In short from Feb. 21, 2011 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New Hires

Landry/French Construction in Scarborough recently hired Ian McCracken as an estimator.

Fisher & Phillips, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Sarah Mullen as an associate attorney.

Tilson Technology Management, an information technology project management company in Portland, recently hired Chuck Gerry and Terry Turner as senior consultants. Previously, Gerry was director of technology for Unitel and Turner was a project manager for the Trust for Public Land. The company also hired Kim Shelley as a senior developer and Laurie DeLeo as a senior consultant.

The Michelle Raber State Farm Insurance Agency in Scarborough recently hired Kim Abelli as an account representative.

Wright-Pierce, a water, wastewater and infrastructure engineering firm in Portland, recently hired Jon Beekman as senior adviser.

Maine Audubon in Falmouth recently hired Odette Galli as director of advancement.

Ecomaine, a recycling and waste-to-energy organization in Portland, recently hired Arthur Birt as director of finance and administration.

VNA Home Health & Hospice in Portland, a nonprofit affiliate of Mercy Health System of Maine, recently hired Catherine Studley as program manager for its LifeStages service.

OTT Communications in Bangor recently hired the following as account executives: William Cora, Andrea McQuinn, Julie Albert, Melissa Brenner, Rich Smith, Roy Buitrago and Tiffany Free.

Hall Internet Marketing Solutions, an Internet marketing firm in Portland, recently hired Monica Wright as director of search marketing.

Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, an accounting firm in Portland, recently hired Tyson O’Keefe as a PC support specialist in the firm’s IT department.

Martin’s Point Health Care in Portland recently hired Peter Shaw, a cardiologist.

Atlantic Sportswear, a sportswear apparel company in Portland, recently hired John Gleason as a team sales representative for southern Maine. Previously, Gleason owned and operated Coastal Athletics.

Environments at Work, a Haworth office furniture dealer in Portland, recently hired Julie-Anne Smith as an interior designer.

The Gelato Fiasco in Brunswick recently hired Tim Higgins as general manager.

Wright Express Corp. in South Portland recently hired Gareth Gumbley as executive vice president, Wright Express International. Previously, Gumbley was chief executive officer of the epay division and senior vice president and officer of Euronet Worldwide.

Fore Solutions, a green building consulting firm in Portland, recently hired Amy Seif Hattan as chief of operations. Previously, Hattan was the director of strategic initiatives at Second Nature in Boston.

S.W. Cole Engineering Inc., geotechnical engineering firm in Augusta, recently hired Michael St. Pierre, a geotechnical engineer.

Welch Signage and Digital Graphics in Scarborough recently hired Tim Pothier as a sales representative for digitally printed signs, vehicle wraps, POP displays and banners produced on flatbed and wide format printers.

Connectivity Point Design and Installation, a communications cabling design and installation contractor in Auburn, recently hired Tim Booth as a sales engineer.

People’s United Bank in Portland recently hired Paul Collins as a business banker, vice president.

College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor recently hired anthropologist Heath Cabot as a member of its faculty.

Sunday River Resort & Conference Center in Newry recently hired Laura Pandolfo as a conference sales manager. Previously, Pandolfo was a sales and marketing coordinator with Mainebiz.

Verrill Dana, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Barbara Gyure as counsel and Jeffrey Heidt and Dennis White as partners.

People’s United Bank in Bangor recently hired Kathleen Prescott as a customer service manager and Elizabeth Sherman as assistant vice president, financial services manager.

Northeast Bank in Auburn recently hired Michael Sawyer as the director of business development for its insurance division.

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in West Boothbay Harbor recently hired Mark Bloom as director of corporate alliances and technology transfer.

Custom Sales Team Inc., a sales staff provider in Portland, recently hired Justin Grant as an account manager.

Promotions

MACTEC Engineering and Consulting Inc. in Portland recently promoted Kerry Robert Tull to chief scientist.

TD Bank in Portland recently promoted William Schad to senior commercial loan officer in commercial lending.

U.S. Cellular in South Portland recently promoted Jeff Brown to area sales manager for southern Maine.

Oral Health America in Portland recently promoted Elizabeth Rogers to vice president.

Hammond Lumber Co. in Brunswick recently promoted Larry DeMerchant to store manager. Previously, DeMerchant was the manager of its Skowhegan location.

People’s United Bank in Bangor recently promoted Judith Young, business development officer in the Pittsfield, Newport, Bangor area, to vice president; Brad Fisher, assistant vice president, to business banking associate; and Justin Jamison, assistant vice president, to commercial banking officer.

Hope Association, a nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual disabilities in Rumford, recently promoted Catherine Johnson to executive director.

Main-Land Development Consultants in Livermore Falls recently promoted Robert Berry to president.

U.S. Cellular in Bangor recently promoted Jason Shank to area sales manager for central and northern Maine.

Appointments

Bruce Wagner, president and owner of Traverse CEO, and Brian Petrovek, managing owner of the Portland Pirates, have recently been appointed co-chairs of the 2011 Heart Walk, a fundraiser for the American Heart Association.

The Maine Center for Economic Policy recently elected Steve Ward as its new chair, Annee Tara as vice chair, Bonnie Lounsbury as secretary and Douglas Woodbury as treasurer.

Lester Wilkinson, a shareholder and attorney at Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, was recently appointed to the board of trustees at Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook.

The Animal Welfare Society, a companion animal shelter in West Kennebunk, recently appointed Amber Caron-Caouette to its board of directors.

Androscoggin Bank in Lewiston recently appointed Pasquale Maiorino to chairman of the board of directors.

The Maine Insurance Agents Association recently elected Daniel Guerette as state national director to the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America.

Day One in South Portland, an adolescent substance abuse service provider, recently elected the following officers: Dianne Nason, senior vice president of Key Private Bank, president; Jack Quirk, human resources director for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, vice president; Steve Eddy, vice president and fiduciary consultant for Investment Management & Consulting Group, treasurer; Marie Clements, HR strategies for Unum, secretary; and Kevin Freeman, director of business development for the Pizzagalli Construction Co., chairman of the resource development committee.

The Cumberland County Y recently appointed the following board members: Ethan Gamage; Jenna Klein Jonsson; and Cliff Ruprecht.

John Shumadine, an attorney and director at the Portland law firm, Murray, Plumb & Murray, was recently elected to the board of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland.

Spotlight

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently designated the Penobscot Community Health Center in Bangor among 11 sites chosen nationwide as a new teaching health center in the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, according to a press release from the department. The five-year program supports an increased number of primary care medical and dental residents trained in community-based settings across the country. The Penobscot Community Health Center will receive an initial $150,000 as a result of this new designation.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, teaching health centers will be supported by funds made available through the Affordable Care Act for up to five years of ongoing support for the costs associated with training primary care physicians and dentists.

Company News

The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development’s Maine products marketing program, Maine Made, recently announced the following new members: Bootsie’s Boutique in Wilton; Christine’s K-9 Treats in Wales; Coastal Art Glass in Bath; Gem Tags in Augusta; Lifethereal in Peak’s Island; Maine Sailing Partners in Freeport; Rangeley Balsam in Rangeley; Richard Boyd Pottery in Peaks Island; and Southern Maine Soap Co. in Gorham.

The University of Southern Maine’s community radio station WMPG was recently awarded a $128,044 grant from the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, through its Public Telecommunications Facilities Program.

Katahdin Trust Co. in Bangor recently teamed with Intuit Financial Services to offer free mobile and text message banking.

Acadia Federal Credit Union recently voted to refund approximately $350,000 in combined bonus share dividends and loan interest rebates to its members.

The Sam L. Cohen Foundation recently awarded a $25,000 grant to Portland Adult Education for the Personal Computers for College project.

Janmarie Toker, an attorney and partner at Topsham-based law firm McTeague Higbee, recently celebrated her 25th year at the firm.

Thomas Chasse, an otolaryngologist, recently opened a practice, MaineGeneral Ear, Nose & Throat, at the Lee Farm Mall in Augusta. He is also a member of MaineGeneral Medical Center’s medical staff.

Community Credit Union in Lewiston recently announced that loan officer Rebecca Rochette has received her certificate as a CUNA-certified financial counselor.

University Credit Union recently renewed sponsorship of the University of Southern Maine Athletics Department.

InterSpec Inc., a provider of building information modeling construction specification software and services in Portland, recently announced its upgraded e-SPECS v6.0, which includes a redesign of its integrated keynoting system, fully integrated project file management and enhanced integration with all Autodesk Revit products.

SPX Communication Technology, a manufacturer of broadcast antenna systems in Raymond, recently announced that Interlochen Public Radio has purchased and installed a Dielectric DCR-H4 FM antenna at its WLMN 89.7 station in Manistee, Mich.

Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, recently announced that more than 50% of the firm’s attorneys provided pro bono legal assistance in 2010, logging more than 1,800 hours and providing $470,000 worth of services at no cost to local organizations and individuals in need.

Blue Marble Geographics, a developer and provider of geographic software products in Gardiner, recently announced that its GeoCalc is now in beta testing for Java users.

The Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport recently announced its CT scanner was accredited for both pediatric and adult patients from the American College of Radiology.

The American Camp Association, New England recently granted the Chewonki Camp for Girls in Wiscasset ACA accreditation.

Tom Cox, a College of the Atlantic trustee, recently donated 101 acres on Norway Drive in Bar Harbor to the college.

Fluid Imaging Technologies Inc., manufacturer of FlowCAM desktop and portable instrumentation in Yarmouth, recently sold its FlowCAM imaging particle analysis system to ExxonMobil, Synthetic Genomics Inc., Sapphire Energy Inc., Heliae Development and AlgaeVenture Systems.

InterMed, a medical group in South Portland, recently selected Winxnet in Portland as its new IT provider.

Atlantica Group, an international business development consulting firm in Portland, recently announced the launch of Atlantica Analytics, a new division that offers analyses of market conditions and competitive trends.

Common Good Ventures, a nonprofit consulting firm, recently announced it has moved to 132 Spring St. in Portland.

Eighty-one Lions Clubs in Maine recently partnered with the Lions Club International Foundation to donate a 275-kilowatt generator to Good Shepherd Food-Bank in Auburn.

Putney Inc., a pet pharmaceutical company in Portland, recently showcased its FDA Center of Veterinary Medicine-approved generic products, carprofen caplets and ketamine HCl injection, at the North American Veterinary Conference 2011.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Portland recently celebrated its tenth year of operating the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, a program which assists low-income taxpayers in Maine with federal tax filings.

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish recently announced that its graduate online family nurse practitioner program will now allow its master’s-level nursing students to gain clinical experience in their home areas under the supervision of a local clinical preceptor and a Saint Joseph’s clinical coordinator.

Franklin Community Health Network in Farmington recently announced that Heather Davis, Healthy Community Coalition executive director, has been accepted into the Maine Association of Nonprofits’ 2011 Nonprofit Leadership Institute.

Pioneer Broadband in Houlton recently announced the completion of a new fiber optic connection from its datacenter in Houlton to Woodstock, New Brunswick.

Unity College was recently awarded a $75,000 grant from Jane’s Trust, a regional trust that makes grants in education, environment, health and welfare, and arts and culture in northern New England, greater Boston and southwest Florida. Jane’s Trust also awarded Ferry Beach Ecology School in Saco an $85,000 grant to support its Science & Ecology: Live & Unplugged! program and an impact study to measure the success of the new environmental education project.

Kennebec Behavioral Health in Augusta was recently accredited for a period of three years for all of its programs and services by CARF International.

The Penobscot Community Health Center in Bangor recently announced it will receive a $2.6 milion loan administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program to purchase the building it currently leases.

The Maine Business School in the University of Maine’s College of Business, Public Policy and Health in Orono recently earned reaccreditation by AACBS International.

Custom Composite Technologies, a composite manufacturer in Bath, recently presented a technical paper at the American Composites Manufacturing Association’s annual show, Composites 2011, on the challenges of vacuum infusion with large complex shapes in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Certify, an online expense management company in Portland, recently announced that its Certify Single User version is available at no charge to all users.

Accolades

The Bridgton Hospital Pharmacy and its staff recently received the regional Site of the Year 2010 Award and a Best Practices 2010 Award from Comprehensive Pharmaceutical Services.

The Maine Eastern Railroad was recently named one of the top five attractions in Maine, as listed in the 2011 ABA Motorcoach Marketer, a publication of the American Bus Association.

The Maine Real Estate & Development Association recently presented the following awards: The Robert B. Patterson Jr. Founders’ Award to Dennis Keeler, a partner at Pierce Atwood in Portland; the Volunteer of the Year Award to Michael O’Reilly, vice president of commercial lending at Bangor Savings Bank in Portland; the Public Policy Award to Greg Payne, a development officer at Avesta Housing in Portland; and the Presidents’ Award to Shelly Clark, business and operations manager at the Maine Real Estate & Development Association in Portland.

The Portland Museum of Art recently announced that Dana Baldwin, the museum’s Peggy L. Osher director of education, has been named the National Museum Educator of the Year by the National Art Education Association.

Jennifer Eastman, an attorney at the Bangor law firm Rudman & Winchell, recently received the Most Hours on Completed Volunteer Lawyers Project Cases award by the Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project.

Steven Peterson, executive director of Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick, was recently honored as a distinguished alumnus by the Utah State University’s Caine College of the Arts.

The Maine Wood Products Association recently awarded Kennebec Lumber Co. in Solon its annual Pine Tree Award.

Comfort Inn & Suites of Farmington/Wilton recently received the 2010 Platinum Hospitality Award from Choice Hotels International Inc., franchiser of the Choice Hotel brand.

Kim and John Verreault, owners of the Captain Daniel Stone Inn and No. 10 Water Restaurant in Brunswick, were recently presented with the annual Historic Preservation Award from the Brunswick Downtown Association.