IN SHORT

New hires

USI Insurance Services in South Portland hired Kelley Owen as senior account manager in its employee benefits insurance division. Owen was with Unum in its Seattle office.

The MDI Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor hired Vicki Losick as an assistant professor. Losick was with the Carnegie Institution for Science in Baltimore, Md.

Diversified Communications, an international media company in Portland, hired Clifford White as an editor, Devin Temple as a marketing coordinator and Rebecca Schmitt as a conference manager.

Norton Insurance Agency in Cumberland Foreside hired Pam St. Clair as an account executive and Conrad Birkett as commercial lines assistant. Previously, St. Clair was a commercial producer/account manager and branch manager with the Varney Agency in Bangor while Birkett was with J.H. Birkett CPA PA in Brunswick.

Spectrum Medical Group in South Portland hired Ann Robinson as chief legal counsel and director of government affairs. Robinson was most recently a partner at Preti Flaherty.

A business and strategy consulting collective in Portland, known as pro-voke LLC, hired Brad Wise as partner and chief insights officer. Wise retired last year as president of Hannaford Supermarkets.

Community Concepts, a nonprofit and community action agency in Lewiston, hired Richard Davis as director of information technology.

Drummond Woodsum, a law firm in Portland, hired Reid Hayton-Hull as an attorney in the firm’s real estate group and Julia Pitney as an attorney in the firm’s bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’ rights and trial services groups.

The Eastern Maine Community College Foundation in Bangor hired Jennifer Khavari as interim executive director.

Gawron Turgeon Architects in Scarborough hired Emma Carmody as an interior designer. Carmody is a recent graduate of the New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University.

Chalmers Insurance Group in Bridgton hired Bob Logan as a commercial lines account executive. Logan was previously co-owner of RG Johnson Ski & Sports in Bridgton.

Hospice of Southern Maine in Scarborough hired Shannon Barnicle the house manager of Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. Barnicle was formerly the clinical director of operations for Sentry at Home Comprehensive Home Care in York.

Norton Financial Services in Cumberland Foreside hired Chris Byrne as IT manager. Byrne was founder and president of Cogent Information Systems/EZBackup.com.

Lyman-Morse, a boat builder with operations in Thomaston and Camden, hired John Morin to head its new brokerage office located at Lyman-Morse at Wayfarer Marine. Morin has been a certified professional yacht broker for more than 12 years.

Community Partners Inc., a nonprofit in Biddeford that provides support to people with developmental and multiple disabilities, hired Jill Conover as director of development and public relations and Amybeth Hurst as executive assistant.

Albin, Randall & Bennett, a CPA firm in Portland, hired Mary Polito as operations director. Previously, Polito served as practice administrator of Maine Medical Partners - Maine Health Cardiology.

Dawson, Smith, Purvis & Bassett, an accounting firm in Portland, hired Katherine Drake. Drake is a recent graduate of the University of Maine.

Tidestone Solutions, an accounting software and consulting firm in Portland, hired Jean Wormwood as technical consultant.

Piper Shores, a nonprofit retirement community in Scarborough, hired Brian Kenney as facilities director. Kenney was previously with the Windham School Department.

The University of Maine Alumni Association in Orono hired Jill Fiore as director of strategic engagement and Annie Cambridge as director of alumni programs. Fiore previously served as Husson University’s director of marketing while Cambridge was the membership and convention sales manager for the Greater Bangor Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Broadreach Public Relations in Portland hired Emily Paul as a public relations specialist. Paul was with Weber Shandwick in Chicago.

Verrill Dana, a law firm in Portland, hired Kelly Donahue as an attorney in the firm’s intellectual property group. Previously, Donahue was an associate at Locke Lord in Boston.

WGTECH, an IT firm in Westbrook, hired Torry Eaton as senior human resources administrator, Ed Eshleman and Scott Deshaies as senior systems engineers, Corey Ramsey and Matt Beaudet as IT support engineers and Evan Goulet as IT support technician.

WBRC Architects Engineers in Bangor hired Mauren Freire as an architect. Freire previously owned her own firm in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Mercy All About Women in Portland hired Erica Richards as a certified nurse midwife. Richards was with Women’s Wellness Comprehensive Care.

Hancock Lumber in Casco hired Paul Wainman as CFO. He has previous finance and management experience at Hallmark’s William Arthur subsidiary and Kleinfeld Paper.

Promotions

Salem Advisory Group LLC, a registered investment advisory firm in Wells, promoted Larry Blake to health care specialist and MJ Crace to marketing director and office manager.

Bristol Seafood in Portland promoted Peter Handy to president and CEO. Handy was previously vice president of business development.

Albin, Randall & Bennett, a CPA firm in Portland, promoted Samantha Anderson, Ian Dumond and Amy Kronenthal to senior accountants and Karla Brannen to a tax manager.

Appointments

Karen Boston, an attorney at Lipman & Katz in Augusta, was named to the board of the Kennebec Valley Chamber.

Port Resources, a nonprofit in South Portland that supports people with developmental and behavioral health challenges, added Terry Valcourt and Kristen Pietroski to its board of directors. Valcourt is a trial assistant with the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office and Pietroski is a vice president of financial stress testing at TD Bank.

HealthInfoNet, a nonprofit in Portland that uses information technology to improve patient care quality and safety, named Edward Kane, vice president, Maine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care; Dervilla McCann, chief of population health, Central Maine Health Care; Edward Trainer, retired public health administrator; and Marie Vienneau, president and CEO, Mayo Regional Hospital to its board of directors.

The Board of Directors of Community Partners Inc., a nonprofit in Biddeford that provides support to people with developmental and multiple disabilities, added Gregory Bowers, executive vice president and COO, Maine Behavioral Healthcare; Joe Picoraro, vice president, PC Construction Co.; and Craig Piper, SMRT Architects and Engineers, to its board.

Albin, Randall & Bennett, a CPA firm in Portland, said that David Jean was selected to serve on the inaugural Certified Public Accountant Advisory Council to the National Association of Surety Bond Producers.

VHB, a civil engineering firm in South Portland, announced Megan Houdlette was named to the advisory board for Healthy Cumberland County, an organization that seeks to educate the public about building healthy communities as well as shaping related policy and effecting positive changes. Houdlette is a senior project engineer with the firm.

Androscoggin Bank’s MainStreet Foundation named Lacey Gammon and Dennis Lajoie to its board of directors. Gammon is a loan operations representative at Androscoggin Bank and Lajoie is vice president of economic development and housing at Community Concepts Inc. and CEO of Community Concepts Finance Corp.

Achievements

Conde Nast Traveler named Spruce Point Inn in Boothbay Harbor to its list of Top 20 U.S. spas.

Maine Equal Justice Partners honored Charles Dingman with its Pro Bono Equal Justice Hero Award. Dingman is a partner at PretiFlaherty in Augusta.

Energy Audits Ltd., a building performance consulting firm in Portland, was recognized by Efficiency Maine Trust for its contribution to Efficiency Maine’s business program.

Urban Dwelling, an interior designer in Portland, was awarded a 2016 People’s Choice Award for residential design from American Institute of Architects New Hampshire.

The Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce recognized Diane Jackson for her efforts to help small businesses throughout Androscoggin County. Jackson is a business account executive with the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.

Ryan Hale, an advisor with Kennebunk Investment Services, was named one of the nation’s Top-50 Bank and Credit Union Advisors for 2015 by Bank Investment Consultant, a leading financial services industry magazine.

The Maine Real Estate & Development Association announced its annual award winners. William Shanahan, president of the Northern New England Housing Investment Fund, won the 2016 Robert B. Patterson Jr. Founders’ Award; Jason Favreau, a principal with BerryDunn, was chosen as 2016 Volunteer of the Year; Andrea Cianchette Maker, a partner at Pierce Atwood, captured the 2016 Public Policy Award; and Bruce Jones, business development manager at Creative Office Pavilion, and Brian Curley, a partner with PDT Architects, shared the 2016 President’s Award.

The University of Maine at Farmington was named by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as an associate member in its nationwide SEA-PHAGES project — a pilot research program designed to engage college students in true scientific research and discovery as early as possible in their academic careers.

Pen Bay Family Medicine, Pen Bay Pediatrics, Waldoboro Family Medicine, Waldo County Medical Partners Family Practice, Waldo County Medical Partners Family Medicine, Donald S. Walker Health Center, Stockton Springs Regional Health Center, Arthur Jewell Community Health Center and Searsport Health Center were all recognized by Vax Maine Kids and MaineHealth for their commitment to excellence in childhood immunizations.

Jo-Ann Neal of Allen Insurance and Financial in Camden obtained a federal license to present Medicare insurance options to clients. In addition, Stephanie Griffin, special business unit account assistant; Mallory Arsenault, business insurance account manager assistant; and Kathi Jones, manager of accounting, human resources and IT all achieved the designation of Accredited Customer Service Representative in Commercial Lines from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America.

Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor recently became the first hospital in Maine to use fluorescence imaging during robot-assisted surgery, an advancement that provides surgeons with better visualization of tissue and blood vessels and may lead to fewer complications.

Scott Edwards, a tanker driver for Poland Spring, received the Nestlé Waters North America President’s Award. The award recognizes a commitment to community and dedication to the company.

Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project in Portland named Pierce Atwood, a law firm in Portland, as its Pro Bono Firm of the Year; Lowell Turnbull, an attorney at Garvey, Schubert, Barer in Portland, Ore., its Pro Bono Attorney of the Year; Preble Street in Portland its Community Partner Award winner; Mary Allen Lindemann of Coffee by Design as its Business Community Partner; Chris Kast of the Brand Co. in Portland its Development Volunteer of the Year; Anna Lopez-Tous, Intake Volunteer of the Year; Amber Attalla, Legal Volunteer of the Year; Skeek Frazee, Hero Award; and Barbara Taylor, the organization’s senior attorney, the 2016 Thomas P. Downing Jr. Award.

The Susan L. Curtis Charitable Foundation in Portland said its program, Camp Susan Curtis, won the American Camp Association’s Eleanor P. Eells Award for program excellence. The award is presented annually through to six nominees nationwide that “create exceptional programming and develop effective, creative responses to the needs of people and society through the camp experience.”

The Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce announced its annual award winners including: Small Business of the Year Award, FIORE Artisan Olive Oils and Vinegars; New Building Award, First Congregational Church of Camden and Coastal Opportunities; Beacon Award, Center for Furniture Craftsmanship; Public Improvement Award, Sussman House; Economic Enhancement Award, CruiseMaine, USA; Community Volunteer of the Year Award, John Anders, New England Mountain Bike Association; Special Recognition Award, Johann Strasberg, Grasshopper Shop of Rockland; and Innovation in Business Award, VStv-88.

Scott Simons, principal and founder of Scott Simons Architects in Portland, was elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects for making a significant contribution to design excellence in the profession at both the state and national level.

Lee Jackson, an employee at McDonald’s in Old Town, was named one of only 25 employees nationwide to receive the McDonald’s Crew Person of the Year Award.

UniTel, high speed Internet and local/long-distance phone company in Unity, was recognized by the Rural Broadband Association for its work to bring high-speed broadband to the rural communities in Maine.

The Maine Business School at the University of Maine in Orono earned an accreditation extension by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, an international accrediting institution for business programs.

Green Acres Kennel Shop Kennel in Bangor announced that Supervisor Michelle Harmon and Pet Care Technicians Breanna Davis, Nicole Gatcomb, Clara Irvine, Lauren LeBreton and Aron Nichols earned the Pet Professional Guild’s Pet First Aid certificate of competence.

Brian Bernatchez, an LPL Financial-affiliated advisor at Golden Pond Wealth Management in Waterville, was recognized as a top financial advisor and named to LPL’s Chairman’s Council.

Anna Moorman of Allen Insurance and Financial in Camden received an award from Martin’s Point Generations Advantage as one of its Top 10 performing producers in Medicare sales for the state of Maine.

Wright-Pierce, a water, wastewater and civil infrastructure engineering firm in Portland, announced the Mattabassett Water Pollution Control Facility upgrade project in Cromwell, Conn., won the American Council of Engineering Companies of Connecticut Grand Award and a National Recognition Award in the American Council of Engineering Companies 2016 Engineering Excellence Awards competition. The firm provided the design and construction administration engineering for the $100 million dollar project.