In short

New Hires

Hebron Academy, a private boarding school in Hebron, recently hired Liza Tarr as a communications coordinator.

Putney Inc., a pet pharmaceutical company in Portland, recently hired TJ Dupree as chief operating officer. Previously, Dupree was corporate vice president, companion animal group at Idexx Laboratories Inc. in Westbrook.

MaineHealth in Portland recently hired Penelope St. Louis as corporate counsel. Previously, St. Louis was director of planning and urban development for the city of Portland.

Trask-Decrow Machinery, a distributor of Ingersoll-Rand products in Scarborough, recently hired Faith Gudroe as an accounts payables representative.

HDR Engineering Inc. in Portland recently hired Rob Mitchell as manager of environmental and regulatory services.

Unified Technologies Inc., an IT services provider in Portland, recently hired Devin Williams as a help desk technician.

Spinnaker Trust in Portland recently hired Erick Lahme as senior client adviser. Previously, Lahme was vice president at U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management in Portland.

Allied Engineering in Portland recently hired James Martin as a senior structural engineer.

Northeast Laboratory Services, an accredited laboratory in Winslow, recently hired Harold Flachsbart as director of its environmental chemistry department.

The Androscoggin Valley Medical Arts Center recently hired Dr. Thomas Pulling.

Mercy Yarmouth, an affiliate of Mercy Health System of Maine, recently hired Louis Hanson as a primary care provider to specialize in family practice medicine. Mercy Windham Primary Care, an affiliate of Mercy Health System of Maine, recently hired Rita Paquin to practice family medicine.

Eaton Peabody, a law firm in Bangor, recently hired attorney Gretchen Jones.

Investcomm Commercial Group, a real estate broker in Kennebunk, recently hired Kirk Butterfield as a sales agent.

St. Joseph Healthcare in Bangor recently hired Kassie Zeigler as executive director of community networks and foundation.

FHC Inc. in Bowdoin, a manufacturer and marketer of neuroscience and neurological devices, recently hired Jennifer Dube-Works as customer collaborations director.

Norway Savings Bank in Bethel recently hired Bill White as vice president, personal and small business development officer.

Patient Advocates in Gray recently hired Katie Bernier as a communications specialist.

Rinck Advertising in Auburn recently hired Brad Bosse as an account manager. Previously, Bosse was a career councilor at Kaplan University in Lewiston.

Dream Local Digital, a social media marketing firm in Thomaston, recently hired Bethany Snow, Jeff Howland and Luke Thomas as online marketing strategists.

Scarborough-based Welch Signage and Digital Graphics recently hired Barry Donohoe and Bill Braisted as sales consultants.

Promotions

Goold Health Systems, a health care management company focusing on Medicaid services in Augusta, recently promoted Jason Hargrove to vice president of administration.

Community Credit Union in Lewiston recently promoted Ashlee Marston from member representative to operations support.

Baker Newman Noyes, an accounting and consulting firm in Portland, recently promoted Jean McDevitt and Jeff Skaggs to principals of the firm.

Insurance Trust in Westbrook recently promoted Kristy Pendexter to employee benefits account executive.

Dream Local Digital, a social media marketing firm in Thomaston, recently promoted Jeremy Cote from intern to online marketing strategist and Laurie Trifoso from intern to client services manager and sales.

Appointments

Neil Korsen, director of the MaineHealth Mental Health Integration Program in Portland, was recently appointed to chair the national Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Expert Panel on Integration Quality Measures. This panel will develop a set of recommended measures of quality for mental health integration programs.

Don Richard, director at Mountain Medical, an engineering firm in New Gloucester, was recently appointed to the Northern New England Association of Personnel Services' board of directors for a two-year term.

The MEMIC Group, a workers' compensation insurer in Portland, recently appointed Jeff Funk to assistant vice president.

DeLorme, a creator of mapping and GPS products in Yarmouth, recently appointed Chris Preus as director of consumer sales.

Sunrise County Economic Council recently appointed Larry Saunders, an account executive for F.A. Peabody Co. in Houlton, to its board of directors.

Don Hanson, co-owner and director of behavior counseling and training at the Green Acres Kennel Shop in Bangor, has been reelected chair of the board of trustees of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

University of Maine at Farmington recently appointed Laurie Gardner to executive director for finance and administration.

Michelle Hood, president/CEO of Eastern Maine Healthcare System in Brewer, was recently appointed chairperson of the American Heart Association in Maine's 13th annual Northeastern Maine Heart Ball.

Portland SCORE recently appointed Nancy Strojny as its chapter chair.

Husson University in Bangor recently appointed Christina Caron as director of advancement services.

Company News

Wellness Connection of Maine, a medical marijuana dispensary and wellness center in Thomaston, recently announced its new website, www.mainewellness.org.

The Bethel Area District Exchange, a nonprofit organization that supports an area food pantry through a clothing exchange, recently held a grand opening at its new location at 23 Mason St. in Bethel.

S&J Tuxedo and Limo Rentals recently announced it is open for business at 76 Sabattus St. in Lewiston.

WMPG, southern Maine community radio from the University of Southern Maine, recently began broadcasting a newly strengthened signal. The station can now be heard from the York/Kittery area and beyond Lewiston/Auburn.

The Bates Dance Festival in Lewiston recently received a $30,000 Art Works I grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for fiscal year 2012.

Blue Marble Geographics, a software developer in Gardiner, recently announce it has been selected by the New England Environmental Finance Center from the Edmund Muskie School of Policy Research at the University of Southern Maine to develop the software interface for a coastal climatic disruption modeling tool entitled COAST. The tool will be used to create a GIS model of cost avoidance strategies to protect against asset damage from sea level rise due to storm surge and coastal flooding.

InterMed, a health care provider in Portland, recently announced it has acquired a General Electric Optima CT660 scanner, which features technology that reduces patient exposure to radiation by up to 40% while producing high-quality imaging.

University of Maine Foundation recently announced it has launched a search for a new president and CEO to replace president and CEO Amos Orcutt, who announced in October his intent to retire this year.

Lisbon Community Federal Credit Union recently celebrated the grand opening of its new branch at 802 Sabattus St. in Lewiston.

Susan Veligor, a financial adviser at Cornerstone Financial Planning in Portland, recently completed a five-day training program, called Inward Bound hosted by the Sudden Money Institute in Key Largo, Fla.

L.L.Bean, an outdoor equipment and apparel merchant, recently announced a multi-year partnership with professional snowboarder Seth Wescott, who will serve as a brand ambassador and work with L.L.Bean outerwear product developers to provide insights on new designs and conduct product testing.

The Ellsworth American and Mount Desert Islander recently announced its page widths will be reduced by 2 inches to appease readers and to better address distribution challenges, including postal requirements and news rack dimensions.

Berlin City Auto Group, a family of dealerships, and its Drive for Education foundation recently donated a total of $26,000 to the following K-12 schools: Mackworth Island, Windham; Longfellow Elementary School, Portland; Costal Ridge Elementary School, York; Massabesic Middle School, Waterboro; Oxford-Cumberland Canal, Westbrook; Great Falls Elementary, Gorham; Charles A. Snow School, Fryeburg; and Durham Community School, Durham.

Katahdin Bankshares Corp., parent company of Katahdin Trust Co., recently declared a cash dividend of $.09 per share for the fourth quarter of 2011, representing an increase of 9.8% over the prior quarter's dividend. The dividend was payable on Dec. 26, 2011 to all shareholders of record as of Dec. 12, 2011.

Attorney I. Richard Ploss, chair of Portland-based law firm Preti Flaherty's trusts and estates practice group, was selected as an author in the recently released book, “Inside the Minds: Best Practices for Structuring Trusts and Estates,” published by Aspatore Books, a Thomson Reuters business.

The Feed a Family campaign held during Maine Public Broadcasting Network's recent television membership drive has resulted in a donation of $50,000 from community foundation donors to the Good Shepherd Food-Bank.

Oakhurst Dairy, a dairy company in Portland, recently announced it is celebrating 90 years in business.

Linda Thompson recently announced the opening of Urban Edge Hair Studio, at 1117 Center St. in Auburn.

Irving Oil recently awarded $15,000 to support the Gulf of Maine Research Institute LabVenture! Program in Portland through its Community Fuel Grant Program.

Sebago Brewing Co. in Gorham recently announced the release of its beer, Midnight Porter.

The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation recently provided a $10,000 gift to Camp Sunshine, a retreat in Casco for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

RE/MAX New England recently announced the opening of RE/MAX Alliance in Westbrook.

Elscott Manufacturing, a diversified electrical contract manufacturer in Gouldsboro, recently announced it has been awarded a federal grant by the New England Technical Trade Assistance Center.

Coast Heritage Trust, a statewide land conservation organization, recently reported it completed more than 40 land conservation projects in 2011.

Saint Joseph's College in Standish recently announced its partnership with Ed Link, a tuition benefit management company that will work with Saint Joseph's online students whose tuition is paid by their employer.

The Charlotte White Center, a health care nonprofit organization, was recently awarded a three-year CARF accreditation, an independent, nonprofit accrediting body, for its acquired brain injury residential program.

Baker Newman Noyes, an accounting and consulting firm in Portland, recently announced that employees Laurie Desjardins and Maggie Fortin, senior managers in its health care consulting division, became Certified ICD-10 Trainers by the American Health Information Association.

Pierce Atwood, a law firm in Portland, recently announced that Rebecca Greenfield, Marianna Liddell, Gavin McCarthy and Katharine Rand have joined the partnership as of Jan.1.

United Insurance Whitehouse Agency recently opened its doors at 1045 Broadway in Bangor.

Woodard & Curran, an engineering firm in Portland, announced its recent employee outreach campaign raised over $62,000 for the firm's foundation, a 501(c)3 established in late 2010. The foundation directs donations to causes incorporating environmental, health, civic and educational causes.

Robert Baldacci, Elizabeth Baldacci and Stephanie Clifford, along with their affiliated consultants, launched Baldacci Communications, a Portland firm that offers strategic consulting in public affairs, community relations, fundraising, and campaign management.

Evergreen Credit Union recently donated more than $10,000 and hundreds of man hours to food pantries located in Cumberland County as part of the annual Ending Hunger in Maine Campaign.

The Center for Grieving Children in Portland recently announced that Wright Express has become the organization's 25th Anniversary Sponsor, making a $50,000 contribution.

G & E Roofing in Augusta recently celebrated 1,000 days of no lost work time.

Preti Flaherty, a law firm in Portland, recently announced that attorneys Jeffrey Talbert and Todd Griset are now partners.

Down East Insurance Agency, a credit union service organization wholly owned by Down East Credit Union in Topsham, recently purchased Freedom Insurance of Unity.

Franklin Community Health Network Farmington recently announced that Cole Teague, chief of facilities management for the health network, has earned the designation of Certified Healthcare Facility Manager from the American Hospital Association Certification Center.

Jesse Thompson, principal at Kaplan Thompson Architects in Portland, recently completed training to become a Certified Passive House Consultant by both the Passive House Institute U.S. and the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt, Germay. Buildings that meet Passive House standards must prove that they use 90% less energy than a comparable conventionally built building.

WPXT-TV in Portland, NE TeleMedia in Portland and Sephone Interactive Media in Bangor recently partnered to launch WPXTforME.com, a free mobile service designed to give Maine residents and tourists a way to find products and services throughout Maine.

Woodex Bearing Co., a manufacturer in Georgetown, recently announced it has become an employee-owned business.

Fisher & Phillips, a law firm headquartered in Atlanta with an office in Portland, recently announced its expansion into Massachusetts with the opening of an office in Boston.

Accolades

Chris Neagle, an attorney with Portland-based law firm Troubh Heisler, was recently selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Best Lawyers in America for real estate law.

Soft Trac, a Sage North America business partner in Falmouth, was recently named to the Sage America President's Circle for the 2011 business year.

Maine Rural Water Association recently presented Pine Tree Camp, a program of Pine Tree Society in Bath, with its annual Outstanding Small Water System award.

John Brubaker, a teacher of public speaking at Central Maine Community College, was recently selected to be featured in Leadership: Helping Others to Succeed, a book series from Insight Publishing.

The U.S. Small Business Administration recently recognized Herbert Thomas for his 24 years of service as senior area manager for the SBA in Bangor.

Thomas Mark Szelog and Lee Ann Szelog recently received a restoration leadership award in recognition of their Maine Woods National Park Photo-Documentation Project from RESTORE: The North Woods.

Jean Libby of Bath Savings Institution has been named Volunteer of the Year by the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce.

Chalmers Insurance Group was honored by Rough Notes magazine, a national publication for insurance professionals, as the November 2011 Marketing Agency of the month.

Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, recently presented employee Roy Tilsley with its Barnett I. Shur Community Service Award for his work with New Horizons for New Hampshire.