In Short

New hires

Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor hired Michael Paci as a neurosurgeon at EMMC Neurosurgery and Spine Specialists; Marie Michailidou and Daniel Hetherman as physicians at EMMC Northeast Surgery of Maine; and Tracy Bras as a sports medicine physician at EMMC Orthopedic Surgical Specialists.

Bristol Seafood in Portland hired Shawn DuBose, Chris Hinson, Kimberly Moore and John Pierce as business development managers for U.S. regions. DuBose will handle the Midwest, Hinson the South, Moore the Mid-Atlantic and Pierce the Northeast.

OceanView at Falmouth, a retirement community in Falmouth, hired Tamera Vogel as assisted living and memory care sales consultant and Don Wessels as sales associate for its satellite community, Cumberland Crossing by OceanView in Cumberland. Vogel was previously a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual and Prudential while Wessels was with The Highlands of Topsham.

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust hired Sarah Sachs as vice president, team leader - residential lending group, Maine in South China. Sachs was previously vice president, mortgage division at Northeast Bank.

Maine Audubon in Falmouth hired Kate Lewis as director of development. Lewis most recently was director of development at Greater Portland Landmarks.

Norway Savings Bank in Norway hired Jamie Arnold as vice president, loan servicing manager. Arnold has several years of experience in loan production.

The YWCA of Central Maine in Lewiston hired Melanie LaMore Gagnon as executive director. LaMore Gagnon was previously director of shelter and housing services at Safe Voices.

Fluid Imaging Technologies, a laboratory instrumentation manufacturer in Scarborough, hired Katie Clegg as director of inside sales and customer care.

MaineHealth in Portland hired Dora Anne Mills as senior vice president, community health. Mills, formerly Maine's State Health Officer and Director of the Maine CDC, was most recently vice president for clinical affairs at the University of New England.

Drummond Woodsum, a law firm in Portland, hired Parke Burmeister as a member of its estate planning practice. Burmeister previously operated a boutique law practice in Portland.

Ledgewood, a construction company in South Portland, hired Lisa Beeler as business development director. Beeler was previously with Pierce Promotions and KMA HR Consulting.

The Aroostook Partnership, an economic development organization in Caribou, hired Paul Towle as CEO and president. Towle spent the last eight years as COO of I Care Pharmacy in Fort Fairfield.

Bath Savings Institution hired Colette Twigg-Rowse as a commercial lender in Falmouth. Twigg-Rowse was previously a portfolio and credit manager at CEI in Brunswick.

Isaacson & Raymond, a law firm in Lewiston, hired Toye Akinjiola as an attorney in its litigation and family law department.

Sebago Technics, an employee-owned, engineering consulting firm in South Portland, hired Andrew Strout as project surveyor, Bryan Walsh as civil engineer and Henry Hess as landscape designer.

Perry, Fitts, Boulette and Fitton CPAs in Oakland hired Anima Nikonthet as a senior accountant. Nikonthet previously worked for Price Waterhouse Coopers in Boston.

Appointments

Schoodic Institute in Winter Harbor named David Ellwood board chair and added David Manski to the board and named him vice chair. Ellwood is the Isabelle and Scott Black professor of political economy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University while Manski is a certified wildlife biologist, a research associate at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor and a commission member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas.

Berman & Simmons, a law firm in Lewiston, said attorney Travis Brennan was appointed by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to the Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure. The committee is tasked with reviewing the civil rules and considering proposed changes to the rules. Brennan's practice focuses on representing clients in claims involving medical malpractice, personal injury, wrongful death and defective products.

Thomas College in Waterville added Danielle Marquis to its board of trustee. Marquis is an account executive at Higgins & Bolduc Insurance Agency in Oakland.

Achievements

Educate Maine was named the “2018 Friend of Education” by the National Association of State Boards of Education. The award is given annually to an individual or organization whose contributions to education are significant and enduring.

Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor was ranked among the top 20 health care employers for women in Forbes' first ever “Best Employers for Women” list. The hospital ranked No. 18 among health care organizations, and 77th overall, out of companies considered nationwide.

Jane Lafleur, owner of JB Lafleur Consultants in Camden, was one of three individuals nationally to receive “Community Heart & Soul” coaches' certification from the Orton Family Foundation. The certification recognizes an individual who assists towns in carrying out the foundation's community development model, which guides residents in creating stronger, healthier and more economically vibrant small cities and towns across the country.

Husson University in Bangor announced it was one of 26 colleges nationally selected by the Council of Independent Colleges, in partnership with the Association of College and University Educators, to join the national Consortium for Instructional Excellence and Career Guidance, a new initiative that will prepare up to 500 faculty members to use evidence-based teaching practices shown to promote student success while embedding career guidance into their existing courses.

Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC, a law firm in Burlington, Vt., said attorney Gregory Clayton was named as a “2019 Lawyer of the Year” in U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers' “2019 Best Lawyers in America” list. Clayton is based out of Camden.

Skelton Taintor & Abbott, a law firm in Auburn, said Stephen Wade and Rebecca Webber were as a “2019 Lawyer of the Year” in U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers' list of the “2019 Best Lawyers in America.” Wade was also listed in the publication in four other practice areas while Webber was included in two.

Chelsea Moeller, director of philanthropy at MaineGeneral Health in Augusta, was included on the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy's first-ever “Forty Under 40” list.

The University of Maine at Farmington announced it was ranked No. 9 out the top 150 baccalaureate colleges in the nation by Washington Monthly. The school also said U.S. News and World Report ranked it No. 4 in “Top Public Colleges, “Best Undergraduate Teaching” and “Best Colleges for Veterans” in its classification of regional colleges in the North; No. 9 in “Top Regional Colleges in the North — Public and Private” and No. 10 in “Best College Value — Regional Colleges in the North.”

The Maine Heritage Policy Center named Heidi Sampson, R-Alfred, as its “2018 Freedom and Opportunity Award” winner. Sampson is currently serving her first term in the Maine House and is a champion for localized, student- and parent-driven schooling so that every child can learn the skills needed to thrive in the global, 21st century economy.

Machias Savings Bank was named one of the “Best Banks to Work For in the Nation” by American Banker. The bank placed 8th on the list of 85 banks.

VIP Tires & Service in Auburn announced that owner John Quirk was named the “2018 Tire Dealer of the Year” by Modern Tire Dealer, a trade publication.

NFI North Inc., a multi-service agency based in Contoocook, N.H., presented four Maine-based employees with awards based on nominations from their peers. Caroline McCarthy, assistant program director at Bridge Crossing in Bridgton, was presented with the “Courage to Grow” award; April Crockett, teacher's aide at Stetson Ranch in Stetson, the “Remarkable Role Model” award; and Teresa Dickson, educational coordinator at Sidney Riverbend in Sidney, and Amy Manchester, program director, In-Home and Community Based Services, the “Superhero” award. In addition, Jay Bowker received the “Dr. Yitzhak Bakal Essence of Leadership Award” for leadership, talent and caring. Bowker is program director at Finson Road, an assisted living program in Bangor for up to eight aging adults with a persistent mental illness and the need for a supported home to ensure safety and supervision.

Kennebec Savings Bank in Augusta was recently featured in Independent Banker magazine as a national award recipient for the “2018 National Community Bank Service Awards” by the Independent Community Bankers of America.

F3 MFG, formerly Magnum Manufacturing Inc. in Waterville, was ranked No. 3 among Maine companies in the Inc. 5000. Nationally, the company placed No. 1,317 on business magazine Inc.'s annual ranking of fastest-growing U.S. businesses. Rankings are based on revenue growth rate over a three-year period; F3 MFG reported a 363% revenue growth rate over three years to reach $10.3 million in 2017.

The Maine Seacoast Mission presented the Maine Community Foundation with a “2018 Sunbeam Award” for the impact of funds devoted to Hancock and Washington counties.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins received the “Distinguished Citizen Award” from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society for her work to support veterans by protecting access to rural health care, holding the VA accountable in the wake of scandal, expediting the process for disabled veterans to get the services they need and supporting Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

The Maine Municipal Association in Augusta recently held its Annual Report Competition. Winners by population category were: 5,000 and over: Freeport, Supreme; Waterville, Superior; and Cumberland, Excellence; 2,500 to 4,999: Vassalboro, Supreme; China, Superior; and Madison and Thomaston, Excellence; 1,000 to 2,499: Boothbay Harbor, Supreme; Rangeley, Superior; and Rome, Excellence; 500 to 999: Carrabassett Valley, Supreme; Alna, Superior; and Brooksville, Excellence; and Under 500: Cranberry Isles, Supreme; Arrowsic, Superior; and Kingsbury Plantation, Excellence.

Pineland Farms Dairy Co. in Bangor said that its cheddar received a gold medal from the panel of judges in the 10th annual Big E Gold Medal Cheese Competition. The company also won bronze medals for its Monterey Jack, Sharp Cheddar and Smoked Cheddar and Pineland Farms Cheddar received the top score in the “Cheddar- Aged Up to 12 Months” category.

Emily Shaffer of Emily Shaffer Studio, a jewelry design retailer in Ellsworth, won the 2018 Halstead Grant for new jewelry businesses. Shaffer received a $7,500 cash grant, $1,000 in jewelry supplies, a trip to Prescott, Ariz., the cover and a feature spread in the grant publication Reveal, a feature profile and jewelry showcase in the 2019 Halstead catalog, press assistance, a detailed feedback report from the judging committee and a signature trophy.

Camden National Bank held its annual Employee Appreciation Event. Winners included “Officer of the Year,” John Everett, senior vice president, director of commercial banking for Southern Maine; “Employee of the Year,” Marie Cudmore, assistant banking center manager, Kennebunk; “Commitment to Core Values,” Tammy Sargent, senior relationship banker, Milbridge, and Kim Cullen, senior vice president, director of portfolio management with Camden National Wealth Management; “Commitment to the Community,” Chris Winters, information technology systems administrator, and Chris Abbott, retail banking officer and banking center manager, York; “Commitment to the Employee,” Kate Donohue, senior deposit and payment services specialist, and Angela Arbour, vice president and mortgage banking closing and quality control manager; “Commitment to the Shareholder,” Amanda Smith, collections specialist, and Terri Tooley, assistant vice president financial reporting officer; “Commitment to the Customer,” Hannah Roy, operations specialist, and Lisa Masters, vice president, Camden Financial Consultants; “Commitment to Internal Service,” Bonnie Blohm, commercial loan administrator, and Barry King, vice president, senior credit officer; and “Bob Daigle Award for Achievement through Innovation,” Nat Bell, assistant vice president, senior network engineer.

MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta was awarded the “Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Pro Patria Award” from the U.S. Department of Defense due to its support of its National Guard and Reserve employees. In addition, MaineGeneral Rehabilitation & Long Term Care – Glenridge received an “Innovative Programming Award” from the Maine Health Care Association at the association's Celebrating Excellence event.

Lee Ann Szelog, president of Simply Put LLC, was selected to speak about communication and attitude at the New York State Conference of Mayors & Municipal Officials Fall Training School in Lake Placid, N.Y.