army in Portland announced the appointment of Major Kim D'Amaro as corps officer and area coordinator and Lieutenants Reginald and Marie Ardrine Montour as assistant corps officers. D'Amaro has 24 years of service as an officer in the organization while Reginald and Marie Ardrine Montour were both previously ministry assistants at Bedford Temple Corps in New York.

Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution elected Morris Fisher as a board member. Fisher is president of CBRE|Boulos Asset Management in Portland.

Creative Portland added Raffi Der Simonian, Carol Walker Aten, Kate Anker and Daniel Minter to its board.

Shaheen & Gordon PA said Peter Schroeter was selected to be the chair of the Maine State Bar Association Alternative Dispute Section. Schroeter serves as counsel at the law firm's Saco and Portland.

MaineHealth reappointed George Isaacson to its board of trustees. Isaacson, a senior partner in the law firm of Brann & Isaacson in Lewiston, previously served on the organization's board from 2003-15 and was chairman from 2013-15. He will also serve on the board's strategic planning committee.

Northeast Clean Energy Council and the NECEC Institute elected Jeff Marks, executive director of the Environmental and Energy Technology Council of Maine, as a board member of each organization.

Spurwink, a nonprofit in Portland that provides behavioral health and educational services for children, adolescents, adults and families throughout Maine, elected Alistair Raymond as chair of its board of directors and Richard Berthy and Doug Sanford as board members. Raymond is the chief compliance officer and corporate secretary for Avangrid Networks, Berthy is CEO of Foreside Financial Group LLC and Sanford is owner and developer of the Pepperell Mill Campus in Biddeford.

Achievements

Sarah Baldwin, owner of Bella Luna Toys in Rockland, appeared on MSNBC's “Your Business” as a guest expert to offer tips to help retailers prepare for Small Business Saturday.

The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit health care ratings organization, awarded Mercy Hospital in Portland, Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta and Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor each an “A” in its in Fall 2017 Hospital Safety Grade.

Tilson, an IT and network deployment firm in Portland, announced that CEO Joshua Broder was named one of America's “Top 20 Under 40” professionals in commercial engineering and construction by trade publication Engineering News-Record.

Gov. Paul R. LePage and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection announced the recipients of the “2017 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence.” Winners were Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick; Kenneth Locke, director of environmental services for the city of Brewer; and James Atwell, retired senior project manager at Sevee & Maher Engineers Inc. in Cumberland Center.

Kaplan Thompson Architects in Portland won a “Citation Award” at the 2017 American Institute of Architects New England Regional Design Awards for Bayside Anchor, a joint project with Portland Housing Authority and Avesta Housing, located on Oxford Street in Portland.

Shaheen & Gordon PA, a law firm in Saco, announced its Portland office received Metropolitan Tier 2 and 3 rankings in mediation; personal injury litigation – plaintiffs; medical malpractice law – plaintiffs; tax law; and trusts and estates law in the U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers 2018 “Best Law Firms” rankings.

Biddeford+Saco Chamber of Commerce+ Industry recently announced its annual award winners including: River Drive Cooperage and Millwork, Small Business of the Year; Deering Lumber, Large Business of the Year; Reilly's Bakery, Family Owned Business of the Year; Jim Albert, Excellence in Entrepreneurship; and City Theater, Excellence in Business.

The National Council for Behavioral Health honored U.S. Sen. Susan Collins with the “2017 Behavioral Health Champion Award” for her advocacy to preserve health care for those struggling with mental health and substance abuse disorders. Collins also received the “Roselle Huddilston Award” from the American Lung Association in Maine for her leadership on health care issues and the “2017 Claddagh Award” from the Maine Irish Heritage Center for her devotion to serving and improving communities throughout Maine, while always remembering and honoring her Irish roots.

Skelton Taintor & Abbott, a law firm in Auburn, received a Tier 1 ranking for the Portland metropolitan region in labor law/union, medical malpractice – plaintiffs, tax law and trusts and estates law in the U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers 2018 “Best Law Firms” rankings.

The Maine State Chamber of Commerce presented University of Maine System Chancellor James Page with its “Maine Business Hall of Fame” award; former education commissioner James Rier with a “Chamber's President's Recognition Award;” Craig Pendleton, executive director of the Biddeford+Saco Chamber of Commerce+Industry, with a “Chamber Professional of the Year” award; and the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority with the “Maine E.N.V.Y.” award at the organization's annual dinner.

AARP Maine in Portland announced that Carol and Bob MacDougall of Augusta were named the winners of the “2017 Andrus Award” named in honor of the organization's founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus. The award honors individuals who make a difference in the lives of others.

Berman & Simmons, a law firm in Lewiston, announced that five of its attorneys were recognized as “Super Lawyers” and another six were listed as “Rising Stars” by New England Super Lawyers in its 2017 directory. In addition, the firm was selected as a Tier 1 law firm in medical malpractice law for plaintiffs, personal injury litigation for plaintiffs and commercial litigation by U.S. News – Best Lawyers. The firm also said its attorneys Jodi Nofsinger and Susan Faunce won a $2 million jury verdict in a medical malpractice case against Eastern Maine Medical Center and Dr. Timothy Pruchnic.

L.S. Robinson Co. in Southwest Harbor said Amanda Corson is now licensed to sell life insurance in Maine. Corson is a personal insurance account manager with the firm.

Rudman Winchell Counselors at Law in Bangor has been recognized as a “Tier 1 Best Law Firm” by Best Lawyers in America. The firm was listed Tier 1 for employment law-management and litigation-land use and zoning and Tier 2 for land use and zoning law. The firm also announced that 10 of its attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America” 2018 Edition.

Sarah Ruef-Lindquist, a financial planner at Allen Insurance and Financial in Camden, recently participated in a panel discussion at the Maine Planned Giving Council's conference held in South Portland.

Moulison Heavy Electrical, an electrical contractor in Biddeford, was recognized by the National Electrical Contractors Association with a “Project Excellence Award” for lighting at the Kenneth F. Burns Memorial Bridge, which is on U.S. Route 9 and connects Shrewsbury, Mass., and Worcester, Mass.

Junior Achievement of Maine welcomed Danny and Carla Lafayette, owners of Lafayette Hotels, and Lance Smith, chairman, president and CEO of Smith's Farm Inc. and Smith Packaging Inc. as laureates into its Business Hall of Fame.

Franklin County Chamber of Commerce announced its annual award winners including: “Rising Star,” Azulene Day Spa; “Business of the Year,” Expenet Technologies; “Community Service,” Bangor Savings Bank; and “President's Award,” Food City.

Becker Structural Engineers in Portland were recognized at the American Council of Engineering Companies of Maine fall forum as recipients of the “Honor Award for Engineering Excellence” for the engineering design of the Patrons Oxford Insurance office building in Portland and the “Special Recognition Award” for engineering excellence in innovative technology for the Canal Zero project in Portland.

The Environmental Health Strategy Center in Portland recognized its annual award winners including: “Frank Hatch Environmental Health Leadership Award,” Michael Herz; “Bettie Kettell Award for Medical-Professional Leadership,” Sydney Sewall; “Science Champion Award,” Gail Carlson; “Grassroots Leadership Awards,” Wendy Brennan, Joanie Hill, Linda Baker and Therese Flaherty; “Legislative Leadership Awards,” Walter Kumiega III, Jeff Pierce, Ralph Tucker and Joyce Maker.

Bath Savings Institution recently honored employees for their commitment to service and customer relationships. Courtney Green, facilities team member in Bath, was voted as most helpful internal support person; Esperanza Esquivel, Bath branch, “2017 Exceptional Customer Service Representative;” William Mills, teller in South Portland, “Exceptional Teller Award;” Sarah Winchenbach, assistant branch manager in Damariscotta, “Neighbor to Neighbor Award;” and the Bath branch was awarded the “2017 Relationship Builder Award.”

Retired Maine Game Warden Pilot Gary Dumond received the FAA's “Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award” recognizing individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as “Master Pilots.”

Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce presented its annual awards with the “President's Award” going to Adam Nappi of High Wire Hydroponics; “Volunteer of the Year,” George Vooris, George Vooris Professional Painting; “Business Person of the Year,” Madelyn Litz, Lakes Region-Fryeburg Adult Ed; “Non-Profit of the Year,” Dan Macdonald, BRAG; “New Business of the Year,” Gary Skellett, Gary's Olde Towne Tavern; and “Business of the Year,” Deb and Jeff St. Cyr, Dirty Bristles Chimney Sweep Inc.

Allagash Brewing Co. in Portland was selected as one of Outside Magazine's “Best Places to Work 2017.”

The city of Portland named Bristol Seafood as its “Business of the Year” award winner. Additional Portland Development Corp. award winners were for “Economic Achievement Award,” Eimskip; “Small Business of the Year,” Think Tank Coworking; and “New Business of the Year,” Fork Food Lab.

The Maine Geological Survey received the Association of American State Geologist's “2017 Charles J. Mankin Memorial Award” for its publication, “Bedrock Geology of the Kittery.”

The Maine Wood Products Association presented Shaw & Tenney, a wooden oar and paddle maker in Orono, with a “2017 Pine Cone Award.” The award is in recognition of the company's continued investment in Maine and its innovation in the manufacturing and marketing of Maine wood products.