IN SHORT

New Hires

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland recently hired Andrew Smith and Laura Duplissis. Smith was hired as the third ReStore employee and Duplissis was hired as communications and volunteer manager.

H.M. Payson, an investment advisory firm in Portland, recently hired Robert Davis as a relationship manager. Davis has been in the financial services industry for 24 years and most recently as a member of the Key Private Bank Group in Portland.

Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Inc., a publishing and event-organizing company in Rockland, recently hired Polly Saltonstall as editor in chief. Saltonstall has 30 years of experience writing and editing newspapers, magazines and books.

MKM ENT, a department of Mercy Hospital in Portland, recently hired David Thomson, M.D. Previously in private practice in southern Maine since 1990, Thomson is board certified in otolaryngology/head and surgery.

Cardente Real Estate in Portland recently hired Michael Cobb. Prior to joining the firm, Cobb was the lead broker and vice president at Creative Realty Group Inc.

The Landing School, a post-secondary marine industry institution in Arundel, recently hired Sean Fawcett as a yacht design program instructor. Fawcett has more than 30 years of yacht design experience.

University of Maine System recently named Susan Hunter as vice chancellor for academic affairs for all seven of Maine's public universities, effective Sept. 1. Hunter currently serves as UMaine's executive vice president for academic affairs and provost.

Jensen Baird Gardner & Henry, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Brian Browne in the firm's real estate practice group. Prior to joining the firm, Browne was vice president and senior underwriting counsel for Fidelity National Title Insurance Co. in Manhattan.

Mid Coast Health Services in Brunswick recently hired Kara Aleixo Johnson as director of development. Previously, Johnson was the founder of Semaphore Business Development Group.

Stillwater Dental Associates in Bangor recently hired Ryan Jeffrey. Jeffrey specializes in crowns and bridges, implants, dentures and oral surgical work.

True North, a nonprofit health care center and research organization in Falmouth, recently hired Rudy Mueller. Mueller is a doctor of chiropractic care who has training in movement assessment, rehabilitation, nutrition and functional medicine.

All About Women, a specialty practice within Mercy Health System of Maine in Portland, recently hired Elizabeth Gittinger, M.D. Gittinger is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology.

Fluid Imaging Technologies Inc., a laboratory instrumentation manufacturer in Yarmouth, recently hired Stephen Bowen as director of sales, oil and gas markets. Bowen was previously with Nabors Industries and Well Enhancement Services in executive positions.

Albin, Randall & Bennett, a CPA firm in Portland, recently hired Laura Everett as a manager. Previously Everett was in private accounting with a Maine-based auto dealership.

Maine Women's Fund in Portland recently hired Kathleen Pinard as development coordinator. Previously, Pinard supported the development efforts of LightHawk.

Behavioral Health, a department of Mercy Hospital in Portland, recently hired Benjamin Grasso as medical director. Grasso most recently worked with the Veterans' Administration.

Mercy Hospital in Portland recently hired Jason Frost as part of its pulmonary and critical care team.

Allen Insurance and Financial in Camden recently hired Jo-Ann Neal as an employee benefits account manager. Neal has more than 10 years of human resources and benefit administration experience.

Clyde Bergemann Power Group Americas Inc. in Auburn recently hired Matthew Thornton as manager of business development for its air-gas handling division. Thornton was previously general manager of Zajac LLC, an engineering and process system integrator in Saco.

Promotions

People's United Bank in Portland recently promoted Cheryl Hagmann to financial services manager, assistant vice president in Falmouth; Cassandra Mosher to financial services manager in Kittery; and Michelle Luce to customer service manager in Westbrook.

Town and Country Federal Credit Union in South Portland recently announced four promotions. Bob Leger, previously CFO, was named vice president and CFO; Pamela Kane, most recently vice president of administration, was promoted to vice president and chief administration officer; Jessica Schneckloth was promoted to collections manager; and Human Resources Manager Nicole Sears was named vice president and chief people officer.

Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Inc., a publishing and event organizing company in Rockland, recently promoted Jennifer Wilson McIntosh to managing editor. McIntosh was previously associate editor.

The board of directors of Five County Credit Union recently promoted Julie Marquis to executive vice president, COO. Marquis was previously COO.

Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution recently promoted Ginger Grantham, Eric Doyon, Bryan Christoforo and Patrick DeCourcey. Grantham, Doyon and Christoforo were all promoted to vice president while DeCourcey was promoted to assistant vice president.

Appointments

The World Affairs Council of Maine, a nonprofit organization that promotes education, understanding and engagement in global issues in Portland, recently elected Kimberly McLaughlin, Julie Nye and Lucy Sommo to its board of directors. McLaughlin is executive director of a consumer advocacy organization; Nye is the director of specialty underwriting at Unum; and Sommo is an international trade specialist at the Maine International Trade Center. In addition, the following officers were elected: Clifford Gilpin, president; Tim Honey, first vice president; Maureen Hurley, second vice president; Gino Nalli, treasurer; Gordon Erikson Jr., assistant treasurer; Lynne Houle, secretary; and Gail Witherill, assistant secretary. Julie Fisher, Charles Norchi and Adam Rubin were also elected to renewed terms on the board.

Bangor Savings Bank recently welcomed Robert Strong, chairman, and Gena Canning, vice chairwoman, to its board. Strong is the University of Maine Foundation professor of investment education and professor of finance at the University of Maine and Canning is a managing partner at Pine State Trading Co. Outgoing board chairman James Goff will continue his relationship with the bank as chairman of the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation.

Eastern Maine Development Corp. in Bangor recently added Jane Searles and Garrett Wilkin to its board of directors. Searles is regional manager, north central of Women, Work and Community while Wilkin is the founder of the Maine Hacker Club.

Society for Marketing Professional Services Northern New England in Portland recently announced its board of directors. Chapter president is Jennifer Booth, a marketing and business development specialist with S.W. Cole Engineering Inc., Somersworth, N.H.; immediate past president is Allison Sovetsky, marketing manager, WEX Inc., South Portland; secretary is Jill Marsano, CFO, Aldrich + Elliott, Essex Junction, Vt.; treasurer is Kathryn Dionne, marketing manager, SMRT Inc., Portland; directors-at-large are Brent Bridges, senior project manager and senior vice president, Woodard & Curran, Portland and Wally Shedd, geotechnical department manager, Terracon Consultants LLC, Manchester, N.H.

The Lincoln County Bar Association recently selected Andrew Zulieve as president. Zulieve operates his own intellectual property and business law practice in Waldoboro.

The Forest Society of Maine, a statewide land trust in Bangor working to conserve and maintain Maine's forestlands, recently elected Greg Millert and Catherine Robbins to its board of directors.

Achievements

Allen Insurance and Financial in Camden recently earned a President's Award and membership in the Premier Partner program from Safeco Insurance. The firm also announced that Michael Pierce, president, recently participated in Commonwealth Financial Network's President's Club in Park City, Utah and Gene McKeever was selected as a subject matter expert for the property casualty producer and consultant license exams given by the Maine Bureau of Insurance.

The Portland Water District was recently awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association. The award represents a commitment to the principles of governmental budgeting.

The American Hospital Association recently announced that Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems in Brewer was recognized with the 2013 NOVA Award. The award recognizes hospitals and health systems for their efforts toward improving community health.

Cross Insurance, a subsidiary of Cross Financial Corp., in Bangor, recently announced that Michael Lemay was named the 2013 Outstanding Customer Service Representative of the Year recipient for the state of Maine by The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research. Lemay has worked as a customer service representative in the agency's Portland office for more than 11 years.

The Telephone Association of New England recently inducted Mike Reed, FairPoint Communications Maine state president, into its Hall of Fame. Reed has more than 40 years of managerial, technical and administrative experience in the telecommunications industry.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently presented its 2013 Environmental Merit Awards. The Cary Medical Center Safe Sharps Disposal Program in Caribou captured the Environmental, Community, Academia and Nonprofit Organizations Environmental Merit Award; The Gulf of Maine Institute was honored for its outreach to teenagers; Portsmouth Naval Shipyard received a leadership award; and Kevin Mallory, transportation director of the Portland Public Schools, was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Maine Small Business Development Centers recently selected Michael Kasputes as the 2013 State Star. The award, given annually, recognizes a staff member who has shown exemplary performance and a strong commitment to small business success.

Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington recently named Rebecca Wood as Caregiver of the Year. Wood is the hospital's surgical services director. The hospital was also recently named one the nation's most wired hospitals, according to the results of the 2013 Most Wired Survey Benchmarking Study in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks. The survey of 289 hospitals is based on IT initiatives.

Peter Fendler, president of Norton Financial Services in Cumberland, was recently named to Commonwealth Financial Network's Retirement Advisor Council, a 22-member group of advisers. The council comprises advisers who specialize in qualified retirement plans. In addition, Safeco Insurance recently recognized the firm with a Premier Partner award for outstanding performance and partnership.

Fresenius Medical Care North America recently announced Dottie Moody-Lagasse as one of four recipients of the 2013 Ernestine M. Lowrie Award for Clinical Excellence. Moody-Lagasse is a dialysis nurse at Fresenius Medical Care Casco Bay in Westbrook.

Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap recently presented Carol Kontos, a former legislator and director of assessment and an associate professor of English at the University of Maine in Augusta, with the National Association of Secretaries of State Medallion. The award is presented to those who exemplify values and service that serve the public interest in the areas of voting access, civic education, state government or local philanthropy.

The United Way of Greater Portland recently presented the 2013 Meg Baxter Legacy Award to Barbara Wheaton. A Trustee of the United Way of Greater Portland Foundation since 1998, Wheaton, a partner at Portland law firm Pierce Atwood, has served as chair since 2008.

Kelly McDonald recently earned the Maine State Bar Association's Vincent L. McKusick Award for 2013 for his article, “Attachment On Trustee Process: A Primer For The Practitioner.” McDonald is an attorney at Murray, Plumb & Murray.

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the national agency for the accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy, recently announced that the University of New England College of Pharmacy has attained full accreditation status.

Leigh Ingalls Saufley, the first female chief justice of Maine's highest court, was recently selected the 2013 winner of the Sampson Catalyst for Change Award. Saufley becomes the seventh winner of the annual honor given by the Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine at the University of Southern Maine.